Council to consider temporary parking zone

City council briefs: From the Oct. 15 meeting

Council directed staff to investigate implementing a short-stay parking zone in front of a downtown business, located at Main Street and 2nd Avenue.

Thuy Nguyen, who owns Anna’s Café Europa, made the request, saying parking spaces in front of her restaurant are often filled up, leaving no room for customers.

Nguyen presented a number of letters from nearby business owners and a petition to council in favour of her request.

“Parking in the area is seriously curtailed,” said Rick Smith, who spoke on behalf of Nguyen.

Staff will bring a report back to council on the matter in November.

Airdrie Housing

Airdrie Housing Ltd., a non-profit society that provides affordable housing, requested $150,000 from the City in next year’s budget.

The request is the same as last year’s bid.

“Being able to provide affordable housing in the community makes a difference,” said Shelley Sweet, managing director of Airdrie Housing Ltd. “Many of our tenants would be homeless without Airdrie Housing Ltd. All of our clients are good news stories.”

Since its inception in 2008, Airdrie Housing Ltd. has been the recipient of an annual municipal grant to assist with its operations.

The organization owns 44 affordable housing units in Airdrie, including apartments and condos.

The units are rented at 10 per cent below market value and are located in several Airdrie communities including King’s Heights, Sagewood, Big Springs and the Edge, a condo development located right next to Genesis Place.

According to Sweet, the organization helps 85 families per month with supplements of up to $300 and has a large waiting list.

Sweet said the organization’s goal for 2013 is to acquire land needed to develop more housing units and create a mixed-use model.

The organization is also hoping to achieve a 70/30 split between market and non-market tenants to ensure enough money is available to help supplement rents once Provincial grant money runs out, which Sweet said is expected at the end of 2014.

In 2012, Airdrie Housing restructured its internal operations to include in-house lease administration and property management. The move resulted in a significant cost savings.

Council will consider the request during budget deliberations.

Nose Creek Museum

Council unanimously approved a five-year lease agreement with the Nose Creek Valley Museum Society.

The Nose Creek Valley Museum is located at the edge of Nose Creek Park at 1701 Main Street Airdrie. It has operated in that location since 1987. The Society’s lease expired July 27.

The museum represents more than 100 years of local history and is home to more than 20,000 artifacts, wildlife displays, a First Nation’s display, settler’s cabin, blacksmith shop, general store, barbershop, antique cars and farm machinery and arrowheads.

It is also home to First and Second World War memorabilia and 4-H displays.

Museum staff and volunteers host a number of events and programs including guided tours, a visitor information centre and a monthly coffee and conversation event.

The museum society also rents out two meeting rooms at a cost between $50 and $70 per day or $85 to $120 for evenings. The rentals provide valuable revenue to the society.

The museum is open year-round and entrance to the museum is $2 for adults and free for children under 12.

For more information, contact the museum at 403-948-6685.

Commercial rezoning

Council unanimously gave first reading to a rezoning bylaw and amendment to an area structure plan (ASP) in the city’s southwest to allow for a retail business.

The 2.58-acre parcel, located southwest of Home Depot in Sierra Springs, was originally zoned as industrial business park but was changed to highway commercial.

Staff made the recommendation after the landowner was approached last spring by a mattress retailer interested in locating on the site, which includes three separate lots. According to the staff report, the commercial district is more compatible with the character of Sierra Springs, which includes Walmart and Airdrie Honda.

Alderman Alan Hunter expressed some concern about losing industrial lands, but Mark Spence, of the City’s planning department, said there is plenty of room available for industrial businesses in the lands annexed from Rocky View County.

“We are just trying to locate industrial (land) better,” he said. “We have to be cognizant where we locate it (in proximity) to residential developments.”

The bylaw and ASP amendment request will be brought to council for a public hearing, as well as second and third readings at a later date.