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Examples of proposed housing alternatives are shown on the left of the image (City of Grande Prairie)
By Emily Keller
affordable housing

City looking at alternative styles of infill housing

Mar 3, 2020 | 3:43 PM

The City of Grande Prairie is now looking at ways to change infill housing.

At the Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee meeting Tuesday, proposed changes and suggestions to infill housing for the Residential Transition District were presented.

The Residential Transition District is close to the city centre.

Map showing the Residential Transition District, highlighted in yellow (City of GP)

Currently, the types of residences built for infill housing are usually three-plexes, single detached homes or semi detached, and the city is looking to make it easier to build narrow and row housing as well.

Example of a narrow house in the City of Edmonton (City of GP / Thirdstone Inc.)

Mayor Bill Given says this is a great opportunity for the city to look at bringing new types of housing, as well as more affordable housing, to the community.

“Every opportunity that we have to increase land utilization means that it can be more profitable for somebody to build a house at a lower cost to the end purchaser and having more diversity of housing is a great opportunity for the community.”

Mayor Given says the proposal would maintain current densities and number of people and houses per area, but would increase lot utilization.

“This is already possible under the Land Use Bylaw today, but it requires a number of steps, and it would require somebody to ask for a variance, and there’s a process and a cost to that,” said Given.

City administration was ultimately directed to review and create amendments to bylaws that could make development of narrow and row housing easier.

He adds they will still consult with the public.

“I appreciate that any new development or new buildings in a neighbourhood obviously raises questions for neighbours, and neighbours in neighbourhoods would still have all the same opportunities for input that they have today, and this proposal would only go forward after a public hearing at City Council as well.”

by Emily Keller