During the Regular Meeting of Council March 11th, the City lead a Public Hearing on bylaw 009-25 (Chelsea Land Use Amendment R-2 to R-3). The developer proposed an amendment to redesignate five blocks along Chelsea Drive from Residential Semi-Detached (R-2) to Residential Multi-Unit (R-3), adding approximately 30 units to the overall development. To maintain a net-zero density the applicant proposed an Outline Plan Amendment reducing the density of an existing R-4 parcel located South of Chelsea Parade from 40 to 24 UPA (units per acre). This change is expected to lead to townhomes rather than apartments, providing a better interface with the adjacent R-1 block, and reducing the overall unit count in the community.
The main reason for the change from R-2 to R-3 is safety. The R-3 designation allows for narrower, laned semi-detached dwellings with rear garages, ensuring unobstructed sidewalks and higher pedestrian visibility and safety.
This item was subsequently revisited during the March 25th Regular Meeting of Council, where Council approved amendments to the Chelsea Outline Plan and Land Use bylaw, reducing overall density and improving safety in the Chelsea community.