Mayor Says He Voted Against Development After Meeting Residents

Mayor Clive Tolley said despite voting against a proposed five-plex development the city is still open for much needed housing development

By Robert Thomas

Meeting in person with the residents of the 400 block of Stadacona Street East and seeing their concerns close up won support from Mayor Clive Tolley.

Speaking during the post Council media scrum Mayor Tolley revealed he had personally gone out spoken to residents and saw their concerns up close.

“This issue has been going on for several weeks and when it came to my attention I went down and walked the site with the neighbours,” the Mayor said.

Regina developer Evco Developments had proposed a five-plex development at 476 Stadacona Street East but would require an amendment to the zoning bylaw to do so. Residents on the block strongly opposed the development as they saw it negatively impact their neighbourhood.

See Related - Neighbours Oppose

“They were all saying to me we don’t want this here and they at the time talked about parking being the biggest issue,” he said, adding “Secondly, they talked about the building, not fitting in with homes on the block.

Mayor Tolley said he was shown several examples of homes in the block that have been fixed up and renovated to be character homes.

“So basically they won me over in terms of their emotion of not having something on their block that didn’t fit with what they believed.”

“The residents were loud and clear they didn’t want this development on their block so I tend to think me personally that the decision went with the residents,” Mayor Tolley said.

Mayor Clive Tolley at a post Council presser - MJ Independent file photo

Mayor Tolley said it was a tough vote to make.

“I had to struggle a bit because we need development. We need more housing,” he said.

Things such as expansions to the pork plant, the trailer manufacturing plant and increased immigration was demanding more housing being built.

Despite voting against lifting the necessary amendment to allow the proposed five-Plex to be developed Mayor Tolley is hopeful the developer, Evvo Developments of Regina, does not give up on Moose Jaw,

“Certainly we want to welcome development, but hopefully that realtor can work with your client and find another spot to build a building.”

Mayor Tolley said he tended to support new housing in the city as a necessity but residents opposition to the proposed five-plex was the clincher for him.

THE VACANT PROPERTY AT 476 STADACONA STREET EAST WHERE EVCO DEVELOPMENTS PROPOSED TO BUILD A FIVE-PLEX HOUSING UNIT IF THEY HAD RECEIVED THE NECESSARY ZONING CHANGES - MJ INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

How each member of Council voted came down to conscience he said.

“I think each councillor has to look at themselves in terms of what they believe in…we heard from the residents of that area that they didn’t want that change so we had to weigh and measure the residents’ concerns versus welcoming development into the city,” Mayor Tolley said.

Asked if the City might take up the residents’ suggestion and offer to sell property to the developer Mayor Tolley said it wasn’t the City’s role.

“The City’s job is to facilitate development. Specific project you’re up the real estate people, developers and business people and contractors…we want free enterprise to take over,” he said.

The Mayor said he was hopeful private business would help the developer find an appropriate location.