Winnipeg infill blueprint faces fresh edits

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This article was published 17/06/2021 (1042 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg’s hotly debated infill strategy could be altered once again, with some new limits meant to tackle resident concerns.

The executive policy committee amended the blueprint this week. If council approves, the city will not allow a lot to be split in two if it’s served by a gravel back lane in a single-family zoned area. An exception would allow lot splitting in areas where two legal lots are currently covered by one home.

Coun. Brian Mayes said the change would prevent the rapid deterioration of back lanes, which he said weren’t designed to handle the increased traffic some infill projects bring.

“The lanes are already in terrible shape and this is a huge source of complaints to my office. This is a way of recognizing that reality,” said Mayes (St. Vital).

Several developers told the city strict limits to gravel lane builds could make some projects too expensive to pursue, thwarting civic goals to increase new builds in existing neighbourhoods. However, Mayes said just 10 per cent of city lanes are made of gravel, which should lessen that impact.

EPC also ordered a secondary plan for the Glenwood neighbourhood, which Mayes expects would help address hundreds of complaints from that area, including claims some infill builders have blocked traffic and knocked over fences.

Mayes said the neighbourhood has become an infill construction hot spot, where properties that previously held one home are converted to contain up to four separate units.

He’s hopeful a secondary plan would lay out standards that help address those issues.

EPC voted 6-1 to support the changes Wednesday night, with Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) opposed.

Rollins told the Free Press she’s concerned the strategy lacks an accompanying bylaw to implement the changes, which should have come first to ensure the rules are followed.

However, Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), chairwoman of the property and development committee, said she expects the strategy now offers a good compromise that should work for both developers and residents.

The strategy still requires council approval.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga