REGINA -- Plans to turn the city’s Capital Pointe site into a parking lot were halted on Wednesday following a vote from the Regina planning commission.
The commission voted 8-2 to pause the parking lot plan, agreeing that more time is needed before a decision is made.
The lot, located at the corner of Albert Street and Victoria Avenue, would have been granted to operate for one year, featuring 87 surface parking stalls, and eight stalls for motorcycle parking and bicycle parking.
Coun. Andrew Stevens spearheaded plans to postpone the decision.
During the meeting, he said council must first have an idea of what a new temporary parking plan might look like before moving ahead with approving the Capital Pointe space.
The majority of planning commission members agreed, voting in favour of Stevens’ motion to push the decision to a future date.
Stevens said he couldn’t support approving the space as is because city policy states that there should be no new surface parking lots in the downtown.
Despite the decision being referred, some city councillors expressed support for the parking lot.
Coun. Barbara Young said the approval might lead to the site being developed.
The parking lot would be located at the corner of Albert Street and Victoria Avenue (City of Regina)
MORE DETAILS ON FUTURE OF SITE
During the meeting, a representative for Magnetic Capital said the company is expected to take over the space in November.
David Brundige, a lawyer who was speaking on behalf of Magnetic Capital, said the company was hoping to have the parking lot so it could generate funds to pay for city taxes on the property.
He said the company is looking to redevelop the site, and would only need the lot to be temporary for one year.
Brundige wasn’t able to say what the future development would be.
He said if council doesn’t approve temporary parking, there is a good chance the development may not proceed.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Even though planning commission decided to pause the approval, the site may still wind up becoming a parking lot.
City administration will come back to council sometime in early 2021, possibly March, to discuss its future.
By then, council should have an idea on what the city plans on doing with temporary parking spaces in the downtown.
HOW THE PLANNING COMISSION VOTED
In favour of pausing the plan:
- Coun. Andrew Stevens
- Adrienne Hagen Lyster
- Jacob Sinclair
- Celeste York
- Tak Pham
- Steve Tunison
- Frank Bojkovsky
- Biplob Das
- Cheri Moreau
Against:
- Coun. Barbara Young
- Coun. Jerry Flegel
