City's executive policy committee votes against Polo Park development

It was a tight vote from a group that often is in agreement.

But on Tuesday, the City of Winnipeg's executive policy committee voted four to three against a policy change that would allow more residential development in the neighbourhood around Polo Park shopping centre.

Couns. Matt Allard(St. Boniface), Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre),Brian Mayes(St. Vital) and John Orlikow(River Heights-Fort Garry)voted against a requestto change zoning rules around the mall area.

Couns. Scott Gillingham (St. James) and Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) voted in favour, along with Mayor Brian Bowman.

The proposed change was supported byCadillacFairview, which owns the shopping mall, and developers ShindicoRealty and Towers Realty.

WATCH | Committee votes against Polo Park development:

Committee votes against Polo Park development

5 years ago

Duration 1:53

The City of Winnipeg's executive policy committee voted four to three against a policy change that would allow more residential development in the neighbourhood around Polo Park shopping centre.

At issue was a request tochange a planning framework known as the Airport Vicinity Protection Area, which restricts development around the airport. The change would allow Cadillac Fairview and Shindicoto buildhousing around the mall and on the former Canad Inns Stadium site to the north.

Officials with James ArmstrongRichardson International Airportargue allowing extensive residential development would trigger a major increase in noise complaints, which could threaten the airport's 24-hour operations.

City staff had recommended against changing the planning framework, but city council'sAssiniboia communityvoted in favour of the proposed changes in March.

Tuesday's decision sets up a last look at the proposal, which will now move to a vote from all members of city council.

The developers promise hundreds of millions of dollarsof construction and related economic activity if allowed to go forward with their plans.

Mayes, who chair's the city's property and planning committee, voted against the developmentbut acknowledged it pits two centres ofeconomic development against each other.

"This places [the city] somewhat between a rock and hard place," Mayes told his fellow councillors.

Bowman voted for changes to the planning framework,but described it asa "sausage that we are having to deal with," sayinghe acknowledges both sides of the argument.

"There is a long history that certainly predates my time in office with respect to development in those lands, as well as some of the questions and concerns that you saw raised today aboutthe ongoing importance of the Winnipeg Airport Authority," Bowman said after the EPC meeting.

One of the development companies involved in the plan says the city is putting itselfin a hard place economically by rejecting a massive project, especially withthe COVID-19 pandemicstifling economic growth.

"Why, especially now with the city it was already in dire straits andit is going to be in more dire straits going forward would you not be giving as close a look to every piece of potential development?" saidShindico'slegal counsel,Justin Zarnowski.

"Andthis one fundamentally makes sense. The science is behind us. That's been so frustrating."

Zarnowskiwas referring to an engineering consultant hired by Cadillac Fairview, who told the Assiniboia community committee that noise complaints at the Winnipeg airportare down, and most evening approachescome from the north, where there is little residential housing.

Partial heritage status for Somerset Building

The same four councillors who voted against changes to the Airport Vicinity Protection Area voted to grantheritage status totwo facades of the Somerset Building on Portage Avenue.

The designations for the 113-year-old building were opposed by its owner, Canad Inns.

Canad Inns owner Leo Ledohowski and his daughter Lea,the company's president,said thehistorical designation would jeopardize plans Canad Inns has for its downtown properties.

The Ledohowskishave said their planned development would link four of the company's properties together under one name Canad Place.

The motion in front of EPC would have granted heritage status to most of the building's exterior and some parts of itsinterior, but an amendment scaled that back to only protecttwo exterior walls of the old building.

Both the Polo Park development request and the heritage status for the building go to avote by all of citycouncil on May 6.