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This article was published 10/12/2014 (2111 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A development plan for the Corydon neighbourhood that was nine years in the making was approved by council Wednesday but not before an impassioned plea to kill it.

Coun. Russ Wyatt said the plan was too restrictive for small business and urged councillors to vote against and restart the planning processs.

Despite Wyatt’s urgings, council voted 15-1 to approve the plan.

The Corydon area plan proposes to create orderly development for a neighbourhood that has often found itself caught between conflicting residential and business interests, even while the friction has resulted in one of the city’s most eclectic and thriving neighbourhoods.

Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, whose ward includes the Corydon area, said Wyatt had hijacked the planning the process two years ago on behalf of unnamed business interests and dismissed his objections as without merit.

Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said there was extensive community consultation to develop the plan and elements of the residential and business communities did have concerns but she said only one person, a resident, appeared at a public hearing to oppose the plan.

The area plan focuses on three themes: transit-oriented development linked to the Osborne Transit Station; maintaining Corydon Avenue as a small-scale "village" development; and improving access to the downtown and the Assiniboine and Red rivers.

The finished plan still does not satisfy all of the local business and residential concerns.

The local BIZ was opposed to height restrictions and some residents feared the new plan will allow demolition of existing buildings to facilitate construction of larger retail outlets.

The plan restricts development along a five-block stretch of Corydon, between Daly and Wentworth streets, to low-density projects with new structures limited to two- to four-storeys in height; high density residential highrises are restricted to the east side of Pembina Highway, to take advantage of the transit corridor, and along Wellington Crescent.

New buildings on the west side of Pembina are restricted to three-eight storeys in height.

East and west of the low-density Corydon "village" zone, building heights are restricted to two-six storeys.

Medium density residential development is restricted to north of McMillan Avenue; with the entire area south of Jessie Avenue restricted to low density residential development.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca