Residents of Takhini North are concerned that a proposed development on Carpiquet Road could increase traffic in the neighbourhood.
But the proposed development is partly to help someone who no longer drives.
Last year, Dan Cable bought the vacant property at 57 Carpiquet Rd. Right now, city zoning only allows for one garden suite or living suite on the lot. Cable wants to have both at his property.
He wants to build a house with a living suite inside, and a garden suite at the back of the lot. The garden suite is for his 78-year-old mother, who is going blind.
In September, she fell down the stairs in her Riverdale home and broke her collarbone.
She’s on a four-year waiting list with the Yukon Housing Corporation, said Cable.
She still wants her independence and dignity, but she can’t live on her own anymore, he said.
Cable plans to build a suite that will include features like grab bars in the bathtub, so she can live on her own.
But it’s going to be a pretty expensive project, said Cable.
He estimates it will cost between $135,000 and $140,000 to build the new home for his mother.
To cover the cost, he wants to build a two-bedroom rental suite on the first floor of the house, but it won’t look any different from any other in the neighbourhood, he said.
The potential for more neighbours could mean more cars. And residents don’t want that.
The city received six written responses to the project. Four were opposed, and two expressed concerns. All of them were concerned about parking.
That shouldn’t be an issue for this property, said Cable. He and his wife only have one car and a small trailer, he said.
They currently live in Takhini East with their two children.
Cable walks to work downtown, and insists he’ll keep doing that after they move.
If someone does rent from them, they may have a car, but there are three parking spaces on the property.
The bigger problem is the lack of rental housing in Whitehorse, he said.
“We’re not getting what we need,” he told council Monday night.
Condos are too expensive for people who are just starting their careers to rent, and duplexes aren’t the best for seniors who want to live at home, he said.
“We basically have a grey tsunami coming.”
His mother isn’t alone.
There are 48 seniors on the waiting list for Yukon Housing in Whitehorse, said Marc Perreault, director of the corporation.
City administration will present its report to council on the zoning change next Monday.
Contact Meagan Gillmore at
mgillmore@yukon-news.com