City committee approves front driveway for new home despite safety concerns by planners

A city committee says a home builder can put a front driveway on a new house in St. Vital, despite safety concerns from city planners.

Councillors on the Riel Community Committee voted for the driveway, which will connect to St. George Road.

Coun. Brian Mayes says it's a way for the homeowner to avoid what's behind the house: the pothole-filled gravel lanes.

V&A Homes is building the new house and garage and wanted to prevent the new homeowner from having to deal with the back lane.

"I don't think people want to use it. They're bumpy and we've built a few infill homes and some of those you can't even drive down, they get really messed up," said Aman Sachar, who is with the building company.

A city bylaw states an approach must not be allowed where an adjacent lane of at least 4.5 metres already exists, in this case, that would be the existing gravel back lane which is six metres.

A report to the Riel Community Committee said planners raised safety concerns about a front facing driveway saying it would create conflict between pedestrians and vehicles.

"The lack of a sidewalk on the block requires that pedestrians walk on the road. Adding an approach adds further vulnerability to pedestrians on the subject block," the report said.

All councillors voted to approve the front driveway, despite the report.

"Here's somebody who's got a solution. I'm voting for their solution," said Mayes.

Mayes said he is fed up with complaints about the condition of gravel lanes and if city planners want homeowners to use back lanes, more of them need to be paved.