12Jan/11Off
Housing Forecast Seminar Live Blog – Development Trends
Next up....Patrick Shaver, President, Urban Development Institute (UDI)
- 2011 Housing trends - people want a single family home. This includes single detached, duplex and row homes, as long as they are "fee simple"
- The new standard detached lot is 40' wide.
- Detached garage homes with a lane are on a 30' lot today (compared to 50' 40 years ago)
- Higher density can be achieved in hugh employment areas, and infill areas as well as "urban villages"
- Region has identified primary growth areas with density requirements to the south of the city, west and north east
- Newer developments have higher population densities. Castle downs in the 70's was 62 people/hectare whereas newer neighbourhoods in Windermere are 82.
- Cost of development in the city is higher than anywhere else in the area. There will be a higher deamnd for single family larger lots in the city which will raise prices.
- Most growth will grow in South, Southwest and Southeast in the long term (because other areas are bordered by other cities).
- Sherwood Park has significantly higher housing starts than St. Albert. St. Albert restricts the type of development (no lane development) where S.P. has much more diversity in product. Leduc is seeing significant growth and offers a variety of product. Beaumont, Devon and Calmar has potential.
- Housing starts - he sees flat growth until 2012 when we will start to see a modest increase in demand for the next few years.
- People want schools, parks and paths, natural areas.
- Developers are putting in constructed wet lands, un-paved trails (lower maintenance), LED lighting, lots that front onto parks...all to meet demands of consumers.
- People don't move here because of the weather, we moved here because of opportunities...and we stay because of the lifestyle.
Honestly this presentation was loaded with information, but it wasn't clear what he was specifically talking about at any given point in time. Hence, my summary is not very well explained. I'll try and digest the information and add more when I've had time to think!