Creek Bend Estate Area Planned Development Overlay and Development Guidelines
The second phase of Precinct K development in SE Winnipeg is currently being planned and authorized by the City. Unfortunately, the subject lands do not include all of the remaining undeveloped lands within designated Precinct K. This will result in yet another Precinct K derivative, Precinct K South-West.
Due to landowner fragmentation there is no developer proponent to advance a development plan for the remaining rural lands. The Creek Bend Road lands between the Seine River and the CPKC Emerson Line have been leapfrogged by the proposed Qualico development. This is a textbook example of the phrase ‘urban sprawl.’
One avenue for the City and local residents to explore in dealing with this unfortunate situation is a Planned Development Overlay (PDO). For example, the Transcona Planned Development Overlay and Development Guidelines was developed in conjunction with the City of Winnipeg Planner through community consultation. The process included inventory of existing buildings, land uses and streetscape elements. This inventory was analyzed and the PDO was developed based on compatible land uses, needs of the community and anticipated growth and changes of the area.
The historic Creek Bend Estate Residential community (Site 33) is over 100 years old. The majority of local properties are currently zoned RR5 (5 acres). In fact, many of the existing properties are similar in size to proposed R1E properties (approximately ¼ acre in size.) The City has not stipulated exact lot sizes for future R1E lots.
Subdivision potential is therefore limited in many local properties, giving little opportunity for future subdivision, developer profit and the resulting means to pay for future local improvements.
The Seine River Greenway is vital wildlife corridor, especially for deer. The existing Precinct K plan has no restrictions on new residential fencing guidelines or on establishing safe wildlife crossings on an improved Creek Bend Road.
Rural Creek Bend Road is noteworthy for its river oaks and other valuable tree species. The existing Precinct K plan has no mandate to identify and preserve signature trees located beside the road.
Rural Creek Bend Road is currently serviced by septic fields. The existing Precinct K plan has no mechanisms to financially assist existing local homeowners in connecting to the new area’s sewer lines. While local properties currently have potable wells, long term salinity may be a future issue. City water is also a desirable local improvement.
Urban Creek Bend Road drains the surface water on its improved roadway (and its parking lots) directly into the Seine River via underground pipes and ditches. Rural Creek Bend Road is mandated by the Precinct K plan to drain in the future into storm water retention ponds. Qualico et al have refused adjacent lands access to their proposed dry pond in South Royalwood. Rural Creek Bend Road residents are being held to a higher standard than Urban Creek Bend Road residents. This is not equitable. Meanwhile, local ditches were cut too steep for safe mowing by local residents after the 1997 flood. The City has not mowed local ditches for the last 2 years. Trees are now growing in them. Local ditches need to be cut, regraded and seeded.
The existing gravel Rural Creek Bend Road is dusty, prone to potholes and requires regular City maintenance. Current residents are banned from low cost, sustainable solutions such as improving Rural Creek Bend to a chip seal road.
There are no future plans for safe public road connectivity to the adjacent Sioux Road West lands. There are no detailed plans for Active Transportation pathway connectivity to the Seine River/Smith Farm coulee to the north, the proposed Creek Bend Park to the west, or Sioux Road West lands to the south.
MOTION: That the Creek Bend Residents Association (CBRA) approve the following recommendation. “We move that, before our two departing City councillors leave political office in October 2026, the Riel Community Committee be asked to direct City Planning to initiate the development of the “Creek Bend Estate Area Planned Development Overlay and Development Guidelines.” The intended goal should be that PP&D complete this PDO by January 2030 when local residential housing development in the area (i.e. the Qualico DASZ) might be anticipated.”