Creating a “flex area” on Fourth Avenue could take away from downtown development, but Prince George City Council gave the concept the go-ahead Monday evening. In January, council asked administration to look at the possibility of designating the south side of Fourth Avenue between Vancouver and Winnipeg streets as a transitional flex area, allowing mixed use on the first storey and allowing up to four-storey buildings, with residential components included. Acting planning and development director Dan Milburn presented the report at Monday’s meeting. “The analysis has determined that the current policies would not support such a proposal,” the report concluded. “Furthermore, such a change has the potential to detract from downtown redevelopment,” by expanding commercial zoning into the area adjacent to downtown.