Edmonton mayor says provincial infill regulation offers some clarity but needs review
The regulation forces Edmonton to revert to older zoning rules for density, height and parking within three months.
EDMONTON · Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack says a new provincial regulation on infill development offers more clarity but requires further analysis. The Alberta government released the City Land Use Bylaw Direction Regulation on Thursday, providing written instructions for the first time. The province had announced earlier this month it was forcing Edmonton to reverse certain zoning rules within three months. Knack said he plans to speak with Premier Danielle Smith soon, and city council will discuss the matter next week.
The regulation mandates that Edmonton revert to older rules governing density, height and parking for small-scale residential zones, known as RS zones, within 90 days. Any finalized city bylaw must also comply with the province's infill policy statement. That provincial policy states infill should be generally compatible with a neighbourhood's established character and provide sufficient on-site parking to minimize impacts on traffic and neighbouring properties. At a Friday news conference, Knack said the document provides “a little bit more clarity on very specific pieces” but he needs more time to review it.
Sandeep Agrawal, a professor of urban planning at the University of Alberta, said the change will have “tremendous implications” for housing construction given the RS zone's large footprint in the city. “It will certainly change the shape and the nature of the city in the coming years,” Agrawal said. He noted the RS zone was a core principle of Edmonton's updated zoning bylaw because it distributed more density and varied housing types throughout neighbourhoods. Nosy Mag reported in October that Alberta ordered Edmonton to repeal its zoning bylaw and restrict infill development.
READ MORE: Alberta orders Edmonton to repeal zoning bylaw, restrict infill development
Agrawal believes the on-site parking requirement will lead to smaller infill footprints and could make row houses or multiplexes unfeasible on some single-family lots. Carolyn Whitzman, a senior housing researcher at the University of Toronto, said Edmonton's 2024 zoning changes had made it a model for other North American cities. She argued that undoing those changes contradicts local voters' wishes and will affect housing prices. Whitzman said young families are leaving Toronto due to unaffordable housing and had been moving to Edmonton. “They moved to Edmonton and now the clock has turned back in Edmonton, I don’t know where they can go next,” she said.
Dave Onishenko, a principal at a development consulting firm, described the situation as a “repositioning.” He noted that infill was already growing in popularity under the old rules. “This isn’t a complete erosion or removal of infill,” Onishenko said. He said developers who bought land for infill projects will have to reassess their plans, but he believes the industry will adapt. Onishenko expressed hope that all parties could collaborate on solutions, saying, “You’re never going to make everyone happy, but it at least is working towards something where we're collectively coming together, providing our input towards whatever that next solution is.” Retired Edmonton urban planner Lydia Kawun, who is involved with infill community groups, said she appreciates that the regulation focuses on outcomes while letting the city handle procedures. “It is all about the outcomes and comparability, not necessarily tearing apart the new bylaw or going back to the old one, but focusing on where the problems really are and changing those pieces,” Kawun said. Based on her conversations with residents, she said only a small minority oppose any neighbourhood growth, while most support a return to “gentle densification.”
With files from CBC News