Latest news with #CityPlan
Calgary Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
'Absolute mess': Public put on hold as city council wades through marathon zoning session
Article content 'It's creating false hope in the community or misleading the public.' Article content Even though they were told they were free to go, the majority in the gallery elected to remain. Attendees included mayoral hopeful Tony Caterina and Reed Clarke, who is running for election in Ward Nakota Isga as part of Cartmell's Better Edmonton party. Another Better Edmonton member, Ward papastew's Joshua Doyle, was also there. Article content What council did get to Article content They sat and heard as council addressed another zoning issue, which also has been a hot-button topic in mature neighbourhoods. The zoning bylaw currently states that the city would 'support' small-scale densification developments in existing residential neighbourhoods, even if the projects were outside of the 'nodes and corridors' specified in the City Plan. This led to blowback from community groups concerned that this created a development free-for-all. Article content Article content An amendment on the table would see the city consider upzoning if the development meets two of these conditions: 'In a node or corridor area or within 100 metres of a node or corridor area; within 400 metres of a mass transit station; along an arterial roadway or a collector roadway; at a corner site or adjacent to a park or open space; adjacent to a site zoned for greater than small-scale development.' The proposed change would create some rules for developers to follow. Article content 'It's a good first step,' said John Soltice, a co-founder of Edmonton Neighbourhoods United, 'But it could go further.' Article content Another speaker, Sabina Qureshi, said that she's encouraged that council is 'finally listening' to residents. Article content 'These are the people who live in the neighbourhoods,' she said. 'These are the ones you should listen to. These are the people who elect you.' Article content Article content Like Soltice, Jennifer Faulkner of the Parkallen Community League said the proposal is a first move to prevent 'overbuild neighbourhood capacity.' She's concerned that the zoning bylaw opens the entire Parkallen neighbourhood to redevelopment, when the south side of the community has only one access to an arterial road and can't handle the added capacity. Article content But, there are other considerations at play. While there is no doubt a grassroots movement happening throughout the city's mature neighbourhoods to battle the zoning bylaw, there are investors who have already sunk money into in-progress developments and they worry that changing the rules after just one year pulls the rug out from under their feet. There are also concerns that blocking densification efforts would, eventually, push house prices higher and wreck the affordability advantage that Edmonton has over other major Canadian cities. Article content 'Shifting back to minimizing density after just a year stands to undercut these efforts,' said Kelvin Hamilton, a local architect. Article content Rick Dulat is a developer with more than 20 projects on the go, and seven are in the permitting process. He warned council that changing the rules could result in legal actions against the city. Article content 'This is not how a reliable permitting process works.' he said. Article content 'It's hard not to see the political motivations at play,' said Dulat, a swipe at Cartmell's planned motion to pause infill. Article content Dulat said he's been developing in mature neighbourhoods for a decade. And, he's met resistance. He said signage of a corner-lot development in Crestwood was vandalized with the words 'slum lord.' Article content 'I am really tired. I am exhausted. I face racism. I face vandalism.' Article content A balancing act Article content Coun, Andrew Knack, expected to be Cartmell's main rival for the mayor's chair, said council will strike a balance between the two opposing forces. Article content Article content 'We've been making changes to the zoning bylaw for the last decade and, each time we make changes, there are always going to be some applications that are impacted,' he said. 'We absolutely want to respect (the development industry's) time and attention. We also need to make sure we're listening to the residents that we serve, as well. Article content 'We'll probably debate what the the right time is for this to take effect, and if there are any legal requirements that we have as a city for applications under review.' Article content
Edmonton Journal
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
High density nodes get pushback at Edmonton public hearing
Article content Edmonton city council hosted a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed rezoning bylaw that would affect parts of Wîhkwêntôwin, University-Garneau, Stony Plain Road, 124 Street and 156 Street. What does the bylaw do? Bylaw 21128 is a city-led initiative that proposes applying standard residential and mixed-use zones in select priority growth areas. The goal is to support medium- and large-scale housing and mixed-use development in transit-connected areas and streamline redevelopment in alignment with the City Plan and district plans to support a population of two million.
Calgary Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
High density nodes get pushback at Edmonton public hearing
Edmonton city council hosted a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed rezoning bylaw that would affect parts of Wîhkwêntôwin, University-Garneau, Stony Plain Road, 124 Street and 156 Street. Article content Article content What does the bylaw do? Article content Bylaw 21128 is a city-led initiative that proposes applying standard residential and mixed-use zones in select priority growth areas. The goal is to support medium- and large-scale housing and mixed-use development in transit-connected areas and streamline redevelopment in alignment with the City Plan and district plans to support a population of two million. Article content Article content The approach removes the need for individual rezoning applications, aiming to cut red tape for builders and homeowners. Article content Article content Why these areas? Article content According to the administration, a technical review helped select the priority growth areas based on land use patterns, redevelopment potential and transit access. Several corridors are slated to be served by the Valley Line West LRT and bus rapid transit routes B1 and B2, making them ideal candidates for higher-density, mixed-use development. Article content In the University-Garneau major node, for example, the rezoning would allow buildings up to 75 metres in key locations, like 109 Street and 82 Avenue. Other areas, such as between 109 Street and 110 Street, have been scaled down to 23 metres in response to concerns from nearby small-scale residential areas. Article content A divided community Article content Public feedback has been mixed. While many speakers voiced strong support for the initiative, citing the need for more housing and more efficient development processes, others raised concerns over the impact on existing communities, transparency and the city's engagement process. Article content Article content Brian Murray, a partner at B&A Studios, voiced his 'strong support' for the rezoning proposal which he described as a 'real, tangible step toward delivering more housing, greater affordability, and more sustainable growth.' He argued the bylaw would reduce red tape, ensure faster delivery of new housing in the city, and create certainty for redevelopment, especially in well-connected areas like Garneau. Article content Article content 'It will allow for a broader mix of housing types that reflect the diverse needs of Edmontonians,' he said. Article content Ryan Jakes, a 24-year-old lifelong Edmontonian, also backed the plan, calling it an 'important step in the right direction' that balances long-term goals with neighbourhood context to provide a more affordable, livable Edmonton. He also applauded the city's youth engagement efforts.
Edmonton Journal
15-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Thursday's letters: Make it easier to go downtown
Article content The current City Plan seems to be putting the cart before the horse. There is a strong desire to get residents and businesses to move back to the core. Residents want businesses and businesses want customers. The outlying customers are probably tired of trying to get downtown and stay downtown. Transit service has been reduced in outlying neighborhoods and bears a large price tag for a family of four; it is better just to drive and park. Driving is a challenge with incessant construction, both en route and in the core. Parking in the core is also a challenge due to reduced spaces and payment methods. Paid street parking is about to get more challenging with the removal of on-street payment kiosks. Free parking on evenings and weekends appears to be a thing of the past.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
London burial site may be lost if block is built
Plans for a 46-storey building near The Gherkin will result in the "total loss" of a suspected 13th Century burial ground hidden under paving slabs, Historic England has organisation also said the proposals for 63 St Mary Axe in the City of London would affect the skyline of the Tower of London - a Unesco World Heritage Site. Insurance firm Axa's real estate investment arm wants to demolish the existing office building and construct a bigger one in its developer has said the potential graveyard "has been paved over for decades" and the plans will "celebrate the space". The site is where two churches St Augustine Papey and St Martin Outwich used to stand but it is unknown how much of the burial ground is intact as the land has not been fully evaluated by England said the development "may cause a level of harm that would not be outweighed by the heritage benefit of showcasing the wall". It added: "There is also the potential for other remains to be present here which pre-date the burial ground, possibly to the Roman period, which cannot be identified or assessed without proper evaluation."Historic England also said the proposal would harm the Tower of London site's "outstanding universal value and consequently harm its integrity". Axa Real Estate Investment Managers (Axa Reim) submitted the application in February. The plans include a public park, an auditorium, food and drink outlets and the opening up part of the ancient Roman Reim said its proposals "balance the need for office space with heritage and deliver extensive public benefits". "The potential graveyard has been paved over for decades and under our proposals will be celebrated as part of a new public park with significant greening, the urban park also includes a currently buried section of London's Roman wall which we will unveil for the first time in centuries." It added its application "fully aligns" with the council's City Plan which states the need for more office space in the approved, the new tower would be Axa Reim's third skyscraper in London either built or mid-construction in recent years, after 22 Bishopsgate and 50 Fenchurch Street.
