St. Albert, Leduc reconsider density amid infill debate

St. Albert and Leduc are pulling back from denser housing forms in their planning documents at the same time that Edmonton infill is being targeted by the provincial government. St. Albert city council voted at a public hearing against amendments to its land use bylaw that would have made it easier to build new homes in established neighbourhoods and transit-oriented development along major roads. The amendments were among the initiatives St. Albert had committed to in return for $11.8 million in federal funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Housing Accelerator Fund. City planners said the city could risk losing the funding if council did not approve the changes.

Speakers at the public hearing said St. Albert should avoid infill development similar to what's been built in Edmonton. Resident Craig Skarupa said that he is worried about St. Albert becoming "infill hell No. 2," CBC reported. City planners said the changes would likely lead to five skinny home developments per year. Even though he and his council voted down moves to increase density, St. Albert Mayor Scott Olivieri attended Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack's press conference on Oct. 8 to show support for municipal autonomy. Alberta Municipalities president Dylan Bressey, was also there; in a subsequent release, he called the province's directive "insulting to the many thousands of Edmontonians who engaged in good faith through dozens of public consultations, including statutory hearings run strictly under provincial rules."

Meanwhile, Leduc city council approved an amendment to its municipal development plan that temporarily pauses new applications for narrower townhouse lots in new areas so that administration can evaluate the impact of the existing developments in the city. There are 21 such units permitted and under construction, administration said. Staff will evaluate occupied townhouses through at least three seasons, including one winter, to analyze factors such as snow clearing, waste collection, neighbourhood fit, and access to amenities and services. The city is also accepting feedback on its draft land use bylaw until Oct. 18. The changes allow more housing types in some areas, including fourplexes and apartments. The proposed bylaw mandates that infill developments must fit in the height and scale of the existing neighbourhoods, and the maximum building height has been reduced from three to two storeys. The changes would also reduce the minimum number of parking spaces required for developments in Leduc's downtown.