On the agenda: Lewis Farms, Army & Navy, advisory boards

This week, council is set to finalize a budget increase for a recreation centre in the west end, review a rezoning application for the Army & Navy building, and vote on the future of seven advisory boards.

There is a public hearing on April 27, a council meeting on April 28 and 29, and a private council meeting on April 30.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• The Lewis Farms Community Recreation Centre could cost more than $32 million over the original budget, despite being scaled back. Council is set to vote on a borrowing bylaw, which makes public the dollar amount increase that was approved in March. "I wish we had hit 'Stop' and had a chance to sit down and try to bring other people into the mix," said Coun. Michael Janz, who has opposed the project since he was elected.
• The owner of the Army & Navy building at 10411 Whyte Avenue NW has applied to rezone the property to allow for public access to the rooftop, additional signage, and more flexible reuse of the building. Leder Investments, the holding company of the family that owns Supreme Steel, has proposed rezoning from one direct control zone, which is in effect for several buildings along Whyte Avenue between Gateway Boulevard and 105 Street, to another direct control zone.
• Council is set to make a final vote on bylaws that would disband seven advisory boards, including the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (which was paused in 2023), the Edmonton Historical Board, the Edmonton Salutes Committee, the Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board, the Energy Transition Climate Resilience Committee, the Women's Advisory Voice of Edmonton Committee (WAVE), and the City of Edmonton Youth Council. Reports accompanying the bylaws say council decided to sunset the boards in a private meeting on March 25. Members of some of the committees told Taproot they were shocked and disappointed by the decision, but Mayor Andrew Knack said there are better mechanisms to hear from people.

Here are some other key items:

• Council will continue discussing proposed changes to the zoning bylaw that would limit the height of developments in the small-scale residential zone after postponing its decision from the April 7 meeting. Council will also debate amendments to the small- to medium-scale residential zone that would limit support for the zone to sites within node-and-corridor areas, on large undeveloped sites, or where supported in a statutory plan.
• Council will review the outcomes and performance indicators that will track progress on its council priorities, which are economic development, growth management, safety, and quality services; and on its guiding principles, which are fiscal sustainability, affordability, and "relationship driven." In a report set to be presented to council, administration said it will report annually on the outcomes and indicators and launch a dashboard with the latest performance information. The report said the priorities will also be used as administration develops the next four-year budget. Potential capital profiles and operating service packages will be scored based on impact to council priorities, among other criteria.
• The Bissell Centre has applied to rezone its property at 10530 96 Street NW to the mixed-use zone, which would allow for a building up to four storeys tall and a range of uses, including housing, recreation, community functions, and employment opportunities. Council will also vote on a bylaw to close the surrounding alleyways and consolidate them with the site.
• Administration recommends increasing the membership of the assessment review board from 24 members to 30, as the volume of assessment complaints has increased significantly. It also recommends increasing the membership of the community standards and licence appeal committee from 10 members to 15 and establishing it as the tribunal that hears appeals under the Agricultural Pests Act.
• Council is set to vote on borrowing bylaws to fund sidewalk improvements in La Perle, Glenwood, and Hillview.
• Council will meet in private for an update from the city manager.

And here are updates on some items we told you about last week:

• Explore Edmonton told urban planning committee that reducing the amount of space it can use at the Edmonton EXPO Centre would make it difficult to hold and attract major events. A report said the city leases 55 acres within the Exhibition Lands redevelopment area, which will be reduced to about 16 hectares once the community is fully redeveloped, and gave options for how that land might be laid out on site. Urban planning committee directed administration to further analyze a modified version of one of four scenarios. Councillors chose Scenario 3, which would create an outdoor event space directly south of the EXPO Centre. Modifications include additional storage and staging areas and hard surfacing in the Borden Park expansion for community programming. The motion also calls for administration to retain the Coliseum LRT station in its current location, instead of replacing it with a station further north as previously planned; Coun. Ashley Salvador, whose Ward Métis includes the lands, indicated she would prefer the station be retrofitted, as Stadium Station was, instead of moved.
• Executive committee approved a sale agreement with the Africa Centre for a portion of Athlone Park at 13160 127 Street NW that will allow the organization to construct the African Multicultural Community Centre. Administration will work with the centre to share progress on its fundraising status and governance strategy.
• Urban planning committee reviewed the new construction accountability program, which gives administration more power to hold infill builders accountable.
• Councillors on the community and public services committee recommended that council ask administration to prepare two funding options to implement the city's wildfire risk strategy. Council is set to vote on the recommendation on April 28.

Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.

For more on various civic issues, including council's decision to disband seven advisory boards, the future of events at the EXPO Centre, and the proposed changes to make daylight saving time permanent, listen to Episode 353 of Speaking Municipally.