On the agenda: Rezonings galore and an intergovernmental update

This week, council will debate rezoning applications for a six-storey building in the northwest, a mixed-use development in Parkview, and a 25-storey tower in Windsor Park, as well as hearing updates about relationships with other levels of government.

There is a private audit election committee meeting on May 4, a public hearing on May 5, and a non-regular council meeting on May 6.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• Nova Builders has proposed rezoning a parcel of industrial land at 13640 142 Street NW to allow for a six-storey residential building. The site is located 23 metres away from an active CN Rail right-of-way, a corridor that may transport dangerous goods. The Railway Association of Canada recommends a minimum setback of 30 metres from a rail right-of-way to residential development, and administration wrote in its report that the setback can be achieved. The application also includes an amendment to the Northwest District Plan to change the designation of the lot and a commercial development to the west to facilitate future redevelopment.
• Council will review a rezoning application in Parkview that has been revised twice since its initial submission. The landowner has proposed to rezone the property at the corner of 91 Avenue NW and 142 Street NW to allow for a mixed-use development. More than 300 people gave input on the rezoning, with most concerns related to the predominantly single-family development in the neighbourhood, existing traffic and parking congestion, and privacy and shadowing impacts on neighbouring properties. Administration said it supports the application because the property is within a secondary corridor, and it will help people complete their daily needs within proximity to local businesses, open space, school, and active transportation options.
• Westrich Pacific's development in Windsor Park is set to return to a public hearing after being referred back to administration. The developer has proposed rezoning the southern portion of the property to the mixed-use zone, which would allow for a building up to 25 storeys tall, and the northern part to the neighbourhood mixed-use zone, which would allow for a building up to four storeys tall. Many residents oppose the development, arguing it's too tall and will cast a shadow across the neighbourhood. Some have shown support for the development due to its proximity to the University of Alberta campus.
• The City of Edmonton's urban growth and open space department has proposed rezoning a lot in Henderson Estates to allow for a school. The rezoning, if approved, would allow the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord to use the property for a francophone elementary school. Some residents said they support the school in principle but have concerns that include traffic and parking congestion. The application also includes amending the Whitemud District Plan.
• Administration will give an annual update on Alberta Municipalities, and both private and public updates on intergovernmental relations.
• Audit committee will meet in private to select its public members.

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

• The maximum height for infill development in the small-scale residential zone has been reduced by one metre. Council voted 10-3 to reduce the maximum height from 10.5 metres to 9.5 metres, with councillors Keren Tang, Jo-Anne Wright, and Jon Morgan voting against. Council also debated amendments to the small- to medium-scale transition zone, which would restrict where the zone may be applied, and the district policy, which would change the set of criteria that administration uses when evaluating rezoning applications for that zone. Council supported changing the district policy but not the zoning bylaw; some councillors said they support having more nuanced factors when considering the zone, but didn't want to restrict where it can be applied.
• Council approved a $33.8-million budget increase for the Lewis Farms Recreation Centre. Councillors Karen Principe and Mike Elliott voted against the borrowing bylaw that increased the budget. On May 1, the city announced the centre has been gifted the Cree name mistahaya wîkihk Community Recreation Centre (pronounced mist-ah-hi-ya wee-gik).
• Council voted unanimously and without debate to finalize its decision to disband seven advisory boards that share perspectives on issues ranging from climate change to military contributions to local history.
• The membership of the assessment review board will increase from 24 members to 30, as the volume of assessment complaints has increased significantly. The membership of the community standards and licence appeal committee will also increase from 10 members to 15.
• Council voted without debate to approve the rezoning application for the Army & Navy building at 10411 Whyte Avenue NW.
• Council voted without debate to rezone a Bissell Centre property and close the surrounding alleyway, with the intention of consolidating it with the property for a development.
• Council discussed how it will track the outcomes of its strategic priorities, and made minor changes to administration's suggested list of metrics.
• Council voted unanimously to approve borrowing bylaws to fund sidewalk improvements in La Perle, Glenwood, and Hillview.

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

For more on various civic issues — including changes to the zoning bylaw, the budget increase for the west-end rec centre, and Coun. Erin Rutherford's alternate vision for mass transit in the northwest — listen to Episode 354 of Speaking Municipally.

Correction: The image in this story has been replaced with an image from the revised planning report for Windsor Park, which was added to the agenda after this story was initially filed. Both versions of the planning report can be found on the May 5 public hearing agenda.