On the agenda: Pacific Mall rezoning, active transportation

This week, council will debate rezoning applications and a design change for active transportation during its last week before going on summer recess.

There is a public hearing scheduled for July 6 and a council meeting scheduled for July 7 and 8.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Westrich Pacific has applied to rezone two properties in Wîhkwêntôwin. The developer has proposed rezoning a lot at 10004 112 Street from a direct control zone that allows for a 35-storey building to the mixed use zone, which allows for a 12-storey building. Westrich has also applied to rezone three lots at the corner of 100 Avenue and 111 Street from a direct control zone that allows for an 18-storey building to the medium-scale residential zone, which allows for an eight-storey building.
• Yorkton Equity Group has applied to rezone the Pacific Mall site and an adjacent parking lot in Chinatown to allow for an 18-storey building and a six-storey building, respectively. The current zoning allows for buildings up to 38 storeys high. Administration said it supports the application because the proposed buildings would align with Chinatown's economic development plans.
• Coun. Ashley Salvador will move to direct administration to pause the current plans for active transportation infrastructure along 50 Street NW through Capilano, Gold Bar, and Fulton Place. The design would remove street parking to make way for a protected bike lane. Salvador said there is an alternative design that would maintain parking.

Here are some more key items:

• Council will review an updated mandate for the Accessibility Advisory Committee, following changes to the governance framework for council committees. The Accessibility Advisory Committee is one of the few council committees that was not disbanded in April.
• Council will revisit a rezoning application for a parcel of land in Rossdale. The application was postponed at a public hearing in June because councillors wanted to discuss a report about Indigenous engagement on July 2.
• Council will discuss the creation of a dedicated renewal fund that aims to address a widening funding gap for the renewal of city-owned infrastructure. Infrastructure committee recommended approving the fund at a prior meeting.
• Council will review a list of municipal assets that administration has targeted for renewal in the 2027-2030 budget.
• Council will meet in private to discuss its strategic priorities and an update from the Edmonton Police Commission.

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

• Indigenous advocates told urban planning committee that while municipalities don't have a legal duty to consult Indigenous nations on river valley development, administration and city council have moral and ethical obligations. Miranda Jimmy, a member of Thunderchild First Nation, asked councillors to consider their moral responsibilities to the treaty and the treaty relationship, given that their decisions as beneficiaries of the Treaty will affect the land and its peoples for generations. "Your direction to administration should not be based solely on your legal obligations but also consider your ethical responsibilities to uphold the agreements in place and be a living example of your moral obligations to yourselves and others." Committee members directed administration to provide a memo outlining how work on Indigenous engagement is shared with the public, plus annual memos outlining progress on next steps.
• Edmonton's fireworks regulations, tightened in 2019, have led to increased incidents, said John Adria, owner of Uncle John's Fireworks. He told city councillors on the community and public services committee that the regulations complicate legal fireworks usage, limiting neighbourhood events and fostering racial tensions towards Southeast Asian communities. Complaints about fireworks have surged 1,400% since 2020. The city plans to host an invite-only event at City Hall in 2026 and a larger celebration at Mill Woods Park in 2027. Administration will continue to work with community groups who obtain permits for smaller firework shows.
• Executive committee approved $11.5 million in grants for nine new affordable housing sites.
• Executive committee recommended that council approve a new investment policy.
• Urban planning committee did not make a recommendation on proposed changes to the zoning bylaw and business license bylaw to regulate lodging houses, where bedrooms are rented individually in multi-unit buildings. Administration's proposed change would limit lodging houses to single-detached or semi-detached housing in most zones and amend the definition of row housing to dwellings with more than three individually rented bedrooms instead of more than four. Administration also proposes amending the business licence bylaw to prohibit hourly rentals by establishing a minimum booking period of 12 hours for short-term rentals. Coun. Anne Stevenson moved to strike the zoning bylaw amendment from the recommendation, arguing that she doesn't see how the change would lead to results that concerned neighbours want to see. "My worry is that any new regulations end up decreasing this really important housing form… It is meeting a very significant need in the community.
• Council will consider changes to the public spaces bylaw to manage noise from amplifiers following complaints from residents and businesses. Community and public services committee passed a motion to draft amendments that would "reduce unnecessary noise and interference of peace and enjoyment of public spaces arising from use of amplification." The proposed changes are set to be reviewed on Sept. 25.

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

For more on civic affairs, including lodging houses, illegal downtown parking lots, and the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, listen to Episode 363 of Speaking Municipally.