Latest news with #AnneStevenson
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Edmonton may revise zoning bylaw to reduce mid-block multi-family units
A number of Edmonton city councillors are in favour of amending the city's contentious zoning bylaw, in one way by reducing the number of allowable units in new multi-family buildings, from eight to six. The zoning bylaw — a year-and-a-half old — allows developers to build eight-plexes in neighbourhoods across the city. The revised zoning bylaw that went into effect in January 2024, reflects the city's goal to create more housing types and denser neighourhoods. Michael Janz, Ward papastew councillor, raised a motion at the city's urban planning committee meeting Tuesday, to cap the number of units in the middle of a block. "In the corners, you can still build bigger units but for the mid-block, it's a recognition that there are greater impacts on your neighbours mid-block," Janz told CBC News. He said 80 per cent of the complaints he receives about infill have been about mid-block units. "We want to see more density in the nodes and corridors, more density in the priority growth areas, more density on corners, not necessarily the unit maximum in a mid-block area." The committee voted in favour of the motion, which goes before a public hearing June 30 for debate, along with other suggested amendments to the zoning bylaw. But other councillors, not members of the urban planning committee, oppose the change at this time. Coun. Anne Stevenson said it's still too early to gauge the outcome of developments. "I'm not sure exactly which problems we're trying to solve with this. I know that there are concerns around parking," Stevenson told CBC News Tuesday. "At this point we have a very, very small sample size of units that have actually been completed and occupied. So I don't think at this point we know how those will work, what impacts they'll have." Zoning bylaw update The committee was discussing a report that provided an update on developments over the past five years. It shows the city issued 555 development permits in 2024 for housing, resulting in 2,403 new residential dwelling units. More than half of the approved units were for row housing, the report says. The number of housing units approved in 2024 doubled from 2023, the report shows. "Since 2019 there has been an increase in all forms of multi-dwelling housing, including backyard, semi-detached and row housing developments," the report says. Members of the public spoke at the urban planning committee, some in support and some in opposition to limiting the number of units. Jan Hardstaff, a resident of Belgravia, said the rate of development over the past year has been overwhelming to communities. "There has been a surge in eight-plexes are not compatible mid-block to surrounding development," Hardstaff told the committee. "They are alarmed, anxious and angry at what they are seeing, and they are experiencing real negative impacts." Janz and Stevenson say council will consider future revisions to the zoning bylaw when needed.
CBC
11 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Edmonton may revise zoning bylaw to reduce mid-block multi-family units
A number of Edmonton city councillors are in favour of amending the city's contentious zoning bylaw, in one way by reducing the number of allowable units in new multi-family buildings, from eight to six. The zoning bylaw — a year-and-a-half old — allows developers to build eight-plexes in neighbourhoods across the city. The revised zoning bylaw that went into effect in January 2024, reflects the city's goal to create more housing types and denser neighourhoods. Michael Janz, Ward papastew councillor, raised a motion at the city's urban planning committee meeting Tuesday, to cap the number of units in the middle of a block. "In the corners, you can still build bigger units but for the mid-block, it's a recognition that there are greater impacts on your neighbours mid-block," Janz told CBC News. He said 80 per cent of the complaints he receives about infill have been about mid-block units. "We want to see more density in the nodes and corridors, more density in the priority growth areas, more density on corners, not necessarily the unit maximum in a mid-block area." The committee voted in favour of the motion, which goes before a public hearing June 30 for debate, along with other suggested amendments to the zoning bylaw. But other councillors, not members of the urban planning committee, oppose the change at this time. Coun. Anne Stevenson said it's still too early to gauge the outcome of developments. "I'm not sure exactly which problems we're trying to solve with this. I know that there are concerns around parking," Stevenson told CBC News Tuesday. "At this point we have a very, very small sample size of units that have actually been completed and occupied. So I don't think at this point we know how those will work, what impacts they'll have." Zoning bylaw update The committee was discussing a report that provided an update on developments over the past five years. It shows the city issued 555 development permits in 2024 for housing, resulting in 2,403 new residential dwelling units. More than half of the approved units were for row housing, the report says. The number of housing units approved in 2024 doubled from 2023, the report shows. "Since 2019 there has been an increase in all forms of multi-dwelling housing, including backyard, semi-detached and row housing developments," the report says. Members of the public spoke at the urban planning committee, some in support and some in opposition to limiting the number of units. Jan Hardstaff, a resident of Belgravia, said the rate of development over the past year has been overwhelming to communities. "There has been a surge in eight-plexes are not compatible mid-block to surrounding development," Hardstaff told the committee. "They are alarmed, anxious and angry at what they are seeing, and they are experiencing real negative impacts."
Edmonton Journal
07-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton kicks off 2025 with $1.5B in construction including Downtown park and more residential roads
Article content 'Next year, at this time, we should be able to enjoy the incredible park in the heart of our city. We're actually turning pocket parking lots into paradise at this location, not the other way around.' The park, a stretch of vacant parking lots spanning 1.47 hectares in Downtown Edmonton, is located between 106 Street and 108 Street just north of Jasper Avenue. It is part of Edmonton's $7-billion 2023–2026 capital budget, with an average of $1.5 billion yearly. Walbaum said this year's work includes over 80 kilometres of residential roads and sidewalk upgrades, and the renewal of 22 kilometres of alleyways. Eleven neighbourhoods will undergo construction as part of the city's renewal program 'to enhance the livability and longevity of these established communities.' Deputy Mayor Anne Stevenson said the projects aim to do more than just improve infrastructure, but are part of a broader plan to build inclusive, connected communities. 'We're not just laying pavement and building structures. We're building the foundation for a city where every Edmontonian feels a sense of belonging,' Stevenson said.
Edmonton Journal
07-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton kicks off 2025 with $1.5B in construction, including Downtown park and more residential roads
Article content 'Next year, at this time, we should be able to enjoy the incredible park in the heart of our city. We're actually turning pocket parking lots into paradise at this location, not the other way around.' The park, a stretch of vacant parking lots spanning 1.47 hectares in Downtown Edmonton, is located between 106 Street and 108 Street just north of Jasper Avenue. It is part of Edmonton's $7 billion 2023–2026 capital budget, with an average of $1.5 billion yearly. Walbaum said this year's work includes over 80 kilometres of residential roads and sidewalk upgrades, and the renewal of 22 kilometres of alleyways. Eleven neighbourhoods will undergo construction as part of the city's renewal program 'to enhance the livability and longevity of these established communities.' Deputy Mayor Anne Stevenson said the projects aim to do more than just improve infrastructure, but are part of a broader plan to build inclusive, connected communities. 'We're not just laying pavement and building structures. We're building the foundation for a city where every Edmontonian feels a sense of belonging,' Stevenson said.
CBC
10-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Edmonton city council approves reallocating $5M for more transit peace officers
City council will redirect $5 million to place more transit peace officers at LRT stations throughout Edmonton, to try to address social disorder and crime. Council had asked city administration to further analyze the implications of reallocating portions of the existing, ongoing funding for commissionaires. In a report, administration outlined five options, the default being that council redirect spending for more officers. But Wednesday's council meeting saw robust debate, after Coun. Anne Stevenson proposed a motion that, if it had passed, would have split funding between deploying more officers and implementing a safety attendant program — another option administration raised that could improve safety and the public's perception of safety. The program would offer "a consistent presence in stations, a friendly helping hand when needed, and increased cleanliness — which has a huge impact on perception of safety," Stevenson said. Over the past several years, council and city administration have focused on transit safety and security through measures like adding more uniformed security, joint deployment and community outreach teams, better cleaning, facility upgrades and esthetic changes like murals and other art. Edmonton Police Service data shows the average crime severity at LRT stations and transit centres decreased by six per cent last year, although calls for services at those locations rose by 12 percent. A March report from city administration found many Edmontonians still don't feel safe taking transit, despite ridership growing by 15 per cent in 2024. Commissionaires, who do security work, don't have enforcement authority transit peace officers do, but they can administer naloxone in the event of a drug overdose. Commissionaires reported security incidents most at several Capital Line LRT stations — including Central, Churchill and Southgate — and the Kingsway/Royal Alex Station. In the report, administration suggested redirecting funding to hire 30 more transit peace officers, which would increase the total deployed throughout Edmonton to 126. During Wednesday's meeting, councillors discussed how officers could be used to address safety and the public's perception of safety. WATCH | Do Edmontonians feel safe taking transit? Do Edmontonians feel safe taking transit? 1 month ago Duration 2:31 Stevenson's motion was defeated 4-8. Some councillors argued that splitting funding between two initiatives would be less effective. When asked by the city in an online survey in 2024, about 61 per cent of respondents said they felt safe using transit — about the same as in the 2023 survey, that suggested 60 per cent of respondents felt safe. Coun. Aaron Paquette voted in favour, saying it could address safety immediately. "It takes time to train [transit peace officers], and it doesn't take as much time for a safety attendant program. So if we want to see some immediate action, that's how we do it," Paquette said. But Coun. Andrew Knack, who voted against the motion, said the additional 30 officers wouldn't help people feel safer. "We're sort of kidding ourselves, right now, if that's going to be the big factor, " Knack said, adding that the city would still be short officers. "All we're talking about is reallocating $5 million. In a scenario like what we're facing, instead of doing either job somewhat OK, I'd rather do one of them relatively more OK." Coun. Karen Tang also voted down the motion, despite noting that council has frequently discussed transit safety and that it is "very prominent" in her ward of Karhiio, through which runs the Valley Line Southeast LRT. "The data doesn't really show a lot of those stations as a hotspot just yet — and I will worry, without proactive measures, that one day, they will become a hot spot," Tang said. "But I really don't want us to get there." Tang put forward a subsequent motion, asking administration to gather information tied to measuring how implementing transit peace officers would impact safety and the perception of it. The motion passed.
