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More housing built in a range of types everywhere, climate benefits, and building neighbourhoods where residents can get around on foot are some reasons Edmontonians said they support renewing the city’s zoning bylaw Monday on the first of a three-day public hearing at city hall.
Members of the general public, environmental groups, youth advocacy and student groups, community leagues, and developers were among those lining up to speak in favour — 106 people registered in favour of the bylaw on Monday — although not all support was unconditional.
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Edmonton’s five-year-long zoning bylaw renewal project has culminated in a lengthy omnibus bylaw that will update the rules about what can be built and where in nearly every corner of Edmonton if city council ultimately passes the changes later this week. Those speaking against the bylaw — 126 names were registered in opposition— were expected to speak late Monday evening or on Tuesday. Typically, some speakers who sign up don’t attend.
Allowing a broader range of amenities and housing types in every neighbourhood is one of the intended outcomes of revising Edmonton’s zoning bylaw, which hasn’t been significantly updated since the 1960s. For instance, it will be easier to run some small home-based businesses and childcare spaces in neighbourhoods if the updates are approved.
This potential appeals to Mohammad Ishfaque Jahan Rafee. When he moved to Edmonton three years ago, one of the first things he noticed was how spaced out the city is, forcing him to buy a car even though he couldn’t afford it.
“I would say this kind of radicalized me to thinking about how to solve this problem, and that’s why I am here,” he said while speaking remotely to city council. “Not everyone wants to own a car, not everyone wants to drive a car everywhere they want to go. I really like the idea that I can walk to the grocery store, I can walk to the shop.”
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If passed, the new zoning bylaw will allow for higher density in all residential zones in most cases. Townhomes, row housing and small apartments up three storeys tall with eight units could be built in even the smallest residential zones where only single-family homes with a garden suite can be built today.
Yash Bhandari, speaking on behalf of advocacy group Grow Together, urged council to pass the bylaw because of its potential to have a range of housing types built across the city, because it will increase housing supply and may slow down how fast rents are rising.
While some opponents have argued the bylaw could make housing more expensive, he and others on Monday argued the opposite is true. Increasing housing density permitted across the board removes premiums on select properties in neighbourhoods that have higher development rights, streamlines regulations and removes red tape for developers which can cut costs overall, they argued.
The new bylaw, Bhandari said, will remove barriers set up years ago to keep some people out of particular neighbourhoods in the city. Building the kind of small apartment building he lived in with his mother and sister as a young boy wasn’t allowed anywhere in the neighbourhood where he went to school, a long walking distance away.
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“Let’s be clear what the zoning renewal entails — ending exclusionary zoning. These rules weren’t designed to maximize the well-being of our city’s residents or responsibly steward the city’s finances,” he said. “These antiquated rules were designed to exclude people like me and my family from wealthier neighbourhoods.”
Representatives of the Edmonton energy transition and climate resiliency committee, a council committee, said they fully support the “idea” of the zoning bylaw renewal and goals around densification. But the group asked for the bylaw to be amended before or shortly after being passed so it can have a stronger impact on climate change.
Kalen Anderson, speaking for the Urban Development Institute, told council that updating the zoning bylaw will ensure that rules governing development aren’t working against the larger vision the city has for its future and bylaws need to be flexible so the public and private sectors can adapt when the market changes.
“As Canada struggles with adequate supply and speed-to-market for housing, Edmonton has a unique opportunity to leverage its advantages and ensure that our city remains a competitive and welcoming place that supports affordability and economic development,” she said.
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he’s grateful to see how many Edmontonians are engaged in the process. While much of Monday was dominated by voices supporting the bylaw, he said he and council are required to keep an open mind throughout the hearing.
lboothby@postmedia.com
@laurby
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