Reflections on the Zoning Bylaw Renewal
The public hearing on the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative was a 6-day whirlwind. It has been a privilege to hear from so many Edmontonians of diverse backgrounds with varying perspectives throughout this public hearing, and from many of you who have written in, phoned in, had coffee conversations, shared your comments in passing, whatever that is THANK YOU!
Our previous zoning bylaw was outdated - so outdated that we are now finally getting a much-needed policy upgrade on digital signage on public land with the renewal, which I have heard a lot of struggles about from Leagues in Ward Karhiio. Digital signage did not exist 60 years ago - which was the last time the bylaw had a major overhaul, and now we are finally getting a policy that is up to date with 2023 standards.
I think the same can be said about other aspects of the new Zoning Bylaw as well. It is a change, a major update, but it brings us in line with where we need to be today based on the future we want to see. I was glad to see the Zoning Bylaw Renewal pass at City Council on Monday October 23rd, and recognize that there is still a way to go. While the bylaw passed 11-2, we further debated 27 subsequent motions, which are directions we provide to Administration to follow up on many of the issues that Edmontonians spoke about. In the end, 19 of these motions were passed.
This blog digs deeper into my reasonings and addresses some of the themes that came up during the hearing.
Don’t know what the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative Is? Check out these resources to learn more:
Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative website and library document: edmonton.ca/zoningbylawrenewal.
Find your new proposed zone using the online map.
View the proposed new Zoning Bylaw with the rationale for the proposed regulations, or the simplified Overview document.
Read the questions asked by City Councillors on the new bylaw, and the Administration responses.
Check out my March 2023 Facebook Live with City Planners on the Zoning Bylaw Renewal.
Who participated in the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative?
A wide spectrum of Edmontonians have engaged with City Administration over the last five years of the ZBR development. The public hearing this last week was a snapshot of that participation, where we saw an almost 50/50 split between those who came out to speak in favour (105) and those opposed (105). More did register, but this showing is meaningful.
There were a lot of comments about ZBR being a developer driven initiative, and while we did hear from a few developers during the hearing, we mainly heard from everyday Edmontonians like homeowners, renters, small business owners, seniors, students, school representatives, community leagues and more! In particular, we had an unprecedented number of young people participating in a Civic discussion at City Hall. And that says something.
When it comes to hearing Edmontonians’ perspectives, there was no singular voice, or consensus, but people from all walks of life came out to speak, and that is something to shine a light on. “Topophilia” , as we learned from one speaker, is about love for place, which I think is something we all share, whether you support or don’t support this bylaw renewal.
What about the interests of homeowners in the new bylaw?
We had a good representation of Edmontonians participating in the public hearing, ranging from renters to homeowners of all types. Some have starter homes, and are raising a young family, while some have been in their home and neighbourhood for a long time and want to age in place. They had varying perspectives when it comes to the ZBR, with many in support and many opposed, and differences in how they want to see the City grow. We listened and heard all aspects of the discussion, and where we heard consensus on both sides that were not addressed in the ZBR, Councillors put forward multiple subsequent motions to address these topics - in areas like Climate Change, Housing Affordability, and Heritage Preservation.
Why are we planning for the City to grow, and for people who are not even here yet?
If city planning only planned for the current state and ignored the growing migration in Edmonton, Alberta and in Canada, or the growth trends and economic outlooks we are seeing, then we would be in even bigger trouble when it comes to our housing concerns down the road. Time and again, I hear people ask the City to future proof, to think ahead, and this work is an example of how we anticipate and prepare for our City to grow to 2 million over the next decades as outlined in the City Plan.
What is the discussion on Density vs. Sprawl?
We heard a lot in this hearing about the juxtaposition of Density vs Sprawl, which I wanted to comment on as a Councillor who represents established neighbourhoods in Mill Woods, but also many new greenfield development neighbourhoods south of the Henday where, believe it or not, they have higher density targets compared to some redeveloping neighbourhoods. I have talked to a lot of residents across the ward, and even in the suburbs, people are moving not just because of the availability of housing, but also because of affordability, of greater opportunities for intergenerational living, of proximity to amenities and services, and in some cases where their community is, in particular for many ethnocultural communities.
I’m not sure all Edmontonians are seeing these kinds of neighbourhood opportunities right now in our mature, redeveloping areas.
I don’t see this discussion as good vs. bad development, or good vs. bad neighbourhoods. At the rate we’re growing though, we need smarter development and land use policy. And it’s not about doing one action over another, for example, densifying only in Expo Land or Blatchford, which we heard. It's about leveraging the tools and plans we have outlined in the City Plan. And I see the ZBR as an opening for that. This is also an opportunity to make our zoning much more inclusionary, and see what many have referenced as the ‘character’ of neighbourhoods grow, diversify, and continue to welcome people in.
Will the Zoning Bylaw Renewal address the Housing crisis?
The ZBR is one tool we have in our toolbelt to address the housing crisis we see in the City, and across Canada, but by itself it is not a silver bullet solution.
There is a distinction between Affordable Housing and Housing Affordability. As one academic said during the public hearing, the ZBR would be addressing market housing on the affordability spectrum, by helping to reduce barriers for a greater variety of housing types in a community, and in turn supply. The thought behind this is that it would help to create a more efficient housing market and contribute towards greater housing affordability.
When it comes to affordable non-market housing, this topic is a big priority issue for our City but it requires different tools. Issues like Rent Control, more funding to build and operate Supportive Housing, much of which comes from other levels of Government (and the City does contribute to as well) is not something that Zoning alone can solve, or something that a municipal government alone can tackle without support from other orders.
The City has a lot of different projects, policies and bodies of work underway to help support Affordable Housing and our vulnerable unhoused populations. A few upcoming items include:
Affordable Housing Investment Program - coming to Executive Committee on November 1 2023.
Indigenous-led Supportive Housing Projects - coming to Executive Committee on November 1 2023.
Updated Affordable Housing Strategy - coming to Community and Public Services Committee on December 4 2023.
Affordable Housing Contributions Approach - coming to Urban Planning Committee on December 5 2023.
Edmonton’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness - Lessons Learned coming to Community and Public Services Committee on October 30 2023.
City of Edmonton Corporate Homelessness Plan - Community and Public Services Committee in Q1 2024.
And much, much more.
During the Public Hearing, I also put forward a subsequent motion for Administration to provide a report on the status of City Policy C601 - Affordable Housing Investment Guidelines and the target of 16 per cent affordable units of all units in each neighbourhood, as well as information about current and additional measures that may be taken to increase affordable housing in areas where access is limited. This report will provide a lay of land for us to understand where we are meeting (or exceeding our goals), and where we need more investments or other policy levers like Affordable Housing contributions.
What about addressing Climate in the ZBR?
Land use is fundamentally one of the most important tools that a municipality can exercise. By promoting greater density, diverse land use, and more compact growth, the new Zoning Bylaw will enhance our potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, support more mobility options, reduce outward growth and use our City infrastructure more efficiently. This is a key first step in building climate resilience within the way we grow and develop as a City.
When it came to climate, I heard many come out to speak specifically about Solar Panels and EV Charging, and ask to delay the ZBR until they are addressed. While each action helps, these alone will not solve our climate challenges. Enshrining this in a Zoning Bylaw can potentially lead to unintended consequences of added red tape that makes it even more onerous to build in redeveloping areas than in greenfield neighbourhoods, which I believe goes against what the bylaw is trying to accomplish. I also see this argument as lacking an equity lens, as it can lead to greater costs being downloaded onto homeowners, while benefiting those who choose and can afford solar panels and driving Electric Vehicles.
We did hear from many that our actions in supporting Climate Resilience are not enough in the ZBR. I want to confirm that our work does not end here. Council continues to prioritize climate resilience with various work reporting back in 2024. These opportunities provide the more appropriate platform and policy tools to address the issues brought forward during the zoning bylaw discussion. Councillor Salvador tabled a subsequent motion for the Climate Resilience Planning and Development Framework to identify processes and tools to integrate climate change into all aspects of the urban planning and development continuum. River Valley Planning Modernization work will also be returning in 2024.
How are we addressing Heritage Preservation in the ZBR?
Heritage preservation is a principle that is fundamental in the City Plan. We have a Historic Resource Management Plan, and buildings designated as Municipal or Provincial Historical Resources are legally protected from demolition under the Historical Resources Act. We also have Policy C-450B - Policy to Encourage the Designation and Rehabilitation of Municipal Historic Resources in Edmonton. These policies and practices are tools for us to address much of the concerns raised on heritage preservation, as they were developed to help save and preserve historic resources for the future.
As part of the Zoning Bylaw Renewal subsequent motions, Councillor Knack put forward a subsequent motion to prepare a funding package for the Historic Resource Management Plan to be discussed at the upcoming Operating Budget Adjustment. This will be weighted against all other budget priorities this fall during budget deliberation.
Does the Public Hearing Process and Engagement for the ZBR align with the requirements in the MGA?
The process to create and engage on the new Zoning Bylaw in fact does follow the regulations and guidelines laid out in the Municipal Government Act. More than that, it went above and beyond.
If we did only what MGA required, this work would have only been advertised in the Edmonton Journal for a few months, leading up into this hearing. However, the City has been doing their best to bring people along with them on the journey the last 5 years of the ZBR, with many methods to try and get the message out and reach as many diverse audiences as possible. I think this level of engagement is appropriate for the scale of this project.
Do I wish more people knew about this policy reform, and not even just the nitty gritty details - of course! This policy will have an impact in every corner of the city and I’d love to have more land use and zoning conversations with Edmontonians. So we will continue to to build on our engagement processes.
Zoning has historically been used to segregate and marginalize, often by class and race (listen to this episode of the City’s Making Space Podcast to learn more). Historical exclusionary zoning practices contradict our City Plan’s goal of building an inclusive city for all. Over the years we have removed much of it to make our zoning more inclusive, and the ZBR is the first major project of the City Plan Implementation that brings us even closer to this goal. There are several more initiatives to come, like District Planning (with more engagement happening this Fall with a public hearing in the spring). Yes, there were lots of concerns. But the question I keep coming back to is: is ZBR the most appropriate tool to address the various issues or are we conflating everything and trying to find the silver bullet that would answer it all?
As I’ve mentioned throughout this blog, Zoning is a key step forward to making progress, but it does not end here - this is very much the beginning. There are multiple projects and policies coming forward in 2024 and 2025 that will further this City Plan work, and I’m excited to see the conversation continue to unfold, particularly with the feedback we have heard throughout the hearing. I hope Edmontonians will continue to engage, and make our City-building efforts even better.
Here is some of the upcoming work which you can follow-along with:
District Planning - engagement is continuing until Dec 1 2023, with a public hearing in Spring 2024. Learn more here.
Climate Strategies Update - Nov 1 2023.
Climate Resilience Planning and Development Work Plan - Q1 2024.
Updated Affordable Housing Strategy - December 4 2023
Affordable Housing Contributions Approach - December 5 2023
Growth Management Framework Update - Q2 2024
Trees on Public and Private Property - Q3 2024
Construction Site Safety and Accountability - Q2 2024
You can find upcoming Council agendas and meetings at www.edmonton.ca/meetings.
Thank you to all who have joined us this week, all who have listened, everyone who engaged with ZBR prior to this hearing, and also our amazing Administration for their tireless efforts and expertise.
