Zoning in the City & the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Project (Community Conversation)
For this month’s Virtual Tea with Keren, I wanted to focus on a topic that doesn’t always get the most attention but will have a big impact on every Edmontonian’s community and our public realm - the Zoning Bylaw Renewal. The Zoning Bylaw is Edmonton’s “rule book” for development and determining what can be built where, and this renewal is its first major comprehensive overhaul in 60 years.
For this Virtual Tea I was joined by Christian and Trevor, two Senior Planners at the City of Edmonton who are leading the Zoning Bylaw Renewal project and are experts on this topic. We had a great conversation, and did a deeper dive into all things zoning, what the important things are for residents to know and understand with this renewal project, and how people can share their thoughts and feedback. There was a lot of great information shared, and I compiled the highlights and time-stamps below.
An Introduction to Zoning and the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Project
What is Zoning? (Time stamp @ 7:35) - In it’s simplest form, Zoning tells us what goes where, and how big it can be. It influences how our City develops and helps to separate uses like making sure residential and industrial areas are not side-by-side. Zoning is a municipal-level tool that allows us to achieve our aspirational visions for the City like the City Plan.
What is the vast majority of Zoning in Edmonton? (Time stamp @ 10:40) The majority of residential zoning in Edmonton is RF1 - which is the zoning for a single family home.
What is the Zoning Bylaw and when was the last update to the document? (Time stamp @ 12:50) The Zoning Bylaw is a regulatory tool, and the version currently being used was drafted 60 years ago. We are now shifting to modernizing the bylaw to meet our City’s current needs and direction.
What is the Zoning Bylaw Renewal project, and are we renewing all zoning in the City? (Time stamp @ 15:00) Learn more about the Zoning Bylaw Renewal project at www.edmonton.ca/zoningbylawrenewal.
Zoning Bylaw Renewal and the Impact on Residents
What kinds of changes can residents expect? (Time stamp @ 18:45) While the project is a big regulatory shift (if approved), the changes that occur in neighbourhoods will be gradual and won’t happen overnight. What will change is the opportunities for different types of housing in neighbourhoods. An RF1 Zone for example could be expanded to allow row-houses, small walk-up apartments, and cluster housing all sensitive in height to what is around it.
Residents are worried that with the Zoning Bylaw Renewal, all of a sudden the house next door will become a 5-story apartment. Is this possible? (Time stamp @ 24:00) Not without Council permission and not as a result of this project. Want to see what zone your neighbourhood could become through the renewal? Check out the ‘Know your Zone’ Rezoning Map which shows you your proposed new zone and regulations that may apply.
How will this change affect commercial uses and spaces? (Time stamp @ 27:00) There are changes to support commercial use in residential areas, but it is not carte blanch - there will be limitations on the size, licensing, building requirements, etc. for different commercial uses which could still require rezoning at City Council.
Zoning Bylaw and Connection to City Goals
How does Zoning Bylaw Renewal and land use contribute to us achieving our climate goals outlined in the City Plan? (Time stamp @ 31:00) The most influential way the Zoning Bylaw Renewal can support climate goals is through land use, and allowing for more dense development patterns. Allowing more housing forms and bringing more people into existing neighbourhoods is more efficient. Having businesses in neighbourhoods can reduce people’s need to drive as far, or at all, to access them, reducing our carbon footprint.
How have equity considerations been incorporated into the Zoning Bylaw Renewal (Time stamp @ 37:05)? Check out the City’s Making Spaces podcasts which discusses some of these topics as recommended by myself and Trevor! For residential areas, when you allow for a variety of housing types it allows different people from diverse backgrounds to access and live in these neighbourhoods.
Public Engagement for the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Project
How have you gathered feedback from Edmontonians and how will it be integrated into the draft and final version? (Time stamp @ 45:45) Engagement for this project began years ago with the City Plan. Since then, there have been more phases of engagement specific to the Zoning Bylaw Renewal in-person and online to try and reach out to people in different ways. The final public engagement period is happening now from May 1st - 30th - share your feedback and participate at www.engaged.edmonton.ca/zoningbylawrenewal!
What are some of the challenges when it comes to engagement with the public? (53:30) A challenge of this work is de-bunking myths to the public about what this project is, and what it will change. The City does their best to use lay-terms and simplify communications to make complex topics easy to understand.
If people have Zoning-related questions who should they reach out to? (58:00) Most answers to people’s questions can be found at the Zoning Bylaw Renewal website. If you don’t find an answer there reach out to their team by email at zoningbylawrenewal@edmonton.ca.
