TAMRMS#: B06
9.1
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Bylaw 01/2022 Municipal Development Plan 1st Redesignation (1st Reading)
Presented by: Lyndsay Francis and Vicki Dodge, Senior Planner, Planning & Development Department
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
1. That Bylaw 01/2022, being amendment 1 to the Municipal Development Plan, be read a first time
2. That Bylaw 1/2022 be referred to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB)
3. That a Public Hearing on Bylaw 01/2022 be scheduled for May 16, 2022.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
This report discusses proposed amendments to Flourish, the Municipal Development Plan (MDP), which are necessitated by the Annexation Order (O.C. 362/2021) effective January 1, 2022. The proposed amendments require submittal and approval to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB), a public hearing, and Council’s approval, as per the requirements in the Municipal Government Act (MGA). The proposal includes updates to policies, the maps, and non-statutory elements of the plan.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
St. Albert Council Strategic Plan
Strategic Priority #1: Growth Policy Framework: Develop a robust policy framework to guide growth.
Revise the Municipal Development Plan framework to provide direction to growth needs, annexation positioning, and our role in regional government.
• Complete Revision of the Municipal Development Plan (MDP)
• City of St. Albert Annexation of Sturgeon County Land
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Long range policy planning - the development and advancement of long range policy planning documents which proactively plan for and shape new growth and development in the city.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
Section 692(1) of the MGA requires that the subject matter of this report go to Council, and that a public hearing be held before giving second reading to the bylaw.
Section 708.12 of the MGB requires that a statutory plan is consistent with the growth plan. Referral to the EMRB must occur between 1st and 3rd Reading of City Council’s bylaw approval process.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Canada. As part of this region, the City of St. Albert has experienced steady growth over the years. Annexation provides enough land for the City’s long-term residential and non-residential growth needs.
Undergoing annexation enables sustainable, long-term community planning, as well as planning certainty for residents, municipalities, developers, and landowners, in a manner consistent with the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan (EMRGP).
On December 8, 2021, the Province of Alberta approved the City of St. Albert’s request for annexation of lands previously contained within Sturgeon County. On January 1, 2022, changes to the land boundary between the City of St. Albert and Sturgeon County went into effect, moving the subject lands from Sturgeon County to St. Albert. Due to this boundary change, the City must update Flourish, as well as the Land Use Bylaw (LUB).
Bylaw 1/2022 will amend Flourish, and proposes updates to the maps which will address the City's boundary change and future land use plans for the annexation area, as well as policy direction for the annexation area.
Mapping Changes:
Within Flourish, Maps 1 through 6 will be updated to reflect the new municipal boundary, and incorporate the features contained within the new boundary area (Attachment 2).
Updates to Map 3 include identifying future land uses and potential future roads within the annexation area (Attachment 3). The proposed land uses and servicing networks, generally reflect the annexation discussions and results contained within the technical studies in support of the annexation application. Flourish strives to reach an overall assessment split of 70% residential assessment and 30% non-residential assessment. The annexation will help enable St. Albert to reach this target by ensuring the City has an adequate supply of land to accommodate additional non-residential development. To achieve the overall the 70:30 assessment target, the annexation lands must provide an assessment split of 60% residential and 40% non-residential. This is reflected in the ratio of residential to employment lands designated within Map 3.
Within Map 4, amendments have been incorporated to address the future phasing of development (Attachment 3). This includes identifying that the annexation provides the City of St. Albert an approximate 50-year land supply, which is longer than the timeframe of Flourish. As not all the annexation area will develop over the course of Flourish, this will allow agricultural activities to be the predominate land use within the annexation area in the interim.
Policy and Text Changes:
Policies have been incorporated into the Outward Growth principle of the Sustainable Growth section to ensure that the overall goal is maintained with the addition of the Annexation Lands. Updates will reflect the mapping changes illustrated within Map 3 and 4, along with additional clarifying text (Attachment 4).
Policy additions to Outward Growth (13.1) the following:
• Strive to achieve an assessment split of 60% residential assessment and 40% non-residential assessment within the 2022 north annexation area, to promote sustainability and reduce the reliance on residential taxes.
• Prioritize the general sequence of urban growth and development within the 2022 north annexation area to follow Map 4.
• Allow agricultural activities, as outlined within Section 6.3, within the 2022 north annexation area, until future urban growth and development occurs.
In addition to the updates, a grammatical change to Policy 13.1.6 is proposed to improve clarification of intent is proposed.
• Strive to achieve a tax revenue an assessment split of 70% residential assessment and 30% non-residential assessment, to promote sustainability and reduce the reliance on residential taxes.
MDP Figure Changes:
Non-statutory changes are required to update Flourish to reflect the annexation and the boundary change. This includes the addition of a new figure identifying the 2022 annexation lands in Outward Growth (13.1), and updating the following graphics:
• Regional Context - Page 11
• EMRB Growth Plan Structure - Page 12
• Urban Structure and General Land Use - Page 25
• Priority Areas for Growth - Page 95
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
The proposed Flourish amendment, and corresponding LUB amendment, was circulated to property owners within the annexation area on November 18, 2021. This letter invited the property owners to an Open House and invited comments regarding the plan until December 15, 2021.
A virtual Public Open House and a presentation to the Chamber of Commerce occurred on December 1, 2021, to discuss both amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and the Municipal Development Plan. A Cultivate the Conversation Page was launched in support of the engagement session, and included information about the amendments proposed, process and timelines requirements, a question-and-answer forum, and a link to the video of the engagement session.
On December 17, 2021, a letter was circulated to internal stakeholders and external agencies regarding the proposed amendments. The comment period was closed on January 14, 2022, in keeping with the required circulation timelines identified within Flourish.
Questions raised from the public engagement and referrals are contained within the “What We Heard Report” (Attachment 5). Questions regarding assessment split targets, rural land development questions, taxation, and the future of greenspace/Poundmaker’s site were common topics of discussion.
No objections were received from external referral agencies or internal departments.
First reading is scheduled for January 31, 2022. Following first reading, the proposed amendment will be referred to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB). Subject to approval from the EMRB, information about the public hearing will be posted on the City website. The public hearing will be advertised in CityLights. A notification letter about the public hearing will be mailed to property owners within a 100-meter radius of the site.
The public hearing for this amendment application cannot proceed until it has been reviewed by the EMRB. Therefore, the public hearing is tentatively scheduled for May 16, 2022.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time.
Legal / Risk:
If an amendment to the Municipal Development Plan does not proceed, there is no direction from the City of St. Albert regarding future land use and development, intermunicipal coordination, or the provision of transportation/servicing services. Having no direction can impact the subdivision and development activity within this area.
Program or Service:
N/A
Organizational:
None at this time.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
N/A
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Report Date: January 31, 2022
Author: Kristina Peter
Department: Planning & Development
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (Interim): Diane Enger
Chief Administrative Officer (Interim): Kerry Hilts