TAMRMS#: B06
10.1
REQUEST FOR DECISION
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Firehall 4 Permanent Utility Services Charter Approval
Presented by: Meredith Willacy, Senior PM, Engineering Services
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
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That Capital Charter ENG-088 Fire Hall 4 Off-site Wastewater Servicing provided as an attachment be approved in the amount of $1,900,000 to be funded as follows:
• $1,265,800 from the Offsite Levy Recovery Fund Reserve
• $634,200 from Borrowing Bylaw 22/2021.
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SUMMARY
This report provides a recommendation for a permanent sanitary sewer servicing option to service the Fire Hall #4 site, City owned lands and the surrounding developable lands.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
On January 23, 2024, Council passed the following motion:
CM-24-002
That the budget for Project Charter FIRE-005 be increased from $16,341,000 to $19,341,000 to be funded from Borrowing Bylaw 22/2021, and that Administration use the additional funding to build Fire Hall #4 using conventional construction methodology.
On January 10, 2023, Council passed the following motion:
CM-22-026
That the Fire Hall #4 project charter be revised to provide for the option of either modular construction or standard form construction, within the approved budget for this project.
On July 5, 2021, Council passed the following motions:
BL-21-054
1. That Bylaw 22/2021, being a borrowing Bylaw to design and construct Fire Hall Station #4 and purchase related equipment and land, be read a second time.
2. That Bylaw 22/2021 be read a third time.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Fire Hall Station #4 and its related equipment was approved as part of the 2020 Municipal Capital budget with approval to fund through debt financing. The approved project includes the following components: FIRE-005 Fire Hall #4 ($16,341,000); FIRE-007 Fire Engine ($1,540,500); FIRE-016 Aerial Apparatus ($2,469,800); FIRE-032 Fire Tanker ($779,000).
In 2021, Council approved Borrowing Bylaw 22/2021 for $26,500,000, giving the go-ahead for the purchasing of land, construction of the building, and procuring the necessary equipment and apparatus for this new fire station. In January of 2022, 6.667 ha. of land (17.3 acres) along St. Albert Trail was purchased for $2.55 million, allowing for both the construction of Fire Hall #4 and a future Transit Centre Park & Ride. In November of 2022, Administration came to Council with a revised Project Charter (FIRE-005) which allowed for a modular construction method for the building. In January 2023, Council requested that Administration come back with a revised project charter utilizing a conventional building method only. This revised project charter was approved by Council in January 2024.
There is currently no utility servicing adjacent to the land where the fire hall site will be built. The closest existing utility infrastructure is located on the east side of St. Albert Trail within the Erin Ridge North neighbourhood. The growth areas that are located west of St. Albert Trail have servicing plans to connect to existing utilities located along Ernest Boulevard and would be extended as part of development in this area. Fire Hall #4 is the first development in the area that requires these services.
The Fire Hall #4 project is currently in detailed design with anticipated construction to begin in the summer of 2026. Extending servicing to this site will benefit the surrounding lands and provide adequate utility servicing for future development of the City-owned lands as well.
The most recent project budget of Fire Hall #4 assumed and included on site storm servicing by use of a temporary stormwater management facility and a permanent watermain line from Ernest Boulevard across St Albert Trail. The temporary stormwater management facility for stormwater would exist at least until the larger system and permanent stormwater management facility are developed.
Permanent sanitary services will be extended across St. Albert Trail to accommodate Fire Hall #4 to enable this development to proceed with urban sanitary sewer servicing. Downstream sanitary capacity confirmation is required before accommodating this additional development through a desirable permanent piped sanitary service.
The proposed Charter is outside of the scope and stands alone from the northeast servicing project. The Project Charter for the sanitary servicing scope crossing St. Albert Trail, connecting to the Firehall, has both Offsite Leviable and Non-Offsite Leviable components with an estimated total project cost of $1.9M. The Offsite Levy ($1.5M) scope includes the large diameter trunk sanitary main crossing St. Albert Trail which will ultimately service a large development basin. The Non-Offsite Levy ($0.4M) scope includes a smaller diameter line connecting from the trunk to the Firehall site, which will service the Firehall and city-owned lands development, such as the future transit site. This is shown in Attachment 1.
The Offsite Levy scope falls under Sanitary Levy Project 1 - North Annexation Trunk - Phase 1C. The Firehall development will pay off-site levies to contribute towards its benefitting share of off-site levy projects. Since it is constructing this sanitary leviable project, the firehall is eligible to offset a portion of the levies owed with the costs of the trunk construction. The $1.5 million total construction cost for the Off-site Leviable portion of Sanitary Project #1 can be broken down as follows:
• $200 thousand contribution to off-site levies as an offset on behalf of the Fire Hall #4 property
• $1.3 million of project costs reimbursable to the City from future developers
The offset payment identified above is an OSL infrastructure contribution that will result in a reduction in wastewater OSL costs in the amount of $200k for the original Fire Hall #4 project which is planned to be reutilized into this project’s overall contingency fund. The City front-ending the $1.5M Offsite Levy portion of the project will allow the City to be eligible for reimbursement for any over-expenditure greater than the off-site levy payable. This will follow the City’s annual recoveries policy.
The $0.4M for the Non-Offsite Levy portion is expected to only benefit the City-owned parcels. Future reimbursement for those costs is not expected, but there will be a residual benefit of having nearby sanitary servicing in place for future City development of those lands.
As the sanitary service falls within the scope of the borrowing bylaw it may be used to fund the project. In addition, as part of the project is off-site leviable it can be funded from the Offsite-Levy Recovery Fund Reserve.
This sanitary servicing project would be delivered in conjunction with the Firehall #4 project as an Owner’s Directive through the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model. Proceeding with this project in conjunction with Firehall #4 scope is anticipated to result in cost savings to the overall Fire Hall 4 project budget ($200,000 reduction in Wastewater Off-site Levies as an offset and $112,000 reduction in private sewer infrastructure). These cost reductions will increase the contingency budget for Fire Hall #4.
The majority of costs associated with this project will be recovered from the Off-site Levy Program:
• $0.4M is the on-site sanitary sewer (includes wastewater capacity for development of additional lands owned by the City). This portion is non-offsite leviable and non recoverable.
• $0.2M is the share of the OSL project that is attributed to the site and non-recoverable.
• $1.3M will be recovered over time from future developers (including the adjacent City-owned lands) through the Off-Site Levy program.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
No outside engagement was undertaken for this project. Internal engagement is ongoing as part of the main Fire Hall #4 build with Utilities and Transportation.
The Firehall land requires redistricting before the land is subdivided and made available for its intended use. As part of the redistricting process, public notice has been sent as part of the public hearing planned for May 5, 2026.
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Approval of this charter will enable development, including the Fire Hall site, to meet current municipal design.
It is a standard condition of subdivision that the Developer shall be responsible for the provision of all services necessary to service the subdivision and the proposed lots. The servicing solutions must be satisfactory to the City Engineer.
Financial:
If the $1,900,000 project is approved:
• $1,265,800 will be committed within the Off-site Levy Recovery Fund Reserve to be used for the project.
• $634,200 will be funded through the original Borrowing Bylaw 22/2021. This will increase the amount funded from the bylaw to $25,764,500 which is within the borrowing authorization of up to $26,500,000.
67% of this project cost is Offsite Levy recoverable over time.
Compliance & Legal:
The recommended approach aligns with the City’s Sanitary Sewer Bylaw 6/2018 and the Municipal Development Plan (MDP). It also supports consistent application of municipal policies.
MDP Policy 10.1.1 Requires new urban development to be serviced. Limited exceptions may be granted for uses not requiring water and/or wastewater.
The Sanitary Bylaw requires development to connect to the municipal system.
Program or Service:
If development proceeds in the northeastern quadrant of St. Albert, it is anticipated that the Firehall will be needed to meet Council Policy (C-PS-1 - Emergency Services responds to 90% of fire and emergency medical calls within 9 minutes).
Organizational:
None at this time.
Risks
There is an incremental opportunity for future expansion of neighbouring lands including City-owned lands with this investment, such as the North Transit Center and park and ride lot.
• Development to urban densities is not reasonably achievable without access to water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
None at this time.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
C.4.3 Waste Water Management
D.1.2 Issuance of Land Use and Development Permits and Licenses
F.3.4 Fire Response
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
If Council does not support the recommended option, Alternative 1 could be proposed.
ALTERNATIVE 1: That Council do nothing. Administration could consider an exemption to the Sanitary sewer bylaw and to advance the temporary private sewer system for the Firehall # 4 land. Administration has concerns with the potential precedent setting of this alternative.
Financial:
None. Capital investment for the temporary private sewer system is already included in the original Fire-005 project charter. Operational impact for Fire Services to pump out the system is estimated at $5,000 annually.
Compliance & Legal:
If this project charter is not approved, an exemption to the current Sanitary Sewer Bylaw 6/2018 could be considered by administration to allow for the Fire Hall #4 site to continue with the non-standard private sewer infrastructure such that the current design and construction timelines of the facility can be met.
If an exemption is not granted, Firehall #4 construction cannot proceed without an approved sewer disposal system which then would support the redistricting of the proposed land for its intended use.
Program or Service:
This alternative approach is a non-standard servicing arrangement, as the City’s Sanitary Sewer Bylaw, Engineering Standards, and Municipal Development Plan are based on connection to the City’s sanitary sewer system. Ongoing operational costs will be incurred by Fire Services through contracted services program.
Organizational:
It is anticipated that potential requests from developers and private property owners for future development submissions be allowed the same considerations for servicing. This would require additional staff capacity and specialized review as it is a non-standard servicing option.
This approach is inconsistent with the requirements expected of private developers. The City does not allow other land developers to self-service with tanks where the municipal system is available in proximity.
If on-site sanitary sewer containment is approved and constructed, there is no development milestone to ‘trigger’ the abandonment of installed tanks and connection to the municipal piped system, even after municipal piped services are made available in the future. This may require additional agreements to be in place to ensure build out of permanent infrastructure at the earliest opportunity and would likely require additional municipal administration of the same.
Risks
There is a reputational risk if other developers in the area were to come with the request of non-standard option and the City rejects its application of the same. It could also increase administrative review and oversight requirements and may result in a less consistent urban service level.
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Report Date: April 21, 2026
Author(s): Meredith Willacy, Maggie Wang, Regan Lefebvre, Suzanne Findlay
Department: Engineering Services, Public Operations, Finance and Strategic Services
Department Director: Dawny George, Timothy Saunders, Anne Victoor
Managing Director: Diane McMordie, Adryan Slaght or Dinu Alex
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher