TAMRMS#: B06
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Bylaw 02/2020 Riverside Area Structure Plan Amendment - 2nd and 3rd Reading
Presented by: Sajid Sifat, Planner, Planning and Development
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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This report presents the following recommendation:
To approve the proposed ASP by following the motions below:
a) That the Public Hearing on Bylaw 02/2020 be closed.
b) That Bylaw 02/2020, being amendment 3 to the Riverside Area Structure Plan 1/2012, be read a second time.
c) That Bylaw 02/2020, being amendment 3 to the Riverside Area Structure Plan 1/2012, be read a third time.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
This report presents proposed amendments to the Riverside Area Structure Plan as per Schedule A of Bylaw 02/2020. The amendments require a public hearing and Council’s approval as per the requirements of the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #2: Economic Development: Enhance business/commercial growth.
· Develop and recommend Green Tape 2.0 initiatives to enable increased growth, investment, and commerce in St. Albert focusing on a strong collaborative model.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Current Planning Application Processing: Processing and coordination of the approval of statutory plans and amendments, subdivision and condominiums applications.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
The Municipal Government Act Section 692(1) requires the subject matter of this report to go to Council and that a public hearing be held.
This amendment conforms with the Municipal Development Plan, Policy 3.1 - Future Land Use Policy.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Riverside Area Structure Plan (ASP) was approved by Council through Bylaw 4/2016 on March 21, 2016.
Select Engineering, on behalf of Genstar Development Company, submitted an application on June 21, 2019 to amend the Riverside Area Structure Plan Bylaw 02/2020, Schedule A.
Bylaw 02/2020 - Riverside Area Structure Plan Amendment
The purpose of this amendment is to update figures and text of the ASP to reflect changes to proposed land use configurations, road network, school/park sites, and commercial sites.
The applicant proposes this area structure plan amendment application with the following amendments:
a) Addition of a second school site
A second school site has been added to the Riverside ASP within the south east part of the neighbourhood, off Rankin Drive. The additional school site will allow a second school to be located within the Riverside neighbourhood. The projected growth of approximately 1,970 students will be supported by the two school sites and will serve the neighbourhood in a more timely fashion.
b) Relocating medium and high-density residential land uses
The majority of the medium-density developments are relocated to within the Neighbourhood Activity Center and on McKenney Avenue. The relocated medium density sites are better suited to be located within the Neighbourhood Activity Center and on crosstown roadways to better manage traffic and reduce impact onto the rest of the neighbourhood. Locating medium density buildings closer to the street will provide opportunities to enhance streetscapes through architectural treatments and urban design. Locating the medium density within the Neighbourhood Activity Center will promote walkability to adjacent commercial and higher density uses.
c) Incorporating laneways throughout the neighbourhood
Incorporating laneways throughout the neighbourhood will allow diversified housing configurations that includes rear garages/parking areas for single-detached, semi-detached, and rowhouses. Laneways will allow vehicular access to the rear of the lots, which will ensure these lots do not have front driveways. This allows for a streetscape where the buildings are located closer to the street, and will facilitate more on-street parking and street trees.
d) Addition of a commercial site north of McKenney Avenue
The additional commercial site north of McKenney Avenue will add approximately 1.9 Ha of land for a total approximately 5.7 Ha for commercial designation within the Neighbourhood Activity Center. This will complement the residential neighbourhood with commercial uses and intensify the use of the Neighbourhood Activity Center.
e) Increased residential densities to be consistent with the Land Use Bylaw
The minimum required density for each type of residential land use - low, medium, and high density uses, has been updated to be consistent with the Land Use Bylaw:
Existing Density Proposed Density
Low Density 20 du/ha 23-39 du/ha
Medium Density 35 du/ha 35-94 du/ha
High Density 141 du/ha 94-141 du/ha
Overall 32 du/ha 32 du/ha
Overall 32 dwelling units per residential net hectare are proposed with the updated densities. A minimum of 30% of the overall density is proposed to be medium or high density developments.
f) Reconfiguration of street networks and addition of trails and walkways
The street network throughout the neighbourhood has been improved to enable better connectivity and efficient circulation between the neighhourhood and onto McKenney Avenue. The redesign of the street network resulted in an additional 0.5 Ha of land area being dedicated to the street network within the ASP.
The approval recommendation includes the re-connection of the Riverside Neighbourhood to Mission Avenue via a potential future roadway from Mission Avenue to Rankin Drive via the Meadowview Lane right-of-way, located on the eastern portion of the Riverside neighbourhood, east of Rankin Drive and west of the heritage recreational area. This roadway connection was not included within the applicant’s submission, but was identified by Administration during the technical review process, and is Administration’s preferred option. The attached, Figure 3 - Proposed ASP Future Land Use Map, shows this roadway connection as ‘Potential Future Roadway’ depicted by the cross hatching on the map on the western border of the heritage recreational area. Administration has highlighted proposed text within the ASP related to the roadway connection, on pages - 18, 19, 20, 27, 35, 36, 37, 39, and 40. If Council approves the recommended motion which reconnects the neighbourhood to Mission Avenue, the highlighting will be removed for final signature; there would be no required changes to the maps.
If Council does not wish to approve the ASP with a connection to Mission Avenue, they can approve the alternative motion, which would allow the ASP to go forward without the connection, per the applicant’s original application. If Council approves the alternative motion (rather than the recommended motion), the highlighted text noted in the previous paragraph will be stricken from the ASP, and the maps will be updated to remove the hatching identifying the “potential future roadway” within the Meadowview Lane/Rankin Drive area.
Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Growth Plan
Development within the City of St. Albert must conform to the Growth Plan of the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Growth Plan (EMRB). St. Albert statutory plans such as Area Structure Plans must conform to a minimum of 40 dwelling units per net residential hectare for greenfield developments, as of 2017.
The Riverside ASP proposes an unchanged net residential density of 32 dwelling units per hectare. Since the Riverside ASP predates 2017, the density requirement of 40 dwelling units per net hectare does not apply. The Riverside ASP does meet the minimum density of 30 dwelling units per net hectare, which was the required density by the Capital Region Board at the time the existing ASP was approved. This application was not required to be referred to the EMRB since it met all the requirements of the EMRB Growth Plan.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
Prior to a formal ASP amendment application being submitted to the City, the applicant hosted a public open house on April 18, 2019. Select Engineering, on behalf of Genstar Development Company, provided a presentation with an overview of the proposed ASP amendment application. There were 44 members of the public in attendance at the meeting. Residents of Riverside were sent a written notice and a public notice sign was posted for the open house.
Circulation of Application
The proposed ASP amendment was circulated on July 8, 2019, to internal departments, external referral agencies, business and property owners within a 100-metre radius, and attendees of the public meeting who provided a mailing address. Thirteen pieces of public correspondence were received for this application. A summary of written public comments received through the circulation process is provided in attachment 7. The consolidated public comments are provided in attachment 8.
First reading at Council was held February 3, 2020. The public hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2020. Following first reading, the public hearing will be posted on the City website. The public hearing will be advertised in CityLights on the 2nd and 3rd Saturday preceding the hearing, and a notification letter about the public hearing will be mailed to property owners a businesses within a 100 metre radius of the site, and to attendees of the public meeting who provided a mailing address.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time.
Legal / Risk:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
As development proceeds:
Engineering drawing reviews, development agreements, and inspections of infrastructure will be required.
Planning and Development will have subdivision plans and development permits to review and provide decisions on.
Safety Codes will have building plans to review and buildings to inspect.
Recreation Services will have park planning and development to undertake.
Public Works will have additional infrastructure to maintain.
Fire Services, Community & Social Development, Transit, and other departments will need to provide services to a new area of the City.
Organizational:
None at this time.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
If Council does not wish to support the recommendations of this report, the following alternatives could be considered:
1. To approve the proposed ASP, without a roadway from Mission Avenue to Rankin Drive via Meadowview Lane, by following the motions below:
a) That the Public Hearing on Bylaw 02/2020 be closed.
b) That Bylaw 02/2020 be amended by removing the roadway from Mission Avenue to Rankin Drive via Meadowview Lane.
c) That Bylaw 02/2020, being amendment 3 to the Riverside Area Structure Plan 1/2012, as amended, be read a second time.
d) That Bylaw 02/2020, being amendment 3 to the Riverside Area Structure Plan 1/2012, be read a third time.
2. Defeat second or third reading of Bylaw 02/2020 (ASP), which will have the following implications:
• The existing Land Use Designations in the Riverside Area Structure Plan will remain.
• The applicant cannot reapply within six months for an ASP amendment.
Report Date: March 2, 2020
Author(s): Sajid Sifat
Committee/Department: Planning & Development Department
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble