TAMRMS#: B06
7.1
REQUEST FOR DECISION
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Bylaw 19/2026 - Redistricting in Cherot (1st, 2nd & 3rd Readings) and Bylaw 20/2026 - Redistricting in Cherot exchanging location of Medium Density and High Density Residential (1st, 2nd & 3rd Readings)
Presented by: Suzanne Ruegg, Planner, Planning & Development Department
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RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
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1. That the Public Hearing on Bylaw 19/2026 and 20/2026 be closed.
2. That Bylaw 19/2026, being amendment 20 to the Land Use Bylaw 18/2024, be read a first time.
3. That Bylaw 19/2026 be read a second time.
4. That unanimous consent be given for consideration of third reading of Bylaw 19/2026.
5. That Bylaw 19/2026 be read a third time.
6. That Bylaw 20/2026, being amendment 21 to the Land Use Bylaw 18/2024, be read a first time.
7. That Bylaw 20/2026 be read a second time.
8. That unanimous consent be given for consideration of third reading of Bylaw 20/2026.
9. That Bylaw 20/2026 be read a third time.
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SUMMARY
This report discusses proposed redistricting amendments to the Land Use Bylaw 18/2024, Schedule A. The purpose of this application is to redistrict lands within the Cherot Neighbourhood that are currently districted for Future Urban Development (FUD), which is a holding district, to residential and park, and to exchange a medium-density and high-density residential site that were previously districted. Approval of this redistricting application will enable future subdivisions and developments in the Cherot Neighbourhood. Administration is in support of the amendments.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
The Municipal Government Act section 692(1) states that before giving second reading to
(f) a proposed bylaw amending a statutory plan or land use bylaw referred to in clauses (a) to (e),
a Council must hold a public hearing with respect to the proposed bylaw in accordance with section 216.4 after giving notice of it in accordance with section 606.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Select Engineering Consultants Ltd., on behalf of Rohit Land St. Albert West Ltd., applied to amend the Land Use Bylaw 18/2024, Schedule A, to enable a mix of future residential uses, and the exchange in location of the medium- and high-density residential to support a land purchase for a builder of townhomes. The redistricting is in the Cherot East neighbourhood, between Cherot Boulevard on the west, Ray Gibbon Drive on the east, Chanter Avenue on the south, and along Chelles Wynd towards the north.
The municipal addresses are 50 City Annex West with legal description SW ¼, Section 7, Township 54, Range 25, Meridian 4 and 480 Cherot Boulevard with legal description NW ¼, Section 7, Township 54, Range 25, Meridian 4. Please refer to attachments Bylaw 19/2026 and Bylaw 20/2026, and Figure 1 Location Map.
Plan Conformance
Municipal Development Plan (MDP) Flourish
The Municipal Development Plan, Map 3, Urban Structure and General Land Use illustrate the subject area as Neighbourhood.
Policy 7.1.1, “Address housing needs by monitoring changes in the local housing market and encouraging and enabling housing forms that respond to emerging housing needs.”
Policies 14.3.1 and 14.4.1, support high-density housing in downtown and along the trail corridor areas.
Section 14.5, Mixed-use Nodes, identifies residential units above commercial, mixed-use buildings, and medium-density residential.
Section 14.6, Neighbourhoods, are predominantly residential areas made up of low-rise housing, along with schools, parks, local shops, and services.
Policy 14.6.1, “encourages a range of low- and medium-density housing forms in all Neighbourhoods throughout the city.”
St. Albert West Area Structure Plan (ASP)
The Cherot neighbourhood is part of the St. Albert West Area Structure Plan (ASP), which encompasses an area of approximately 1,035 hectares (2,557 acres). The St. Albert West Area Structure Plan (ASP) was approved by Bylaw 14/2024, and identifies the subject lands as ‘Neighbourhood’ as per Figure 2. Please refer to the attachment, Cherot Neighbourhood Plan Figure 2.
The St. Albert West ASP, Part 5 Land Use Policies, Section 5.3 Neighbourhoods, states “the Neighbourhood areas will contain low and medium-density residential development and may include small scale commercial uses and neighbourhood parks, to be defined at the Neighbourhood Plan stage.”
Policy 5.2.2 General
1. Require a minimum overall residential density of 40 dwelling units per net residential hectare in Neighbourhood Plans where there are Mixed-Use Areas and Neighbourhoods, in accordance with the density target established by the MDP.
2. Encourage innovative development forms within the Mixed-Use Areas to create unique housing opportunities that meet the needs of all residents.
3. Require a range of housing forms within the Mixed-Use Areas, such as townhouses, low-rise buildings, and mid-rise buildings to ensure a variety of housing options and to maximize synergies with complementary commercial uses.
4. Limit building heights within Mixed Use Areas to mid-rise buildings, to help ensure that high-rise buildings are located at appropriate areas in the city, as per the growth policies outlined in the MDP.
5. Locate low-rise and mid-rise buildings in appropriate locations to promote compatibility, cohesion, and suitable transitions, as it relates to built form in the neighbourhood.
6. Strive to develop the Mixed-Use Areas with a minimum of 60 dwelling units per net residential hectare.”
Inset - “Building Types”
Low Rise: Buildings of 1-4 storeys
Mid Rise: Buildings of 5-9 storeys
High Rise: Buildings of 10 storeys and above
Policy 5.3.2 General
6. “Restrict high density residential uses in Neighbourhood areas to Mixed-Use Areas, as shown in Map 2.”
Cherot Neighbourhood Plan (NP)
The Cherot Neighbourhood Plan (NP) was formerly known as Range Road 260 Area Structure Plan (ASP) and later renamed as the Cherot Area Structure Plan (ASP). On March 1, 2021, was the first reading of Bylaw 2/2021 to change the name from Range Road 260 Area Structure Plan to Cherot Area Structure Plan; and Bylaw 3/2021, added the land uses on the east side of Range Road 260 (Cherot Boulevard). At a public hearing on June 8, 2021, Administration, through Bylaw 28/2021, amended the Cherot ASP to address minor inconsistencies between text, figures, and maps, and update references to MDP Flourish that was adopted April 19, 2021.
On September 3, 2024, the Cherot ASP was repealed and on September 6, 2024, the Cherot NP was approved. When Cherot ASP was repealed and replaced as a neighbourhood plan, the previous land uses in the Cherot ASP were carried over to the neighbourhood plan. At that time, it was recognized that the original High-Density Residential future land use identified in the Cherot ASP did not conform to the newly established policies within the St. Albert West ASP regarding the placement of high-density residential land uses. However, because this land use existed in the original ASP, this type of misalignment was anticipated, as the Cherot ASP had been approved prior to the adoption of Flourish and the St. Albert West ASP.
The Cherot NP is made up of two neighbourhoods; Avenir and Cherot East. Avenir is on the west side of Cherot Boulevard, and Cherot East is on the east side of Cherot Boulevard. The objectives of Cherot East are to:
• Enable land uses that promote access to neighbourhood amenities, such as, public open space, school sites, recreation, and commercial uses;
• Create aesthetically pleasing residential areas that offer a range of housing options;
• Create pedestrian friendly linkages of walkways and trails; and
• Provide a City-wide Community Amenities Site that accommodates civic needs and recreational activities.
Two-tier Area Structure Plan and Neighbourhood Plan
The Area Structure Plan & Neighbourhood Plan Terms of Reference for the two-tier process identifies City Council as the decision-making authority for an Area Structure Plan (ASP), and the Director of Planning and Development as the decision-making authority for a Neighbourhood Plan (NP). An amendment to the Neighbourhood Plan must comply with the policies in the ASP in order for the Director of Planning and Development to issue approval. As the proposed reassignment of high density residential would create a conflict with the ASP land use policies, which would no longer be considered existing non-conforming to the policy, Administration is seeking Council decision on the redistricting first, which would also indicate direction for the Cherot Neighbourhood Plan.
Land Use Bylaw, Schedule A
The redistricting is presented as two bylaws: Bylaw 19/2026 and Bylaw 20/2026.
Bylaw 19/2026
Bylaw 19/2026 proposes to redistrict an area of 31.63 hectares± (78.16 acres±) spanning from Cherot Boulevard to the west, Ray Gibbon Drive to the east, Chanter Avenue in the south, and along Chelles Wynd going north. Access to the proposed redistricting area would be from Chelles Wynd and Chanter Avenue. The current land use district on these lands is Future Urban Development (FUD). The Future Urban Development District is a holding district until urban development occurs on the land. The redistricting of the land is for residential uses. Table 1 shows the proposed land use districts, area of land for the proposed district, and some permitted uses for each district.
Table 1: Proposed Land Use Districts Changes from Future Urban Development.
|
Proposed District |
Area of Land |
Some Permitted Land Uses |
|
Laned Lot Residential (LLR) |
5.60 hectares± (13.84 acres±) |
Single detached dwelling, Semi-detached dwelling, Duplex, Townhouse (plex, single) |
|
Front-Back Residential (FBR) |
2.47 hectares± (6.10 acres±) |
Single detached dwelling, Semi-detached dwelling, Duplex |
|
Small-Lot Residential (SLR) |
13.68 hectares± (33.80 acres±) |
Single detached dwelling, Semi-detached dwelling |
|
Public Park (PRK) |
8.49 hectares± (20.98 acres±) |
Park |
|
Medium Density Residential (MDR) |
1.37 hectares± (3.39 acres±) |
Townhouse (single as per Land Use Bylaw Figure 5-6) |
Bylaw 19/2026 aligns with the future land uses as prescribed in both the St. Albert West ASP and the Cherot Neighbourhood Plan. As such, approval of this redistricting would allow for the continued development of the Cherot Neighbourhood as planned.
Bylaw 20/2026
Bylaw 20/2026 proposes exchanging the location of the Medium Density Residential (MDR) and High Density Residential (HDR) District lands that were previously districted through Bylaw 8/2023 signed on June 22, 2023.
An application to amend the Cherot Neighbourhood Plan (NP) was submitted on October 27, 2025, to address the setback on the former land fills, Pit 1 and Pit 2, and to change local roadway networks. The Cherot NP amendment was put on hold by the developer because they had an interested purchaser for the parcel located on the south side of Chanter Boulvard, which is districted High-Density Residential. The purchaser wants to develop the parcel of land on the south side of Chanter Boulevard with a townhouse complex, a use that is not permitted in the High-Density Residential District. Select Engineering revised the amendment for Cherot Neighbourhood Plan on January 15, 2026, to exchange the location of the medium-density residential and high-density residential; flipping the two locations.
The area of land being districted is larger than the area of land subdivided because districting is to the center of the roadway. Road right-of-way will be registered with the subdivisions.
Table 2: Proposed Land Use Exchange
|
Proposed District |
Area of Land |
Some Permitted Land Uses |
|
Medium Density Residential (MDR) to High Density Residential (HDR) |
1.63 hectares± (4.02 acres±) |
Townhouse (complex) |
|
High Density Residential (HDR) to Medium Density Residential (MDR) |
1.51 hectares± (3.73 acres±) |
Apartment |
Non-Compliance with St. Albert West ASP
Bylaw 20/2026, the exchanging of the location of the medium and high-density residential land use districts, creates a non-compliance with St. Albert West Area Structure Plan Policies 5.2.2 and 5.3.2. The non-compliance is that the high-density site, based on the policies, would need to be located in a mixed-use Area and not as a standalone high-density site.
The proposed change is exchanging residential uses across the street from each other, resulting in the high-density site being on the north side of Chanter Avenue, and the medium-density site being on the south side of Chanter Avenue. The site sizes are the same. The high-density site, based on the plan of subdivision (Stage 10), will be 1.36 hectares. The medium-density site based on the plan of subdivision (Stage 14), will be 1.36 hectares. These subdivisions are conditionally approved. The statistics for the Cherot NP rely on the inclusion of the high-density site to achieve 40 dwelling units per net residential hectare, and the land uses and statistics were established before the approval of MDP Flourish and St. Albert West Area Structure Plan. There is no impact to the number of dwelling units anticipated for Cherot East. Holistically, there is no difference to which side of the street the high density is located.
Administration brings the non-compliance to Council’s attention, as the Director of Planning and Development is unable to approve an amendment which does not align with the applicable Area Structure Plan. Additionally, timing is a factor as Administration did not presuppose Council’s decision on Bylaw 20/2026. Following a decision by Council on Bylaw 20/2026, the Director of Planning and Development can make a decision regarding the Cherot Neighbourhood Plan accordingly.
Approval of Bylaw 20/2026 does not create any further conflict between the Land Use Bylaw and the St. Albert West Area Structure Plan than what currently exists. Approval would also allow for the overall density of the neighbourhood to remain undiminished.
Additionally, Administration could incorporate minor changes to address the policy conflict through a future St. Albert West Area Structure Plan amendment application or housekeeping endeavor, should Council approve Bylaw 20/2026.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
The proposed amendment was circulated on January 5, 2026, to internal departments, and external agencies. No concerns were raised by external agencies. At the time of the circulation, the adjacent lands were all owned by Rohit Land St. Albert West Ltd., the Developer. As a result, there are no residents within the 100-metre notification radius.
A notification sign was posted on the site. The sign was installed on February 3, 2026.
Public Hearing
The public hearing is scheduled for July 14, 2026. A public hearing notice has been posted on the City website, and full page Citylights advertisements appeared on both June 25, 2026, and July 2, 2026. A press release was also issued for this public hearing.
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Planning Administration recommends the approval of this application. Bylaw 19/2026 aligns with the future land uses as prescribed in both the St. Albert West ASP and the Cherot Neighbourhood Plan. The Cherot Neighbourhood Plan will be amended to align with the land use districts in Bylaw 20/2026, should Council approve Bylaw 20/2026. Approval of the redistricting would allow for the continued development of the Cherot Neighbourhood as planned.
Financial:
None at this time.
Compliance & Legal:
Two bylaws provide Council flexibility to debate the bylaws separately. If Council decides to approve one bylaw and not the other bylaw, the application will not be delayed by the need to re-write bylaws and re-schedule the public hearing. The existing land uses of the medium and high-density residential sites would remain, should an exchange in location of the medium and high-density residential not be supported by Council.
First readings for Bylaws 19/2026 and 20/2026 must be completed to get the bylaws “on the table” for Council’s consideration. Providing first reading of a bylaw does not indicate agreement with the bylaw, but rather is the process by which the applicant’s bylaws may be put forward in accordance with procedural fairness principles.
The public hearing and first, second, and third readings of Bylaws 19/2026 and 20/2026 are scheduled for the same day. The Municipal Government Act provides that the proposed bylaws must not have more than two readings at a council meeting unless the council members present unanimously agree to consider third reading at the same meeting.
If unanimous consent for third reading of Bylaws 19/2026 or 20/2026 is not granted on July 14, 2026, after first and second reading, third reading of Bylaw 19/2026 or Bylaw 20/2026, as applicable, will occur at the next regular Council meeting on September 1, 2026. During that time between July 14, 2026, and September 1, 2026, Council members will be unable to accept further written or verbal submissions germane to these bylaws, and will not be able to ask for new, substantive information on the subject matter prior to third reading (MGA, s. 187; Procedure Bylaw, Schedule E, s. 19).
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
None at this time.
Risks
None at this time.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority One, Economic Prosperity: Support an investment positive environment that encourages economic growth and the development of new and existing sectors.
ALIGNMENT TO SERVICE DELIVERY
Current Planning Application Processing: Processing and coordination of the approval of Statutory plans and amendments, subdivisions and condominium applications.
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternative could be considered:
Alternative 1:
Defeat second or third reading of either Bylaw 19/2026 or Bylaw 20/2026 after closure of the public hearing. An implication of defeating either of the Bylaws would be that the applicant cannot re-apply until at least six months after Council’s decision.
Defeat of Bylaw 20/2026 would leave the current medium and high density districting in place.
Financial:
None at this time.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
None at this time.
Risks
None at this time.
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Report Date: July 14, 2026
Author(s): Suzanne Ruegg - Planner
Department: Planning & Development
Department Director: Kristina Peter
Managing Director: Adryan Slaght
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher