TAMRMS#: B09
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Birthing Centre
Presented by: Adryan Slaght, Director of Planning and Development
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
recommendation
That the Community Growth & Infrastructure Standing Committee recommend to Council:
(a) That Council support in principle the concept of establishing in St. Albert a facility at which childbirth, attended by a midwife, can occur in circumstances that mirror as closely as possible the experience of home birth;
(b) That the CAO be directed to facilitate discussions between Administration and the St. Albert Community Midwives organization, with the goal of presenting to Council as soon as reasonably practicable any required amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and/or to relevant statutory plans in order to make possible the establishment of a birthing centre in St. Albert that corresponds with the concept described in paragraph (a) of this motion;
(c) that the Committee’s resolution passed on January 13, 2020,
“that the Community Growth and Infrastructure Committee 2019 Community recommend to Council that Lot 24, Block 10, Plan 3159KS be redistricted to Direct Control to allow for a birthing centre”
be rescinded.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
The purpose of the report is to present Administration’s recommendation that the Committee recommend to Council an alternative path to making progress toward establishing a birthing centre in St. Albert.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO SERVICE DELIVERY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL (OR COMMITTEE) DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
N/A
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On January 13, 2020 the Committee considered the following proposed motion, in respect of which Mayor Heron had given notice and requested referral to the Committee:
To amend bylaws to allow birthing centres in the City of St. Albert
Following a presentation by the St Albert Community Midwives and a debate by Committee members, the following motion was passed:
“that the Community Growth and Infrastructure Committee 2019 Community recommend to Council that Lot 24, Block 10, Plan 3159KS be redistricted to Direct Control to allow for a birthing centre”.
Following the January 13, 2020 Committee meeting the Planning Department was advised by the Legal Department that there may be legal issues with asking Council to pass such a motion. (A confidential solicitor/client privileged communication has been sent to all Council members on that topic.) In addition, it has become apparent that there may be practical obstacles with the St. Albert Community Midwives acquiring this property in the near future and/or converting it to use as a birthing centre.
Administration is therefore recommending that in lieu of passing a motion referencing any specific property, the better course of action would be for Council to express its support in principle for kind of service the St. Albert Community Midwives wish to provide in our City, and to direct Administration to work with the organization to come up with a solution to recommend to Council, as soon as reasonably practicable. Such a solution may involve asking Council to make an amendment to the Land Use Bylaw and potentially also to one or more statutory plans, unless the solution involves a location that is already currently zoned for the proposed use and can still achieve the desired homelike ambience for the childbirth experience.
This situation also raises a larger issue: on what basis, if any, should commercial uses (apart from home-based businesses) be allowed on properties zoned residential? Administration will almost certainly have to address that larger issue in the context of working with the midwives, which may result in a longer process before returning to Council.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
No stakeholder communication or engagement has yet occurred but it is anticipated that if the motion now being recommended is passed by the Committee and by Council, and if discussion with the St. Albert Community Midwives leads to identification of a particular “target site” for a birthing centre that is not currently zoned for such a use, then extensive communication and engagement with property owners and residents in the vicinity of the target site will be required.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None
Legal / Risk:
None at this stage
Program or Service:
No City program or service is affected
Organizational:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
None
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Report Date: February 10, 2020
Author(s): Adryan Slaght
Committee/Department: Planning & Development
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble