District Planning Amendment for Garneau: Failed Motion and Next Steps

Regarding the follow up motion following the third reading of the District Plan at City Council on Oct 2nd…

Edmonton is growing by almost 50,000 people per year; we are in the midst of a Canada wide housing shortage; our previous way of growing out is not sustainable from an infrastructure cost and sustainability perspective; and we are in a climate emergency. 

Fundamentally, Edmonton needs to shift its urban planning lens to increasing density across the City, centered around transit and amenities. We get it. 

We agree that the 15-minute City concept and City Plan is a good first step. We also agree that District Planning – setting targets for density and ensuring that amenities are integrated into spaces where people live – is a good second step. However, the continuation of good planning requires that these top-down plans make sense for the neighbourhoods that they are affecting. This is done by meaningfully engaging residents and using place-based planning adjustments that consider local context. 

This seeming disconnect between city planning priorities and local community concerns can be overcome through communication and collaboration.

Engagement with the City on Priority Growth Areas (where to put the density) showed maps with almost all of Garneau rezoned to at least six stories. Transitions through four-story modifiers (h16) were absent. The proposed rezoning of small scale to medium density would mean the loss of many heritage homes. Despite welcoming and planning for density for the last 45 years, including the rezoning of 57% of Garneau in the 1980s to greater than four stories (57% of Garneau is still zoned for 4+ storeys), current residents saw City Planners apply broad brush strokes to an already vibrant, increasingly dense 15-minute neighbourhood. 

So, we asked Michael Janz to bring forward a motion to amend the Scona Plan, a motion that would keep remaining RS zoning, allow for increased density, and thus preserve diversity in Garneau. 

Unfortunately, the presentation and discussion of our motion resulted in the misunderstanding of our key aims. 

Some councillors suggested that we were looking for Direct Control for the RS areas – the amendment does not ask for the extension of DC1 zoning.

Some suggested we just don’t like or fear density and that we are just protecting single family housing, thus ignoring the issue of equity – Garneau is one of the more affordable places to buy a home and small scale residential isn’t only single family housing! 

The mayor asked if the motion went against the City Plan. Administration suggested that it did – the motion does not oppose the City Plan.

Backroom whispers have suggested that “if we do it for Garneau, we have to do it for everyone” – local context should always be considered because neighbourhoods are different! 

Both the main points and the nuances of our request were not heard – the motion did not pass.

Here is what we are saying:

There’s still room to grow: Current zoning allows for over 20,000 people in Garneau so let’s focus on those underdeveloped areas along 109th street, where vacant lots have persisted for years, and other locations where increased density clearly makes sense. Such densification aligns with the City Plan and with the intention of District Plans.

Let’s keep some small scale (~30%): Given existing density and the predominance of rental apartments in Garneau, the preservation of small-scale housing actually adds diversity. It also encourages long-term residents, facilitates (one type of) family-style living arrangement, and enables a diverse demographic including seniors and families as well as the possibility of aging in place. 

Density can be great: Garneau is already the densest community in Edmonton and has just 30% of small-scale residential land cover remaining. Our density sits at 110 people per hectare which is almost ten times the City average (13) and twice as dense as downtown. Current zoning allows for the density of Manhattan and still keeps the vibrant, bohemian vibe that we’ve got going – a dense, lively, all-ages neighborhood sprinkled with heritage homes, cafes, and infills.

We recognize that council is in a tough spot – trying to create equity across neighbourhoods, to get dwellings built without compromising quality, and to deal with affordable housing while some neighbourhoods are not welcoming of any density increases. If we want to curb sprawl, all neighbourhoods in Edmonton need to accept more density. It’s no longer about if we should but how should we. 

We are suggesting a reasonable path forward to meet density targets, encourage equity, and maintain what makes Garneau – as with other 100+ year-old neighborhoods – special.

So where to from here? A summary of feedback on the proposed priority growth area rezoning will be out any day – hopefully, our voices were heard. Regardless, paths forward exist. It is possible to densify Edmonton and key neighbourhoods such as Garneau while retaining the complexity of diverse built forms. For example, all neighborhoods in Edmonton might retain a minimum of 30% land area as small scale residential and a minimum of 20% set aside for medium and/or high-rise development. Such changes are possible with an amendment to District Policy. Importantly, such changes must result from a robust development process that features community concerns and local priorities. Successful implementation of long-term planning at the city plan level requires attention to the lived experiences of local residents and the specificity of community circumstances. Engagement, as practiced, is not enough – it is a limited voice without direct effect. The city should prioritize collaboration with community leagues and residents to shape the growth of neighbourhoods within the larger guidelines of the City Plan. The Garneau Community League is putting in the work to ensure a thoughtful balance