WEEKLY UPDATE JULY 17
Welcome back to the weekly wrap up! Our last week before Edmonton City Council summer recess was a full one.
At Public Hearing, the rezoning for the Balfour Manor on 116 Ave was approved. This will allow for some new uses and a small addition to help this historic building stay in active use. We also approved a laneway closure to support the construction of Valleyline West.
At Community and Public Services, there was a discussion around snow removal assistance programs. The Snow to Go program is not being renewed, but we are looking at other ways to support seniors and people in need of assistance with snow clearing.
We also discussed how the Downtown Vibrancy Fund can be accessed to provide more amenity spaces downtown. Having more places to be active in the heart of our city is incredibly important for a thriving downtown community. A big thank you to the Edmonton Downtown Business Association for their work on this!
At Urban Planning Committee we had an important discussion around Construction Safety, which is especially important as we densify core neighbourhoods. I'm impressed at the great work the Safety Codes team is doing to ensure safe builds for everyone - with 96% compliance.
We did hear about a case where things didn't go well. Someone excavated without permits and caused significant damage to a neighbouring property. This is a huge stress for adjacent homeowners and while it's not a typical experience, it's very impactful for those going through it.
There was a motion for City staff to explore requirements for engineer involvement and shoring for every excavation within 3m of a property line, as well as insurance bonds, to help address these situations. I didn't end up supporting this motion as I learned that the requirements would apply to every house in Edmonton, even if there were no buildings next door. I felt this could lead to unnecessary expense when building new homes across Edmonton without necessarily solving the issue.
A majority of my Committee colleagues did support the motion so we'll be having further discussion when the report comes back next year. Even if the engineering and shoring requirements don't end up being feasible, I'd be interested in exploring incentives to encourage the practice in infill scenarios, like offering expedited permits for those using shoring.
I did support part of the motion that would look for more streamlined services when people call in with infill construction concerns through 311. Never hesitate to flag concerns through 311 for the Infill Compliance Team or Safety Codes Officers - more info here.
Committee also had a fruitful discussion on the National Urban Park Strategy and recommended that we move forward with the next stage of planning. This will take about a year and will include many opportunities for Edmontonians to share their perspectives.
I'm excited to see what opportunities will emerge including tapping into federal funding to invest in our River Valley. Hear more about my thoughts in this interview with Global Edmonton.
The final item on our agenda was about making the Core more family friendly. I know the lack of 3+ bedrooms in O-day’min keep many families from locating here. I was proud to move a motion asking for a report on how we can increase the supply of 3+ bedrooms in the core. This could include incentives or requirements - I'm looking forward to the report back next year.
With recess underway, this will be the last Weekly Wrap Up until the mid-August. I hope you have a chance to enjoy all the great festivals, events, and fun that summer in O-day’min and Edmonton brings!
