Following a lengthy public hearing on Tuesday, city council approved a host of changes to planning documents to pave the way for a residential highrise development in west St. Albert.
The development, which has been in the draft stages for over a year, is being brought forward by Alberta-based developer Cidex and involves two 16-20 storey residential towers in the Ville Giroux area of the city, on the westernmost end of Giroux Road.
The existing development in Ville Giroux, which was also completed by Cidex, includes a strip mall called The Shops at Giroux, as well as four apartment buildings.
The proposed residential towers will create a total of 380 rental units. However, a report to council written by city planner Suzanne Ruegg says the project largely doesn't align with the city's existing planning documents, including the city's Municipal Development Plan (MDP), called Flourish; the city's Land Use Bylaw (LUB); and the city's Ville Giroux Area Structure Plan (ASP).
The variances include a much higher density than previously planned for the area, a much higher allowable building height than what exists city-wide, and a concern development of such intensity that doesn't fall under already designated areas (along St. Albert Trail and downtown) would set a precedent.
Cidex's towers would create a density of 200 dwelling units per hectare, but the city's highest density residential land classification under the LUB has a maximum density of 141 dwelling units per hectare, Ruegg wrote.
The city's MDP also says all residential development with a density higher than 125 dwelling units per hectare should be located downtown and “within 800 metres of existing or planned Rapid Transit Stations … [and] development with more than 200 dwelling units per net hectare should be located within 400 metres of existing or planned Rapid Transit Stations.”
A map included in the MDP shows Cidex's proposed development is at least two kilometres from any Rapid Transit Stations, existing or planned.
Under the city's LUB, the maximum allowable height for a residential building in a high-density zone is 25 metres, which is a six- to eight-storey building. Council changed this maximum to 65 metres, or about 20 storeys, on Tuesday.
To account for these variances, council approved many language-based amendments to the municipal planning documents to have Cidex's project be in alignment, allowing the company to apply for necessary permitting.
The amendments to each planning document passed, with Coun. Shelley Biermanski, Coun. Sheena Hughes, and Coun. Natalie Joly opposed.
“This region needs to build up, not out,” Mayor Cathy Heron said in debate. “These kinds of high-density projects are very good for our bottom line as a municipality.”
“Flourish calls for 13,000 new jobs ... those people and families are going to need somewhere to live, and this country and region is in a housing crisis, which is why I think this is a fantastic development.”
Likewise, Coun. Wes Brodhead said he understood Cidex's project didn't necessarily align with the city's planning documents, but felt the development would be an efficient use of land space and aid in the city's densification goals.
“It's not as if it's ill-planned or ill-placed, it's just different,” Brodhead said. “It's right along the transportation corridor through our community, it's right in proximity to our future amenities site, (and) it's in proximity to the Lakeview Business District.”
“The idea of whether or not St. Albert is going to have a 20-storey tower or 25-storey tower has already been debated, and that ship has sailed in many respects.”
Speaking against the planning document amendments, Joly said she would have been more than supportive of the changes if the development was close to a Rapid Transit Station or if it was planned for downtown.
“If this was next to a transit hub, it would be so easy to support,” Joly said.
“I'm deeply committed to increasing housing options and increasing density, but not at the expense of a vibrant downtown, or (at the expense of a) community where residents have to rely on cars for transportation, or where there's no trust in our long-term strategies.”
Limited engagement
Hughes, who made a similar argument to Joly, also said she was concerned about the lack of public awareness about the changes to city planning documents, as well as a lack of awareness about the project as a whole.
During debate, Hughes pointed out that last year Cidex held a virtual public engagement session, and despite some 400 households being invited, just one resident attended. After the engagement session's low turnout, the city posted a recording of the event on the Cultivate the Conversation platform in order to garner more resident feedback; however, just two additional residents submitted comments.
The comments, which were anonymized and included in council's Oct. 17 meeting agenda package, include concerns about the development's building height, as well as how noise from Ray Gibbon Drive would be an issue for residents of the buildings.
“The acceptance of this height change will create an unattractive sight, and will lose any St. Albert charm that was promised,” one resident wrote.
“St. Albert is known as a bubble — why create something that may burst that?”
Economic benefits
Coun. Ken MacKay listed potential economic benefits from Cidex's development as to why he was in favour of changing the planning documents.
The list, which was prepared by city staff in the economic development department and included in the meeting agenda package, includes a number of potential benefits Cidex's project would have despite its non-alignment with city planning documents.
Such benefits include the potential of the project having an “investment ripple effect,” the document reads. “In an economic climate that is currently (facing) substantial inflationary and supply chain constraints, a proposed development of this scale sends a strong message of investor confidence in the St. Albert market.”
“Large-scale bold investments tend to spur additional investment.”
As well, economic development staff said the development would be beneficial to the commercial and industrial businesses expected set up shop nearby once the Lakeview Business District is developed.
“In conversations with industrial developers for opportunity in St. Albert, there is a strong desire for high-density rentals in close proximity to support available local labour markets,” economic development staff wrote.
Another potential benefit identified by administration was that Cidex's project would “change the perception of what is possible in St. Albert” in terms of housing options.
The Gazette contacted Cidex for comment following council's vote but the company did not respond.
During the public hearing, a Cidex representative said it could be two to three years before the towers are completed.
