City council took the first step toward paving the way for a major commercial development on St. Albert Trail.
Council on Monday approved first reading of changes to the municipal development plan (MDP) that will allow Triple Five developments to move forward with commercial plans on land they own in northern St. Albert next to Highway 2.
At issue was a section of the MDP that does not allow for non-contiguous development in the recently annexed land. The general principle calls for development from the core of the city outward so that land on the edge of St. Albert isn’t developed before areas closer to existing development.
The idea is that city services should expand incrementally and that isolated developments are harder to service with underground water and sewer lines, emergency services and even garbage pick-up.
Triple Five’s land is on the edge of the city, along the west side of Highway 2. The company has announced it plans to proceed with a commercial development but hasn’t provided any details because the current MDP prevents them from doing anything.
The city has received no development applications for the land to the south of Triple Five’s property, which led administration to label the company’s application a leapfrog development and recommended council reject the proposal.
Mayor Nolan Crouse said Triple Five’s land has huge potential for a commercial development and that the leapfrogging concern is relatively minimal. Services would extend a relatively short distance across St. Albert Trail.
“I didn’t interpret the particular proposal as leapfrog. I thought the economic development potential was greater than the potential concern for leapfrogging,”
Crouse said bringing business to the city has been a top priority of council and they were not willing to turn a major opportunity away.
“We have not waivered on our highest priority of economic development along the various corridors.”
Coun. James Burrows said it simply didn’t make sense to hold up one landowner because another hasn’t got its plans in order.
“I am not prepared to wait. We have someone here who is motivated and wants to get something done,” he said.
Jacqueline Thoman, a consultant who spoke for Triple Five, encouraged council to view this as a first step towards the company’s plans. Triple Five would still have to bring more concrete plans forward.
“Approval of this amendment does not mean that you approve the development plan and that we can start digging tomorrow,” she said.
The company plans to service the lands with water and sewer through a connection into Erin Ridge North, a development currently under way on the east side of Highway 2. Thoman encouraged council not to hold up Triple Five’s proposal simply because the land to the south is undeveloped.
“The lands will not be serviced [from] the south, why wait until the lands to the south are developed?”
Council gave first reading to the bylaw changes and will now send them to the Capital Region Board for review before considering second reading. The City of Edmonton and Sturgeon County have both objected to the plan because of its non-contiguous nature.
Crouse said he doesn’t know how the regional board will view the proposal, but added that despite administration’s concerns St. Albert will send a clear message that there is support for the plan.
“It is clear last night that what they are going to put through is that our council is supporting this and that is what they will hear.”
