Share Your Thoughts!
The City is pursuing proactive rezoning of targeted sites within the University-Garneau Major Node to help leverage transit investment and encourage more housing development and business investment in this important area.
We are collecting feedback to help confirm the:
- Sites selected for rezoning;
- New, higher-density standard zones within Zoning Bylaw proposed for each site based on City Plan and District Plan policy direction; and
- Zone modifiers recommended for each chosen to guide the maximum height and footprint of buildings and determine which buildings are required to have ground-floor, street facing business space.
To learn more about the proposed rezonings in the University-Garneau Major Node, click on the Learn More section below or review the Document Library on the sidebar.
Search A Property
Search for a specific property using the interactive rezoning map to find out if it is proposed for rezoning and what new standard zones and zone modifiers are being recommended.
Engagement Opportunities
There are a number of engagement opportunities available to share your thoughts. Feedback will be used, along with technical and policy considerations, to finalize the proposed rezonings prior to taking them to City Council Public Hearing for a decision in 2025.
Digital Engagement
Digital engagement is open from November 4 until November 24, 2024.
- Discussion Forums - Use the discussion threads to provide your thoughts on the proposed rezonings. This includes the proposed sites selected for rezoning, the zones and building heights recommended for each of the proposed selected sites, and which sites should be required to have ground-floor, street facing businesses.
- Ask a Question - Use the Q&A tool to ask the project team a question. Questions will be captured as part of engagement feedback.
- Schedule a Chat with a Planner - Use Google Meet to share your feedback or questions related to the project. Phone or in-person meeting options are available upon request. If you would like to discuss a specific property, please include the details in your meeting request
In-Person Engagement
Date: November 13, 2024
Time: 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: City Arts Centre, Performing Arts Studio, 10942 83 Avenue NW
Format: Drop in, open house style
Register: RSVP today!
Stay Informed
To receive ongoing project updates, you can sign up for our ‘Mailing List'.
Learn More
Creating a strong system of nodes (urban centres) and corridors (main streets) that encourages transit-oriented development is an important part of achieving The City Plan vision. The City Plan envisions a healthy, urban, climate-resilient city where Edmontonians have access to a variety of housing and transportation options and can easily meet their daily needs close to home.
The City Plan identifies 19 Priority Growth Areas, which are collections of nodes and corridors in the redeveloping area of the city (roughly inside the Anthony Henday) anticipated to experience the most near-term growth. We analyzed these 19 areas and selected five for targeted, City-initiated rezonings to help leverage transit investment and encourage more housing development and business investment in these important areas.
The University-Garneau Major Node is one of the areas that has been selected for targeted rezonings. We have made recommendations on which sites to rezone, based on public feedback, technical considerations and where policy in The City Plan and District Plans supports additional housing.
Not all land within the University-Garneau Major Node area will be rezoned. As outlined on the map, we recommend rezoning certain areas within the node based on feedback and policy direction from The City Plan and District Plans. Note, the land in the area owned by the University of Alberta is exempt from municipal planning processes through the Post Secondary Learning Act.
Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw is the primary regulatory tool used to implement The City Plan and determines what can be built where. Zones set out the rules for where new buildings should go, what types of buildings they can be and what types of businesses and activities can happen on a property.
One of the following three higher-density, standard zones is being recommended for each of the proposed areas selected for rezoning:
Refer to the draft rezoning map to see which zone is recommended for each site proposed for rezoning. Use the zoning comparison table to see the key differences between the three zones.
The RS - Small Scale Residential Zone, which allows for three storey buildings with eight dwellings, is not being contemplated with this project.
Zone modifiers are also being recommended to help guide the maximum height and footprint of buildings on the sites proposed for rezoning to control the scale of development, and identify which buildings will be required to have ground-floor, street-facing business space. Refer to the draft rezoning map to see the maximum building height potential for each site proposed for rezoning based on the recommended zone. Use the commercial modifier map to see where required ground-floor, street-facing business space is and is not recommended.
The University-Garneau Major Node vacancy rate was around 1% in 2023. There is a significant need to increase the amount of available housing, which is one of the key reasons this area was selected for targeted rezonings.
Learn more about the University-Garneau Major Node and why it was selected.We will review and consider feedback to make final revisions to the proposed rezonings prior to advancing them to City Council Public Hearing for a decision. City Council makes the final decision on all proposed rezonings.
Feedback received throughout the rezoning project will be summarized in a What We Heard report for City Council to ensure they are aware of Edmontonians’ perspectives prior to making a decision. Edmontonians will have the opportunity to share their thoughts directly with Council by registering to speak when the proposed rezonings advance to public hearing in 2025.
Discussion Forums
General Discussion
Use this thread to provide general comments about the City’s draft rezoning proposal within the University-Garneau Major Node.
You can also use the other discussion threads below to tell us your thoughts on specific topics, such as:
- The proposed sites selected for rezoning,
- The zones and building heights recommended for each of the sites proposed for rezoning based on City Plan and District Plan policy direction, and
- The sites recommended to have required ground-floor, street facing businesses.
Site Selection Discussion
Not all land within the University-Garneau Major Node will be rezoned. We previously identified preliminary focus areas we believed presented the greatest redevelopment potential and would benefit most from proactive, City-initiated rezoning to new, higher density standard zones.
These areas were then further refined based on public feedback and additional technical and City policy considerations. Tell us what you think of the revised focus areas (map) proposed for rezoning and why you agree or disagree with the sites selected.
Height and Zone Selection Discussion
Based on public feedback and policy and technical considerations, one of three standard zones (RM-Medium Scale Residential Zone, RL-Large Scale Residential Zone and MU-Mixed Use Zone) and various height and floor area ratio modifiers have been recommended for each of the sites proposed for rezoning in the University-Garneau Major Node. These standard zones and modifiers are being proposed to meet the intent of a Major node, which supports taller, higher density development along arterial roadways with appropriate transitions to the surrounding developments.
Use the attached draft rezoning map showing the proposed zones and their maximum height potential to provide feedback on what you think of the proposed zones for each site selected for rezoning. Use the zoning comparison table to see the key differences between these zones.
Commercial Opportunities Discussion
Some of the sites in the University-Garneau Node are already currently zoned with the commercial frontage modifier, which requires ground-floor, street facing businesses.
We are proposing to make ground-floor businesses optional in several areas to encourage more housing development. The sites where we are proposing the commercial modifier have been identified as important areas for vibrant and commercial development due to their role as a community hub, destination retail street, or near a future LRT station.
Using the attached map, tell us what you think of the sites where we are recommending to apply the commercial modifier to require mandatory ground floor businesses as well as the sites where it has not been recommended, which makes ground floor businesses optional.
Ask a Question
Do you have specific questions about the Priority Growth Area rezoning project? Let us know and we’ll provide you with more information. Review our FAQ for responses to commonly asked questions. To receive ongoing project updates, sign up for our mailing list using the ‘Stay Informed’ button in the right hand sidebar.
Schedule a Chat with a Planner
Use Google Meet to share your feedback or questions related to the project. Phone or in-person meeting options are available upon request. If you would like to discuss a specific property, please include the details in your meeting request
(In-Person) Event RSVP
Learn about the parcel and zone selection for the Priority Growth Area at University- Garneau- be in the know!
Date: November 13, 2024
Time: 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: City Arts Centre, Performing Arts Studio, 10942 83 Avenue NW
Format: Drop in, open house style
Register: RSVP today!
Ready to have your say?
