LDA19-0103 Garneau - The Hive (8630-8650 - 108A Street NW & 8715 - 109 Street NW)

Consultation has concluded

***The discussion has concluded and the What We Heard Report is available.***

Thank you for participating in engagement activities for this rezoning application.

The application is expected to go to City Council Public Hearing for a decision, with the exact date still to be determined. For more information, please visit these FAQs for Council meetings.


Because of public health issues, the City can't host an in-person Public Engagement Event to share information and collect feedback, as usual. This page is to help you find out information and tell us what you think, instead of having an in-person meeting.

Please watch the video and review the information on this page. Tell us what you think and ask any questions below, before the end of the day on August 26th, 2020.


Rezoning

The proposed rezoning is for two sites. The first, on 109 Street NW, is from a Site Specific Development Control Provision (DC2.528-Area A) to the Low Intensity Business Zone (CB1) with the Main Streets Overlay. The purpose of the CB1 Zone with the Main Streets Overlay is to provide for low intensity commercial, office and service uses that encourage and strengthen the pedestrian-oriented character of Edmonton’s main street commercial areas that are located in proximity to residential and transit-oriented areas, by providing visual interest, transparent storefront displays, and amenities for pedestrians.

The second site, on 108A Street NW, is proposed to change from two Site Specific Development Control Provisions (DC2.128 & DC2.528-Area B) and the Low-Rise Apartment Zone (RA7) to a new Site-Specific Development Control Provision (DC2). The proposed DC2 Provision would allow for a residential high-rise building with the following characteristics:

  • A maximum height of 70 - 75 metres (approximately 22 - 25 storeys);
  • A maximum floor area ratio of 10.0;
  • Up to 271 dwellings (including at least eleven with 3 bedrooms);
  • A tower floor plate of 855 square metres;
  • Townhouse style dwellings at the ground level facing 108A Street NW and the lane to the north; and
  • Underground and enclosed surface parking accessed from the lane to the west.

Plan Amendment

There is an associated application to amend the Garneau Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) to revise policies and maps that effectively limit development on the 108A Street NW site to 4 storeys Policy 2.2a currently directs high rise development to the north of the rail right-of-way along Saskatchewan Drive only. The proposed amendment would allow a tower to be built on the 108A Street site.

We will use any feedback that you share to make sure our review of the application is as complete as possible, and will also summarize it for City Council so that they know your perspective prior to making a decision.

***The discussion has concluded and the What We Heard Report is available.***

Thank you for participating in engagement activities for this rezoning application.

The application is expected to go to City Council Public Hearing for a decision, with the exact date still to be determined. For more information, please visit these FAQs for Council meetings.


Because of public health issues, the City can't host an in-person Public Engagement Event to share information and collect feedback, as usual. This page is to help you find out information and tell us what you think, instead of having an in-person meeting.

Please watch the video and review the information on this page. Tell us what you think and ask any questions below, before the end of the day on August 26th, 2020.


Rezoning

The proposed rezoning is for two sites. The first, on 109 Street NW, is from a Site Specific Development Control Provision (DC2.528-Area A) to the Low Intensity Business Zone (CB1) with the Main Streets Overlay. The purpose of the CB1 Zone with the Main Streets Overlay is to provide for low intensity commercial, office and service uses that encourage and strengthen the pedestrian-oriented character of Edmonton’s main street commercial areas that are located in proximity to residential and transit-oriented areas, by providing visual interest, transparent storefront displays, and amenities for pedestrians.

The second site, on 108A Street NW, is proposed to change from two Site Specific Development Control Provisions (DC2.128 & DC2.528-Area B) and the Low-Rise Apartment Zone (RA7) to a new Site-Specific Development Control Provision (DC2). The proposed DC2 Provision would allow for a residential high-rise building with the following characteristics:

  • A maximum height of 70 - 75 metres (approximately 22 - 25 storeys);
  • A maximum floor area ratio of 10.0;
  • Up to 271 dwellings (including at least eleven with 3 bedrooms);
  • A tower floor plate of 855 square metres;
  • Townhouse style dwellings at the ground level facing 108A Street NW and the lane to the north; and
  • Underground and enclosed surface parking accessed from the lane to the west.

Plan Amendment

There is an associated application to amend the Garneau Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) to revise policies and maps that effectively limit development on the 108A Street NW site to 4 storeys Policy 2.2a currently directs high rise development to the north of the rail right-of-way along Saskatchewan Drive only. The proposed amendment would allow a tower to be built on the 108A Street site.

We will use any feedback that you share to make sure our review of the application is as complete as possible, and will also summarize it for City Council so that they know your perspective prior to making a decision.

Consultation has concluded

We will work with the applicant when needed, and respond within 4 business days.

  • Have planners from the City physically been on site to experience how crowded the alley ways are with delivery, service vehicles, and traffic from adjecent businesses and residents? Have City planners physically observed the constraints for access of emergency vehicles, particularly when there is concurrent drainage work being done in the area? Google maps, photos and videos do not suffice. Please view the site in person to see how outrageously unsuitable this site is for what is being proposed.

    rdiederi asked over 3 years ago

    Yes, City planners and engineers have physically visited the site and are familiar with it.  The Parking and Transportation Impact Assessment was informed by site visits that were completed during the morning and afternoon peak hours to assess existing traffic patterns and circulation around the site.

  • Beljan Devleopments purchased these properties prior to the COVID 19 pandemic. Post COVID, there are many more people working from home and out of work which has shifted our daily patterns and the way we interact with our neighbourhoods. For densely populated and high traffic areas such as the 109 street corridor, noise pollution is a health and safety hazard many residents find themselves increasingly coping with as they work from home. Virtual meetings are regularly interrupted with sounds of sirens, traffic and distant construction. With the new realities COVID brings to the ways Edmontonians live and work, how will the City mitigate noise pollution from active construction projects above and beyond the current decibel restrictions? The proposed rezoning site is tightly surrounded by residences who will be greatly impacted all hours of the day by construction noise. The City should review the construction noise bylaw and make additional provisions for concealing and reduction of noise pollution given that residences are now largely occupied during day times with professionals and students working virtually from home.

    rdiederi asked over 3 years ago

    This is a good observation and not something that has come yet with regards to the City’s response to COVID-19.  Thank you for your suggestion.  The topic has been added to the Infill Compliance Team Steering Committee’s agenda in September for discussion.

  • How would this development impact the proposed Rail Trail with the Garneau Renewal Project?

    rdiederi asked over 3 years ago

    The proposed development is intending to respect and interface with the Rail Trail and potentially provide funding to enhance it further based on a Community Amenity Contribution located within the proposed DC2 Provision.

  • How are these comments being vetted for authenticity and conflict of interest? What is stopping the developer, their employees or other involved parties from flooding the comments with support for this project?

    rdiederi asked over 3 years ago

    There is no vetting happening.  Anyone is able to make comments and ask questions and the City is trusting that the developer would not attempt to undermine the City’s engagement efforts.  Considering the majority of the comments received so far express concerns about the application, there does not appear to be any indication that this is happening.

  • The proposal includes at lease eleven 3 bedrooms units which the intention to make them family friendly by offering more storage. What other design elements are there with regards to this? The Hendrix downtown has all of their 3 bedroom units as main level townhouses which are not very family friendly not popular with families.

    Susan asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question.

    Yes, there is the intention to make these eleven 3-bedroom units desirable for families. In addition to more storage, the zoning also requires access to more bicycle parking and the building will have a shared children’s play space of 180 m2 of which a minimum of 80 m2 will be indoor space and minimum of 100 m2 will be outdoor space.  These units are intended to be located at ground level, with individual front entrances, similar to the look of a townhouse.  Having these types of units in the lower portions of towers helps ensure affordability compared to 3-bedroom units in the upper storeys of towers (penthouses).  While these units contain some characteristics that may be appealing to some types of families, there is no guarantee they would be occupied by families and there is no perfect “recipe” for this, as families come in different sizes and have varying preferences and needs.

    family-oriented housing
    family-oriented housing

  • Has a Parking Impact Assessment (PIA) been completed for this proposed development, and if so, where can I view this?

    AR asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question.

    On June 23, 2020, City Council approved changes to the Edmonton Zoning Bylaw that provide a flexible market- based approach where business, landowners or developers decide ‘the right amount’ of parking.  This is known as Open Option Parking.  As such, vehicle parking supply analysis (as it pertains to a site/development) typically will not be required for a rezoning application.  Access to parking (e.g. from an alley, to a parkade, etc.) will still be reviewed.

    Discussions on proposed onsite parking supply, the existing on-street parking characteristics and the demographics of the Garneau neighbourhood are included in the Transportation Impact Assessment.  This document is now available for download on the right side of this engagement page and on the rezoning webpage.

    parking
    parking

  • Besides the zoning change, is there any proposed structural change to the site on 109 street?

    vicjones asked over 3 years ago

    Thanks for your question. The rezoning would just change the development rules for the site.  It would not mean there is any approval of structural changes which are handled through Development Permits and Building Permits.  The applicant advises that there are currently no plans to make any physical changes to the building on 109 Street NW.

  • Why would the City invite a surplus of real estate in a depressed market? Will this not further depreciate existing properties due to saturation? Why are other areas of the City not being considered for this type of density?

    rdiederi asked over 3 years ago

    The City does not control where landowners and developers choose to invest and has not historically been involved in trying to influence market forces such as this.  There are other areas where plans and guidelines approved by Council would support this kind of density.  The Draft City Plan identifies the need to do more to encourage development in priority growth areas through means such as expanding infrastructure capacity.

  • How can adjacent property owners hold the developer accountable for any structural damage caused by construction?

    rdiederi asked over 3 years ago


    The Alberta Building Code requires the owner of a construction site to ensure that work undertaken does not damage or create a hazard to adjacent properties.  If City Council approves the zoning change, Council is simply stating that the proposed land use at this location is appropriate.  They are not removing the owner from their responsibility to follow the Alberta Building Code during construction.  If their construction does cause damage or create a hazard, the owner is the one who would likely be liable if it is found that they have made an offence with respect to the Alberta Building Code.  This would mostly be an issue between adjacent landowners without the City’s involvement, though initial complaints can be made through 311.  Concerned landowners should document the current state of their properties prior to nearby construction commencing to assist with any complaints of damage caused by construction.