Ogilvie Ridge Building Housing Choices Developer / Operator Criteria

The concern that property values will go down as a result of affordable housing development is a common concern shared by residents. 

We have no evidence to suggest non-market housing negatively affects surrounding property values. Studies have consistently found that if non-market housing is well-designed, fits in with the surrounding neighbourhood, and is well managed, property values of neighbouring homes are not negatively affected. 

Residential real estate values, both for home assessment and sale value, are primarily driven by local and global economic factors, rather than the introduction of new non-market housing in the community. The same is true of commercial properties. 

With regards to the HOA fees, it is outside of the City’s purview. The Whitemud Creek Homeowners Association is responsible to create its operating budget and set membership fees.  

The City has conducted a Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) for the site. Following the approval of the alternative site, an update to the NIA is currently underway. Proper site noise mitigation will be implemented based on the results of this assessment. 

In terms of changes to the open space, the sport fields will be impacted by the proposed development.  The City is exploring options for field realignment to enhance or create different opportunities for sport user groups as well as the community.

The Zoning Bylaw is the rule book for all developments in our city. It determines where buildings can be located and what type of activities can take place. It also outlines requirements such as height, setbacks from property lines, and landscaping requirements to mitigate concerns with respect to sun-shadowing and privacy.

The developer that is chosen for the Ogilvie Ridge site will be required to meet the regulations set out by the Zoning Bylaw for the proposed development. The developer will also share a development concept plan for community awareness and feedback prior to construction.

The relocation of the building site to the southeast corner will allow the soccer field to be preserved. 

This decision was informed by feedback from the community during earlier public engagement. We heard from the community that the soccer fields were used more than the baseball diamond. This was supported by the City’s review of the bookable hours data for all of the fields. 

The fields were intended to be temporary, as the space was always intended for development.

The City is committed to following the architectural guidelines to the fullest extent possible. The Developer will also undertake engagement on design and so the community will have a chance to review the concept and provide feedback before construction.

At the June 21, 2018 Community Conversation at Earl Buxton School, community members expressed a strong preference for the development to be moved to an alternate building location within the surplus school site. In response, the City explored the technical and economic feasibility of moving the development from the approved north-central portion to an alternate portion on the southeast side. 

The re-siting of the building envelope was approved by the Executive Committee in November 2020.  

There will be impacts on the existing soccer fields. City staff are looking into ways to minimize these impacts as much as possible. This includes exploring options for field realignment to enhance or create different opportunities for sport user groups as well as the community. 

The City is committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing in every area of Edmonton. 

One way we can achieve this goal is redeveloping City-owned surplus school sites into mixed-income housing. Up to 50-75% of units will be offered at 80% of market rates (or what is known as “near-market”) for individuals and families who need a bit of financial support. The rest of the units will be offered at market rates. Our intent is for the operator to cover the cost of HOA fees for the non-market units. 

The City prioritizes developments that are located close to amenities and services for residents, like transit, grocery stores, child care, schools, and community recreation facilities and parks.

Under the bus redesign, there will be 30 min service into Ogilvie Ridge during peak hours (morning/evening) during the weekdays on route 724. The rest of the time the patrons would need to walk to Rabbit Hill Road to catch route 706 which provides all day service during the week and weekends. As the units are a mix of market and near-market, it’s likely that residents will have vehicles.