Urban Planning Committee Minutes

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

9:30 A.m. - 5:00 P.m.

River Valley Room, 1st floor, City Hall

Present:

• A. Stevenson, 
• K. Tang, 
• T. Cartmell, 
• E. Rutherford, 
• and A. Sohi 

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1.

Call to Order and Related Business

1.1

Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement

Councillor A. Stevenson called the meeting to order at 9:33 a.m., Tuesday, October 31, 2023, and acknowledged that Urban Planning Committee meets on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory and Métis Homelands. The Chair also acknowledged the diverse Indigenous peoples whose ancestors' footsteps have marked this territory for centuries such as: Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux, as well as Métis and Inuit, and now settlers from around the world.

1.2

Roll Call

Councillor A. Stevenson conducted roll call and confirmed the attendance of Members of Urban Planning Committee.

Mayor A. Sohi is a Committee Member pursuant to section 15(3), Council Committees Bylaw 18156.

Councillors S. Hamilton, M. Janz, A. Knack, A. Paquette, K. Principe, A. Salvador and J. Wright; and C. Martin, R. Zheng and A. Karbashewski, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That the October 31, 2023, Urban Planning Committee meeting agenda be adopted.

  
  

  In Favour (5)

  T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (5 to 0)

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That the October 11, 2023, Urban Planning Committee meeting minutes be approved.

  
  

  In Favour (5)

  T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  (5 to 0)

1.5

Protocol Items

There were no Protocol Items.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following items were selected for debate: 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

All items were selected for debate.

2.3

Requests to Speak

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Urban Planning Committee hear from the following speakers, in panels when appropriate:

  • 7.1 Downtown Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) Financial Incentives Funding Program
  • 7.2 Office Tower Conversions

  1. 1. R. Josan
     2. A. Pye, NAIOP Edmonton
     3. G. Schluessel
     4. C. Fillmore, Phipps McKinnon Project
     5. K. Anderson, Urban Development Institute - Edmonton Region
     6. M. Saunders
     7. H. Edgar
     8. T. Freedman
     9. A. Hryciw, Downtown Recovery Coalition
     10. M. Sacha
     11. A. Trimbee, MacEwan University
     12. A. Shamchuk (to answer questions only)
     13. J. Campbell
     14. P. McBryan, Edmonton Downtown Business Association
     15. K. Toews
  
  

  In Favour (5)

  T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (5 to 0)
• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Urban Planning Committee hear from the following additional speaker:

  • 7.1 Downtown Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) Financial Incentives Funding Program
  • 7.2 Office Tower Conversions

  1. 1. B. Lafortune, Public Interest Alberta
  
  

  In Favour (5)

  T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, E. Rutherford, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (5 to 0)

2.4

Requests for Specific Time on Agenda

There were no requests for items to be dealt with at a specific time on the agenda.

3.

Councillor Inquiries

There were no Councillor Inquiries.

4.

Reports to be Dealt with at a Different Meeting

There were no Reports to be Dealt with at a Different Meeting.

5.

Requests to Reschedule Reports

There were no Requests to Reschedule Reports. 

6.

Unfinished Business

There was no Unfinished Business on the agenda.

7.

Public Reports

7.1

Downtown Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) Financial Incentives Funding Program

Items 7.1 and 7.2 were dealt with and voted on together.

The following members of Administration’s delegation made a presentation:

• A. Laliberte, Urban Planning and Economy
• B. Latchford, Urban Planning and Economy
• C. Kjenner, Community Services

Panel 1

The following public speaker made a presentation:

• G. Schluessel

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• A. Pye, NAIOP Edmonton
• R. Josan
• C. Fillmore, Phipps McKinnon Project
  
• K. Anderson, Urban Development Institute - Edmonton Region
• H. Edgar
• M. Saunders

Panel 2

The following public speaker made a presentation:

• A. Hryciw, Downtown Recovery Coalition

A handout provided by J. Campbell was distributed to Members of the Committee and a copy was filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• M. Sacha
• A. Trimbee, MacEwan University
• J. Campbell
• P. McBryan, Edmonton Downtown Business Association
• K. Toews
• B. Lafortune, Public Interest Alberta

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• A. Laliberte, Urban Planning and Economy
• B. Latchford, Urban Planning and Economy
• C. Kjenner, Community Services
• S. Leroux, Financial and Corporate Services
• C. Ashmore, Employee and Legal Services
• A. Szabo, Financial and Corporate Services
• T. Pawlyk, Urban Planning and Economy
• T. Beck, Urban Planning and Economy

• Moved by: A. Sohi

  That Administration, as part of its First Quarter 2024 Community Revitalization Levy update, provide options for a residential incentive program funded by the Community Revitalization Levy and make recommendations on how to prioritize such a program in the options to the Capital City Downtown Community Revitalization Levy.

  
  

  In Favour (4)	T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson
  Opposed (1)	E. Rutherford

  
  
  
  Carried (4 to 1)
• Moved by: A. Sohi

  That Urban Planning Committee recommend to City Council:

  That the Mayor, on behalf of City Council, advocate to other orders of government for funding towards downtown public infrastructure projects and residential incentive programs, such as new purpose-built rentals, office conversions, and other related developments.

  
  

  In Favour (4)	T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson
  Opposed (1)	E. Rutherford

  
  
  
  Carried (4 to 1)
• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  Downtown Residential Development Property Tax Options

  That Administration provide a report outlining options and impacts for a program that freezes property taxes for a defined timeframe for new residential construction or office conversions in downtown Edmonton.

  Due Date: Second Quarter 2024, Urban Planning Committee

  
  

  In Favour (4)	T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson
  Opposed (1)	E. Rutherford

  
  
  
  Carried (4 to 1)
• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That Administration provide a memo on permitting options to incentivize office tower conversions including providing application support, examining opportunities for no development permit required and prioritizing building permit review.

  
  

  In Favour (4)	T. Cartmell, A. Sohi, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson
  Opposed (1)	E. Rutherford

  
  
  
  Carried (4 to 1)

7.2

Office Tower Conversions

Items 7.1 and 7.2 were dealt with and voted on together (see item 7.1).

7.3

Arterial Road Assessment

This item was laid over to the December 5, 2023, Urban Planning Committee meeting.

7.4

Real Time Traffic Monitoring Review

This item was laid over to the December 5, 2023, Urban Planning Committee meeting.

8.

Responses to Councillor Inquiries

There were no Responses to Councillor Inquiries on the agenda.

9.

Private Reports

There were no Private Reports on the agenda.

10.

Motions Pending

There were no Motions Pending on the agenda.

11.

Notices of Motion and Motions without Customary Notice

Councillor A. Stevenson asked whether there were any Notices of Motion. There were none.

12.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m., Tuesday October 31, 2023.