It has been two years since Edmonton started the process of getting more and better residential infill in the city’s mature and established neighbourhoods.
Since the process began, 15 of the city’s 23 targets have been met and the remaining eight are “in the process of being implemented,” the city said.
READ MORE: Infill development continues to progress in Edmonton but faces challenges
The Urban Planning Committee heard a progress report on Edmonton’s Infill Roadmap Wednesday at city hall.
Here are some statistics about infill in Edmonton:
10 – The number of garage suites built in Edmonton infill areas last year
200 – The number of subdivides approved since the city permitted lot splitting
73,000 – By how many people the mature neighbourhood population has declined over the last 40 years
170,000 – By how many people Edmonton is expected to grow by 2025
2.5 – The average household size in Edmonton
8,475 – The number of homes in mature neighbourhoods since 2011
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Some of the 15 goals that have already been met include:
- Setting up an infill website to provide updated information on infill projects
- Signs required on all infill building sites to let neighbours know about upcoming development
- Creating Good Neighbour Guide
- Launching a Community Infill Panel (made up of residents, community leaders and builders to give feedback to city administration)
The progress report found the city needs to adopt a flexible and responsive approach to implementing infill projects and “be more proactive communicating about infill.”
However, Coun. Ben Henderson said he was worried that infill decisions are being made on an ad hoc basis through variances, which is resulting in trust issues.
READ MORE: How should Edmonton grow? City seeks input on infill housing plan
As part of the update, city staff added 30 things that should be done as part of Edmonton’s infill process, including:
- Creating an infill compliance team to inspect building sites
- Passing bylaw amendments requiring lot grading plans for all infill developments
- Setting landscaping requirements and incentives for saving trees and shrubs
- Increasing fines for non-compliance to noise bylaw
“As Edmonton’s population grows, the city needs to provide a broader diversity of housing options,” Kalen Anderson, director of Planning Coordination, said. “We’re really pleased with the progress to date and excited for what’s to come. Edmontonians are looking to the future and working with the City of Edmonton to build that future together. The infill story is a truly Edmonton story and as it continues to evolve, so does the city.”
READ MORE: Edmonton welcomes a new form of infill housing: ‘skinny homes’
Edmonton’s Infill Roadmap was launched in August 2014.
For more information on Edmonton’s residential infill plan, visit cityofedmontoninfill.ca.