How do we enable residential growth while keeping the traditional character of our mature neighbourhoods? There has been much discussion of late about the desire to encourage residential growth within Edmonton’s existing neighbourhoods rather than continue the pressure to expand into undeveloped farmland on our periphery. To do this we need to find ways to encourage infill growth that is in keeping with the mature neighbourhoods of our city.
Although the City has been following the MNO and Guidelines for the past few years, they have never been built into the zoning bylaws. Proposed changes to our zoning bylaw will mean that many of the provisions of the Guidelines will now be enshrined in the bylaw.
The proposed changes also offer another new option: Instead of having to build a duplex or semi-detached home on a single lot, you can take that same 50 foot lot and subdivide it and build two single detached houses. This option will allow residential growth in existing neighbourhoods (particularly friendly to young families) while maintaining the single detached character of mature neighbourhoods. There also are a number of other changes designed to encourage sensitive infill without jeopardizing what makes the neighbourhoods special to begin with.
You can always contact me at [email protected] or 780-496-8146.