Edmonton infill developers and advocates react to council zoning decisions

Edmonton city council has voted to delay the decision around capping the number of units in a mid-block multi unit family home.

Edmonton administration will do more consultation with Edmontonians on a 6-unit cap. In the meantime, council will decide to keep the maximum number of units in mid-block homes at 8. Something those who have been at the center of the zoning conversation say they’re okay with.

“These are real homes for real people, and even when it’s frustrating living next to a construction site, it’d be frustrating living next to a construction site whether it’s 8 homes or one,” said Sean Sedgwick, executive director at Infill Development Edmonton Association.

Eight Block ltd. is the property developer behind some 16-unit infill homes in the Crestwood neighbourhood west of downtown, which has received some criticism from neighbours. The company says they are willing to work with a 6-unit cap on further developments.

Leaders from Eight Block say with a civic election on the horizon, and at least one mayoral candidate calling for a moratorium on infill developments during last weeks city hall zoning debate, it’s created some uncertainty around future infill building.

Something advocates like Sedgwick say candidates can’t afford to ignore.

“The mayor and whoever gets elected to council, they’ll have to confront the facts, which are just that we can’t afford to continue to sprawl,” said Sedgwick.

Edmontonians will head to the polls on Oct. 20^th.