District plans, or 15-minute cities, being discussed at city council this week
Dozens of Edmontonians are scheduled to voice their opinions about the city's district plans at city hall this week.
The three-day public hearing will focus on Edmonton's District Policy and Plans, a proposal that includes the urban planning concept widely known as 15-minute cities.
What is it?
The new plans and bylaws would replace 54 existing planning documents dating back to the 1980s.
One of the main concepts in The City Plan — as Edmonton grows toward a population of two million people — is having all Edmontonians' needs available within a 15-minute commute.
To achieve that, Edmonton outlines 15 District Plans across the city: 118 Avenue, Central, Ellerslie, Horse Hill, Jasper Place, Mill Woods and Meadows, Northeast, Northwest, Rabbit Hill, Scona, Southeast, Southwest, West Edmonton, West Henday and Whitemud.
"For Edmontonians, district plans will show how their neighbourhoods will physically change over time," a city report reads. "For industry, district plans will guide where redevelopment and development will be encouraged, creating more opportunity for infill development, and direct larger developments to places called nodes and corridors. And for City Staff and City Council, they will provide a consolidated source of policies to inform land use, mobility and infrastructure investment recommendations and decisions, such as rezoning or neighbourhood renewal project decisions."
Nodes, the city writes, are centres of activity with large transit stations and important destinations, while corridors are centred around major roads.
What did they say?
Amarjeet Sohi, Edmonton mayor:
"District plans are very clear, the policies are very clear, that we're building a cohesive city with opportunities for local living and local amenities available in their district where people can have their quality of life."
"Our city is growing and the more we can accommodate within existing infrastructure and existing neighbourhoods, the better it is for taxpayers as well."
Karen Tang, Karhiio councillor:
"I'm hearing lots of different things about the current version of the policy. Some people think this is good enough, we need to move forward…for others, they want more precision."
"I'm interested to hear more perspectives and to see how the council debate is going to go."
Andrew Knack, Nakota Isga councillor:
"The biggest concern that I've been hearing about from people interestingly enough sort of across the spectrum, but similar issues around a lack of clarity…from what I've heard from some residents is the district plans don't seem to be aligned with The City Plan in terms of where you can do developments and that uncertainty I think has the chance to create mistrust."
"There are going to be people who don't want to see change in their neighbourhood, there's going to be people who want to see a lot of change. But in either scenario what you ideally want is to have is the greatest level of certainty."
15-minute cities conspiracies
Tang and Knack addressed 15-minute city conspiracies, which usually claim the concept aims to control movement, and said the idea of the public hearing is to communicate accurate information and hear everyone's opinions.
Resident Shelley Mottershead, one of about 70 speakers this week, said, "I am here to express my concerns."
"My understanding is this means I need to stay in my district to meet all my needs so the city can meet its climate plan objectives."
Another resident, Alana Coady, said she's confused why Edmonton needs 15 districts when it already has 12 wards.
Patricia Lineker said Edmonton can't afford to renovate so quickly.
"I think a lot of district planning in particular has been derailed by conspiracy theories, World Economic Forum, etc. At the end of the day, this is actually about land use."
If council approves the first and second readings of the policy and plans this week, they will be submitted to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB) for approval under the Regional Evaluation Framework.
That process will take around two months. If approved, the plans would return to council for a third reading and a final decision would be made likely in the fall.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979415.1722030986!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Paris Olympics kicks off with ambitious but rainy opening ceremony on the Seine River
Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River.
BREAKING Celine Dion stages comeback with performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn $146,000 for water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Canada's Christine Sinclair: 'We were never shown drone footage'
Canada soccer great Christine Sinclair said on Friday national team players were never shown drone footage during the more than two decades she was on the team, following a spying scandal that cast a shadow over the Canadians at the Paris Games.
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.