Well, good evening, everybody, and welcome to our regular council meeting for December 9th.
Somebody speaker is on. Now, before we begin, we will be doing a lanic knowledgement. As we all gather here today, acknowledge we are on Treaty 6 territory in the old man of the meeting.
We pay our respects to the first nation of meet the ancestors of this place, and we reaffirm our relationship with one another.
Just like the state that all of Council is present this evening, so we do have quorum.
And I will now move in to ask for a motion to enough to our agenda this evening. Councillor Houston.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'll move that the agenda be adopted as presented.
Thank you very much, I'll open it up for any additions or donations from Council.
I'm seeing that, I'll turn to our city clerk, or there are any changes by administration.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Nothing from administration.
All right, no changes to the agenda. I'll call the question on the motion.
That motion has carried you unanimously. Thank you.
We'll move to the consent agenda, and I'll just ask if anyone would like to remove this.
There's two items within our consent agenda.
No, removals. Okay, I'll ask for a motion to approve our consent agenda. Councillor Holden.
Thank you, Mayor. I moved that the recommendations contained in the following reports be approved.
Item 4.1 minutes December 2nd, 2024 regular council meeting.
Item 10.1 c 1332 dash 24 north central area structure plan amendment, your park north first reading.
Thank you very much for making the motion, I will call the question on the motion.
That motion has carried you unanimously.
Next on our agenda is our December 2nd council meeting, which was approved on the consent agenda.
So we will move into our public hearings.
And before we commence our public hearings, I'll ask perhaps our deputy mayor to please read the public hearing of me state.
Thank you, Mayor.
My pleasure. Public hearings are convened in accordance with the municipal government act of Alberta and have two purposes.
The first is to provide stakeholders and committee members with an opportunity to make submissions to council about the proposed by law.
The second is to allow council to gather pertinent information on the proposed by law prior to making a decision.
This is the public's last opportunity to comment on a proposed by law.
As council is unable to receive any further submissions after a public hearing has been closed.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Houston.
So I would now like to open the public hearing on C-1363-24.
West area structure plan by law amendment,
Spruce Ridge affordable housing and C-1362-24.
And then use by law amendment, redistricting,
Spruce Ridge affordable housing at 603.
And I'll turn the floor over to our city clerk to go through the public hearing procedures.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
So the process for the hearing will be as follows.
Council will hear from those who wish to address council both through an in-person and virtual format.
The order for addressing council will be the administration will make a presentation first.
Followed by any affected any other affected parties.
Council will be given the opportunity to ask clarifying questions of administration.
And again, any other affected parties.
Oh, questions from council should occur during the public hearing.
Members of the public who address council may only speak once.
And we'll have a maximum of five minutes to speak.
A delegation group or organization must select one speaker to present on their behalf.
And the spokesperson may only speak once and will have a maximum of five minutes to speak.
Speakers must keep the remarks directly related to the public hearing.
And speakers must direct the remarks to council as a whole through the chair,
and not to individual counselors, members of administration,
or other members of the public.
And finally, those interested in making an email submission during the public hearing may do so
by sending an email to city clerk at sprucegrove.org.
Email submissions will be accepted until the close of the hearing.
The city clerk will then read into the record.
Any email submissions received received.
If need even necessary, the hearing will temporarily adjourn until
Council to review the material.
No only one email per person is permitted.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Madam city clerk.
I will now turn the forward to administration to be the presentation.
Thank you Mr. Mayor.
This is a public hearing for two bylaws bylaws C-136224.
Spruce Ridge Road.
A redistricting amendment to the land use bylaw.
And C-13634.
Spruce Ridge Road affordable housing.
An amendment to the westerious structure plan.
This is its location on the map in relation to Spruce Grove,
as well as an aerial view of the redistricting area.
The parcel is a part of nine trial user away.
It is located within the westerious structure plan within the Spruce Ridge
Neighborhood, along Spruce Ridge Road, in the western portion of Spruce Grove.
The proposed redistricting and area structure plan amendment are consistent with
our policies within the municipal development plan, such as 4.1.8
and 4.2.9 which refer to the increasing diversity and availability of affordable housing units.
And 4.2.1.1 to locate affordable housing near existing and future amenities.
It also aligns with figure eight feature land use that identifies the area as residential land use
as shown in this slide.
The westerious structure plan provides the current approved planning framework
and designates the area as parks and open space.
By law C-1363-24 proposes to change the area in question,
from park and open space to accommodate a mixed medium to high-density residential site.
This is done with the intent of providing a site for its suitable affordable housing development.
The land use and population statistics are to be amended to reflect the proposed 0.58 hectares of amendment area
and which represents a reduction from 11.6% to 11.4% of park space from the gross
available area.
The portion of the site that is being amended is highlighted in light blue.
This slide just provides some context between the current approved development concept
and the proposed development concept, again the area is highlighted in light blue.
The proposed amendment to redistrict approximately 0.58 hectares within part of law
18MR block 1, plan 1, 4, 2, 4, 0, 1, 8.
The area is proposed to be redistricting from P1 parks and recreation district to our two mixed medium to high-density residential district.
The proposed residential redistricting will enable the subdivision and development of a multi-unit affordable housing site.
An open-house was held on October 23, 2024 to collect feedback and what we heard report was provided based on comments received from and following the open-house.
Comments provided raised concerns regarding parking, traffic, connectivity and other neighborhood impacts.
To address traffic concerns, a traffic impact assessment was completed and conclude there were no issues with the proposed development.
The proposed by law amendments were also circulated other departments including engineering and received no objections.
The public hearing was advertised in the spruce Grove examiner on November 22, 2024 and uploaded onto the city's website November 19, 2024.
Due to the kind of post mail service strike additional effort was made to notify adjacent landowners.
Letters were couriered to landowners residing outside of spruce Grove and were hand delivered by administration to landowners within spruce Grove and properties located within the notification area for the site.
The notification area was also increased to 75 meters from the site to increase awareness of the bylaws and over 240 notification letters were sent out.
To the city of spruce Grove and partnership with Meridian Housing Foundation is bringing forward this project to develop an affordable housing development for individuals and families.
The development is intended for people with steady employment with rent space donning come this is not emergency or supportive for supportive housing project.
Tenants would include people working full time and lower wage positions professionals people living with disabilities families and single parent households.
Similar to folks don't matter in stony plain and other meridian housing foundation developments the proposed forestry building love high quality design and landscaping.
The city's support and the project involves providing city land that is approved for mixed medium to high density development pending approval by council.
Meridian housing foundation will design construct and own the proposed development.
So why was this development proposed this affordable housing development is being proposed for a variety of reasons escalating rents with full time minimum wage earning employees unable to afford market rents.
Based on the spruce Grove corneeds income, $39,000 is required for a bachelor suite, $46,500 for a wind bedroom, $58,000 for two bedroom and $70,000 for three bedroom.
This is especially problematic for families with children. Between 2018 and 2023 rents climbed 21% in spruce Grove.
The demand for rental housing has also increased over the last four census periods rental households increased from 18 to 24%.
With rising rents and increased demand for rental housing, the number of affordable housing units is not kept pace. Spruce Grove only has 140 affordable housing units with over 8% of the over 8% of households in core housing need.
These 140 affordable rental rental units are also at risk of being lost. As they can return to market rentals, once the affordable housing contract with the building owners and operators ends in the next five years.
Providing affordable housing has immense benefits to individuals, families and the broader community.
People in affordable housing are likely to maintain stable employment and contribute to the community.
Affordable housing boost the local economy by increasing the purchasing power of residents and attracting employers due to a more stable workforce.
Children also benefit immensely. Research shows that affordable housing benefits children throughout their lives, having stable housing eliminates frequent moves, meaning fewer of school transfers and improved academic performance.
This location was selected for a variety of reasons, including it aligns with the development objectives of the West area structure plan.
Which include providing more meaningful choice of innovative and conventional housing options that cater to a range of incomes, ages and social groups.
Minimizing potential conflicts between different densities of residential development and locating a variety of multiple farming housing and close proximity to major roads, parks, schools and communities services.
The proposed development compliments the surrounding development context, including the low rise apartment development to the north,
row housing development to the south and a park space to the east. The site is also adjacent to a collector road.
The proposed development will use existing infrastructure with no additional upgrades required to existing roads and servicing.
The open house was held October 23rd and was attended by approximately 28 residents.
We received seven feedback forms at the open house and 20 residents provided emails. One phone call was also received.
Overall, the majority of feedback we received was unsupportive, however five residents have indicated support with the project, with some interest in renting from the development once it is completed.
At the open house, the single mom told me she was working more than full-time hours and is paying upwards of 80% ever income to rent alone.
The what we heard report is based on the feedback we received before during and after the open house.
The key themes from the feedback we received include, concerns about the impact from the development on traffic parking schools and the neighborhood overall,
loss of green space and connectivity to the larger park site, concerns about the type of affordable housing being proposed,
community need for affordable housing and construction impacts during the development.
School impacts were also noted.
The next few slides will speak to how the project addresses this feedback.
Traffic and parking was a common concern raised by residents. A traffic impact assessment was conducted that assessed the impact from a 60 unit development with on-site parking on the neighborhood.
The CIA considered existing conditions and future 20 year horizon conditions and determined to upgrade the required from the proposed development.
The applicant will be required to provide on-site parking as per the land use file out requirements.
impacts the neighborhood was another common concern raised by residents. The capital region board assessors have found no evidence of any loss and property values due to affordable housing developments.
Property values are impacted by a variety of complex factors including housing supply and condition, mortgage regulations and proximity to amenities.
Research was reviewed about affordable housing and crime and it was found neighborhood crime rates are unaffected by affordable housing.
I report by Pacifica found that non-market housing accounts for approximately 12% of the housing stock and the five.
A lot of corner neighborhoods, but not much smaller proportion of all police calls and all by law complaints in the neighborhood.
Laws of open space and connectivity was identified as a concern.
The word concerns identified with the loss of the informal pathway. At the time of the development permit, the feasibility of including a pathway will be reviewed.
Overall, this proposed development will have a minimal impact on the park space, reducing it from 6.8 hectares to 6.3 hectares, is 0.5 hectare change.
It will also not impact any current or future park amenities and programming.
The type of affordable housing was a common question for residents. The proposed affordable housing development is intended for individuals and families with steady employment.
Applicants will be vetted through a rigorous screening process.
Reader in housing foundation has been operating since 1960 and currently operates nine seniors housing buildings.
The proposed affordable housing development will be required to hear it to the community standards by law during and after construction.
The CSB has regulations to ensure cycloneliness, as well as property maintenance, noise control and much tracking on roads.
The proposed affordable housing development has been reviewed for impacts on the schools with a number of elementary junior high and high school students found to increase by approximately 30 students.
There is also a schooling plan to the south of the site.
This application was circulated to the school boards for review and feedback and no concerns were identified.
That concludes our presentation. Thank you.
Thank you very much for the presentation at this time of an up to council if you have any questions to administration.
What has been presented so far?
I will start with council or join.
Thank you Mayor.
Through you to our presenters. Thank you so much for that presentation.
When the questions I had was the parking, you talked about it would be in line with the land use by law.
What is the land use by law? How many how many spots or stalls is that referring to if you can elaborate on that please?
Through you, Mr. Mayor.
So for the land use by law there is parking regulations that are based on multi unit developments and it is one stall for a one bedroom and a bachelor.
One point five stalls for a two bedroom and two stalls for three bedrooms and higher.
And they're also required to provide gas parking based on seven first one stall per seven units was signage indicating it is for gas parking.
Thank you. Also through Mayor back to you.
In regards to the parking, I know that I heard that there is some information regarding charging for parking.
I know that Meridian does that some of their buildings when it deals with seniors.
My understanding at this unit is it wasn't going to be parking that was charged. Can you elaborate more on whether they're going to be, do you know, felt the charging for parking or not?
Through Mr. Mayor, I can maybe take this question.
So I have had some preliminary conversations with leadership from the Meridian housing foundation.
And they understand the critical importance of the parking requirements and are looking at their business model.
I'd to see if it can be altered to essentially ensure that the rents include the parking.
Thank you.
Through Mayor, back to a presenter.
I just wanted to check on that because that has been something previously that I know is a big concern is parking that ends up being parking on the street.
And so I just wanted to know, I think that's a concern in the neighborhood is the overflow from the units.
Let's say to the street, because it can cause safety issues, it can just be inconvenient clogged up the road.
So good to know that they're looking at making that part of the rent, so it's not an optional thing for people.
Thank you very much. That's all my questions right now.
Thank you very much for the questions. I will now turn to Councillor McDonald.
Thank you, Mayor, and thank you to our presenters for the information.
Just building on Councillor Gillette's comments around the parking piece, so is it fair to say we won't know specifically how much parking can be until we know what the actual mix of residential units is that correct.
Through you, Mr Mayor, that is correct. So once they have their development from an application submitted, the parking is based on the number of bedrooms per unit.
So it would be based on the number of units, but also the number of bedrooms allocated as well too, which would be identified with the development from an application.
Thank you. And can you refresh my memory? How many units are proposed right now? Do we have a preliminary idea from the meridian housing condition?
Through you, Mr Mayor, 60 units, up to 60 units.
Up to 60. And does the zoning allow for more than 60?
Through you, Mr Mayor, the R2 district does allow for more than 60 units.
So then it stands to reason then if Council were to approve this amendment and change in zoning that it could exceed the 60 units that have been discussed.
But a preliminary stage, is that correct?
Through you, Mr Mayor, that is correct.
If I could just maybe give a little bit more information. The application will also be based upon the financial,
So part of the requirement to partner with the meridian housing foundation is that the city has to be seen as a partner in the funding application.
So the by the very nature of how much money is allocated for this project will actually control the number of units and right now.
What I've seen preliminarily is around 56 units. Even though there may be an ability to go to 100, the financial allocation would not permit that.
Thank you. So thinking about the parking question then, because we won't know the number of units.
I mean, we won't even know the allocation of 1, 2, 3 bedroom. It's not a known quantity then what the parking situation is going to look like until that question's been answered. Is that accurate?
Through the council's questions. So our land use bylaw does set limits as we talked about. So it's a sliding scale if there's more units there's more parking and so all parking would be required by the development.
So if it's 60, 80, 100 units, the variance in parking would be covered off on site. That's the requirement of the land use bylaw.
Thank you. And then Mr. Schreppnick, sorry, over to you as well. You spoke to the idea of the city being a partner in the development then.
So when the funding application is made, if there's an element of the funding application that is not satisfactory to the city, would council have any lever at that point to adjust the application.
To meet certain terms, for example, the parking question. If we were not satisfied that the parking was something that we were in agreement with.
Do we have the ability to say to Meridian, hey, hold the phone, we don't like that.
So through you, Mr. Mayor, to councilor McDonald, I think there's a couple different levers.
One is there's an existing lever that exists today and that is your land use bylaw.
And although the bylaw does contemplative process to request variance, I've been assured by the applicant and we have a representative from the Meridian Housing Foundation here today.
So perhaps you may want to ask him directly your question. They have, they have confirmed that they will meet the requirements of the parking.
So at this point, I have no reason to believe that the parking will not conform to the land use bylaw.
The other lever is that there will be, if this is approved by city council, there will be a transferring of the land and title to the housing foundation.
And I can certainly look at making certain conditions of that land transfer.
But again, at this point, I've got nothing to believe that the applicant won't be submitting a development permanent application with meeting the parking requirements as outlined in your land use bylaw.
Thank you.
And to clarify, though, the parking requirements is contemplated in the land use bylaw, do not discuss costing, they just discuss the actual presence of parking spots.
So it would really be for us to work with administration to ensure that if we wanted to add any conditions around the costing of the parking, but that's something we would have to do after the fact.
Is that, do you have the correct understanding?
Maybe just for clarity, so when you see the cost of parking, you're talking about the capital cost of constructing.
No, the cost of residents.
Yeah, so, you know, again, we have had conversations with leadership at the Marine Housing Foundation.
They understand the the significance of the parking issue and they are looking at their model.
We also have a member of the board here sitting in chambers and perhaps councilor Houston can confirm that, but I have had conversations with leadership that they're going to look at maybe a different model.
Where the parking is included in the rents and if a if a resident, for example, can prove that they don't have a vehicle, they can ask for a discount off the rent.
Okay, thank you for that.
So it's still a bit of a question mark, but I think the concern at this point is just around whether or not once we've opened the gate the horses left the barn and we have no ability to have any say in the project.
So once we change the zoning that basically anything can happen after that fact in council wouldn't have the ability to have any influence after that.
Is that more or less what we're talking about tonight?
Yeah, but I would say all within the rules and guidelines that are prescribed within your land use by last slide.
I want to make sure that for the benefit of the public.
It's not a free for all once this is if this is approved, it still has to meet the zoning requirements of our two medium to high density.
There's setbacks, there's parking requirements, you know, they all have to be met.
Thank you, yeah, I appreciate that and not to belabor this, the parking requirements are there in the land use by law, but the parking requirements in the land use by law are rather vague and certainly.
Conspicuous by this absence is any contemplation of costing is that.
That's correct, right?
Yeah, so again, to you, Mr. Mayor to council McDonald.
Land use by laws is just that it is about land use.
We don't actually intervene nor do I think we have the legal authority to intervene on our private sector or not for profit business model.
Thank you.
Okay, so we've talked a little bit about parking.
I'll talk about traffic a little bit, so the traffic impact assessment was not contained within the package, so didn't necessarily have a chance to review what that means sort of.
The lack of better description, the traffic impact assessment was sort of like don't worry about it, everything's going to be okay.
And I was hoping for a little bit more detail about that, so maybe administration can comment on the traffic situation and how this might impact the neighborhood.
Through you, Mr. Mayor, so we're just going to provide the summary from the study.
And basically, first groups gates are and spruce bridge road, they're all functioning at at a level of service of A and all the assess scenarios.
And the traffic impact assessment looked at both existing conditions, existing conditions with the development and then future future growth conditions without the development and with the development.
For spruce bridge drive and spruce bridge road, as you can see, it's functioning at a level of service of A right now in the AM and be in the PM peak.
And when with the proposed development, it'd be functioning again at a level level of service of A in the AM and be in the PM peak.
With the future background traffic conditions with the actual development, the infrastructure sections would function a level of service of being both the AM and the PM peaks, which is a fairly good level of service.
Thank you. Yeah, this is technical information. I don't pretend to understand it necessarily and understand the traffic impact assessments are large documents, but did the traffic impact assessment just look at those two specific intersections, is that correct.
It did provide traffic count as well to for the site access and then also to the south potential access for the residential development to the south as well to.
Okay, so the other two intersections in particular, like when I look at that neighborhood, there's no mention of spring grow crescent or spring would weigh those two access points.
Both of which are across from the site was there any traffic impact assessment for those two intersections.
Through you, Mr. Mayor, so it did look at the site access, which is aligned with spring road roadway and it had the assumption that there would be a traffic stop at both of those and did do traffic count to that as well to.
Thank you. I may have missed red. I thought the impact assessment was only spruce ridge road and spruce ridge drive that intersection and spring gate and spruce ridge road. So it was actually done it.
Those two additional intersections spring would weigh where it meets spruce ridge road and spring grow crescent.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor, so they do have counts for that as well to yeah for the generated traffic for both the site access and then with the future build out conditions to the south.
With the cloud avenue and the residential area to the west.
Is it possible, I mean, notwithstanding the detail on this slide, which I don't completely understand, but.
The methodology that they employ to ascertain, it is acceptable. Like, what does that mean? Do they do an analysis based on X number of cars. How exactly do they do that.
You get your moment, Mr. Elsie.
Oh.
I threw you, Mr. Mayor, two counts from McDonald. What they do is they take all the traffic data that the city provides and they put it in.
There's a couple of models that traffic engineers use, they feed it in the model.
Put the configuration of the intersections in there and figure how the turns are all going to make.
So, once that information else put in, we talked about the level A. So, the level of service A goes from A to F, F we don't want to be, the end. So, none of those reach F, I think C was the worst. So, that's still fairly good, fairly good intersection. So, overall, the traffic impact assessment provided information that shows the intersection.
The traffic flows would be, would be impacted a little bit. And that's the certain areas that they identified in the report.
Did I answer that?
I think so. I would have asked, perhaps it's, you know, certainly the person asking the question. How many more cars did they contemplate on this route? Is there a way to answer that?
I have to go get the data. I could afford the data to see later, unless you have it already.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I can get the counts to show what the increases would be, because they ran a number of different scenarios.
So, we can take a look at the counts in each of those scenarios.
Thank you, I appreciate that. And then one final question before I turn the floor to my colleagues. Certainly access to that area.
That four-way stop at Spruce Ridge Road and Spruce Ridge Drive. Obviously, that's a key sort of focal point within the neighborhood. That is the main access and exit point from the neighborhood.
So, Spruce Ridge Road continuing south to join up with a cloud. Is there a way to get a ballpark notwithstanding the city doesn't build that road?
Is there a way to get an approximate timeline as to what the plans are there, as far as joining those two up and providing another access point to the neighborhood?
So, the city is currently working with the developer right now and exploring different options for building the connections, but it is the city is looking at putting urban administration is working with the developer on that and putting the extension for it as soon as possible.
The link for Spruce Ridge Road didn't cloud.
Okay. Certainly wouldn't be binding. Is there a ballpark on that?
Thank you Mr. Mayor to Councillor McDonald. I would guess a ballpark would be both two years.
Okay. And then how does that coincide with the proposed development if this were to go ahead when that might start construction?
So, basically the gap between when this development starts construction and when Spruce Ridge Road heading south would connect with the cloud.
Does that make sense? Do we have a timeline for when this project might start?
Through Mr. Mayor, I can maybe take a shot at this and again maybe once council's finished with questions for administration.
We could ask the applicant who's here in the audience from the Meridian Housing Foundation.
But if I was to speculate it'll probably take at least till the end of Q1 next year to get an announcement from the province on whether or not the project was successful.
And then I would suspect he will tell you probably 12 to 18 months for construction so it almost lines up perfectly.
Thank you. That's it for me for the moment.
Thank you very much. Councillor McDonald. I have Councillor Stevens next.
Great. Thank you. And thank you for your presentation this evening.
So other than this parcel of land in Spruce Lake on Spruce Ridge Road. Are there any other areas within Spruce Ridge that still need to be built out or will this be a fully built out neighborhood after this?
Yes, through the council's question. So this area is largely built out with stage 17 that was approved in the last couple years and constructed.
So the only missing elements of this neighborhood or some of the road connections we talked about the one to McLeod Avenue.
There's also one westward to copper haven. And so those are the two remaining accesses.
Yes.
It's built.
Perfect. Thank you. So eventually like we're almost basically at peak traffic concerns with with the neighborhood and like many of the neighborhoods here.
We're built out. We don't build out multiple access points. It's as the development grows and the phases go but hopefully we're going to see some relief as you mentioned there is a connection.
Just looking on Google Maps. You can see it's connecting over to copper haven and hopefully with boundary row being built out will.
We need some of that traffic congestion that's going up on general into that one intersection that council don't reference.
So it's coming. It looks like the traffic for sure. So thank you for answering.
I think a lot of us have very similar questions about parking and traffic and stuff.
The current green space that's there right now. It's considered park space. Is it. Is it like fully is it.
Is it a usable space right now? What what how is it built out right now?
Through the council's question. So right now it is municipal reserve but it's undeveloped. So it's been kind of left in graded but undeveloped scenario typically we'll see.
Park spaces brought on be graded flat and turf. But this one is relatively well graded but it's just you know kind of we'd get this point.
So no natural. So it's a natural.
Okay, so it's not like turf like you said where like our other park spaces are turf sort of speak. This has just been left.
That's right. Yes, it is not currently to the turf standard.
Okay, so does that mean then we don't have like our parks have go and mo alone for example there.
Not currently, you know, I'm sure there's a program of making sure the natural grass is not getting out of control but no, we don't have that as a regularly maintained spot.
Okay, and then if this space were to remain parks and open spaces. Was there any indication or plans.
As we were developing the community on what that space would become would it would it eventually just be turf and just left as open space or like.
Was the intention to put like I know we have the place gate not far from there but was the intention just to leave that as open space or like put a small playground in there.
What was the intention of this space prior to this discussion? Sure, like it is a fairly large space, but I don't think we have any firm plan.
There were some designs that were kind of in the background that we kind of ran across with the commitment or funding that had happened or no actual design but we do believe there have been conversations that had occurred in the past but with this application, you know, the intent here is to sort of
recognize that maybe but the idea is to move on to a different development at this point so I guess that's what we can say about future site.
Okay, in terms of access to like we do have park space that is further east including the place gate and access to the try and I know there's been concerns about access there.
With this development, will residents who live in Strucerage would they be able to still go like can they basically cut across the property.
Essentially I know that we do mention that they're we're going to build a trail eventually that's 250 meters further south I believe but knowing that.
This is residential I can't imagine that we're like fencing it all in where people cannot access getting to the try and leisure or getting to the rotary place gate.
So do you know if that's an intention to leave that open like that I see people waving for them.
Yeah, thank you.
Through you.
Through you Mr. Mayor to Councilor Stevenson.
So these are conversations we are having with leadership from Meridian Housing Foundation.
I think we've heard from the public that they would prefer to see a pathway so I know that there's been some conversations.
But like any property you know they they do need to protect their asset.
So so it likely will be fully fence is my suspicions just like the joining parcels are fully fence again just to protect their their organization from liability and from people using it as.
As a natural pathway but we've had some conversations about potentially an easement agreement with the city that could be something we could consider and again we're still having those conversations with.
Leadership and really to to advance those conversation really depends on sort of the outcome this evening.
Okay perfect those are all my questions right now thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you Mayor and thank you to my colleagues for lots of good questions tonight to build on councilor Stevenson's question could we would it be an option through you to administration mayor.
To just for lack of a better term slice off a narrow portion of that property on the south end of it to keep it as city property and then it's less negotiation with a relatively new property owner.
Just maintain as a ten foot strip of land to get from the west to the east and that would be a decision that we can make as a city.
So three of Mr Mayor one of the things that we were contemplating was making the transfer of land conditional on entering into an easement.
I mean I could let the planning folks speak to what's easier if we did another subdivision.
Or just simply enter into an easement agreement with with the meridian housing foundation.
I think if the objective or the outcome is that there's a pathway I think you know the path of least resistance probably the way we would.
Yeah and I think that.
Especially given that we're what we're hearing tonight is that the the site wouldn't be fully maximized in terms of density right like it could be a hundred units and it's not going to be a hundred units because of some financial.
implications that would go with that there's going to be some relative extra room for some purpose and so.
I would sure like to see as I think some of my colleagues have spoken to and some of the residents that we've heard from in various ways.
That would be something that would be important I think as we move forward so that would be the one extra thing I would add onto my colleagues comments thank you.
Like very much. I think they have consensus on council on that I think we are allowed to go both the importance of a trail and appreciate administrations already on it on.
Here that's just part of the agreement on the end.
Any other questions from council to our presenters.
Administration reports.
I had several but they have already been asked so that's good.
So thank you very much really appreciate presentation stick around in case we have some additional discussion when we hear from the public. Thank you.
This time I'll ask if there are any members of the public would like to speak to this public hearing and I do have a list that registered as you came in.
So I'll offer the opportunity as they've been logged within our page here and we will start with terror.
Is that correct?
Either terror hines or in us but I welcome you up.
And you can correct my pronunciation.
Sorry to apologize. We just got to turn the mic on. Thank you.
I'm here to speak as a resident and homeowner in this first ridge area.
I do want to disclose that I am a employee of meridian housing foundation.
However, I have no intention of speaking on behalf of the organization tonight.
I'm sure solely to speak as someone who knows deeply and personally the transformative power of affordable housing.
At 11 years old, my family was on the brink of homelessness.
My mother a survivor of domestic abuse had four children in limited options to suitable housing.
Just before we would have been forced on to the streets and affordable housing program gave us a three bedroom duplex that became our lifeline.
That stability allowed my mother to rebuild within two years. She was able to become financially stable and start saving for a home five years later. She became a homeowner.
In 16 years later, after we were at risk of homelessness, I now own my own home here in first growth.
This is what affordable housing truly is, not a handout but a hand up.
It offers families the chance to stabilize, grow and thrive. My family is living proof of this success.
During my six month contract at the city of spruce grove in family and community support services.
I saw just how many families are denied that opportunity.
Each day I met with parents, seniors and families desperate for affordable housing.
People who have contributed to this community who want to stay here but are told that they can't because there are no affordable housing rentals in the area.
Instead, they're forced to look in Edmonton, imagine being told that despite your contributions.
You're no longer, you no longer belong here. It's devastating and I saw it day in day out.
The proposed affordable housing development is not just a building. It's a promise.
A promise to families like mine who needed a stepping stone to rebuild a promise to seniors who deserve to stay in the communities that they've known for decades.
A promise to young families who want their children to grow up in the city that they've invested in.
This lot which is sat vacant for years has the potential to change lives by providing homes to those who need it most.
A affordable housing is about stability, dignity and opportunity.
The commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, when that tells all residents you belong
here. I am a success story of affordable housing, and I hope that we will give others the same
chance to not just survive, but thrive in our communities. Thank you.
Well, thank you so much, Tara. That was impactful when I really appreciate you being here
and sharing your story. It's very much appreciated. Thank you. Now, I do want to give the opportunity
to the meeting. I was in, I know we have Mr. Finn, is it?
Oh, I couldn't read because it was crossed off my list, but perhaps if you'd like to come up
and you'd be an opportunity at the mic as well.
Oh, what?
Right. It's not, why is it not working?
That was working. There we go. Sorry.
So, tonight, for me, was about more about answering a few questions of the came up.
Not so much about presenting what we're doing.
Right now, we're looking, as I've mentioned a few times, at a structure, part and building,
being between 50 to 60 units, allowing for ample parking on the site,
something more for the community than it is for anything else.
We are non-profit, affordable housing designed, as Tara mentioned,
to help the people who need lower cost housing.
My main goal, like I said tonight, is if you have some questions, I'll answer.
I didn't prepare nothing to speak to, specifically, on my own, except for just response.
I really appreciate you being here and answering any questions.
Yes, the first question is, if you can speak on behalf of the Rodeen Housing Foundation,
would there be any concerns about entering into an agreement about a pathway on that site
to ensure that we have public access?
No, we were talking about that earlier about having different options.
Because we can see by the pictures that people do cross path through it.
The ideal goal, as mentioned earlier, would be fence going around the property,
just to make sure liabilities are worth it need to be.
And then maybe we carve off a chunk, you know, three meter piece, ten foot, whatever that works so too.
And it comes as an easement as opposed to another subdivision.
That's sort of a little more complicated on that approach.
Yes.
Perfect.
Well, I'm going to open up to my council colleagues of the committee questions,
specifically to the Meridian, and we will start off with Councillor Houston.
Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Mayor, through you to our presenter.
Stewart, one of the questions I think that maybe could be shared with the group here this evening
is one of the steps in the process, of course, is the redistricting of the site
and a commitment by the city to provide the business model up to 15% of the project.
So, we end up with a project worth X number of dollars.
So, do you have a projected project total of what that number would be estimated based on the college's report or the one that we've been working on?
So, there's a few different figures that come out and it really depends on how the performer works out.
And how many sweets we end up with at the end of the day, right?
Generally speaking.
Just pull the mic up just a bit because it's an area.
How's that?
Generally speaking, the property could range, if you're talking about the overall build cost, could range
between about 22 to about 28 to have, depending on the size we have going with.
It's not just the amount of sweets, so we say 56 sweets.
It's also the size of the sweets.
Are we three bedrooms?
How many two?
How many ones?
And the intent is to look at what the need is.
And how the performer works up best to make sure it continues.
Okay, thank you for that.
The other one is maybe you can share the next step in the process in regards to getting the provincial
HP grant.
When does the, when do we have to have the grant in?
And what percentage of project are you looking at in the application for the grant up to
maximum of?
So the grant changed a little bit this year.
So it opened up now.
So the submissions are open to for entry.
And they close up in January.
We plan on submitting somewhere around mid January 15th to one as a final, final numbers.
There are numbers right now suggest that they pay approximately 85,000 per door as a subsidy.
Now, as in the past there has been times when it's been increased or altered to help out depending on the
cause of the budgets.
But that's basically the time limit of the amount at the moment.
So we know of.
Okay, so the grant will pay up to about 85,000 dollars per door.
And that percentage of the project works out to about 30% of the project.
A little less than 30, but somewhere in that zone.
Yes.
Okay.
So the importance of for the median housing foundation going forward is the grant from the city and the
commitment from the city as well as the HP grant would put us in a position to look at the
performance regarding, you know, how much the median housing foundation would have to
do.
And then the financial commitment to that to meet those demands of that borrowing that we need
to do to make the performer work.
So there's a few steps in the process to get us to where we actually push the yes button on whether
or not to proceed.
Correct.
So if everything went great and the Alberta government kicked in their full amount.
We go to CMHC ask for a balance of loan based on what the city has presented based on what we're
able to put together before that point.
And then we presented to CMHC and they give us hopefully a loan for the balance.
Minus whatever we can do for grants of the CMHC as well.
Basically, once this is done, then we can start moving forward to the final design well.
The preliminary design to say this is what it's going to be.
This is the plan.
This is what it's going to cost to build.
This is what we need to get.
And then I move forward.
Okay.
Thank you.
My final question for everybody would be, how do we manage when you say their rents will be based on income?
Do we have to have a certain threshold of income for applications to make sure that our
reform is met or you know, I'm not sure about how that criteria work or maybe you have a better
explanation.
How would we ensure that rent based on income would cover the viability of us meeting the financial
commitment by the emerging housing foundation?
So it's not really rent based on income per se.
There's a variable.
So if we say it's affordable housing at 20% off market rent.
Okay.
So if the building beside you is renting a building for two business feet for $1,000,
if we were 20% of market housing we'd rent at $800.
Your fee or your amount of money that you make gives the criteria without you are eligible to get the
reduced rent.
So all the whole building is affordable.
This is based on if you make this many dollars in your threshold, then you qualify.
So whatever that number is, not this morning I'm not sure the number is up ahead.
And you qualify, then you can look at what it would be compared to the other buildings in the area of
equal type like size and whatnot.
So it's not so much if you make 30,000, you're going to pay this much.
If you make 50,000, pay this much as much as it is, the reduced rent based on that threshold.
Okay.
That's good to know.
Everybody.
I think the, I think that pretty much concludes my questions.
But the fact is there's certainly some more work to do.
And we'll look forward to those conversations.
The last point I'd like to make or ask you to make is the affordable, we have a number of affordable housing units in
Spruce Grove right now that are set to expire.
I think the nest is one.
And I think there's a project on Jen for how a way that is affordable housing projects are required for a 10 year period.
How would it work with the Meridian Housing Foundation?
Is there a time frame or would it remain as an affordable housing project in this perpetuity?
So as an nonprofit organization, we don't build to move to a profit model down the road.
We build to maintain what we're doing at the most important.
So if we said we had 56 units that opened up on 2027 in August.
Then 10 years from then, 20 years from then, 30 years from then, it's still 56 units out of affordable housing system.
Now how that flexes over the years is a government design on what is considered affordable.
A affordable would be 20% or a 22% or whatever that number is.
We don't necessarily control that fully, but it would remain affordable housing for its lifespan.
Okay, thank you for that.
And the project on Callow Road is an incredible project that we've worked on for a number of years with the Meridian Housing Foundation.
And the quality and workmanship of the building on the architectural design is very nice.
And we'll, you know, great amenity in the city.
Do you foresee this similar type of building being built similar to the type we're building on Callow Road with nice finishings and, you know, very adequate, you know, like nicely landscape and everything else for the community.
Absolutely, the idea is to build a building that people can be proud of, the neighborhood can be proud of, people live there can be proud of.
We, we make it a point in all our buildings to make sure that the properties are well maintained, the building is well maintained.
And it's, it's not meant to be something that stands out of all there's an affordable housing unit.
It's looks just like all the rest because it is.
So yes, the idea is to build the best product we can build in looks and for functionality.
Okay, thank you very much, Jordan.
And I know we have, we have lots of challenges across and I appreciate the work you're doing behind us seeing the Lorian and our board.
And, you know, look forward to, you know, the further the conversations, you know, to try to understand if this is something that will be significant benefit for the community.
But thank you very much for your, for the answers. I thank you.
It made you do a very good presentation, I guess.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Oh, stick around. We have a couple more questions for you.
Stuart, I'll turn over now to Councilor McDonald.
Thank you, Mayor. And sorry, Stuart, I didn't catch your name. You're on the.
Fair. Thank you, Stuart. Appreciate you being here at this evening to answer a few questions. So when you think about the need for affordable housing in Spruce Grove and I think Council is aware of that.
It seems as though the demand of strips the supply. Is that fair to say that's why this project is being contemplated.
Yes.
So when you think about this project potentially going ahead.
What type of client is going to be served by this. So if you want to call them that, that they're on awaiting this, I guess they're not currently being housed by the Meridian Housing Foundation elsewhere.
Who is going to be housed there? Obviously, Meridian Housing Foundation has senior's residences throughout the tribe region. Who's going to be living in this new facility if it goes ahead?
So the design of this one is meant for affordable housing for families. So it could be a single apparent could be a couple with kids. It could be just a couple trying to get going.
It could be a single person by himself just trying to get their feet up and get going. It'll be open to all to apply.
Thank you.
Thank you. So a broad range all demographics.
Yes.
And then given that the Meridian Housing Foundation is only experienced in providing housing to seniors in the semistake and.
Has there been discussion about some of the nuances of providing housing to a different demographic than just seniors.
So we also have some experience in other areas, other organizations as a field of support that worked with affordable housing for families and other type of housing as well.
So we've talked about the pros and cons.
Reality is this is something we need to build. We need to continue to build and we are quite ready to do it.
Thank you. And then just last question for the time being is just with respect to the number of units.
I know there's some numbers in flux with respect to grants from CNHC the HPP program and then also the economics of how it's going to work.
But is it possible for the project to go ahead with fewer units than what's been discussed tonight? So 56 is the number that I've heard a few times. What if it was 20 for example?
It starts to get tough. So once you start dropping below 50 units, your cost benefit doesn't seem to work as well.
So when you're talking about property maintenance and keeping up in the building and the facade and everything else, you need to have a certain amount of income coming off the top right.
And if you get too small the performance doesn't work. So most of our numbers have worked the best 50 to about 60 moving on as high as potentially 62 looking at that property.
The biggest thing we're looking at is not only the performance based on this many sweets, but also comes in play with parking.
How much room do we got? How can a layout? How is it going to sit in the property and look nice? You want to build a great big monster brick and just set it there. It's got to look good. So it's a lot of different things in play as well.
Thank you. Yeah, I was mindful of the project immediately to this out. It's it's row houses, I think, and they have on site parking appears to be ample on site parking. So there's been discussion about what fits in with the neighborhood.
I mean, for my perspective and apartment such as what's being contemplated would fit in just as well as perhaps row housing. So I was curious as to whether or not that lower density is something that could be considered by meridian housing foundation.
It would still provide affordable housing just less density, as I said, through row housing for example, and that might open it up to families.
For example, so, you know, parents or single parents with children, for example, that might not work in an apartment, but it could work in a row housing type of situation. I think those are all two bedroom units of an up and stake and immediately to the south. Those are ours.
Okay, I'm not sure what those are to the south of it there. What as far as row housing goes, then you're limited to the amount of residents you can put in some families.
And the amount of families that we go in make a tough for any performer to work out and that's kind of a building.
Unless you're going to charge higher rents. So if you're going as a contractor, and I'm going to go and build these and I'm going to charge normal rents out.
Then I could possibly do that.
I might be able to make that work, but my rents can be a lot higher.
Our goal here is to make it affordable and make it so that everybody has a chance to use this as opposed to the high cost of the rents or the sales.
Thank you.
So thank you. I have councilor Gillett next.
Thank you, Mayor, through you to do it in a presenter.
I know that sometimes CMHC has buildings where they're only required to have like 20 to 30% of the units.
So can you just confirm for me again? It's 100% of these units are going to be offered as affordable.
So there's not some market ones and some blow markets.
It's all of them are going to be offered blow market.
That's the intention.
Okay.
I know that Meridian hasn't in our municipality going into affordable housing before.
Are you aware of other communities, other municipalities, where the housing foundations have gotten into affordable housing and has it been successful?
Yes. I actually come from one that I did another community not much difference in size and we had both.
It's very successful.
And usually the affordable housing is quite backlogged for the same reason as we just mentioned earlier.
Okay.
And also when they're the residents perspective residents are being screened.
Does Meridian housing use the government's core needs index to look at their income?
Is that what is used as a standard?
So I'd love to build an accurately answer that question.
But I will answer to the point of saying we do have the guidelines prescribed by them.
Okay. And we follow them. What they are?
I'm an asset management.
Okay.
Not the people program.
Okay.
Pardon?
Yeah.
I just was wanting to clarify if that's what it was.
Okay. Thank you very much.
Yeah.
Thank you very much.
And before we move on, those ask of any other questions for any of this time.
See no other questions.
Thank you so much for being here.
I really appreciate it.
I want to just pass along back to Meridian for over 60 years.
And we have a great reputation.
Second and then.
And really appreciate you looking to partner with the city on this project.
To look at non age discriminatory for biologists.
Because we heard from administration earlier.
We have a 1142 in our core housing needs in this community.
And this is helps move the bar.
But I think it's the step in the right direction.
I really appreciate you being here and speaking on behalf of Meridian.
So.
See this project come through and see some more.
I was it out.
Appreciate it. Thank you so much.
So now we'll blow back to my list.
And the next up.
I have Pam. Pam would like to speak.
I believe the last name is Clandin.
But you can correct me if I'm wrong.
Clandinning.
Yeah.
All right.
I'm just going to open up my questions here.
Awesome.
Okay. I've never done this before.
So this.
Okay.
So I wanted to say that I live on Springward Bay directly adjacent to that.
Plot a land.
I fully support affordable housing projects in the first group of region.
You guys have many reasons to go ahead with one.
My concern is why we're picking that space as it was brought forward.
This is, you know, we're in phase 17 of spruce ridge area.
There's multiple areas still being developed.
Shri low copper haven.
The other east side.
When it make more sense to put them in areas that haven't that are like haven't been developed yet.
And are in the last phases.
That your question.
I can help answer that.
So when we're looking, especially later on this evening,
we have a draft of our housing strategy and talking about affordable housing.
The reason it's this site is there's very limited land that the city of spruce roof actually owns.
So when we look at other neighborhoods, the land isn't owned by the city.
It's owned by a developer.
And then to look at partnering with the nonprofit like the Merden housing foundation.
I would require city taxpayers to purchase that land.
Use that plus any capital contributions.
So when we start looking at these, what are the assets of the city currently as this is one that's identified with no specific use in the future.
Good fit.
I think that's why it's being proposed.
But that's really the reason why it's not in a brand new neighborhood.
It's just the fact that the matter is the city owns very limited parcels within the residential inventory.
So.
Okay.
That's good.
Another question I have is is a tree that the space was dedicated to municipal reserve created through a land swap agreement with a developer.
In order to consolidate a larger parcel of development.
I believe the news for reserve discussion with the original and owner was with the fears and had more dealt with the front part.
Maybe administration give any context.
I don't think it was this specific piece.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor.
There was a couple of different land swaps, but the one that is specific to the parcel in question was actually a land swap that was done.
To provide the ability for the role houses that were referenced earlier to be developed.
And that was approximately 10 to 12 years ago.
Might have the dates wrong.
But the city actually owned.
The MR actually was to to kind of the subtly part of the row housing property.
And the developer of the day, which I believe was carriage homes.
Wanted to create some space between their row housing development and the apartment building to the north.
So the city entered into a like for like a land swap with that developer, which essentially just moved our MR into the middle of those two developments and allowed the row housing development to proceed.
And were there any conditions on that?
There's just a swap.
No, just a land swap.
We're in some as well.
Great question.
Okay, sounds good.
The next one I have is who is this who is doing the soil testing and utility locating that.
That's happening on the land right now.
I will turn to administration.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor.
So we have given permission to the meridian housing foundation to do a phase one environmental assessment.
Just in preparation for if this was approved tonight.
That they would be ready to submit the phase one environmental with their application to the province for their grant.
Okay, so that's being handled by meridian with our permission.
That is correct.
Is that typical?
Yes.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
Okay.
And then I wanted to ask what is the rule or the by law, I guess, for the amount of park green space to houses.
In neighborhoods there in new developments.
Where is there one?
We have one of our partners.
Yeah, but what are goal and guidelines are for park be one.
Mr. Mayor, while they're while they're getting prepared, so under the municipal government act as a requirement to provide 10% land education.
And I think Mr. Pushko can actually give the the actual amount.
I think it's still well and excessive 10%.
It was 11.4 you mentioned.
Yes, Mr. Mayor, through the question first.
Yeah, we.
In the new land development scenario, we're able to require the municipal government act 10% of the unsubbed divided lands.
And so this area has actually contributed more for park space for the west area structure planet a rate of about 11.4%
Yeah, and just to the question, just a little bit, maybe some more clarity on your question about the parking for the neighborhood is it.
No, like, how much park space to residents if there was a condition for that?
Okay, sorry, I misunderstood that originally.
Yeah, so again, I think it relates to the former comment that we shoot for 10% for the neighborhood.
And this neighborhood is actually many different neighborhoods overall in the area structure planet.
It's about 11.4% as I mentioned.
I think the other thing that can be said is, you know, the site has been assessed as being a large site for the neighborhood.
And so this reduction proposed is about 8% of the overall.
Transelta of Trialisure Center site.
So it's just a fraction of the overall site that's.
That makes up this local.
Park space.
Excellent, thank you so much.
And also just for clarity that 10% that we can take from developers as we open up new lands.
That also has to take in consideration school sites and all those public institutional sites.
So trying to balance that out with neighborhood parks and we have some standards as we're developing our partners.
Make sure that there's access to parks.
This location has fantastic access to our district.
Trialisure Center and some green space rotary bark.
And then if you look in the map, there's a huge school or there's a large school site a block away to the south.
Also, I have green space fields, a school itself.
So when you look at the walking distance amongst all the residents of that area, very close connection to pretty incredible amenities.
Space for parks and recreation.
Is that percentage based on like land area or is it based on residents.
Through the question.
So it's based on the gross developable areas so from the raw land perspective.
So if a court section is 64 acre or hectares in size.
The 10% is 6.4 that's reserved for municipal reserves for parks and open spaces.
Okay, sounds good.
I guess my last question is with the schools you mentioned there's going to be a school south.
Has that been improved.
Mr. Mayor, through to the count to three to three to the question.
So it is designated in the area structure plan.
It's an ideal spot that's your mark for school to this point.
There's been no school division that's stepped up to take it, but certainly as a community grows and builds out.
You know, there's a possibility that for school and that site is certainly designed for that outcome.
Okay.
I have no further questions.
Thank you very much for being here.
I appreciate it.
Our next speaker is Natasha.
Welcome.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for coming me.
I'm not out like my neighbor.
I've never done this before.
So excuse me for my nerves.
But it was important for me to come because my concern and it seems like that is what's being presented.
It's a sort of unused piece of land and it's actually the only traffic free access point that our kids currently have in the community and it's extremely well used.
So the other access point is at the end of spring, which is my street and we used to be able to go between the condo buildings.
But because of the development and just the traffic that goes in and out of those condo buildings, it's not safe.
So our kids and a lot of the community kids.
That is the access point and we've kind of like a spruce grove has all these beautiful trails and we've been waiting like well ours is we have ours designated and it's coming.
And then I think it was a shock to a lot of people that.
We sort of buy it at our time waiting that there's a footpath there.
It's probably one of the most well used it gets the kids right to the playground.
So just wanted to make sure that that council is aware of that and I'm hearing the idea of taking a little 10 footstays, but you do get the issue then of it's enclosed.
Is it lit? Is it?
Is it safe for our kids to be accessing because it's even with the condo buildings when you have a lot of condensed people in one spot you don't know.
You do have to kind of walk with your younger kids to make sure because people collect and gather and so there's the traffic and the increased.
Space so I think and also like my neighbor the heart of the idea of having affordable housing.
When I've talked to neighbors the heart for that is there it's just taking from the quality of life of current residents who have this green space.
We have a lot of growth it's used to take it away from residents is just a concern that people have or that I have I want to speak for my.
Fellow residents but the other thing that when I looked at the picture I don't know when they did the traffic study but the beautiful picture that was put up of no cars and it's.
Are you able to you cannot turn at the end of our spring date you can turn left there's cars park this there's cars you can't see around and you're kind of edging out and same thing your kids.
You feel the bike there that you feel to now you really have to be a lot more careful and I wonder if it's not a bit.
Polyana to suggest that there won't be some impact some people parking and because the that road is already full in the evenings from the around surrounding areas with lack of parking in communities.
So I mean I don't know that we could have five more cars I don't know where one more car on that road in the evenings would go so it's.
Making sure that I don't know when the study was done but it's it's really congested already and so even just having that safe spot to access it where they're down the road a bit and it's a bit less traffic.
The other thing was, I know there's a school like for traffic in and out of the neighborhood, I know there's a school that's also potentially being built down grove.
So wondering, well was this traffic study looked at in isolation or was it looked at what's the impact of having both of these things coming on those intersections?
Was it, well, this one looked at this part and this one looked at this part and they didn't look at the combined impact.
And then just going to look at my, yeah, I guess if tonight's the decisions made once we lose our park.
Yeah, it's a spot where the kids can throw a ball around and it's not, it's gone.
We can't, we can't go, oh, that was actually a mistake and we don't have enough park space.
It's the decisions made. So my other thing was to say like a lot of people don't know about it.
And I know that eventually a decision has to be made because you can't, these things can't just go on forever.
But with the unique circumstances of the Canada post strike, I wondered if there is a possibility to allow an extension for residents to have input.
It's Christmas concert week and everybody's crazy and people are finding out and not everyone has Facebook and the 75 meters.
I didn't get no notification. I don't know if I'm 75 meters or not, but I didn't.
I heard about it last month, like on Facebook and I'm like, okay, well, I'm good. It's important to go.
But if it's possible to consider that a lot of residents didn't have the opportunity for input and just to consider that if it is possible to delay a decision until people are aware and
have the opportunity for input and just check, we got that's all. Thank you.
Well, thank you so much for being there in the dash. I really appreciate maybe I'll turn to our administration just on the little instance of notification.
I know we received some emails or part of our package about notification.
And it's always a catch 20 to how far do you reach out, but maybe we can, I know we did do an open house never dies.
It's really hard to get hold of everybody.
So I might actually just provide clarity to that the traffic impact assessment was done in November of this year.
And it did look at it, it did look at peak travel times in the AM and the PM hours as well too.
And we're just pulling up the buffer area of where we delivered to.
We delivered we hand delivered to over approximately 240 homes, including around Springwood Way and the condo facility to the north.
I think it was pretty clear to approximately, I think it was 59 houses for landowners that don't reside within the area.
Jamison has just provided the image of where we delivered to everything that's highlighted in blue.
We did provide notification to those owners and it was, it was hand delivered.
Do you live in that blue? I don't, but I think that's maybe the thing that is being missed is that that access is used by all those brown spots and not just the people in the blue circle.
It's a very well used access point.
It's the only traffic free access point to the trial easier for kids to get through.
And I appreciate that. It's on an official trail though. It's a created by the neighborhood trail.
We're here now as there's huge commitment from this council and our administration to work with Meridian to ensure that we create that trail space.
It's safe and clean and open to the same standards of our other heritage growth trail systems.
Because we see that there's a huge need for that for safe access for kids accessing the amazing amenities over the transelta of the park space.
There is some green space over there. There's a little fog and hell.
And like I said, maybe if years out, but as we continue to grow south and we can do the connections.
That school site will start being prepped in the off some more green space.
Relatively goes for access to the to the neighborhood as well.
But I really appreciate you breaking your lived experience here and representing the impacts to you and your community.
It's important so I really appreciate it.
Thank you.
You did fantastic. You were wonderful. No thank you so much for being here.
So I conclude my list. So I'm going to open it up to anyone else in chambers.
I would like to speak to this public hearing.
Step right up.
Hello. You guys know me. I've talked quite a bit.
My name is Neil Kuid.
So my, like what I was hoping.
I was only planning on watching now. I was going to speak.
I wanted to see you guys more talk about converting the P1 to an R2.
There's very little discussion about that.
I really want to stress that once you remove the P1, it's gone.
You can't go back.
I really think you should consider alternatives here.
Like removing the P1 is not the right decision.
This is a heavily used path to get to the try.
Our development plan stresses keep in these park spaces open to people, having road access.
Like essentially an email with a huge list of reasons why not to do this.
But also, I put in that email ways that we can build this, this unit.
And not have to remove park space.
Right. So like the west central area has a lot of park space in a small residential area to me that 10%.
Just because of the way it worked out.
We can remove half a hectare of that park space.
So that that current R from that developer stays the same.
The R would stay the same.
The park space would be less than 10%.
And we would put that burden of meeting that 10% of park space onto the commercial zone to the south,
which we all know that's going to be R2.
That commercial is not going to be commercial.
There is no demand for that much commercial.
Right. So we can have on on the cloud avenue, which is the south of the cloud avenue,
which is going to be R2 there.
We can put park in that R2.
Reducing the amount of residential to the north of the cloud,
or sorry, reduce the amount of P to the north of the cloud,
to not affect that developers amount of residential.
He's going to develop.
And then the P that was removed, that developer can donate to the city,
as MR to put to towards Meridian.
And everybody can be happy with that.
There's going to be delays or there is downsides.
There's a lot of talking.
It'll be at least two year delay.
Like there's a lot of negatives.
But we're not losing park space.
And like I've come here and you guys have talked about the 100 year plan.
And we want what's best for the community.
I'm saying, look at the 100 year plan.
When we're building something that's going to be finished in done,
we need our park space.
Right?
That school is always being reduced by about two hectares from six to four roughly.
All the park spaces being moved further to the west away.
So this area is losing a lot of park space.
And then losing another half hectare.
And that half hectare is going against our development plan.
It's just, it is not the right decision.
Like there's no, in my mind, there is zero question that this is not the right decision.
And I'm kind of disappointed that we didn't talk about removing the park space.
There's whole talk today has been about Meridian Foundation.
And 100% like we need to do the Meridian Foundation.
It's, there's no doubt that's, we shouldn't even be talking about this.
Yeah, it's a yes, great.
Like we shouldn't be talking about that.
Well, we should be talking about today is removing park space for R2.
And like, like, that doesn't look good on your resumes.
You know?
So that's, that's what I says.
Well, thank you so much, Neil, for being here.
And thank you for your in-depth email that you did send.
It is part of our package.
And what you look at is swapping land.
And that's a great for a long term.
What we're looking right now is there's an opportunity to deal with some affordable housing.
There's a lot of people who are here from our administration.
There was no solid plans for the park p1 designation of that land.
It's always been tossed around different ideas.
I think at one point in 2010 it was perhaps a parking lot to serve the fear fields.
So it's unfortunate.
It's listed and it's been zoned as p1.
It was never identified to create a big green space or a playground or sports fields in that area.
Usually consolidate those based on our service standards for the residential neighborhoods for walkability access.
When we look at this entire site, as you heard, it was 11.6% of the entire area is right now for p1.
It's reducing by 0.2% on this change of this one plot.
It's well served for p1 for that area in comparison to other areas of the city.
And you're right.
Once you've redesignated a parcel into a different use,
it does no longer become available for future parks.
I do appreciate that you took the time to go through this and give some opportunities.
Some of the drawbacks is you're talking several years and a whole bunch of other developers that own the land farther down when you're headnote to the west.
To allow us to get to the point where we have open either the commercial side or the far west near boundary road for p1 access.
So it's those decisions that council has to struggle with of what we want to do on.
On those specific redesignations, what opportunities are there and balancing the need for for housing with park space.
Yeah, it's not always an easy job and easy clear decision making, but I really appreciate the way you're looking at and presenting that.
The importance of of green space and spurs grow, I think we have an incredible.
Trail space, park space, a medity space, fields.
In that and spurs ridge, having the trial easier center of the field, it's fantastic for our recreation.
So, and I'll turn it over to you if you had some further comments or if we have any questions for now.
Yeah, it's right now.
Sorry, I would actually like to counter that.
I, I wholeheartedly disagree with you on.
So, the football fields count towards the P1 and that's not usable space.
Like we like like I've been up here before, stress and that we do not have anywhere to kickable.
Like our kids cannot go somewhere to play.
You guys are putting in the largest residential development that's proof of has ever seen.
Right, right in that area.
Right.
And you're reducing park space for the further for the school by a go to third and you're going to remove this park space.
Like we very literally have no where to go.
And you're saying that our paths and everything are really good and really proud.
But I disagree.
And on other times, I've been up here saying talking with that path to the north of those condo units is extremely dangerous.
It is not, it should not even be considered a path.
Like that is not a path.
Like our kids, they can not use it.
And now you're going to take away the path to access the try.
Like like you're literally building a wall.
To from the community to the west.
And the try.
And there is there is no other access.
Mr. Mayor, so the speaker has gone over there five minute a lot of time.
So I would just ask him to conclude.
Thank you.
Okay, yep.
So I've made my points on other times that have been up here talking about this.
And those points stand that we do not have park space.
You're counting the 11% those football fields towards that.
And that is not right.
That should not come towards that.
We don't have space to for a kids to go play.
We don't have space for a kids to kick a soccer ball.
You're taking away P1 that is heavily used currently for a path that is has concerns.
And you're reducing the school site.
And you're building the largest residential building as proof of the scene right in the area.
And it's it's wrong.
It's not right.
Well, thank you very much Neil.
And I think I did you did hear from us.
And we are looking to make sure that there is a path connection to the the try leisure.
It's a safe adequate math for the families in the area.
But perhaps we do have our partners here.
You know, a lot of questions about parks space.
Do you have like a overview of all the green space, the plans of future builds.
It's it's always difficult when you look at a snapshot in time of where parks are where future build-outs are where trail connections are in this entire ASP.
Just maybe for context for councils thoughts of.
Mr. Mary just have to flag just to be fair for all for all speakers once once five minutes is done the speaker is done.
Sure, Mr. Mayor to your to your question there.
Yeah, so we have a parks and open space master plan.
And so that kind of was used to set the framework for a lot of our area structure plans.
It has kind of gone obsolete over the years.
And it kind of reflected, you know, this major district park in this area.
That's a high level plan and certainly, you know, the area structure plan that's in place.
So that's the document that we use for guiding things.
This is certainly a change and a consideration of a change to that existing plan.
So we have provided, you know, the option the area structure plan amendment.
And the follow along with that would be the redistricting that we also talked about.
So there are some larger guiding plans that guide area structure plans, but we certainly are intending by this application to bring forward a change plan for consideration.
And then identifying ensuring that we're meeting all the standards that we've identified for all our trail connections, park spaces access.
Yeah, those are those are the considerations of very structure plans.
So we mean when you go through that plan, you can find, you know, the the intentions to address all the recreational transportation and land use considerations.
You know, those are generally brought forward early and they develop over many years.
So again, this is the framework and the way that we do plan it so it has been considered.
Over time. And consistent with all the elements in this brochure.
That's right. I mean, this development, you mentioned it in your comments. This is a sort of a district
level area that has a lot of amenity. That a lot of other areas in schools that do not have access
to in such a proximity. I mean, that is one consideration. We certainly do respect that, you
know, taking any way away. Any of that is, you know, not ideal, but it is
um, it is considerations that can happen over time to, um, you know, change direction as required.
Now, what has been raised as well by a couple of our speakers is a concern about the safety of the existing
trail connection north that comes between the two buildings. Is that something in
administration to look at? Is there a concerns that goes wrong parking lot?
Well, Mr. Mayor, like it was one of the findings of this review because we did look at the access
and the considerations for removing, you know, this particular access. There is the one
up between the two apartments. It is in very close proximity to a lane way that's used to access both
apartments. So there is an interaction between pedestrians and vehicles. And yes, from my perspective,
we did notice that. And, you know, it is a bit of an eyebrow razor as to the existing condition.
And certainly, you know, that's been one of our findings and something we've communicated that, um,
you know, that's an interesting design and perhaps we could do better on that.
Yeah.
All right, I'm going to open up the council. Any other questions?
Discussion?
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Point of clarification is because I might have been a little bit
confusing when our last speaker was speaking. This proposed development that we're discussing tonight is
not the largest residential. The one that our previous speaker was speaking of is in legacy park.
Near that area, not necessarily the area that we're talking about.
We're talking about rezoning tonight just a lot. There's no confusion there that this wouldn't be
some like crazy high big building in that area. You just wanted to make sure that there was that clarification there
because I got confused there for a second. No, no, no need for apologies.
Most of my questions have been answered. I have a lot of check marks here. We said the questions I wanted to ask.
One that I did still have was some of the other apartment units nearby are quite large.
I might not be a fair question, but do we know how many units are in those buildings just kind of
for size comparison?
Yes, roughly we did do notification deliveries to those buildings. So I believe one the big apartment was a
1,250 units. Oh, sorry. I'm getting this wrong. Just give me a second.
Oh, sorry. It's 120 units for the apartment and then the row housing was in the order of
through you Mr. Mayor of the row housing is 56 units. Okay, 56 units. Thank you.
Okay. So we're talking about a very similar type scale for the row housing and about half the size.
A little bit more than half the size of the other apartment building. So it's definitely something that would fit in the area.
My biggest concern that I had that I share with multiple of my council colleagues here is that trail access and
making sure that it is safe there. I know I walked at the trail. I lead you quite a bit.
And I do use that intersection and I have been hit almost like multiple times. So I can appreciate how I'm safe it is.
And I know when I take my kids there, it's not safe. And I don't like crossing there. So if that's something that I think all of our planners and engineers in the
happen to be in the room tonight have heard that very clearly that that intersection should probably be looked at as well as potentially a separate issue.
Regardless of the outcome tonight that that's an intersection that does need to be looked at and significantly looked at.
Other than that, I'm not going to ask any other questions that have already been asked, but I appreciate all of the clarification that you've provided tonight.
Thank you very much. I have Galtram McDonald.
Thank you, Mayor. I will re-ask a question. So I'd like to know, like we've been talking about a crosswalk at Spring Gate and Spruce Ridge Road for several years now.
So what is the plan there? Because I believe it was going to be in this year's capital budget if I'm not mistaken.
I'm mindful of the fact that irrespective of whether we approve this project we may at some point in the future.
Possibly have a pathway on this site to the heritage grow trail going through the I guess it would be the north of this site.
Between the apartment buildings and this proposed development that we're not going to have a path in an active construction zone.
So that takes us back to the original pathway that we've all talked about as being unsafe that goes through an apartment complex as parking lot.
So is there going to be a crosswalk there soon and if so when please will have flashers on it as well.
Thank you. Through you, Mr. Mayor. If you recall in the corporate plan deliberations that there was a requirement for administration to circle back with council in the new year to identify the priority crosswalks as part of the allocation of budget in the capital plan.
So there's lots of demands, lots of priorities and once we bring that report back to council, you'll see what administration is recommending in terms of prioritization.
And the only constraint is what's in the budget.
Okay.
All right, thank you very much.
I'll go for the second time.
Any members of the public to like to speak to this public hearing that haven't already.
Go back to our city clerk, have we received any email correspondence anything additional during this public hearing.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So we have received a few emails.
So the first one is from David Epson and it reads the proposed redistricting of part space has been well thought out but one thing is missing.
This is taking municipal reserves for residential housing.
We continue this trend. We will end up with limited municipal lands and either need to purchase land at a higher value or to reduce municipal land reserves.
Perhaps a better plan would be what would have been to have policy a replacing municipal reserves use for residential purposes elsewhere and to be mail.
The second email is from Irene Heppelston and it reads,
I live across from the apartment at the south and the spruce ridge road from the four-way stop going north and south.
It is already congested with at least 15 apartment buildings in a row.
The event of a disaster, for example, a fire gas leak explosion.
How will hundreds of vehicles manage to get out when we all converge at the four-way stop?
Build spruce ridge road at the south end to curve around and connect to the intersection at the super star.
You're putting our lives at risk if you build more apartments and do not open the road going south and a email.
And finally, the last email is from Kim DeSheen and it reads,
My questions regards to the public hearing are,
Is there a plan to open the north end of spruce ridge road to allow better traffic flow within the area?
The spruce ridge area is already congested so to add a multi-unit building to the area would be detrimental to traffic congestion.
And the second question, what will be the streaming process background checks look like for the individuals wanting to live in the new building and a female?
I guess that's why I think all those questions were answered during this public hearing.
We touched base on the need for multiple accesses, spruce ridge, car bereaved in that whole area to relieve some congestion on Jennifer Island.
I think the timing we have two years for the south, we're looking at boundary road right now, the cloud out.
Hopefully that'll get moving next year.
So that's point taken, there's a lot of congestion in that internal.
And when we talk about emergency access, is there a comment on that?
Sure, it's all been checked out, but do we want to confirm that that's been looked at by protective services?
Mr. Doyle?
Thank you, Mr. Mayor and through to that question.
As we spoke about a length and this public hearing development permit processes are vetted for those things.
And so emergency access through this would certainly be looked at again through the development permit process as well.
Thank you.
Well, thank you. And point, thank you for Mr. Epson about the MR. I wish the problem to allow us to take additional MR because there's so much conflicting need for public lands in our community as we go to ensure we're meeting the park space, the school sites, the institutional, the pathways.
It's very hard to balance the 10% we're allowed to take for the amount of needs we have in our communities.
I think with our planning team and our land use, we do a fairly good job of writing those amenities and quality of life in our community.
It's a tough balance.
Mr. Chair, Councillor Houston on, go ahead.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor, through to Mr. Poochko. Mr. Poochko in regards to Mr. Quades question regarding the West area structure plan to the south along with South Avenue.
Well, you know, he has a mix of valid point about the potential for future MR lands to be utilized for housing projects and such.
Is that something that we could look at in the planning envelope?
Because I know the urgency of getting something, you know, that's a couple of years away.
But I'm just wondering if there'd be an option to consider, you know, that in the future with the future development going in that area to, you know, to look at some lands that would be that could be or could have the potential of utilizing, you know, some of those.
Mr. Mayor, through to Councillor Houston's question.
So yeah, the the West Central area structure plan, we certainly are in the process of mending that for the new developers.
So we are working on that with them. There's been an open, a recent open house on that.
So this is the opportunity to identify those.
The land use discussion that we usually have for these types of developments is the mixed medium to high density residential sites.
So we do define those within the area.
There's a several large sites mostly in the western part of the plan. So quite a bit into the future I would suggest.
But there are things our sites that could be used for that in the future.
It's not a specific ask a requirement or statement in the plans around affordable housing, but it is the appropriate land use the mixed high density residential that could accommodate them.
It's great to know and, you know, I think that speaks at the point that he was trying to make that there would be an opportunity, you know, for something in those lands.
But recognizing, you know, that the lands directly to the south are a couple of years out, even on the servicing side.
And then the other lands would probably be even a little bit further out to the west, but recognizing there are some lands that have those designations for densities and stuff like that and pretty appreciate that.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
I found another question.
I know that Councilor McDonald spoke about one of the connections.
And when that might come online another connection that I know Councilor Stevenson mentioned, going into copper even that calden crescent that should connect on to spring link.
Do we have a timeline for when that would potentially come on board to provide another entrance exit?
There are three to Councilors question.
So we're still receiving applications for this year.
I have not seen that yet, but I would guess from the pace of development and some of our expressions that connections within copper hated haven't are needed that it's a priority for development for the land owner to bring to us for approval.
So I haven't seen it for this year.
I hope would be this year, but we are getting close under current market conditions to making that connection.
Okay.
I hope that if this goes through that it puts on even increased pressure on that.
I mean, it just ends and you can see it.
You can't get over it because there's barricades, we can see that connection like it's right there.
So I'm hoping that this would be another connection point there that should alleviate some of that congestion,
especially for that like spring hearing closed areas, spring link area that can exit out another way there and with boundary road coming on.
Line here in the foreseeable future that should mitigate a lot of that traffic congestion.
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you just to augment the the question.
So we have had some preliminary conversations with the developer that is developing in copper haven and the one thing that we did talk about is if boundary road is to.
Commence as planned.
It will create a pretty good incentive for them to actually connect to boundary road and so are the growth drive section of the connection up to boundary road.
So I think the thing that will probably accelerate the connection for a calendar road.
I think is is going to be boundary road development.
That's going to happen in the neighborhood connections that are well past the time I think for one of the neighbors in there.
Any other further questions from council for the third and final time I'll just ask if there's any other members of the public to speak to this public hearing.
I'm seeing none.
And I'll just double check with council any further questions for clarification.
See no other indications on the queue.
So I will close the public hearing on c-das 1363-24.
Westerious structure plan amendment spruce ridge affordable housing and c-das 1362-24 90s by law amendment redistricting spruce ridge affordable housing and 743.
And we're going to move ready to another.
So I will now open the public hearing on.
The municipal reserve removal spruce ridge road at 744.
And I just like to advise the public that are here.
This is a start of a whole new public hearing pertaining to the same development just specifically related to the removal of the municipal reserve design.
So I'm just making that clear. And I'll ask our city clerk to review the procedures once again.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So once again, the process for the hearing will be as follows. Council here from those who wish to address council both through an in person and virtual format.
The order for addressing council will be the administration will make a presentation first, followed by any other effective parties. Council will be given the opportunity to ask clarifying questions of administration and again any other effective parties.
Oh, questions from council should occur during the public hearing and members of the public who address council may only speak once and we'll have a maximum of five minutes to speak.
A delegation group organization must select one speaker to present in their behalf and the spokesperson may only speak once and also have a maximum of five minutes to speak.
Speakers must keep their remarks directly related to the public hearing and speakers must direct the remarks to council as a whole through the chair and not to individual counselors, members of administration or other members of the public.
And finally, those interested in making email submission during the public hearing may do so by sending an email to city clerk at sprucegrove.org.
Email submissions will be accepted into the close of the hearing. The city clerk will then read into the record and email submissions received.
If deemed necessary, the hearing will temporarily adjourn to allow council to remove the material and only one email per person is permitted. Thank you.
Thank you very much. So I'll turn the floor over to administration to make their presentation.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening, Mayor and council. This is a public hearing for the removal of municipal reserve designation sprucegrove and part of nine trial easier way.
Under section six seven for the municipal government act, council is required to hold the public hearing before passing a motion to remove municipal reserve designation from a site.
The subject site is located east along sprucegrove within the sprucegrove neighborhood as a part of nine trial easier way.
The 0.58 hectare site is currently distributed as p1 parks and recreation district however subsequent bylaws intend to redistrict this portion to R2 medium to high density residential district.
The site is currently vacant and for council's consideration this evening administration has brought forward a motion to consider the removal of the municipal reserve designation from the site.
The municipal development plan identifies a site for future residential neighborhoods land use.
A sign was placed on the site with a notice of this public hearing as installed on November 13, 2024.
Notice is replacing a sprucegrove examiner on November 25, 2024 as well as uploaded to the city website and delivered to residents.
Council is required to motion for the removing of the municipal reserve designation.
If council approves the motion to remove the reserve designation, the intent is to subdivide the parcel from the parent parcel of 18MR.
This would allow for the contribution of the land for the purposes of developing a multi unit affordable housing development.
Together, the removal of the MR designation, the subsequent subdivision, redistricting and area structure upon amendments will allow the city to contribute the parcel to meridian housing and redistrict for the purposes of developing affordable housing development.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for the presentation all about the council for any questions at this time.
And we'll start with councilor Stevenson.
Great, thank you and thank you for the quick presentation tonight.
Can you tell me how often we've done this where we have changed municipal reserve to.
From like municipal reserve to any sort of R1 R2 anything like that is.
I'm trying to remember if it's ever happened while I'm on council, so I'm just trying to understand like how often this has happened.
Mr. Mayor, through the council's question, so it is a rare event.
I mean usually our park spaces end up becoming park spaces spaces.
The most recent one that I can recall is the food bank site so that had an MR designation, but it was being used for different purposes like a storm pond and.
The food bank itself so that was the last one that we've had before that I'm unaware of any.
They're probably is but I'm not aware.
Okay, so it's been a hot minute since we've done anything such as that so it's not typical just addressing some of the concerns that we've heard about removing.
Municipal reserve like once it's gone it's gone like to Mr. Epson's point and to Mr. Quaid's point as well about.
That park space so just wanting to understand that this is a very rare.
A current so this is even coming forward to council for consideration, but part of the reason I would assume that this is even being considered is because there was more than the 10% allowable municipal reserve in.
In in the area structure plan is that correct like normally we wouldn't touch this if if it was 10% or less.
Mr. Mayor through the council's questions I don't think the 10% is the matter but certainly having the public hearing and making sure that we slow down to assess that yes we are in fact removing park spaces.
That have been designated in the area is the the milestone that we're accomplishing here.
I think it is a little bit easier in this case where we know we have a full complement of 10% plus in this neighborhood but there could certainly be instances where we have our 10% and for whatever reason.
There's a decision point that council could make through this process to reduce that.
Perfect and I know that we've talked about access like even having it is open space and on Google maps you can see the well warm path right now in the center it's it's right there for everyone to see so I know we've addressed maybe some ways that we can address access and.
I know we're certainly making sure that you can get to the existing there's lots of green space on the east side of it as well.
Can you just remind me like when we're developing further south spruce root road is going to go further south.
How much like how far away will additional green space or park space be for those residents that are looking at possibly losing this park space because I know we're starting to develop that area so just curious how how close the green space is going to be.
If you can show us your Mr. Mayor through the question so we're just going to pop up a figure here.
But the west central area structure plan is the air structure plan below so the townhouses and south of that area is where the school site we mentioned is being.
Bill so there's a school site as well as part space associated with that so it's approximately two to 300 meters from you know the existing pathway to that site and so.
Yeah that's what I can say it's probably a three or four minute walk.
Okay and it was mentioned earlier that this is designated as a park space but no school division has taken us up on it yet so it obviously won't be a school site.
I developed but like what do we do when it's future school sites do we.
Do we leave it as do we turf it all these things I learned tonight.
Do we make that so that like if the kids are looking to kick a soccer ball around or they are looking you know for that.
You know free play experience that they're going to go 200 meters south do we take care of that area so that they can do that stuff.
Yes Mr Mayor through the council's question yeah so when we bring municipal reserve on like ideally we would have a plan ready to go sometimes we don't but the the site is generally graded turf for future development.
So we do have some agreements with our developers that you know they will do and build some infrastructure for parks nowadays so we are in the process of getting plans together so that when these do come on board that we have something understood about what is the best use or intended use of that park that.
You can also contribute instead of just surfing and grading it.
Okay and then just with the picture you have on right now the western west central area ASP that park space.
Is there a continuation of park space all the way through north like up to the rotary.
Park and stuff I can't really tell from here so will is it continuous.
Let me take a stab at that like that park space that with the star on it is the school site so there is a walkway.
This is the older one we are currently amending it so the intention is the existing residential area there will be a walkway from.
Those high density residential sites through the school site up to your field and child leisure and there's also an east west connection to.
Respruce Ridge Road as well.
Okay thank you.
I give any further questions from council.
Maybe just question to administration I don't know if it's our city clerk or mr. Schrebnick.
There are some limitations when we look at disposing of MR lands is one of the reason that we can do this is because we're looking at partnering with.
The Britain as a nonprofit organization because MR is meant for the community use.
Yeah we do.
Through Mr. Mayor for sure the the act was amended recently to allow for.
When MR is deemed to be unnecessary or unneeded.
And you have an opportunity to partner with an offer profit you can do so by by dedication of one.
I know that was a change recently and probably reaction to the affordable housing crisis that we're currently seeing across this country so.
I appreciate that do we have any other questions from council.
So you know other questions so I will open up the public hearing to all those present in chambers we'd like to just step to the queue.
And I just want to make a note that if you have new stuff because kind of related but appreciate your opportunity to come and speak to this public hearing on the MR.
I want to say that the.
The park space that you're removing is intended for the houses in that area.
And you're making it proposal for those houses to use a park space intended for a different area.
So like the.
That schools was being reduced by about a third in the in the current proposal and you're telling the residents.
Of of the area to the north to use the area to the south.
To use their park space to use their 10% as well as your building that that high density residential just to the south of that and you're also justifying that high density residential to also use this park space.
So you're justifying a lot based on that school park space you're justifying removing park based on a school being there you're justifying.
Building the highest residential building is proofs growth based on that school using this current area map.
And you're reducing the size of that school zone by about a third and you're moving a lot of the park space the far west end.
And in the future.
That commercial is also likely going to be.
So like there's.
You're basing a very large catchment area on that school park.
And it's too much.
You guys are basing.
You're making a lot of decisions.
Because there's a park there, you know, like.
Like how how thin you're going to stretch that.
Thank you very much me all appreciate maybe planning can help talk about.
You know, we we are identifying a school site.
We're talking about the TLC area and that recreation part.
But how do we look in the planning context as we're developing and and we do see more densification happening in communities.
To ensure that the green space being allocated is shooting the needs of those local residents that are moving it to the neighborhoods.
And how do we extrapolate that as we grow through different phases to ensure that we're providing.
Now what is essentially quality life to those communities.
Yes, Mr. Mayor, through the the question.
So yeah, for our development of park spaces, it is through the area structure planning process.
So this park space and the one that he's mentioning about the school site to the south are is the way that we define park space.
So we typically will assess proposals from landowners and look at those with our policies around providing.
An equitable sort of distribution of park space throughout the area and you know some of the rules of thumb we use is you know it's ideal to have park space with park space for the majority of.
Low density residential or well in fact any type of residential within a five minute walking distance.
So that's one of the measures that we do use we don't really look at it as you know this neighborhood gets this park or that neighborhood gets that this other park it is sort of a shared resource.
And it's certainly based upon proximity.
Like I mentioned walking seems to be a good one but is the parks get bigger you know expectation is driving and so you know the.
The bigger parks sort of are soon to be maybe driven to as opposed to walking to it is certainly something that we do look in.
Look at that you know it is nice to have little smaller spaces in proximity to areas so I'd always guaranteed but it's a consideration.
And we put those plans in place and we bring the public to comment and we like this you know receive comments and try to improve those with input from neighbors.
Thank you for that and then how does how do we balance that off when we have large district parks like we have at the trial easier like we have a Jubilee bark that served not only the local neighbor but the entire community how does that offset or.
There's a complicated things and in when it's in one neighborhood is it a sacrifice it's been made or is that not taking a consideration.
Yeah Mr. Mayor through to that question so we did have the parks and open space master plan that gives us an idea of where these bigger spaces are available and some of the bigger more intensive use is need these bigger sites and so they were.
Originally planned by this open space plan to be distributed within the city in a reasonable spot that you know.
Bigger areas would have access to those. And so that's how that is kind of defined by virtue of those sites.
I think we do have opportunity on those sites for doing some of the things that we have in smaller neighbourhood parks.
And so, you know, when we're viewing these district parks, not only are they available to the broader neighbourhood by driving.
We also would consider them as a local resource with the five-minute walk-walking room,
be an example of some of the rules that they'll try to achieve.
And finally, do you have any comments on the reduction of the school site that Neil is mentioning?
Was that just fine tuning on the needs?
Yes, so that comment comes out of the current amendment that the developers proposing.
It's a new developer, so they're taking a relook at the existing plans.
So we're working with them to, you know, get what we need in terms of school sites.
They have certain asks and to a large degree.
You know, we apply our park-lining principles.
There's some variability allowable within that in terms of different sizes and where we put the parks.
And the intention there is to define a plan and then, you know, put that plan out for public input.
And certainly, you know, there's an open house that was recently had that, you know, showed this changed plan.
And we've received comment to we'll react to that comment with the consideration of that plan.
And then there's also public hearings as this moves forward to, you know, address anything at the council level.
And I'd like to mention that tonight.
I'm sure Neil understands, so probably the other next public hearing.
We're talking about when that comes back to us.
So I appreciate that.
That it's part of the process and that will still be coming back for discussion of public hearing.
Yeah, I just want to stress that that we can do all of it.
Like we can, we can very literally build this unit, which is awesome.
And it should be built. We can build it. We can do it without removing the park space.
We can do it without the builder in the west central area, losing residential area to build.
We can do it all.
We can build it right across the street from from from the school zone where like we can literally do it all.
It takes a little bit of effort.
It might be a little bit of delay.
But we can do it all.
And I personally, like, believe that you guys can can put in the work.
I want to see you guys put in the effort to do it.
It takes a bit of effort.
But we can, we can have all it.
You know, like that's appreciate your passion.
And you're right, we can do everything if you had the money.
So it's not extra money.
It would be additional answer to the city to purchase a lot.
If we'd have that one is workspace.
It would mean the city would have to go out and purchase the same acreage from the developer.
We can more additional contributions.
Can we not approach the developer and tell them that the city will allow them to do less than 10%.
If they donate half a hectare to the city.
And then we can put.
I don't know the order to be like a rule that that resident put that extra half hectare burden on that.
Commercial area.
Like we can, they can donate the land and they would lose nothing.
If we benefit to them because they get the benefit of donating.
They have to develop less.
A park space.
Like, and in the end when that commercial becomes residential, it will have a park.
Like.
We can, like, I'm, I'm nobody.
And I'm thinking of these solutions.
Right?
Like you guys have substantially more information to me.
How come I'm coming up with these solutions?
And then, and I think that's.
Very plausible to ask the developer that and from their point of view.
They, they have to do less work.
They, they get it donate land.
They don't have to develop as much park.
They would very likely go for that.
So like, like, how come I'm coming up with these ideas?
I should not be coming up with these ideas.
How that can happen?
Maybe I'll turn it towards administration.
It's on this.
We have seen the proposal that Neil is brought forward.
It's a moment.
You know, short of getting a full legal opinion.
My interpretation.
So I want to be clear.
Thought it'll legal opinion.
I don't believe a developer can donate and to the city for an affordable housing project.
And receive a credit on their MR requirements.
So I don't believe the act allows for that.
I could certainly get a legal opinion, but that's my understanding.
Having been in this type of role for a longer, I'd like to think about.
I can also share that.
What we're talking about is in the order of magnitude of between one and one and a half million dollars of land of value.
That would be going towards an affordable housing project.
I think it would be a lot to ask a developer to donate that magnitude.
I mean, it's not an impossible task.
But as we all know that typically the developers are in the business to make profits for their shareholders.
Thank you.
So they would not be losing residential area.
So when you're saying it's one and a half million dollars, that's if they're losing residential area.
Then they would be converting park that they're required to build in that area instead of losing residential.
So from the builder's perspective, they would be building less park.
And that half acre would become MR.
Yeah.
Through you, Mr. Mayor, as I previously responded to the question, I don't believe the municipal government allows for a developer to receive a credit of MR.
or to education for the purpose of the individual this referring to.
And then in just a forecast that down for future developments, converting park space further down the path.
Just as the same thing that we're doing in this neighborhood.
So you're converting less park space for future developments that is farther away from the TLC and the other school sites.
So now I appreciate you really, you've really thought this through.
But when we're looking at the aggregate and the timing and the timelines, fundamentally it comes down to an inventory of what the city owns.
Currently what do we have access to to see a couple other strategic lines of this council, which is looking at the affordable housing within our community.
As you heard, we have 1,200 people in core housing needs right now.
What tools do we have in our toolbox, which I can tell you honestly, as a city, as a council, we have very limited tools.
It are disposal to be working with on profits like our emerging housing foundation to access funding from the provincial government to try and really help bridge a little bit of that gap to ensure that folks in our community can remain.
So we look at park space or access park space of how it can be better utilized.
Is it ideal, is it perfect in every sense? Obviously not.
We do have concerns from the neighbors that are coming forward.
But pushing it down further years or further down the pipe to the west is probably another discussion that future councils may have on additional affordable housing.
So maybe it's another situation where the MR gets contributed.
We have another public hearing to dispose of the public curve of the MR land to create another affordable housing project through the Meridian Foundation.
Maybe we're getting to.
Because 60 units is not going to cover the 1200 in housing core needs within our community.
But I appreciate the passion and enthusiasm and the dedication to protecting your neighborhood and the green spaces that you enjoy.
And I just want to reiterate, I think you've got confirmation that we will do everything in our power to ensure that that trail connection is created,
that give you access to the green spaces over the trial leisure and do everything as well as we're moving south to level out that green space to allow those residents to come out and kick the ball with their kids and enjoy some actual green space in that area.
Rather than a whole bunch of parking lots around facilities.
So I really appreciate you being here in hell.
Yeah, thanks.
And I appreciate you guys listening and like I'm not speaking against the Meridian Foundation.
I'm just trying to protect parts space.
So like that's all.
Yes, thank you very much.
Thank you.
I think I just wanted to stress because I'm hearing a lot of answers like we have the 10% that is not used anyway and I just do really want to stress that.
Tenials point it is used.
We don't have a spot to kick a soccer ball if we lose that space.
It is a huge loss to our kids and I appreciate we need to create housing for vulnerable people and we also need to.
Help our kids record have a good quality of life and grow up in a place where they have access to space to be free and play and we.
We do use that it's not a piece of land that's just sitting there.
So just I would ask please to consider the impact on the kids in the community and the families in the community who do use that space and do rely on that for access to the amenities that make it a great spot for the housing.
It is used and just I would just ask you to consider not taking that from our community and possibly looking at other options.
I appreciate that thank you.
Councillor Gillett go ahead.
Thank you.
Thank you Mayor.
Through you to.
Sorry.
When you're talking about the neighborhood on spruce ridge park I believe is down the road.
Is that a park that the streets where you live do you access that park is it close enough.
How far away is that is a park that we can access we have to go sort of through the pond around the pond across the street and then up and through a path so it's not.
My kids can access it with an adult okay it's just the the space the path that goes to the try.
Don't have the they have a bit more access to it without it's closer so okay okay thank you.
So thank you.
And for the third time any members of the public to what I speak please.
Thank you.
Hi sorry I wanted to just bring up that when I asked earlier about why why this location.
Right away you're able to answer Mr. Mayor that we have such limited MR space.
And I just want to preach that because as we continue to use that MR space and I also heard you answer to him over there that we could possibly remove MR space in future developments and create it and.
You know I moved to Spruce Grove because of how amazing it is how vibrant it is and since living here.
Six years ago I bought my house and I purchased that house on Springward Way and I looked at the plans and I.
Specifically saw that that was municipal reserve I actually emailed you and 2020 when asking what's plan I have kids I'm so excited about this space.
And you had you know said that there's some some different ideas and that nothing's firm up yet and it feels like because the city didn't make a decision on that space.
We're now looking at using it for something not park related.
Whereas if the city had during that land swap use that space develop something we wouldn't even be considering this today.
So I wanted to mention that.
And then the other questions I had was just is there a possibility of waiting to remove the municipal reserve space until there's a crosswalk built.
That I don't know the road but between the two apartment buildings.
Is there the option to wait to remove this municipal reserve until there's a pathway built where currently is maybe on the far right or the far left going to the trial easier to make sure that those things are in place.
Prior to having a municipal reserve removed since we know that if a municipal reserve is removed and funding falls through from the government.
That developer could come in and build you know we could see that be not an affordable housing unit.
A good question maybe I'll ask Mr. Schrippnick on that so we are looking to partner with Meridian to build an affordable housing which is using our MR which part of the act.
In the event that the province doesn't come with funding what happens to that site.
Yeah, thank you through you Mr. Mayor.
So we still are limited to what the ultimate use of that property can be so for example if the application is denied by the province there's a couple of paths forward one is we could simply hold the land.
Continue working with the Meridian housing foundation look to a future application.
We would not be permitted to sell the land to a developer without meeting the restrictions that are imposed upon us under the MGA so so that land still would remain in the name and the title of the city of Spurs Grove.
And I would suggest that if the purpose for which he counsel is considering removing the MR dedication is for an affordable housing project that would be sort of the intended direction without further conversations with future councils.
All right now I appreciate the cover case. I know we are restricted on this site because it is MR and we're trying to find a better use of that property which you know I'm here and there's disagreement about it from the neighbor so in the event that it the project doesn't go ahead it would still remain as it is today there would be no change of use and if any change would have.
It would be with another nonprofit looking at the similar size density on that parcel. With regards to delaying this whole process and keeping the district as it is, the only limitation in one consideration that council has to make is when we heard earlier during the public hearing, the timelines of getting an application in for that funding, is the middle of January, is the latest that I think the meridians looking at, in order for them to do that, they need to show tight all that they have a proper land to allow.
So like we do with our school sites, we need to make sure they're all serviced, they have access before the province even gives you money.
So I think that difficulty would be we've missed that timeline or that budget cycle with the province to fund the construction head.
So it's a consideration and when this comes up for a second reading from council, maybe brought up as a consideration.
Okay, sounds good. I just have one more question and that's pertain to the.
So the is the city with the funding that's coming to build this is the city getting anything other than like obviously we're creating houses for people who need to afford them.
But is there anything else that the city is getting with this funding or is there an agreement made or something.
I get so we get the benefit of providing housing for those that are falling through the cracks.
It's it's no different right now if you look at your property taxes as a contribution.
Currently to the meridian housing foundation for our seniors housing that's just the commitment of all the community of partnering with housing foundations provide housing for those in our community that are slipping through the cracks.
So there's no financial benefit. It's just trying to meet that huge demand that we're hearing and if you stick around for the next period of this meeting will be going through our housing strategy the draft of it that's identifying some of those core housing needs within our community.
What role does the municipality have and what tools do we have to be able to influence that just to meet the demands of our community no different than folks coming to us talking about the.
The must have of green spaces and trails we also have similar people coming to us saying there's no affordability in the community I want to work here.
I have employment here, but I can afford to live here so it's balancing those competing.
I need to within our community and that's this will play one small role of trying to bridge that gap no financial benefit.
It's just serving the community.
Okay, sounds good. I want to leave with the last statement reiterating that we can have both.
Thank you.
All right, I'll turn to our city clerk every evening emails on this public here.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor, we have no, sorry, we have not received any emails on this specific public room.
I turn to council this council of any questions, any clarification.
I will ask for a good opportunity for the third and final time.
And any member of the public like to speak to this public here.
Thank you.
I absolutely respect everybody's opinions and I think a lot of great.
Great options have been brought forward tonight.
So I really appreciate my neighbors speaking here today and I do encourage council to.
Way.
The value of affordable housing to multiple families in our community that have had to leave our community.
They want the opportunity to stay in a green space like it's first grow as well.
And unfortunately, we are not keeping our community that opportunity right now.
This is long, long overdue.
My contract with the city of first grow family and community support services was probably a year or two ago.
And since then, the problem is only amplified.
The amount of calls I hear for family or affordable housing in our area are enormous.
I think another consideration is that if we continue to delay any affordable housing projects specifically rental affordable housing projects.
We're going to be in a situation where our service employees or lower income employees are leaving our communities and then we are not going to have the benefit of those.
Those services anymore because as a homeowner, there are different levels that people.
Different kind of jobs that people end up taking and it's pretty clear that rental housing is a lot of the service center serves a lot of the service industry employees.
So I just do want to bring that forward.
Again, I'm not speaking for the foundation by any means, I am a resident of the directly affected community.
And with my experience with the city of spruce grove in that direct face face contact with other residents.
I just I encourage council to view it as a whole city matter.
I do recognize that it doesn't impact us, but I do think there was plenty of great options for outreach night.
I do think that that new that one passageway that is currently open that is dangerous should be reviewed and I think that was a great opportunity that was brought forward tonight.
And I do think that there is the opportunity to reserve a pathway to ensure that there's still access to the trial user space.
I just I want to respect all.
All opinions, but I do also encourage us to consider the opinions of those that are not here tonight.
That are maybe working their second job and are just trying to make ends meet and stay in our communities here that they contribute to as well.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Tara.
All right for one final go on this on council.
They have all the information they need to make any decision on the MR.
Final questions are require any additional information.
See nothing.
So I will close up public hearing on the municipal reserve removal for spruce ridge road at 821.
And we can start moving into debate. So I will now ask for a motion on the municipal reserve.
And I will turn to councilor Houston.
Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor.
I'll move that second read being given to see 1363-24.
West area structure plan by law amendments.
Mr. Mayor, I think we want to start with the MR removal motion.
I apologize if they're in the wrong order.
I think they are.
5.2.
Okay.
Let's go back that way.
Okay. I'll move the municipal reserve designation.
Be removed from all that portion of lot.
18 MR block one plan 142-4018 containing 0.584 hectares of land that is shown as proposed in
lock 20 of the attached end of plan of the subdivision file prepared of August 22, 2024 by
Pal's geometric corporation.
Thank you very much, Councillor Houston, for making the motion.
Turn to you if you like to open up debate on the motion.
Yes, Mr. Mayor.
Supportive of the reserve removal.
I think my colleagues on city council spoke to the fact that we don't do this very often.
I think Mr. Pushko indicated that we only do it.
We've only done it once before.
But, you know, this is the first step in the process for the city to start the possibility of creating
an affordable housing project.
And I think, you know, to add a little bit to the conversation that many municipalities,
not only in Alberta but across Canada faced with the.
The problem of not having a complete range of housing types for people, particularly on the on the affordability
side.
I just wanted to add that I'm extremely proud of this council.
During many discussions that we had about the seriousness of the situation we find herself in.
And we stepped up to say that we wanted to do something.
And I also want to say how impressed I was with her administration.
And our team that looked at the possibilities of what would be achievable for us to to do something of this nature.
And the land in question was something that we owned and had value to put toward a grant application to the province.
Each one of the grants that the Merden housing foundation or going to receive are critical to understand the viability of the financial
government of of doing this so removing his designation starts the process for us to do that.
At the end of the Merden housing foundation as I talked to Stuart Stuart was indicating that.
All the data that we will receive with all our grant applications, including an application to the Canadian mortgage and housing corporation to look at the financial viability.
We're just steps in the process so this is not necessarily a done deal.
But it's a step in the right direction for us to achieve that.
The Merden housing foundation which I'm a board member of has been committed to pursuing options for affordable housing in the region.
And could say without a commitment of land and financial resource from the city.
This project wouldn't even be anywhere out the doorstep on the first step.
I wanted to share to you to everybody here in the city that the CAO and the Merden housing foundation board are extremely appreciative of the city's vision of stepping up to do something like this because without that we wouldn't be wouldn't be where we are today.
I really appreciate it hearing from everyone here this evening.
I appreciate the impassioned speech that I've heard from residents that want to protect our green spaces and lands.
No question. Something that we don't take lightly.
I also appreciate the need for affordable housing and what it can mean for somebody that's experienced it and what it can mean for our future residents that we are trying to address this situation.
But the, you know, many of the things that were some of the concerns have been addressed in regards to the development.
And I think Mr. Scrapnik assured us through our planning that our land use bylaws will achieve, you know, some of those things in regards to the lot sizes, the parking requirements and those things.
So that to me was addressed and I really appreciated our council and many, every one of our council members spoke the importance of this trail connection.
And it won't be a dirt goat path anymore, it'll be a natural paved trail that will be cleared in the winter and will be accessible to, you know, the amenity that they've all been accustomed to going to.
But with with this decision and in regards to the designation to remove.
I think it's important for us to take the next step, very supportive this.
And I think we will all say that we support to making decision to reflect the best interest of the city as a whole.
And I've always been committed to saying that.
And I think this is something that is going to be a significant benefit for the city.
And I really appreciate the direction that council and administration is taken to move this step in the direction that we're heading. Thank you.
Thank you.
Councillor Houston, I'll open it up for debate and discussion from council this time.
You need to debate.
I've seen any other debate.
I'll just speak in favor. I think it's an opportunity to move forward on affordable housing in our community.
I appreciate that it's a serious matter whenever you look to dissolve any good marimands.
And now all my council colleagues jump in and so I'll stop now and I can close later.
I'll go to Councillor Stephenson.
Sorry, we were feeling bad for you over here so we decided to say.
It's always interesting to me because like I'm really like looking at the whole area and I'm taking into account.
All of the speakers tonight and you know, the care and the passion that you have for our community is it's evident.
And so, you know, when we're making these decisions, you have to take all of these into consideration.
And first I just want to thank all of you all the speakers tonight for being so respectful because affordable housing can be a touchy subject for many and from some of the things we've seen.
It can it can go a little bit side by so I just want to say thank you to all this speakers tonight for being so respectful and sticking to the issues that really do matter when it comes to looking at stuff like parking and and access and safety for your children and stuff and I really do respect that.
When I'm looking at this.
I'm looking to see that obviously you want that green space and you want that ability for your children to have that ability and we do have green space around there.
It might be a little bit underutilized but kids are resilient though they'll find places like I live in a community where we also don't we have I.
I'm near Jubilee Park but we don't have actually green space in in my neighborhood so kids will walk all the way to Jubilee Park but it's safe because there's well that paths it's.
You know, asphalt and all that but kids will walk there they will find the green space they will find those places to play as long as they can get there in a safe matter so.
I think what we can hopefully do is have the win here where we can have a trail connection there to some of that additional green space that is just to the west of the trans alta center and you know that.
The kids can kick the soccer ball and play in those spaces in that green space that's available there but obviously we want to make sure that we're taking the appropriate steps to make sure that they can get there safely.
And to be able to use those spaces so you know with all the considerations and knowing that you know this area is under.
Aboutment further south, there's going to be some significant changes happening in all that. And again, we don't take changing MR to any other designation lately at all. Like this, first from ever, ever dealt with it on the 7 plus years. I've been on council. So I am supportive of this. We are very, very limited in the land that we own. So, and I know we, we've, we've looked in many places to see where we could do something like this.
But I do think we've heard what your concerns are. You know, people that are here representing the Radiant Foundation and the city as all the partners we've heard.
Those concerns and hopefully we can find the win, you know, by making sure that the existing green space is accessible to the children, but that they can get there, obviously safely as well. So at this time, we'll be supporting the change. So thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Again, appreciate all the residents speaking this evening. And I do appreciate that everybody's very passionate about this. I'll ask your counselor, echo counselor to you in some comments that everybody was respectful and we got lots of feedback from the community on this. We got 20 something letters. You know, a few of them were in favor, but certainly the vast majority were opposed and certainly we don't always do what's popular.
I understand that, you know, we have a tough job and sometimes we have to make decisions for the community in its entirety and not just for one particular neighborhood. So I do recognize that.
I also think that, you know, this is maybe unfortunately turned into a conversation it would seem about affordable housing as a whole and just echoing counselor Houston's comments that I think our council has shown a desire to move the needle on affordable housing and actually do something tangible.
I'm not in there yet, but we've had lots of discussions and I think we're closer than we ever have been before about doing something concrete as far as affordable housing is concerned.
I'll also borrow from one of our speaker meals comments that sometimes doing the easiest thing isn't always the thing that we ought to do.
We can do hard things. We can come up with better solutions than this one in my opinion.
I won't be supporting this because I think there are better sites for this particular project. I think we can do affordable housing and spruce growth.
I think we have lots of options. We'll be talking about our housing strategy later on this evening.
I don't think this is the only possible solution to achieve making a tangible difference with respect to affordable housing.
I'm not convinced as to the quantity of the units that they will fit within this neighborhood.
And I'm just not convinced about the merits of this particular project in this particular location, but to be clear, we do need affordable housing and spruce growth.
I just don't think this is the right project in the right place at the right time.
And timing is also important as well because I did get some rather vague assurances, and I get it. We don't have certainty as to when the other road accesses are going to open up.
I think the only road access that really counts is the spruce bridge road one connecting to my cloud. We don't know when that's going to happen. I don't think boundary road or the connection to copper havens going to make a bunch of a difference.
In terms of traffic patterns as it relates to this particular project if it does go ahead.
I'm very concerned about that traffic impact assessment. I don't know what they were looking at because traffic's a nightmare in that neighborhood already.
Very concerned about the crosswalk safety. Again, we don't have certainty. There's going to be a crosswalk built to whether or not it's even going to be lit.
I shutter to think what's going to happen once we have construction traffic in that area as well.
Again, with only one access in and out of that neighborhood.
So I have myriad concerns that haven't really been addressed sufficiently here, but again, I want to reiterate that this isn't about affordable housing and whether or not we need it.
It's just not the right project. It's not the right site and it's not the right timing. So thank you.
Thank you, Councillor. Thank you, Mayor appreciate my colleagues comments appreciate everyone coming out tonight to participate in the public hearing and have your voice served.
It's a it's a battle of conflicting priorities for me for sure.
And I'm going to be supporting this tonight because the priority for me and we haven't gone far enough in our time on council on our community in terms of providing affordable housing.
And we need to get started on that. I can appreciate that it's not perfect.
I think this process has probably made it better with better understanding of the community's concerns in a pathway and understanding of the space that's that's valued.
However, we need to get started on affordable housing. We cannot delay anymore to whatever speakers points.
This has been an ongoing concern that we've heard. I've heard for six, seven years on council now and to delay this any further. I don't think is the right thing to do. So I will be supporting this tonight.
Thank you. Councilor Gillith.
Thank you, Mayor.
So some of you know that I work for nonprofit.
In the city of spruce growth that provides resources for single mothers and young families.
And for many years I have seen the growing need in this community. I see it every day.
As our city grows, rents continue to rise, leaving many families struggling to find housing that they can afford.
This proposed building. I believe is in an ideal location surrounded by existing apartments and dueplexes with nearby transportation routes, amenities and services that will serve these residents well.
I fall confidence and murdered housing. They have experienced operating other buildings in spruce grove and stony and have been successful.
They have a proven track record of managing these properties with minimal negative impact on the neighborhoods.
I think this project which will be in partnership with our administration will be successful as well.
I've attended housing conferences for the last several years.
And I've seen that we're actually late to the party that there are lots of other municipalities that have created partnerships with their housing bodies to provide successful affordable housing units in their community.
I also want to talk a minute about the people who need this housing.
I think it's important to know that these are not people that were unsheltered yesterday that lack life skills are wrapped in addiction or dealing with significant mental health.
We're talking about single parents.
Individuals with disabilities, young families who need financially accessible rent.
They're going to go through a screening process like any other apartment complex. They're going to have a regular income and they're going to meet eligibility income requirements.
I recognize the neighborhoods concerns regarding traffic congestion, parking, intersection, safety, the loss of the green space.
And I would encourage our administration, our planning department, to seriously address these concerns.
And I think we've heard tonight that they've heard that and that they will be looking at that and taking it into consideration.
But as a council, we have considered many solutions that would actually enable us to implement a project to provide affordable housing to our community.
There's a real complexity to this issue that restricts us regarding the municipal government act by laws, financial considerations.
And this is an extremely difficult decision.
I want everyone to have everything that they want need in our community.
But the fact is that we need housing and this plot of land owned by the city is the most suitable for this proposed project.
We've considered other ideas and I believe that this is the right time, the right project in the right space.
We need housing and we need this building now, affordable housing strengthens communities by providing stability for families and individuals who need it the most.
I'm committed to supporting an increase of housing in our community, both in the mount and type.
And this is an important step for our city for our council towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate community.
And I will be supporting this project.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Gillett.
Any final comments before I goes off debate?
All right, I just reiterate that I am supportive of the MR.
I give a little bit of history, I understand.
There's concerns whenever it happens in your neighborhood and what that means to access and amenities.
I can give you a commitment that we will continue working with our administration and the potential meridian partnership to ensure we continue to have access.
Really happy that we will look at through our planners and engineering the woodgrove access points and see if there's any improvements we can make there.
I think it comes into our corporate plan of one of the primary.
Plus sections that we should improve, I think that's good.
For context, the city is over the last, I would say, 18 months has looked at a variety of areas throughout the community.
And it's pros and cons of how do we start into the affordable housing?
What land do we own?
What can we control?
And it's not that this is just a whim that council is looking at the administration of presenting as an opportunity.
It's not a long process that I think needs to be recognized that when we look to move the needle on affordable housing.
There's very, like I said earlier, very limited tools in our toolbox to allow municipalities to actually make a difference.
And one of the assets we have is a limited land in this community.
Maybe something that future councils want to discuss of acquiring additional residential properties as we expand, whether that's purchasing that used in tax dollars.
Perhaps in the go-shane stronger with developers.
But we're going to see further need of housing of amenity space of green spaces in our community as we densify.
And I don't think the MGA contemplates that.
The 10% hasn't changed my entire time.
And that's now too can also state that that 10% has been the same forever in the municipal government act.
And so that's a nice modification.
Brain-celled additional challenges.
People need green space that need access to nature, that need access to trails.
They need to enjoy a great quality of life.
For me, I think Spurs Grove provides that to our residents in space.
That's what is showing the growth of this community, that we provide that quality of life.
Now, it doesn't happen in your immediate area.
In this case, I see a direct line of green space.
I think if we can have the trail connections through this parcel of the MRLAND,
that can get access to the rotary place cape and the green spaces that are west of the TLC,
if we can correct the safety concerns that have been mentioned here from residents of access farther to the north and that trail piece.
I do know we put some investment of the new or shoe pitch west of the TLC and that green space,
and maybe there's additional investments that we can do on that property.
But there is green space available.
And I have heard and I know on council we've had no solidified plans for this MRP1 lot in this area.
There's no plans for any new recreation.
There's no plans for developing a playground.
There's there's there's there's been no plans.
It's a remnant location that I think has never been part of any of our planning.
So it's it's repurposing that to I think higher need.
So I'll be supporting in this case.
We doesn't need the MR to allow us to move forward.
And hopefully I know what the meridian and get some provincial funding to at least alleviate some of our affordable housing needs within this community.
And to close up I'll turn this back to you.
Councillor Houston is the mover to have the final say.
Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor.
And I really appreciate to call me comments from all my colleagues.
I think the.
That you hit the nail on the head when you said that the city is using a strategic approach to bring some of these this project on stream.
And it's an opportunity for us to to step out and do something.
I think I reflect on the young mom that's got three kids in living in that area that is is just praying for this thing to come on sooner than later.
I'm struggling with 80% of our income coming going toward her current rent.
But I think it's a great opportunity for the city super supportive of it.
And I'll close with that and saying that appreciate all the hard work that got us to where we got to today.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Thank you.
Councillor Houston.
So with the bid finished I will call the question on the motion.
This past mode of six to one.
All right.
Now we are moving into the West area structure plan by law amendment for spruce rich affordable housing.
Can I have a motion for second reading.
Councillor.
Thank you, Mayor.
I move that second reading may give in to see that 1363-24 West area structure plan by law amendment spruce rich affordable housing.
Thank you, Councillor Aldham.
Has the mover do you want to open up the bait?
Let me in to add that I haven't said before.
Thank you.
Open it up to debate from council at this time.
This is a many in the West area structure plan.
See you know debate.
I will call the question on the motion.
That has moved the vote of six to one.
I will now ask for a motion for third reading to the same by law.
Councillor Stevenson.
Thank you, Mayor.
I'll move that third reading.
Be given to see dash 1363-24 West area structure plan by law amendment spruce rich affordable housing.
Thank you very much.
You want to open up any debate on third reading?
I'm good.
I will open it up to debate from council for third reading of this by law.
I just want to make a statement on the record and ensure that no agreement moves forward with
Meridian without that trail connection on this.
Make a note of that.
I have nobody on for to debate.
I will call the question on the motion for third.
Thank you.
That has moved six in favour, one opposed.
Next motion is second reading, be given to C-1362-24, that's that I'm used by law amendment, redistricting
a spruce ridge affordable housing. We would like to make that.
Much of the mover will be open up to date.
I would just like to make comment and say I'm really proud of our council and
administration for working on this. It's one of the things I am most proud to be part of
is contemplating this project.
Thank you.
Contemplating this project. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Albin. I'd like to further debate for second reading.
See no indication for debate of second reading.
I will call the question on the motion.
Motion has been carried, six in favour, one opposed.
Now for a motion for third reading.
I'm not going to have someone make that motion.
Yeah, so I'll show it. Go ahead.
I move that third reading, be given to C-1362-24, land use by law amendment, redistricting.
Spruce ridge affordable housing.
Thank you very much, Councillor.
Would you like to speak again?
Not again.
Thank you.
I'm seeing none.
I will say this is the last motion on this.
Just to all the residents have reached out to council that
I came out to the public hearing that have provided letters into our package.
We appreciate the input from those affected by this change.
And we don't take it lightly.
It does cause as angst in it.
It's a difficult decision when we make changes.
But it's not that we're fluently making changes.
The land use are to eliminate green spaces.
We know the value of that in our community.
We know the impact it has on families.
And I just want to make it clear that it's stuff.
It's really tough when we have families coming out and telling us the impact it has on them.
It's weighing those competing interests on a piece of land.
And where we feel is the right decision.
For me, affordable housing is a crisis right now in our community.
And some of those stories are heartbreaking.
When I look at the green space available, the recreation space.
I'm confident that it's equal or better.
And then some other neighborhoods in our community.
And I know we have a high standard on access of trail connectivity of green spaces.
And I'm confident that the future build-outs of additional green spaces.
Including that school site connections.
It's going to improve the livability in the quality life of that neighborhood.
And for those reasons.
I am Wayne and supportive of moving forward and looking for affordable housing in this area.
I think it's the right space.
I think it's close to recreation and the great quality of life.
Others are enjoying in spruce ridge.
And it's less than or equal to the density on that same road.
And I think that the road network, the green space, the access is all able to accommodate this.
So I have no concerns with planning, providing the recommendation during the public hearing.
But I just want to reiterate these are tough decisions.
And we know the impact you and I just want to acknowledge that.
That is the case.
And with that, I will close the debate.
And I will call the question on the motion for third reading.
And that motion has been carried six in favor of one a post.
And with that, I will call it 10-minute recess.
If anyone needs to use the washroom and we will come back here for public input.
Thank you.
A comprehensive what we heard report summarizing engagement findings. Following a series of focused policy discussions, a draft housing strategy developed was developed with a focus on the current state of housing in the city.
The municipal levers available to impact housing decisions and specific actions we can take as a city to respond to our communities housing needs.
The focus of the goals and actions within our housing strategy are primarily on market rental and home ownership, affordable and subsidized housing, as well as assisted housing for seniors.
While the city is committed to understanding housing needs along the full housing continuum, we know that no one model will meet the diverse needs of individuals who choose to cause for growth home, and that our approach will need to involve over time as a community continues to grow.
At this time while our draft housing strategy will not address shelters and short term support of housing, we will continue to support residents who are unsheltered through the continued provision of our social programming, including our community, the outreach program.
And of course as we embarked on the journey of building the city's housing strategy, it was important for us to understand the various players working together within the housing system and how we as a city can impact change.
The housing system is a shared space and partnerships are paramount to successfully navigating the system to meet the needs of our community.
In addition to partnerships with our provincial and federal government partners, community organizations housing service providers and builders and developers all play a critical role in responding to the changing housing needs of our community.
Also stakeholder roles may vary depending on a municipality size and their specific approach to housing.
Generally speaking to affect change in the housing system, the city has a series of levers it can use from regulations and investment to education partnerships and advocacy.
These five levers were considered as we developed the housing strategy, focusing on actions where the city can impact change giving the role of municipalities in the broader system.
I will briefly outline how the city can consider these levers when determining housing latest strategies and actions.
Of course, a primary lever for the city to impact housing development is our land use by law, which can enable clear efficient and effective processes to assist the developers, builders and homeowners in navigating the housing market.
There are also various ways of municipality can invest in housing.
This can include acquiring land for housing projects or investing in internal resourcing dedicated to housing.
Partnerships, of course, are essential lever for municipalities and can facilitate collaborative funding opportunities, support project-based housing developments and advocate for community needs.
By collaborating with specific partners and other municipalities facing similar challenges, we can advocate effectively to higher levels of government on our housing needs.
And, of course, given the complexities of the housing system, we can also develop communication tools to inform residents about housing options along the continuum, as well as the planning process is necessary to develop a community that meets both current and future resident needs.
Now, you've seen this housing continuum previously. It is a common standard that's used across municipalities to understand the various housing options available in the municipality.
And we have used that the housing continuum to really be that anchor, and we've themed out the housing strategies along that continuum focused on the themes of market housing, affordable housing and assisted housing.
Before we provide you an overview of the proposed housing strategy actions, I will summarize of the key findings from our what we heard report that informed the development of our strategy.
As you of course, our well aware spruce grove is originally either in housing starts which reflects our growing and increasingly diverse population.
And while the city has strong support for diverse housing types, cost of living pressures limit options for many buyers.
We've seen that the proportion of single detached homes is declining due to affordability challenges while town homes and dueplexes are becoming more common as a cost effective alternative.
And let me look at although based on the 2021 census data, market rental rates were affordable for how households with median income, they remain out of reach for many low income residents and families.
Overall although well, we're looking at the stock of in the city of spruce grove, it is in relatively good condition with affordability again being the primary driver of housing needs rather than issues of suitability or adequacy.
And of course, additionally, when we look at a thoughtful neighborhood design, it also plays a vital role in fostering community connections and meeting the residents.
With that, I will now pass it on to mix mist rock to provide councilwoman overview of the proposed housing strategy goals and actions.
Thank you, Mr. Laurier. As mentioned previously, the housing strategy is divided into three themes market assisted and affordable housing.
The first theme of market housing refers to housing that is rented or sold at current market rates.
Although the municipality has a limited role in this market, it can ensure that housing builds complies with the land use bylaw and other guidelines for development in the city.
The land use bylaw identifies the type of housing permitted in different areas of the city alongside other elements of the built environment, such as parks trails and commercial spaces.
When considering market housing, it is also important to address the densification of housing, while prioritizing the needs of residents which remain central to the planning process.
The first goal within the market theme is to develop and revitalize neighborhoods to incorporate a diverse range of housing types that promote vibrant communities and enhance residents well being.
The actions within the theme are focused on the regulatory environment municipal lever and address updates to the land use bylaw that impact housing, as well as aligning future planning to the recently approved municipal development plan.
Regularly updating housing needs assessment will also give us current information that will inform future strategic direction.
The second goal is to research and explore innovative housing approaches for council's consideration and potential implementation in the city of Spruce Grove.
This goal focuses on researching how different approaches to housing could address the challenges and opportunities we see in today's housing system.
Secondary, sweet, and grads or garden sweets are key considerations when looking to increase the number of rentals in the secondary rental market and allow for mortgage helper options for those whose goal is home ownership.
The third and final goal in the market theme is to advocate for funding strength and partnerships and engage partners to drive meaningful change and expand opportunities within the housing system.
This goal uses a variety of municipal levers to affect change within the housing system, notably advocacy for a mid-sized city stream for features the MHC funding programs.
This goal also proposes to continue working with and building relationships with local developers and builders to create a common understanding of the challenges and opportunities in market housing.
The second theme in the draft housing strategy is assisted housing, which is vital for creating equitable vibrant and sustainable communities within municipalities.
Although there are a variety of assisted living options in Spruce Grove, there is a need for options that are affordable and not restricted by age.
Construction has started on radiant housing foundations through Spruce Grove supportive living lodge, which will address some of the need for affordable assisted housing options for seniors.
It is important to consider how long-term planning and changing demographics indicate more investment in senior assisted housing will be needed in Spruce Grove as our population increases in ages.
We also learn through engagement with the community that the ability to age in place in Spruce Grove is a supported approach by both residents and the community organizations that support them.
The first goal in the assisted housing theme is to leverage city resources and processes to assist residents navigate the housing system and to collaborate with partners in advancing the development of assisted housing within the community.
The actions in the school focus on collaborating with partners investing in resourcing to support residents navigating the housing system and communicating assisted housing options to residents.
The second goal is to advocate for policies and funding opportunities that support the development of assisted housing solutions.
The actions in the school focus on the advocacy lever as a municipality looks to advocate for funding and raise awareness of the need for assisted housing in the city.
The final theme in the draft housing strategy focuses on affordable housing, which is crucial for the wellbeing and sustainability of a community and provides a range of appropriate housing choices.
It is important to note that affordability can be considered through two lenses.
The first lens which is what will be used for this theme of the housing strategy is housing that is specifically subsidized or regulated to ensure that it remains affordable for low to moderate income households.
The second lens is market affordable, which is housing that is still attainable by medium income earning households.
Spruce Grove has limited affordable housing units available for residents that make less than a median income.
What's important to note here is that the contracts for the 140 affordable housing units that we do have in the city and at various points in the next five years.
Spruce Grove also has one low income seniors living option that is designated as rent geared to income at Spruce Haven Manor, where rent is capped at $960 a month for one bedroom unit.
Although not technically an affordable housing option by definition, it does provide seniors with an independent living option that is affordable.
The first goal in the affordable housing theme is to leverage city resources and processes to assist residents navigate the housing system and to collaborate with partners in advancing the development of affordable housing within the community.
The actions within the school focus on the city's partnerships and how we can support the development of affordable housing in Spruce Grove.
The second goal is to advocate for policies and funding opportunities that support the development of affordable housing solutions.
The city can play a strong advocacy role in this space and the actions within this school focus on how we can advocate higher levels of government and work with other municipalities on common advocacy interests.
The third and final goal in this theme is to challenge the stigma surrounding affordable housing and promote a positive understanding of its benefits, including the impact of mixed income housing.
The actions in this goal focus on education and communication mean us believer and the work we can do towards challenging the stigma often associated with affordable housing.
As the housing strategy is designed to be a living document, it is essential to plan for future updates and progress reporting.
Once approved, it will be reviewed on an annual basis and council will be engaged to provide their insights on emerging challenges and opportunities.
And finally, updates on the implementation will be included in existing reporting processes.
The next steps are to incorporate council feedback from tonight into the draft strategy and we will then finalize content.
The final strategy will be presented to council for approval in the first quarter of 2025.
At this time, I invite council to provide any feedback or questions they may have on the draft housing strategy.
Thank you.
Excellent. Thank you very much and thank you very much for presenting this.
I think it's an incredible document and great work and I appreciate all the interactions we've done with our community to reach out to find out what the focus it needs to be when we look at our housing strategy.
And really appreciate how you rolled that all up into some goals and some action items that we can actually sink your teeth into.
At this time, open it up to council.
If there's any questions on the draft report or the draft strategy or any comments for our presenters.
Councillor Gillett, go ahead.
Thank you, Mayor.
I'm through you to Maggie and Emily. Thank you so much for your presentation.
I actually want to make comment to that.
I've read a lot of other minutes.
And I'm really impressed with all the number of different levers that you identified as a council that we could actually use.
I mean, we don't have that ability to be hands on in terms of providing housing in the community.
So we have to look to these other type of levers, you know, that are either working in partnerships or advocacy, those types of things.
So I really wanted to commend you on all the different available levers that you got for us.
I did have a question about for under the market housing when we talk about prioritizing garden sweets and secondary unit.
What does that mean prioritizing? Does that mean that we're looking to fast track these permits? Are we looking to have less restrictive criteria?
I'm not saying I'm suggesting that, but I'm just asking for clarification of what does that mean?
Through you Mr. Mayor to council, Jillette, and I'm sure our planning colleagues will correct me if I'm speaking out of turn.
But my understanding with prioritizing is that the permits for units that have a secondary garden sweets would take priority over those that don't.
Okay.
Did I get that?
Through the chair.
That is correct. Thank you.
Okay.
Also, too, was in number F under there, continuing to invest in city programs.
So would we be looking at something like say a developer had a plan for a duplex or house that was successful in that neighborhood use previously?
Could it be like a cookie cutter plan that was pre-approved to reduce permit time and reduce red tape?
Is there, do we have anything like that that we do or is that something we could consider any thoughts on that?
Through the chair to council, Jillette, I'm afraid you don't want to ask my thoughts when it comes to planning because we will be here all night.
In that aspect, I have to say in some cases I would suppose that you're right and you're on the right track.
In this letter F, what we always want to be doing is making sure one of which that we are measuring the right metrics and that we're reporting appropriately in how fast we're pushing some of these permits out.
I think ways that we can find to be more efficient in that approval process.
In past I've used things like pre-approval designs and things like that and I'm not saying that's going to happen here, but we want to open our minds to what that looks like in that your example would be just one of those.
Thank you.
And my last question is how we considered financial incentives to developers to promote construction of low cost housing.
Like giving them, you know, some kind of, yeah, incentive like a tax incentive or grant or some kind of thing in that way to promote construction of housing in our community.
So through you, Mr. Mayor, to council, Jillette, we have considered financial incentives in the context of exploring them for the purposes of affordable housing developments.
For the purpose of the strategy, we have an identified financial incentives in the context of market housing.
Give it, we have limited ability to influence that market, but it is something we do want to explore what it comes to affordable housing developments.
Okay, thank you.
I feel like you have Councillor Stevens next.
Great, thank you and thank you for this draft report.
It's really quite thorough and I appreciate, like we always do here in Spurs Grove.
We really, we don't write technical reports where you need a master's degree in planning or whatever to be able to understand that.
And I think that's really important because it has to be accessible to the public.
So I really do appreciate the way we write our strategies here.
Forgive me if I missed it, but I think maybe one aspect that's missing here and we sort of heard it over the last few weeks when it's come when it has come to some of the developments we've done.
So the work and now in Spurs Ridge is addressing the benefits of why we have a housing strategy.
I think there's many benefits that we hear that you know one of our speakers tonight said that she like the her family still got to participate in the community that she grew up in and that she didn't have to leave the community in order to survive essentially.
That's a benefit is to why we're developing a strategy and why as a community we want people to have affordable housing or to have.
Below market housing or you know just the different continuions I think putting those benefits in there really explains why this strategy is meaningful like give them the reason why.
And I think too I don't know if it should be part of the strategy but addressing maybe some of the common misconceptions that people have when it comes to different types of housing namely people the one of the first arguments we often hear is that it's going to lower my property values if it's nothing but a single family dwelling.
And we just we know based on again tonight that that's just not true and it's the same with crime people hear you know different types of housing being built in the neighborhood and the crimes gonna go we also know that's not true so I'm wondering if there is a way for us to address like what a housing strategy.
It's not going to do it's not going to raise crime in your community it's not going to lower your property value I think it's really important for us to be able to put those facts and key pieces of information in there so someone is reading that.
They have a real understanding that you know a continuum of housing is actually a great benefit to this community and not.
We're not putting the negative out front which you know people maybe rightly or only that's where their minds go to but I think we can give them that assurance through the strategy that we have through the thought through that and we have those points in there.
So that we can we can point people to the strategy so they have an understanding that that's not going to happen and it's actually a net benefit to this community to have a variety of housing so just my thoughts on that.
Thank you for the questions.
Through you, Mr. Mayor, to Councillor Stevenson we can certainly incorporate I think what I'm hearing you say is almost like a value proposition for residents.
Into our kind of strategic context at the front end so certainly can can do that and as mistrack indicated the strategies really meant to be a living document and we're envisioning.
Reporting on it and updating it on the regular basis and demonstrating that progress with respect to the misconceptions and communications.
We have a number of goals and actions incorporated into the strategy and a lot of those are some of those short term actions where we really see that's something that's a long long hanging fruit from an education communications perspective that we can start communicating some of those benefits and do some of that myth busting.
You know as early as as next year as we roll out the strategy so we can certainly do that.
Fantastic thank you any other input comments suggestions questions.
I will turn to Councillor McDonald.
Thank you to our presenters just echo Councillor Stevenson's comments it's a really readable document so I do appreciate that it's accessible to the community.
I'm curious when I look at theme three affordable housing and we talk about action see there in the short term advocating the provincial government for increases to the rental assistance benefit.
Do we know if there have ever been any municipal rental assistance benefit programs in the province of Alberta to do encounter anything like that near research it's okay if you have no idea.
Through you must marry to Councillor McDonald personally I am not aware of any specific municipal rental assistance programs unless others are aware.
Through you must marry I believe the two big cities do.
We could do some research on on others and I think that could be a takeaway for us as we navigate through the elements of the plan but I'm pretty confident that cities of evidence and in Calgary.
Do but of course you know kind of a different magnitude of financial means in those jurisdictions.
Of course thank you yeah and then just continuing on with the affordable housing theme as well I think the action that I'm most excited about is the housing coordinator coming on stream I think in 26 and just acting as a.
As the as the the peace Indian indicates navigating the housing system just helping people who are falling through the gaps.
Notwithstanding we have committed to bringing some more affordable housing on stream we know that demand outstrip supply so individuals just trud plugging them into the right places in the community and then.
I'm really looking forward to that coming on and just making it easier for people who are considering spruce groves is their home or who want to stay in spruce grove.
Who can't afford to do so or who are faced with difficult decisions so thank you for the presentation and this information.
Thank you.
Great feedback thank you any other comments feedback questions.
Nobody else.
Nobody else on the queue.
Then we need to do the fantastic job and we aren't pulling it apart so that's great.
Yeah with nobody else on the queue I just want to thank you very much I think this is an incredible document I can't wait to have this.
Welcome you one we can start having those conversations with our community and do it's a myth busting and some opportunity and showing the value added of actually having a strategy and I really appreciate that we're updating this on an annual basis.
Is there any synergy between this housing strategy and our census update be nice to know our people.
Provincially migrating to our community with does that have impact on housing choices or housing styles.
Thank you for the question Mr Mayor our our plan is to continue to update that for example our housing needs assessment as new census information becomes available because we know this is not us one and done strategy and this is not a static situation.
So the next federal census I believe is in 25 or 26 26 26.
Thank you.
Yeah and so that that is our plan is to continue to monitor that and update our data and look at some of our benchmarks around that data in terms of evaluating progress on this actions we took and identifying future actions as well.
That's fantastic and as you know different cultures one multi generational housing and where do we stack up on that or we made those needs and gaps.
I did see interesting article today and the news is talking about the developer charges and Toronto and it's approaching 170 thousand dollars per single family house.
Is that anything that we're monitoring as well is that kind of marketability and affordability of the community.
It seems to become a bigger and bigger issue when you're talking nationally of provincial federal governments coming down on municipalities what is the cost for development do we know where we sit.
Yeah thank you Mr Mayor I can say we're still in the bottom third within the region and probably in the bottom 10% in the province.
We will be doing an off site levy review next year.
There will be some obviously some increases contemplated just with cost escalation of certain infrastructures and of course the.
The the true up on boundary road as a developer levy.
Project but I would say even with a potential rate review will probably still find ourselves in that bottom third.
Well that's not as I know we are affordable and we don't have a lot of red tape we try to eliminate that as much possible would be good as council just as we're starting to see these numbers being shared across the country.
What is our per house cost.
What is the cost I'm going to build out is just so we have some context that we do some bit pusting and everybody get accused of having too much cost because I know we are.
Really affordable it's a great location to develop and it's shown by our numbers of new housing so.
All right. Oh, one last kick at the cat on this one and the other feedback or comments to our two presenters.
I'm seeing no further comments so look forward to seeing you in the new year. Thank you so much for being here and great work on this fantastic. Thank you.
Thank you.
So that next we have council reports of this open it up and we have some written updates.
We have some mentioned minutes in our package but are there any verbal updates to give it this time.
I will give you a quick just update EMRV we had some notification from municipal fairs that it's how moving to voluntary with a removal of funding so on the 12th of this week we will be getting together to talk about some options of what the region.
Is planning to do and as soon as we got some consensus I am confident that there'll be some facility discussions with all of our municipal councils of a direction of value added what it means to be in a regional kind of entity whatever that might look like so I'll keep you all posted but I would expect in the new year we'll have a role to play on how we shape this region moving forward.
Nothing else information items there in our package any notices emotion this evening.
I'm seeing none we have no closed sessions on our business rising so we are looking for one final motion.
I have council to go ahead.
Thank you Mayor I move the regular council meeting adjourn at 928 PM.
Thank you very much I'll call the question on the motion.
And that has carried unanimously the meeting is ended I just want to wish everybody including our administration or council.
All our residents of every happy holidays Merry Christmas happy quans happy on it wherever you celebrate.
Please be safe out there enjoy some time with your family recharge and whatever you do don't drink and drive.
And right now for Madden just want to reiterate that I'll be safe out there of a Merry Christmas and thank you to our incredible staff and administration.
For a fantastic year this is our last meeting of the year and I think on behalf of all of our council we just want to thank our administration for being that professional.
Special source of information, especially in the planning and engineering like we saw tonight, but in all your roles, it's so important and we just want to express our complete appreciation for the incredible work you've done this year. It's been a pleasure working with all of you. So let's get them a round of applause.
With that, have a happy holidays, Merry Christmas.