Supporting continued vitality

St Albert’s low-rise, tree-lined Neighbourhoods are a defining feature of the city. Increasingly, the properties in these areas are being redeveloped and replaced with new detached houses, semi-detached houses, townhouses, and compatible low-rise apartment buildings. Growth and change in Neighbourhoods should support their continued vitality, mitigate population loss, and utilize existing infrastructure more efficiently. The following policies ensure development in St. Albert’s Neighbourhoods sensitively accommodates more diverse forms of housing and a wider mix of uses in appropriate locations, while respecting the Neighbourhood’s scale and character.

The following policies also guide the planning and development of new Neighbourhoods that are subject to Area Structure Plans. These Neighbourhoods will also consist of predominantly low-rise forms of housing, along with parks, schools, and other community facilities, while accommodating a greater diversity of housing types and uses. Parks, which often serve as important gathering places, will be highly visible and accessible, with frontages on public streets. Streetscapes will reinforce St. Albert’s green character with street trees and landscaped front yards. In addition, street networks will encourage active transportation, while facilitating convenient access by public transit, private vehicles, and emergency vehicles.

Policies

14.6.1.

Encourage a range of low- and medium density housing forms in all Neighbourhoods throughout the city.
 

14.6.2.

Regulate Neighbourhood redevelopment, through the Land Use Bylaw, to achieve the following:

1. Appropriate transitions in height, scale, and design with other buildings in the immediate surroundings;
2. General compatibility in front, side, and rear yard setbacks within the block and along the street;
3. A consistent streetscape;
4. Compatibility with surrounding land uses; and
5. Appropriate soft landscaping and preservation of existing vegetation.
    

14.6.3.

Encourage neighbourhood revitalization through sensitive redevelopment that adds new housing options, attracts new residents, and brings in neighbourhood-oriented services and commercial uses.
 

14.6.4.

Encourage low-rise apartment buildings on lots fronting a crosstown or connector street, provided such buildings are oriented to and have their main entrance on the street.
 

14.6.5.

Encourage mixed-use development that consists of residential units and neighbourhood oriented commercial uses at grade on corner lots, providing appropriate transition to, and minimizing impacts on, neighbouring properties through landscape buffers, the stepping of building heights, or both.
 

14.6.6.

Develop and maintain Neighbourhood Infill Design Guidelines to maintain the attractive characteristics of existing Neighbourhoods.

14.6.7.

Encourage the redevelopment of commercial sites within Neighbourhoods to accommodate mixed-use development that:

1. Maintains neighbourhood oriented commercial uses;
2. Contributes to a pedestrian-friendly public realm;
3. Includes appropriate transitions and screening from neighbouring uses; and
4. Incorporates complementary built form with the surrounding neighbourhood.
    

14.6.8.

Ensure new Neighbourhoods are designed and developed to be complete, inclusive, walkable, and well serviced by:

1. Maintaining a contiguous and efficient land use pattern;
2. Maintaining tree stands, watercourses, wetlands, ravines, and other natural features to the greatest extent possible;
3. Requiring a housing mix that achieves a minimum overall density of 40 dwelling units per net residential hectare;
4. Identifying opportunities to integrate small-scale, neighbourhood-oriented commercial uses;
5. Designing street networks with high interconnectivity and direct connections to existing streets, thereby maximizing access and egress opportunities and network permeability for all modes of transportation and emergency vehicles;
6. Requiring satisfactory vehicle access to multi-unit residential and commercial development;
7. Promoting access between public and private streets;
8. Planting street trees on both sides of the street and regulating lot and driveway widths to maximize landscaping opportunities;
9. Requiring driveway locations to comply with applicable City standards;
10. Providing opportunities to maximize front yard landscaping, street trees, and onstreet visitor parking by using laneways to service medium-density housing;
11. Locating schools centrally and alongside community parks;
12. Providing enough parks and other public open spaces to adequately service the Neighbourhood, in accordance with applicable City standards; and
13. Providing connections to city-wide trail systems via open spaces, dedicated cycling routes, and new trails.
     

14.6.9.

Require each phase of residential development in new Neighbourhoods to include a mix of low- and medium-density housing forms, in accordance with the housing diversity objectives and minimum unit requirements of the applicable Area Structure Plan.
 

14.6.10.

Require phasing plans for new Neighbourhoods to include multi-unit buildings in early phases, within 400 metres of an existing or planned transit stop.

14.6.11.

Notwithstanding policies 14.6.1 and 14.6.4, enable high density development with a maximum density of 200 dwelling units per net residential hectare at 200 Giroux Road (Lot 1, Block 1, Plan 142 3673; including any future revisions to this legal land description based on a subdivision or condominium plan) within the neighbourhood of Ville Giroux.

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Related Pages

Neighbourhoods ›

Land Use Bylaw ›

Infill Guidelines ›