11.4 Schools

Principle

Enable all children and youth to have convenient and safe access to primary and secondary schools.

Schools are a core component of complete communities and serve many functions, including a place for learning, gathering, and playing. The following policies ensure that the design and location of school lands meet the needs of residents and school boards while encouraging active transportation and public transit use.

Policies

11.4.1.

Work with local school boards whose jurisdictions include St. Albert, pursuant to the School Site Allocation Agreement (as amended), when undertaking Area Structure Plan preparation and review, to ensure school sites are located in accessible and appropriate locations.
 

11.4.2.

Facilitate the provision of adequate school sites, for new and amended Area Structure Plans, based on projected student population.
 

11.4.3.

Identify new school sites within new and existing municipal reserve throughout the city, based on need identified by the City or school boards or both. School reserve may be required as determined by the Subdivision Authority.
 

11.4.4.

Evaluate school sites and transfer of Municipal Reserve to school boards in accordance with the Municipal Government Act, and the School Site Allocation Agreement (as amended), having regard for the following:

1. A school needs assessment report that defines demographic and student enrollment trends and school facilities’ needs;
2. The location and amount of reserve requested;
3. The schools’ anticipated student population;
4. Submission of building plans that demonstrate an efficient use of reserve land by building multi-storey schools, unless a single-storey school is more suitable, subject to provincial government specifications;
5. Any reserve parcels deemed surplus to educational needs must be transferred back to the City for municipal purposes; and
6. Provide the City first right of refusal for any School Reserve parcels deemed surplus to educational needs.
    

11.4.5.

Encourage new school sites to be planned, serviced, and developed in an orderly and appropriate manner. Where any school site is to be provided, school sites will be subdivided and serviced with utilities to the property line prior to subdivision of 30% of the gross residential land in Area Structure Plan areas.
 

11.4.6.

Promote school-site planning that facilitates pedestrian and cyclist access and safety. School sites located within 250 metres of medium and high-density residential developments are preferred.
 

11.4.7.

Support the location of school sites along corridors with existing or planned transit routes.
 

11.4.8.

Facilitate public access to school grounds after school hours in accordance with the established reciprocal-use agreements.
 

11.4.9.

Design parkland that abuts school sites to have complementary programming and shared facilities, as deemed necessary by the City.
 

11.4.10.

Require the development of school sites and parks to be consistent with City objectives and standards regarding recreation and parks services.
 

11.4.11.

Collaborate and maintain partnerships with school boards to enhance reciprocal-use agreements for efficient shared use of school and City facilities.

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Related Pages

Schools ›

Safe Journeys to School ›