13.1 Outward Growth
Principle
Manage and coordinate growth in a logical manner that efficiently utilizes land, infrastructure, and fiscal resources.
Photo: Craig Holland
St. Albert will focus most of its outward residential growth within existing or amended Area Structure Plans. This will be accompanied by employment growth west of Ray Gibbon Drive, primarily in the planned Lakeview Business District. Landowners may propose incremental residential and non-residential growth at the northern edges of the city, beyond approved Area Structure Plans. These proposals will be considered by the City on a case-by-case basis in light of the following policies.
Why annex land? How will annexed lands be used?
The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Canada. As part of this region, the City of St. Albert has experienced steady growth over the years. Annexation provides land for the City’s long-term residential and non-residential growth needs.
Annexation enables sustainable, long-term community planning as well as planning certainty for residents, municipalities, developers, and landowners in a manner consistent with the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan.
One of the key goals of Flourish is to achieve an overall assessment split of 70% residential assessment and 30% non-residential assessment. The addition of the 2022 North Annexation Area will help St. Albert to reach this target by ensuring the City has an adequate supply of land to accommodate additional non-residential development, to support and promote economic development and to increase the non-residential tax base. This annexation provided an approximate 50-year land supply, which is longer than the timeframe of Flourish. As not all of the annexation area will develop over the course of Flourish, this will allow agricultural activities to be the predominate land use within the annexation area in the interim.
Why grow west?
The Lakeview Business District is a prime location for employment growth, which the City needs to enhance its economy and non-residential tax base. Municipal services to the district will be optimized by also planning residential development on the west side of Ray Gibbon Drive.
- Significant provincial and municipal investments are planned for Ray Gibbon Drive, and in time it will be improved to function as a four-lane road. Planning growth on both sides of the road will help to optimize these investments while relieving pressure on St. Albert Trail.
- The City has identified a community amenities site near the intersection of Ray Gibbon Drive and Villeneuve Road. An adjacent residential community will optimize this investment.
- There will be an opportunity to enhance the Carrot Creek corridor as a citywide recreational amenity, through the planning and development of adjacent parkland and trails, linked to Red Willow Park.
Policies
13.1.1.
Require the preparation of an Area Structure Plan, prior to redistricting, subdividing, or developing land identified as Urban Reserve in the Land Use Bylaw, in accordance with the City’s Area Structure Plan Terms of Reference.
13.1.2.
Ensure amended and new Area Structure Plans for outward growth conform to Flourish.
13.1.3.
Require a housing mix that achieves a minimum overall density of 40 dwelling units per net residential hectare for new Neighbourhoods.
13.1.4.
Encourage a minimum density in the range of 50-60 units per net residential hectare in Mixed-use Nodes.
13.1.5.
Encourage development in the Mixed-use Node adjacent to the North Transit Oriented Development Centre to support a minimum aspirational density of 140 people and jobs per gross hectare in the long term.
13.1.6.
Strive to achieve an assessment split of 70% residential assessment and 30% non-residential assessment, to promote sustainability and reduce reliance on residential taxes.
13.1.7.
Support and facilitate the provision of transportation and utility infrastructure required for the development of employment, institutional, and residential uses west of Ray Gibbon Drive, in coordination with the planned phases of development.
13.1.8.
Explore incentives and cost-sharing arrangements that encourage the front-ending of necessary infrastructure for planned development in the west side of the city.
13.1.9.
Manage growth through the approval of amended Area Structure Plans and subdivision plans to achieve the City’s annual minimum aspirational intensification target of 20%.
13.1.10.
Require new growth and development to be contiguous to existing development to prevent the premature subdivision or fragmentation of agricultural land.
13.1.11.
Prioritize municipal funding for the planning, design, and construction of major infrastructure that is necessary to support growth in the west end of the city, while not limiting investments in strategic locations, as approved by Council.
13.1.12.
Require appropriate land uses in proximity to sour gas wells, as determined by provincial legislation, regulations, and guidelines, to be applied through the planning and development process.
13.1.13.
Strive to achieve an assessment split of 60% residential assessment and 40% non-residential assessment within the 2022 North Annexation Area, to promote sustainability and reduce reliance on residential taxes.
13.1.14.
Prioritize the general sequence of urban growth and development within the 2022 North Annexation Area to follow Map 4.
13.1.15.
Allow agricultural activities, as outlined within Section 6.3, within the 2022 North Annexation Area, until future urban growth and development occurs.
13.1.16.
Notwithstanding policies 13.1.2, 13.1.3, and 13.1.9, enable high density development to 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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IntensificationRelated Pages
Last edited: November 30, 2023
