Edmonton city council approves rezoning proposal for 31-storey tower on Jasper Avenue

Despite resident concerns about construction, safety and parking, Edmonton city council approved a rezoning proposal Tuesday for a new high-rise building west of downtown on a surface lot directly beside another high-rise tower.

Council voted 8-4 on the bylaw's third reading to pass the rezoning, which will pave the way for the new tower at 12021 Jasper Avenue. Councillors Tim Cartmell, Sarah Hamilton, Aaron Paquette and Jennifer Rice were opposed.

The bylaw will also allow for the continued use of the building already on site, the Jasper House apartment building. 

Right now, the lot is designated as Direct Development Control Provision (DC1) and the proposed zone is a Direct Control Zone (DC). The biggest difference between the two is that towers on a DC1 site cannot exceed 15 storeys. The proposed tower would have a maximum height of 31 storeys. 

Vehicle access would continue from 100th Avenue and an underground parkade would service both the new and existing tower. 

City administration recommended Tuesday that councillors approve the rezoning, but Wîhkwêntôwin residents who either wrote to council or spoke during the public hearing were overwhelmingly against the current proposal. 

A report from city staff notes the proposal will replace "a surface parking lot with a tall high-rise building at a location along Jasper Avenue that is well suited for an increase in density where access to transit and other daily services are readily available."

Many residents were concerned about about where the construction staging area will go. The site located by a narrow one-way street that includes a bike lane, and the street borders the popular Victoria Promenade.

"The promenade was never designed or do citizens expect to see large transport vehicles use it as a thoroughfare," wrote John Holmes. 

"Residents and the many visitors to the promenade do not expect to experience the noise and disruption of these vehicles."

Jennifer Dechaine, a resident in the area, is also concerned about the promenade.

"The area in question for this construction of the high rise has met the density requirements of the city. The promenade road on 100 Avenue is in disrepair and this redevelopment proposes the access of the building construction by the west piece of the promenade," she said during the meeting.  

"This puts massive loads and trucks, concrete pumps and concrete trucks daily for an extended period of time through a heritage piece of our city."

Several residents were also concerned about parking in the area, given the new tower would have 224 residential units and 232 parking spaces, shared between the new tower and the existing 115 units at Jasper House. 

"The residents of and visitors to properties adjacent to the promenade (100 Ave.) have struggled with the lack of parking/access," Paul K. Lachambre wrote to council.

"To add another 224 residential units plus commercial units as per the proposal is unacceptable."

Coun. Michael Janz said he appreciated the debate during the meeting, but that he would want to live in the proposed tower and it creates a lot more opportunity for people to live in an ideal neighbourhood in the city's core.  

"Could this allow more people to live a car-less or car-lite or car-free lifestyle downtown and not have that traffic and enjoy the incredible amenities?"

"We need to grow and evolve and change and allow more opportunities like this."

Coun. Erin Rutherford, who represents Ward Anirniq in northwest Edmonton, supported the proposal. 

"[Residents in my ward] keep pointing to downtown and saying: 'Why aren't you putting the density down there? That's where it's most appropriate.' And I say to them, it's not either/or, it's both/and," she said. 

"So to me, I can't say it's both/and and not look at something like this development in front of us today that changes a surface parking lot … and turns it into over 300 homes … where families could reside is not a better use of land than a surface parking lot."