Edmonton city council approved a contentious two-tower rezoning proposal in Strathcona at Monday's public hearing, despite residents reiterating concerns from a meeting about the development last month.
The 15 and 18-storey towers were proposed for 89th Avenue at 99th Street by Bateman Properties and ONE Properties. Currently, the area is zoned for medium-highrises, with most buildings no taller than six storeys.
Traffic, walkability, safety impacts, shadow effects, comparative building height, and whether this will set a precedent for future developments are the main issues that have risen throughout the consultation process that started in November 2016.
Ward 8 Councillor Ben Henderson said he sounds like a broken record when he voiced concern that approval of these towers will lead to other developments like it. He called it a "glorious opportunity" to get it right.
"We get so attracted by these highrise buildings that we don't recognize that there's another way to create density in this city," Henderson said. "And it raises the question of, 'Where would we not build a highrise?'"
Henderson said there's a "larger piece to this puzzle" that can't be about densification at all costs — it has to be about densification done properly, he said.
Henderson said he is concerned with the bigger picture: how the area will be livable.
"I really worry if we vote for this, we will seriously undermine what I think was developing really well along that way," he said.
Ward 4 Councillor Aaron Paquette said he hopes to make the plan work for everyone involved.
"We want the developer to be happy because they want to put an investment in the city — that's great," Paquette said.
"But we also want the community to be happy and really, that's what we are as a city — we're just a bunch of communities, and so that's who we're looking out for more than anything else."
Change and compromise
Jan Olson, a member of the Strathcona community league, said people in the area know their neighbours.
"When we speak of our community, we're not speaking of how my individual house is going to be affected," she said. "We're speaking of ourselves as a social context, a social entity, and how that is so important to keep alive in Edmonton."
Elinor Burwash lives on 91st Avenue east of 99th Street, and is concerned about the shadows that could be cast by the towers.
"I bought my house 30 years ago because of the light," she said, adding that she'd like to stay in the area she worked so hard to renovate. Burwash acknowledged that change is coming, regardless.
She said it's important that 99th Street is kept walkable and livable.
"We want families in our neighbourhood. I think the grocery store is a real boon to us… so I think a mixed-use helps to contribute to that kind of neighbourhood," she said.
Burwash said the developer has been listening to what community members want and is making modifications accordingly. Overall, she supports the proposal, albeit grudgingly.
"I think if we want the grocery store and the other amenities, then we have to compromise."