City council will meet on June 7, with a continuation scheduled for June 10. They'll meet with the Edmonton Police Commission in the morning on June 8, with a public hearing scheduled for the afternoon.
- In the Spring 2022 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment (SCBA), administration recommends a net increase to the 2019-2022 capital budget of $134.7 million, consisting mainly of new funding for neighbourhood renewal ($48.1 million), land acquisition for the southeast transit bus garage ($45 million), renewal and widening of the Rainbow Valley bridges ($19.5 million), and vehicle and equipment replacement ($12.6 million). An existing amendment on the floor would add $525,000 for planning and design of transit priority measures along portions of 97 Street, Jasper Avenue, and several other streets.
- The 2023-2032 capital investment outlook notes that "new growth funding will be severely limited going forward" as nearly all unconstrained funds are required to meet renewal needs. The 2023-2032 operating investment outlook projects tax increases of 7.1% in 2023, 5.2% in 2024, 4.2% in 2025, and 3.8% in 2026 in order to maintain existing services and service levels as the city grows, and to account for previously approved growth projects and programs.
- The installation of HEPA filtration systems in city facilities is not recommended due to cost and "being logistically challenging or not feasible." Administration said the city — which has approximately 500 air handling units across 200 large, high-profile facilities — already adheres to HVAC best practices whenever building or rehabilitating its facilities. The cost to upgrade to HEPA filtration is estimated to be between $36,000 and $251,000 per unit, with thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs per unit each year on top of that.
- The Greenlong Towers proposed for the northeast corner of Jasper Avenue and 115 Street would contain 905 total residential units in one 30-storey tower and one 54-storey tower (which would be Edmonton's third-tallest tower). Administration recommends that council approve the rezoning application even though the Oliver ARP restricts height to 12 storeys because Jasper Avenue is a good location for towers and higher density "based on policies which direct densification around major employment centres, transit, and arterial roadways." The developer proposes including 22 family-oriented units with at least three bedrooms as part of required community amenity contributions.
Many items from committee will be considered:
- Executive committee recommends negotiating to purchase the former St. Andrew School field site at fair market value.
- The Edmonton Police Service would receive operating funding of $385 million per year starting in 2023 and would be required to align with the city's existing budget process if the recommendation from executive committee is approved. Executive committee also recommends that council direct administration to incorporate a replacement for the projected shortfall in Traffic Safety and Automated Enforcement Reserve revenue into the 2023-2026 budget.
- Urban planning committee recommends implementing a one-year pilot for a full closure of the 102 Avenue traffic lane between 99 Street and 103 Street.
- Urban planning committee recommends allowing the Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance to maintain natural trails until the new River Valley Trail Strategy is approved.
- Proposed revisions to the Retroactive Municipal Tax Relief policy should be approved, and 2020 taxes and penalties levied against the Kingsway Legion should be cancelled, executive committee recommends.
- A report on options for licensing of short-term and long-term rentals and increasing public access to such information was requisitioned without a recommendation.
Here are some of the other notable agenda items:
- Bylaw 20132 would establish a temporary council committee called the Office of the Councillors Budget Review Task Force with a mandate to review ward, councillor, and shared budgets "using an accountability, transparency, and equity lens." The committee will not review compensation.
- Bylaw 20073 would establish a code of conduct subcommittee with four councillors appointed for the remainder of their term.
- Bylaw 20126 would authorize the city to borrow $21.6 million for the three-stream communal collection project for residential properties like apartment buildings.
- Bylaw 19983 would amend the Conduct of Transit Passengers Bylaw to make clear that inappropriate use of transit property, including the visible use of illicit substances, is not permitted. Some have suggested the proposed amendments amount to a reintroduction of a loitering bylaw, though city manager Andre Corbould says that's not the case.
Meetings are streamed live on city council's YouTube channel.
Photo: A rendering of the proposed Greenlong Tower podiums. (Supplied)