This week, councillors are scheduled to review the city's practices for selling land below market value to affordable housing providers, the neighbourhood structure plan in Kendal, and more. There is a public hearing scheduled on April 28, an audit committee meeting scheduled on April 29, and a non-regular council meeting scheduled on April 30.
Here are key items on this week's agenda:
- The city auditor recommends in a report that administration develop guidelines for when to propose the sale of city-owned land below market value for affordable housing. The auditor also recommends that administration improve the monitoring of whether organizations that buy such land fulfill obligations laid out in the sale. The city said it accepts the auditor's recommendations and will take action to address them before relaunching the Affordable Housing Investment Program in 2026. Council's audit committee is scheduled to review the report on April 29.
- Council is scheduled to review the neighbourhood structure plan for Kendal, the final neighbourhood to be planned under the Windermere area structure plan. The neighbourhood is bounded by 28 Avenue SW to the north, 170 Street SW to the east, 41 Avenue SW to the south, and the river valley to the west. The proposed plan now includes a regional water reservoir and an increase to residential density; the neighbourhood will have about 45 dwelling units per net residential hectare instead of the 27 that was originally proposed. Council is set to debate the plan at a public hearing on April 28.
- The owner of a bungalow at 11450 79 Avenue NW in McKernan has applied to rezone the property to allow for a three-storey building with at least three housing units. Twenty people expressed opposition, with many arguing the proposed development would worsen traffic congestion in the neighbourhood. Council is scheduled to debate the application at a public hearing on April 28.
- The federal election is happening on April 28. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi took a leave of absence to run to be an MP for the federal Liberal party in the Edmonton Southeast riding. If Sohi wins the vote in that riding, he will resign as Edmonton mayor. Sohi said if he loses the election, he will return to his position as mayor but will not run for mayor in 2025.
- Edmonton city council is expected to vote on April 30 to approve a 5.7% municipal property tax levy increase for 2025, which is 0.4% less than the increase approved in the fall due to changes in provincial Grants in Placement of Taxes payments. Tax notices will be mailed on May 23, with property taxes due June 30.
Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.
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