The co-hosts of Episode 314 of Speaking Municipally explored the end of photo radar in playground zones, the growing pushback on infill, and the extension of the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy. Here's a quick snapshot.
1. Playground zone radar axed
As of July 1, the City of Edmonton is no longer using mobile photo radar to actively enforce vehicle speed in its 247 playground zones. The city's news release said the Government of Alberta's restrictions in its Automated Traffic Enforcement Guideline have diminished photo radar revenue to the point where it's not financially viable to enforce. The city estimates the provincial rules account for a reduction of $12 million in annual revenue, but said it will find other ways to promote traffic safety and its Vision Zero goals.
The co-hosts were not impressed by how the city framed the decision. "What I found problematic about the way they announced this is basically the city saying that they're redirecting these resources into other traffic calming measures and upgrades," co-host Mack Male said. "(There's a) suggestion that this might even be intentional, based on what they're hearing from Edmontonians, when I think this is really just a reaction to provincial changes."
In the news release, a City of Edmonton spokesperson said the city will re-allocate its spending on photo radar into physical upgrades and strategies for traffic flow, crossing safety, and driver behaviour in playground zones, which have speed limits of 30km/h.
2. Mid-block block
Mayoral candidate and Ward pihêsiwin Coun. Tim Cartmell said on June 24 that he would table a motion to temporarily ban infill development during the public hearing on June 30, though he later clarified his proposed moratorium would mainly target mid-block infill. (The hearing was still underway as of Taproot's deadline.) The co-hosts said a moratorium might not be legally sound.
"I'm pretty sure clerks in the legal (department) will rule it out of order, because I don't think such a thing is legal," co-host Troy Pavlek said. "This is effectively saying private property owners in the city of Edmonton will, for an indeterminate amount of time, have no ability to do anything with their properties."
Cartmell has also said he plans to vote in favour of a motion by Coun. Michael Janz that would limit mid-block infill developments to six units rather than eight at the June 30 meeting. Cartmell is not alone in his position, Pavlek learned. The Better Edmonton party, of which Cartmell is the founder and mayoral candidate, told Pavlek that the majority of the party is in agreement with limiting infill.
3. Council says yes to CRL
The co-hosts discussed the 10-year extension of the Downtown Community Revitilaztion Levy ahead of council voting 9-4 to approve it on June 27. New CRL projects include Fan Park, an event venue planned to be next to Rogers Place, and a housing development, both by OEG. Male and Pavlek discussed the pros and cons of the original downtown CRL projects, like Rogers Place. They said that while funding projects for OEG, which is led by billionaire Daryl Katz, is not palatable to all councillors, the province's omnibus scope for the CRL extension is contingent on approving multiple projects, not just the ones by OEG.
"What the city has said is that if we remove any of these projects — which were debated in private and all agreed to in a memorandum of understanding — we need to restart the CRL project from scratch," Pavlek said.
The June 27 episode also includes discussion of mayoral candidate Raheem Jaffer. Listening and subscription options are all right here.