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Smart growth analysis could stall development

City council is in a conundrum, with development in the north at stake.

City council is in a conundrum, with development in the north at stake.

On Tuesday, council gave city administration the go ahead for a $105,000 economic impact analysis that will outline the financial impact new smart growth principles could have on development in the annexed lands. Smart growth emphasizes more walkable, densified neighbourhoods designed to limit urban sprawl.

The analysis poses a potential roadblock for growth development because the analysis won’t be complete until the fall. Without it, the city can’t approve future offsite levy rates or area structure plans for new development.

“Honestly, I believe we have a web in front of us that we have to unweave,” assessed Mayor Nolan Crouse.

Council was originally slated to provide a yes or no on smart growth next month, but Tuesday’s decision means that likely won’t happen until budget time this fall. Crouse isn’t sure how the city will juggle the budget, smart growth and offsite levy rates at the same time.

“I’m concerned about the schedule, I’m concerned about the consequences that we just decided,” said Crouse. “We got ourselves into this. We added complication to it.”

The analysis was approved in a 5-1 vote, with Coun. James Burrows voting against the motion. Coun. Gareth Jones was absent.

According to planning and development director Curtis Cundy, the driving force behind the analysis is to help the city understand the cost of smart growth development in the annexed lands compared to conventional development.

“I think what’s happening is council and the senior [administration] are essentially saying, we want the economic analysis so that we’re going into smart growth with our eyes open,” said Cundy.

The analysis will be completed in two phases. The first phase, to be completed by August, will study the effect smart growth has had in other communities that have adopted similar principles and then apply those implications to St. Albert. That information will include potential costs to the city, developers, along with social impacts.

The second phase will provide a more detailed report on specific areas where smart growth could have financial consequences for the city. That phase will be completed by November.

Council agreed to dip into its contingency account and rainy day reserve to cover the cost of the $105,000 smart growth analysis. That’s in addition to $20,000 the city already spent this year on smart growth public consultations.

The analysis was requested by Burrows earlier this month. Cundy felt his department could have proceeded with smart growth principles without the information. He said numerous cities in the U.S. have successfully implemented smart growth principles, information that could help guide the city through the process.

“I would like to think that that information would have been satisfactory, but we won’t know now,” he said.

Coun. Len Bracko voted in favour of the analysis, saying that smart growth is important enough to warrant more time for investigation.

“Smart growth probably will be the biggest decision that will be made by any council in the past or the future,” Bracko said Tuesday. “It’s a big decision we need to make sure we have an analysis done, we need that information.”

Burrows voted against the analysis he originally requested. He now believes the analysis will not provide vital information for smart growth development.

“The reason why I didn’t support it is because now we’re going to hire a consultant who’s going to tell us that essentially smart growth is a great concept,” said Burrows. “You’re basically hiring a consultant to tell you want you want to hear.”

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