Months later, this unique IPA is still creating a bit of a buzz.
This version, not an actual India Pale Ale but rather BILD Edmonton Metro’s Infill Priority Actions — a 22-point plan to accelerate infill released earlier this year — is still making the rounds.
But BILD Edmonton, the voice of the regional real estate development industry, said it likes what it has seen so far.
“I think we’ve seen encouraging progress but we’re still in the early stages,” said Paul Lanni, BILD Edmonton Metro’s chair, board of directors, and president of developer and home builder Averton. “One thing I appreciate is that the city (Edmonton) has been willing to engage in constructive dialogue with industry. Some of the shorter-term actions have begun moving forward, and we’re seeing a genuine willingness from administration to examine where implementation isn’t matching the original intent.”
Those 22 points, released in mid-April, focus on short, medium and long-term action items to help Edmonton reach its long-term goal of delivering new housing through infill and redevelopment. It calls for improving regulatory clarity, streamlining approvals and permitting timelines, and strengthening communication and community relationships with steps that can be implemented during the current city council term.
“That said,” added Lanni, “there is still a lot of work ahead. Some of the more complex issues like servicing, permitting timelines, infrastructure coordination and consistent interpretation of policy will take longer to resolve because they involve multiple departments and long-standing processes. The important thing is maintaining momentum. Housing affordability doesn’t improve because we adopt a policy, but it improves when that policy is implemented efficiently and consistently.”
BILD Edmonton Metro released a limited edition IPA beer to coincide with the launch of its Infill Priority Actions — a 22-point plan to accelerate infill in Edmonton that was released earlier this year.
Under Attack
At the IPA launch, Lanni said infill was under attack. Is that still the case?
“I do think infill continues to face significant public scrutiny, but I also understand why,” said Lanni. “When redevelopment happens next to your home, it’s not an abstract planning discussion anymore. That’s your street, that’s the way the sunlight pours into your kitchen when you’re sipping your Sunday morning coffee. Where I become concerned is when individual examples of the poor design outcomes begin driving broad policy decisions. Every form of housing has examples that are done exceptionally well and examples that aren’t. We shouldn’t judge an entire housing strategy based on its worst outcomes.”
Lanni said the focus should be on continually improving the quality of infill and creating greater transparency and accountability.
“Edmonton is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada,” said Lanni. “We need to help accommodate this growth through both infill redevelopment as well as greenfield development, and people need to have confidence that both approaches are being done well. The objective can’t simply be more infill. It’s better infill.”
But what about people who don’t like what’s brewing next door to their house, with larger multi-unit infills going in?
“I think it’s important to acknowledge that many of those concerns are genuine,” said Lanni. “People invest not only financially in their homes but emotionally in their neighbourhoods. It’s entirely reasonable for them to want new development to respect the character and livability of the communities they already call home. At the same time, we also need to recognize that our city is growing. Established neighbourhoods can’t remain exactly as they were 50 years ago if we want people to be able to age in place in their communities, and if we want future generations to have access to housing close to jobs, schools, parks and transit.”
Those two realities aren’t incompatible, said Lanni.
“What BILD has consistently advocated for is better implementation,” said Lanni. “Good urban design matters. Building form matters. Landscaping matters. Managing construction impacts matters. Clear operating expectations matter. If there are examples where buildings are creating unintended impacts because of design, operations or regulatory gaps, the city should absolutely address those issues.”
Build Better
Builders are being urged to build better.
At the IPA launch, those in attendance heard that existing zoning bylaws should set the minimum standard and builders should aim to build homes exceeding those minimums.
“Let’s shoot well above that minimum and hopefully it will be something that’s exciting,” said Nicholas Carels, also on BILD Edmonton’s board of directors and vice-president of StreetSide Homes and Broadview Homes.
In a follow-up interview, Carels reinforced that viewpoint.
“Because a number of builders say that is the zoning, that is all I have to do, that is a mistake,” said Carels. “As builders, we should be looking at it saying that is the bare, bare minimum.”
The city (Edmonton) needs to raise the zoning bylaw bar, he said, and remove some of the biggest challenges such as where new infill properties become lodging houses or go well beyond what the city intended.
BILD Edmonton, meanwhile, released a limited edition actual IPA beer, to coincide with its IPA launch.