McKernan 73 Avenue Rezoning

Brookside Realty Inc is initiating the process to rezone their property at 11267 - 73 Avenue NW and 7225 - 113 Street NW. We are proposing to change the zoning from its current RS (Small Scale Residential) zone, which allows for three storey buildings, to the RSM h12 (Small-Medium Scale Transition Residential) zone, which would allow for larger three storey buildings.

This webpage is here to provide updates on the project and address common questions from the community.

*Note that the image above is for illustrative purposes only and is not a proposed concept or rendering for the new building.

Location

The immediate area surrounding the site is primarily low density residential. There is a local commercial area along 76 Avenue, three blocks north of the site. Many older, smaller scale buildings in the area will likely be redeveloped as the 114 Street and 76 Avenue Secondary Corridors begin to intensify in alignment with City Plan policy.

The site is also near a number of schools, parks, and institutions including McKernan School, Belgravia School, Parkallen School, McKernan Community League, Belgravia Community League and Park, McKernan Park, St. Peter Centre, University of Alberta South Campus, Saville Community Sports Centre, and the Government of Alberta.

What's Changing?

Zoning tells us the type of buildings or uses that are allowed on a property, and rezoning is the process of changing a zone to allow for new or different types of buildings or uses on a specific site.

Rezoning decisions are made by City Council at a public hearing.

We're proposing to change the zoning on the site from its current RS (Small Scale Residential) zoning to the RSM h12 (Small-Medium Scale Transition Residential) zone. This will allow for the development of a multi-unit residential buildings with a maximum height of 12 metres (about three storeys). The site's current zone has a maximum height of 10.5 metres.

The land development process is a multi-step process that gets increasingly detailed at each consecutive step. Building design will happen after the rezoning stage.

City Plan, District Plans

& Future Growth

The property owners chose to invest in the neighbourhood at this location because of the City’s Municipal Development Plan, City Plan, which was approved by City Council on December 7, 2020. City Plan outlines the direction for Edmonton’s future growth, with one of its key objectives being that half of the city’s population growth occurs in existing neighbourhoods.

City Plan and the Scona District Plan identify a number of corridors (major roads) throughout the City where future growth is encouraged to happen. The site is located next to the 114 Street Secondary Corridor, where low- and mid-rise building forms are encouraged.

Lower density development -- like small-scale multi-unit buildings -- along the boundary of corridors provides a transition between the taller buildings expected at the centre of the corridors and the smaller scale housing in the neighbourhood interior.

Infill development is central to the City Plan's goal for Edmonton to be a Rebuildable City. This means creating the flexibility needed to keep our city vibrant and livable as local and global trends shift. A Rebuildable City is one that continuously adapts to improve efficiency and resilience, rather than having to start from scratch with every major change.

Project Stage

Rezoning is the first step in the land redevelopment process, followed by design, permits, and construction.

We're at the very first stage of the project. A rezoning application for this site was submitted to the City of Edmonton in November of 2024 to rezone the site to the RSM h12 zone.

Rezoning decisions are made by City Council during a public hearing. This rezoning application was scheduled to go to Council on March 17, 2025, but was postponed by Council. The reoning was approved at the public hearing in April 7, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will this impact me?

The site is next to two streets and an alley, with a single detached house to the east. The RSM h12 zoning requires setbacks from each property line, which means there will be space between the building and the neighboring properties. The required setbacks are: at least 4.5 metres along 75 Avenue, 5.5 metres from the alley, 2.0 metres from 113 Street, and 1.5 metres from the east side of the lot.

How tall will the buildings be?

The RSM zone allows for buildings of up to 12 metres (about three storeys) on this site. The current RS zone has a maximum height of 10.5 metres (about three storeys).

What will the buildings look like?

The design process for the new buildings has not yet started. However, it is expected there will be two new buildings -- one on each lot. The property owners are also planning to keep the two existing garages with backyard housing that are located at the rear of the site.

Development regulations in the RSM zone require all ground floor dwelling units in the new buildings to have front entrances oriented towards the street in order to create a people-friendly street and sidewalk.

Will there be parking? Where?

“Open Option Parking” was passed by Council on June 23, 2020; this change removed mandatory minimum parking requirements from the Zoning Bylaw. The exact amount of parking spots to be provided here has not been determined at this time, but there will be parking provided at the rear the site including within the two existing garages.

How will the site be landscaped?

New landscaping for the site will be provided in accordance with Edmonton Zoning Bylaw's requirements. On a site of this size, approximately eight trees and thirty-two shrubs will be required.

Will this rezoning set a precedent for the area?

City Council’s policies guide what type of development is encouraged in different areas. City Plan and the Scona District Plan state that the site is located next to the 114 Street Secondary Corridor, where low- and mid-rise building forms are encouraged.

The site is located within the transitional area of the 114 Street Secondary Corridor. Small-scale multi-unit housing on this site would provide a transition between the higher intensity development expected near the centre of the corridor, to the lower density residential uses in the interior of the neighbourhood.

City Plan also states that residential development should occur at a variety of scales, densities and designs, within all parts of residential neighbourhoods. This means that the RSM h12 rezoning application aligns with City policy.

Rezoning Resources

Zoning Basics

The City of Edmonton's What is Zoning booklet provides an overview of how zoning shapes the city and your neighbourhood.

Rezoning Process

The City of Edmonton's Rezoning and Plan Amendment webpage explains how the rezoning process works.

Public Hearing Process

The City of Edmonton's Public Hearing Playbook explains how the public hearing process works.

McKernan Rezoning Applications

The City's planning application webpage displays land development applications in McKernan.

Questions?

We're committed to being a good neighbour; please feel welcome to contact us with any questions, concerns or considerations.

Project Team

Allison Rosland | Planning consultant | Situate | allison@situateinc.ca

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