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Lack of public consultation raised in Canmore's employee housing in light industrial area debate

“Whenever you’re removing, even if it’s a discretionary use, you’re removing the right of an individual and landowner that is something that should not be taken lightly.”

CANMORE – The future of employee housing in light industrial areas of Canmore could soon see further clarification for the housing type as early as the first week of November.

But concerns about a lack of public engagement with impacted businesses were highlighted in the public hearing and throughout the lengthy process.

Multiple speakers and property owners expressed a need for discussions for more than the last year on the potential land use change that if approved, would see the Municipal Development Plan and land use bylaw updated to discourage employee housing in light industrial areas of the community.

“After speaking with landowners and other businesses operating in the area, there has not been adequate and meaningful engagement with those landowners affected by removing an allowed land use,” said Ian O’Donnell, the interim executive director of Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association at the Sept. 3 public hearing.

“Specifically in the IND 1 and 2 districts and [we] request second and third readings be held after meaningful engagement has taken place as part of the development planning process. We believe this decision may be putting the cart before the horse and an updated area structure plan is certainly in order before a decision such as the one is contemplated appropriately.”

Though a public hearing is a potential for people to give feedback in the formal land use change process, O’Donnell said it is part of the formal process and “a public hearing does not constitute appropriate consultation and that should’ve been done prior to this hearing.”

“Whenever you’re removing, even if it’s a discretionary use, you’re removing the right of an individual and landowner that is something that should not be taken lightly,” he said.

In Tourism Canmore Kananaskis’ submission, CEO Rachel Ludwig said the potential changes would impact area businesses, highlighting the number opposed, and “the lack of consultation with these stakeholders is concerning”

At the Sept. 3 public hearing, Steve Ashton, owner of Ashton Construction, said he had heard from more than 30 businesses in the Elk Run area who are “happy to help collaborate or work with the Town on making sure this bylaw is written the best way possible to suit as many people’s needs as possible and protect all this for the future.”

A written letter from Ashton added the need for further engagement with property owners.

“If the Town wants to make large changes to Bow Meadows that differ from the current [area structure plan], they should embark on revising or updating the current [area structure plan] first and get public engagement.”

At a Feb. 22, 2023 Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) hearing, Ashton – who was contracted to work on an employee housing project at 127 Bow Meadows Cres. that was subject to the hearing – submitted several letters of support for such a project and housing form in the area.

In a separate interview, Mayor Sean Krausert said with an ongoing process and council in between first and second readings the bylaw for consideration would first have to be defeated.

He noted a different type of engagement process was “very much a possibility for a future process”, but the existing process would have to be defeated to allow a step back and then council could potentially give new direction on engagement.

“There’s been a bylaw before council and we’ve had a public hearing on that bylaw. It actually doesn’t work to introduce a new process in midstream. The proposal would have to be defeated and a new process start with some parameters around engagement. To introduce at this time would undermine the integrity of the current process. While I appreciate the suggestions, it would have to be something that’s considered for a future process.”

When elected officials are in between readings and a public hearing has been completed, a limbo process exists where they’re unable to receive new information.

Krausert said when second reading returns, council can make amendments to what’s being considered, which would be up for a council vote.

“To instruct a new and different engagement at this stage, doesn’t work. Either council is happy with what’s proposed or what’s proposed with amendments or they’re not happy based on what they’ve heard and defeat it. That vote will determine what, if anything, will happen.”

At the Sept. 3 meeting, Harry Shnider, the Town’s planning and development manager, said after first reading in July a direct mailout went to all property owners in the four districts under consideration for land use changes. He said the mailout invited them to contact the planning and development department and provided information for the public hearing.

He noted since the council motion was passed in September 2023, no public engagement had taken place. However, there had been one SDAB hearing and development permit applications have continued to be processed, with at least two in the Southern Business District and none received in the area of Elk Run.

“In our opinion, the direction we received from council was clear and that we would be proceeding as such,” he said. “This is not a new issue – council is very well aware of that – and our department is very well aware of it as well.”

Town staff are recommending employee housing be removed from the light industrial district and general industrial district. The two areas are near Glacier Drive and Elk Run Boulevard and encompass Bow Meadows Crescent.

Additional restrictions would be placed on the southern business district – near the municipal heliport – and the transition industrial district along Industrial Place.

The transition industrial district and southern business district are proposed to replace the term employee housing with dwelling units above the ground floor. If approved, the staff report states it will shift the district to “more mixed commercial/industrial development that is better suited to support some residential use.”

The discussion of employee housing in light industrial areas of Canmore has been longstanding, with issues dating back more than two years.

The area of Bow Meadows Crescent has been highly polarized, starting in May 2022, when Town staff recommended employee housing at 121 Bow Meadows Cres. be denied but was ultimately approved by Canmore Planning Commission (CPC).

Town staff were either denying applications in such areas or they were going to CPC or SDAB hearings with decisions for approval or denial going both ways.

CPC approved 12 employee housing units in May 2022 at 121 Bow Meadows Cres. and a subsequent July 2023 hearing led to an increase to 15 units.

Two one-bedroom units at 127 Bow Meadows Cres. was approved by SDAB last February. A well-attended May SDAB hearing had more than 30 people in attendance and 16 businesses and individuals spoke in support of employee housing at 100 Alpine Meadows. SDAB ruled against Basecamp Resorts’ proposal for 12 second floor employee housing units to add 34 bedrooms.

Council moved to postpone for two months to process information heard from the public. A potential second and third reading will take place at council Nov. 5

In a previous interview with the Outlook, Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams said it was vital to have open channels of discussion and engagement to get community buy-in.

“Citizens of any municipality are [considerably] happier if they feel like they’re being consulted and [if] they [do or don’t] have a say,” she said.

“Consultation with citizens is deeply valued [in Alberta]. Government is supposed to be transparent and accountable to the voters. If you’re not making it possible for them to engage in communication between elections, you might get slammed in the next election.”

She noted it was important to both seek out residents’ opinions and find ways to have those discussions.

“Democratically elected officials have to find ways to open channels of communication. If you don’t … If you handle it well, you manage it well, you plan it and have it in place regularly, then chances are very good you’re going to get more positive results than if you look like you have something to hide.”

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