We are trying to address the City of Edmonton’s goal of Missing Middle Housing.  This initiative seeks to encourage middle density infill in communities to provide more affordable, stable, sustainable, and flexible housing options.  The City of Edmonton held a “Missing Middle” Infill Design Competition in 2019 to encourage new ways to think about housing options. We recognize that some may not be as comfortable with increased density but it is something that we believe is critical for the long-term sustainability and vibrancy of North Glenora.

Our current plan sits on three city lots (two are currently zoned for skinnies) zoned as RF1. Our original intent was to pursue RF3 zoning as it allows for small-scale infill developments such as row housing.  We would have been able to meet the RF3 standards if our layout was in a straight-line row instead of courtyard style.  Since we prefer the idea of a courtyard, we have decided to pursue DC2 zoning.  DC2 zoning is much more restrictive than RF3 zoning because the only thing that can be built on the property is the design that we propose. RF3 zoning is more flexible in that the land could be used for other purposes in the future.  This is typically not possible for DC2 land unless the community consultation process is re-done. More information zoning can be found on the City of Edmonton’s website.

In June 2020, City Council unanimously voted to remove any minimum parking requirements for new developments because there is an oversupply of parking space in communities like ours. However, we do plan to have angled parking stalls at the back.  There may be increased street parking but the roads adjacent to our property should adequately meet that needs. We have heard from a number of residents that parking remains a concern so we are in the process of getting a traffic study completed. The study is available here.

We want to attract a diverse group of individuals.  We hope that our one-storey (and wheel-chair accessible) suites attract current North Glenora residents who want to downsize.  We hope that our 2 storey suites attract small families or working professionals looking to live close to schools and the downtown core.  We hope that our secondary suites attract post-secondary students or young professionals who want to live close to public transit.

We plan to rent.

We are strong believers in helping to create a more environmentally sustainable world.  Passive House standards are one such tool to help meet this goal.  Passive House standards will mean that our building is 90% more efficient than a traditional home.

Our neighbour to our north has a beautiful garden and we recognize that our development may impact sunlight on their property. For this reason, we have intentionally designed our building so that part of it is 1 storey.  Further, we have conducted a shadow study to better understand the impact of our design versus the impact of skinny homes (without garages).  You can see the shadow study report here.