Municipal Development Plan Bylaw No. C31-20 ("Our Fort. Our Future.")
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
· adopted 2021-01-26
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unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.
This document is consolidated into a single publication for the convenience of users. The Official Bylaw and all
amendments thereto are available from the Legislative Services Department and should be consulted in interpreting
and applying this Bylaw In the case of any dispute, the original Municipal Development Plan Bylaw and all
amendments must be consulted.
CITY OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN
A BYLAW OF THE CITY OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN, IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, TO
ADOPT MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN: OUR FORT. OUR FUTURE.
BYLAW NO. C31-20
WHEREAS, Section 632 of the Municipal Government Act, R.S.A 2000, c. M-26 as amended or
repealed or replaced from time to time, requires that municipalities adopt a Municipal
Development Plan;
NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Fort Saskatchewan in the Province of Alberta,
duly assembled, hereby enacts:
1. This Bylaw may be cited as the City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan: Our
Fort. Our Future. Bylaw.
2. That the text and images attached as Schedule "A" form part of this Bylaw.
3. If any portion of this Bylaw is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the
invalid portion shall be severed and the remainder of the Bylaw is deemed valid.
4. That Bylaw C16-10 and any amendments thereto are hereby repealed.
5. That Bylaw C31-20 comes into force and effect upon third and final reading.
READ a first time this
27th
READ a second time this 26th
READ a third time this
26th
Original Signed
MAYOR
Original Signed
DIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
Date Signed: January 26, 2021
(Note: Consolidation made under Section 69 of the Municipal Government Act, R.S.A. 2000., c.M-26, and Bylaw C5-
13 Consolidation and Revision of Bylaws, and printed under the Director, Legislative Services Authority).
City of Fort Saskatchewan
Municipal Development Plan Bylaw C31-20
Office Consolidation
day of
October
, 2020
day of
January
, 2021
day of
January
, 2021
This document is consolidated into a single publication for the convenience of users.
The Official Bylaw and all amendments thereto are available from the Legislative
Services Department and should be consulted in interpreting and applying this Bylaw. In
the case of any dispute, the original Municipal Development Plan Bylaw must be
consulted
BYLAW
DATE
DESCRIPTON
PAGES
C16-24
December 10, 2024
Regional Agriculture
Master Plan (RAMP)
Update
17, 45, 66, 71,
74,
83,
84
C25-25
December 9, 2025
Update to mobility
policy 8.3.6 to
provide direction on
how to prioritize
safety and
functionality over
aesthetics when
considering street-
oriented housing
along collector and
arterial roads.
38, 55, 61
CITY OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN
Municipal Development Plan C31-20
AMENDING BYLAWS
OUR FORT. OUR FUTURE.
CITY OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN'S MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
BYLAW # C31-20
OFFICE CONSOLIDATION VERSION - DECEMBER 9, 2025 (BYLAW C25-25)
Municipal Development Plan
bylaw # c31-20
The purpose of the Municipal Development Plan (the Plan/
mdp) is to guide the development and redevelopment of
Fort Saskatchewan as it gr ows into a city of 50,000 residents.
The focus on urban design and place making is intended to
build a complete community that serves current and future
generations of residents. The Plan is structured with distinct
policy areas to provide a tailored approach that recognizes the
unique needs of different parts of our community. Sections that
do not correspond with a specific policy geography apply to
the entire city. The Community Direction Statement captures
the community's aspirational future while the Plan Pillars
articulate the elements that will help us reach that future.
The Plan focuses on enhancing areas residents identified as
needing improvement. It outlines strategies to transform these
to reflect residents' aspirations and gives direction for policies to
formalize areas that are already fulfilling expectations.
Acknowledgments
We wish to acknowledge that the City of Fort Saskatchewan
resides on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory. We
acknowledge the diverse Indigenous peoples whose ancestors'
footsteps have marked this territory for centuries such as:
Sakāwithiniwak/Cree, Slavey/Dene Tha', Nakawē/Saulteaux,
Niitsítapi/Blackfoot, Stoney/Nakota Sioux, as well as Metis
and Inuit, and now newcomers from around the world.
Acknowledgement is also given to the project teams in the City
of Fort Saskatchewan Planning and Development Department,
B&A Planning Group, MVH Urban Planning and Design Inc.,
and Intelligent Futures for their work and dedication to the
development of the Plan, as well as all of Administration, Council,
and the many residents that contributed their insights to the Plan.
section 1.0
Community Direction Statement & Plan Pillars
1
section 2.0
Using the Plan
3
2.1 Introduction
3
2.2 Legislative Requirements
3
2.3 MDP Language Interpretation
4
2.4 Maps & Figures
4
2.5 Hierarchy of Plans
4
2.6 City of Fort Saskatchewan Planning Tools
5
section 3.0
Location & Context
6
3.1 Introduction
6
section 4.0
Growth Strategy
9
4.1 Introduction
9
4.2 Economic Strategy: Major Employment Lands
10
4.3 Downtown: Everyone's Neighbourhood
11
4.4 Established Neighbourhoods
13
4.5 Enhancing Our Connections...
13
section 5.0
City-wide Policies
15
5.1 Objectives
16
5.2 Policies
17
section 6.0
Our Neighbourhoods
19
6.1 Introduction
19
6.2 General Neighbourhoods
21
6.3 Downtown
32
6.4 Established Neighbourhoods
40
6.5 Developing Neighbourhoods
43
6.6 Future Urban Area
44
6.7 Clover Park Special Study Area
46
section 7.0
Natural Systems, Green Infrastructure,
and Natural Resource Extraction
47
7.1 Introduction
47
7.2 Objectives
49
7.3 Policies
49
section 8.0
Mobility
52
8.1 Introduction
52
8.2 Objectives
54
8.3 Policies
54
section 9.0
Economic Development
63
9.1 Introduction
63
9.2 Objectives
64
9.3 Policies
65
section 10.0
Infrastructure and Servicing
67
10.1 Introduction
67
10.1 Objectives
68
10.2 Policies
68
section 11.0
Managing City Growth
70
11.1 Introduction
70
11.2 Policies
71
section 12.0
Implementation
74
12.1 mdp Implementation Targets
74
12.2 Purpose
75
12.3 Policies
75
section 13.0
Strategic Implementation
76
13.1 Planning Projects
76
13.2 Capital Infrastructure Projects
77
appendix a
Definitions
82
appendix b
Community Profile
83
B.1 Demographics
83
B.2 Population Projection
85
B.3 Economic Profile
86
Contents
In pdf version, click on page numbers to visit the associated section.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
iii
section 1.0
Community
Direction
Statement
& Plan Pillars
the community direction statement (cds) and
plan pillars outline the City's commitment to
the community's aspirations for the future of Fort
Saskatchewan. It is intended that all objectives
and policies detailed in this mdp strengthen the
Pillars and strive to achieve the cds for the future
of Fort Saskatchewan with 50,000 residents.
Community Direction Statement
With 50,000 residents, our community of Fort Saskatchewan:
» Provides a great quality of life within our neighbourhoods
where everyone can grow, age, and stay.
» Builds on its heritage, connects people, and fosters innovation.
» Creates great places for residents and visitors to enjoy.
» Supports a resilient economy for everyone to achieve and thrive.
1
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
Our Connections
» A variety of transportation options
» Social connections among residents
» A strong sense of pride in our community
» Easy access to amenities
» A welcoming environment for new residents
» Community events and festivals
Our Neighbourhoods
» There is housing to meet everyone's
needs throughout their life stages
» There are amenities and activities for all residents
» They have a mix of uses to help meet
daily needs close to home
» There are recreation opportunities close to home
» Neighbourhoods are designed
to be easily walkable
» They feel safe throughout
Our Place
» We celebrate and protect the river
valley and our natural environment
» We respect and celebrate the history of our place
» We celebrate the diverse cultures
of Fort Saskatchewan
» Downtown is a vibrant place where people come
to shop, eat, learn and celebrate together
Our Resilience
» We work together - our businesses,
citizens, organizations, and government
» We are committed to emergency
preparedness, ensuring we are prepared
for incidents emerging from our changing
climate and unforeseen incidents
» We make economically, socially, and
environmentally conscious decisions.
» We maximize our existing infrastructure
and plan for long-term efficiency, cost, and
resiliency when considering new infrastructure
Our Success
» We seize the opportunities that come
from our location in the Capital Region
» We are the gateway to Alberta's Industrial
Heartland and industries further north
» We celebrate and support our local businesses
» We serve as a regional service hub
for surrounding communities
» We pursue a diverse economy that
focuses on innovation, emerging trends,
expanding industries, and job creation
» We embrace growth downtown
that supports business
Plan Pillars
2
1.0 Direction & Pillars
2.1 Introduction
The Municipal Development Plan was developed through best
practices research, community demographic and economic analysis,
local, regional, provincial, and federal policy review, intensive public
and stakeholder engagement, and ongoing collaboration with the City
Council and Administration. This plan is intended to act as a guide to
help inform the municipality, developers, residents, and future residents
of the desired future development and redevelopment of the city.
2.2 Legislative Requirements
The Municipal Government Act, R.S.A 2000, c. M-26 (mga) requires that every
municipality must adopt an mdp to guide long-range planning and land
use. The mga also identifies the required and optional contents of an mdp.
All other statutory plans and related bylaws of the City of Fort Saskatchewan
must be consistent with the mdp, and the mdp provides direction for the
updating and development of policy documents and planning tools.
This mdp has been prepared under the direction and in accordance
with the mga. It is intended to support the City of Fort Saskatchewan's
identity as a unique and diverse community by building a long-term
and sustainable vision for growth with a development concept that
represents approximately 30 years of rural and urban development.
section 2.0
Using
the Plan
the mdp is a high-level policy document and
statutory plan that sets out broad policies
and directions for Fort Saskatchewan's
growth and development.
3
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
2.4 Maps & Figures
Maps and conceptual figures have been provided
as part of this mdp to show the general location
of proposed land uses and future transportation
and utility corridors and visually detail the intent
of certain policies. Locations will be refined
through subsequent stages of planning including
Area Structure Plans, Area Redevelopment
Plans, Neighbourhood Plans, Outline Plans, and
Subdivisions. Minor changes to alignments or
locations of map features may be undertaken as
part of subsequent planning processes without
amendment to this Plan. Should there be a
discrepancy between the written policy and
maps and figures, the written policy shall prevail.
2.5 Hierarchy of Plans
All provincial and federal policies and
regulations in effect shall apply and shall
prevail over the policies contained within
this mdp. This mdp does not assume or
bear any jurisdictional authority over:
- federally or provincially owned lands
- lands under another municipal jurisdiction, or
- any First Nation reserve lands.
If a development is proposed within the mdp
boundary with requirements established
by a higher-order statutory plan (i.e. North
Saskatchewan Regional Plan; the Edmonton
Metropolitan Region Growth Plan; relevant
Intermunicipal Development Plans), the
development must review and conform to the
policies of the higher-order statutory plan.
If there is a conflict with a policy or regulation
within a higher-order plan and the policies of
this mdp, the higher-order plan shall prevail.
The City of Fort Saskatchewan mdp supports
the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth
Plan ("Growth Plan") and the Alberta Land Use
Framework. The mdp recognizes the Growth Plan
and the future North Saskatchewan Regional Plan
as governing, higher-order documents, including
policy tiers and density targets (where applicable).
2.3 MDP Language Interpretation
In this MDP:
a. must and shall are to be construed
as a compulsory obligation;
b. Policies beginning with a verb are
to be construed as stating the City
shall perform the action identified;
c. should is to be construed as
permissive and empowering,
and is to be the recommended
course of action;
d. may is to be construed as
potentially required, optional, or
not permitted depending on each
individual and unique situation
and is to be interpreted at the
discretion of Administration;
e. When used in a policy, encourage
means that the City will align its
regulations and promote the
intention and directive of a policy
when interacting with community
building partners to actively
influence a particular result;
f. When used in a policy, support
means that the policy is in alignment
with the Community Direction
Statement and Plan Pillars and
is a desirable outcome, and as
such the City will utilize tools and
tactics with community building
partners to support conditions to
achieve that desired outcome.
4
2.0 Using the Plan
2.6 City of Fort Saskatchewan Planning Tools
Municipal Development Plan
The mdp provides a vision for the future economy of the city as well as how
the city should grow over the lifespan of the Plan. The Community Direction
Statement, Pillars, objectives, and policies in this mdp are expected to inform
the development of future strategies and plans, including a Business Retention
and Expansion Strategy, Foreign Direct Investment Strategy, Retail and Office
Space Inventory, and Downtown Strategic Action Plan, amongst others.
Further, the mdp establishes a foundation of objectives for how people move
through the City (transportation), how the City is serviced (infrastructure), and how
to keep the City's natural assets protected and preserved (natural environment).
The Community Direction Statement, Pillars, objectives, and policies in this mdp
are expected to inform the development of future plans and policy documents,
including an Active Transportation Plan, Urban Forestry Policy, Open Spaces
Master Plan, and Urban Design Corridor Studies, amongst others.
Area Structure Plans (asp), Area Redevelopment Plans (arp),
Neighbourhood Structure Plans (nsp), and Outline Plans (op)
The mdp provides direction for the future of all neighbourhood development
and redevelopment in the city, from established traditional neighbourhoods
to future neighbourhoods. asps, nsps, arps, ops, Infill Plans are expected
to provide specific direction to specific neighbourhood vision, layout,
urban form, mobility networks, and urban design, while Terms of
Reference documents for the authorization of new neighbourhoods and
neighbourhood plans help establish expectations for land development.
Non-Statutory Plans, Guidelines, and Strategies
The mdp provides direction to develop future plans, guidelines and strategies
that help provide more detailed guidance on how the city is to build and
rebuild over time. These non-statutory plans can take on many forms and are
at the discretion of City Council and Administration to develop and utilize.
Land Use Bylaw
While the mdp broadly defines the City's land uses, the Land Use Bylaw regulates the use
of land in the city, detailing exactly how the land may be used, where buildings and other
structures can be located, lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, and more.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
5
3.1 Introduction
Fort Saskatchewan is a community that takes pride in its history,
culture, and connections among residents. Long before the Fort grew
into a town and the town grew into a city, the area was populated
by Indigenous Peoples. They inhabited this land, speaking distinct
languages, creating complex and distinct social and economic systems,
and moving with the ebb and flow of the natural world. Indigenous
history is etched into the landscape going back 11,000 years and 500
generations. The city is home to many Indigenous residents today.
The city has been shaped by the cultures and customs of the people living
in Fort Saskatchewan. Over 300 years ago, the Indigenous population
used the area for canoe building. The mouth of the Sturgeon River
was an excellent location for attaining the raw materials for crafting
canoes and this became the area's first known industry. They named
the area "Birch Hills" since birch bark was a primary component of the
canoe's exterior. The latter half of the eighteenth century saw the rise
of fur trading and exploration as prominent activities in the area.
section 3.0
Location
& Context
situated as the gateway to Alberta's
Industrial Heartland, the City of Fort
Saskatchewan has been welcoming people
from across the world for over a century.
6
3.0 Location & Context
Throughout its history the rich cultural heritage
has been a legacy of the city's rich natural
heritage. It boasts an extraordinary river valley
setting on the southern bank of the North
Saskatchewan River. Its unique landscape is
further defined by stunning wetlands and
natural prairie grasslands. These well-preserved
open spaces and natural area networks play a
significant role in defining the urban structure of
the city. The natural setting of the city attracted its
earliest inhabitants and industries, and through
the ingenuity of its people and their mindful
actions, present-day Fort Saskatchewan was built.
In 1872, the District's first settlers, François and
Joseph Lamoureux, arrived, and occupied land
on the north side of the North Saskatchewan
River. Shortly thereafter, the Northwest
Mounted Police established their fort on the
south side of the North Saskatchewan River.
The name of the community that grew around
the fort, became "Fort Saskatchewan."
Today, the city offers residents and
visitors a glimpse of the past through
its numerous historic buildings and the
North West Mounted Police (nwmp) fort re-
creation at the Fort Heritage Precinct.
Fort Saskatchewan was incorporated as a Village
in 1899, as a Town in 1904, and as a City on July
1, 1985. The city started experiencing population
growth after the founding of Sherritt Gordon
Mines in 1952. Rail access being an attractive
feature, many other industries established
in succeeding years. The city experienced
mild growth in the early twentieth century
and significant growth more recently, from a
population of 16,793 in 2008 to 26,328 in 2018.
Fort Saskatchewan plays a pivotal role in bridging
the urban and rural environments of the region.
It is a community hub for neighbouring rural
areas offering commercial, employment, health,
recreational, and cultural amenities, with easy
access to the metropolitan core of Edmonton.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
7
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
CITY OF
FORT SASKATCHEWAN
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
TOWN OF
GIBBONS
TOWN OF
BON ACCORD
21
825
830
643
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
15
15
37
STURGEON RIVER
N O R T H S A S K AT C H E W A N R I V E R
City of Fort Saskatchewan
M A P 1
Regional Context
8
3.0 Location & Context
section 4.0
Growth
Strategy
Building on Our Assets
and Thinking Forward
fort saskatchewan is a community
that takes pride in its history, culture,
and connections among residents.
4.1 Introduction
The sense of community is the top reason many people choose to
live in Fort Saskatchewan. The community values social and physical
connections throughout the city. The ability to meet residents' daily
needs within a short drive; along with our unique historic downtown
contributes towards the 'small town feel' that residents cherish. The
city's extensive trail network links together our neighbourhoods, the
river valley, parks, and amenities, and our residents are also connected
to each other through employment in the Industrial Heartland and
enrollment in educational and recreational programs. It is our downtown
that brings us together for festivals, events, dining and shopping,
and to the river valley and the Heritage Precinct. Industries have
played an important role in the growth and prosperity of our city.
To ensure future generations have the same fondness and connection to
their community this growth strategy focuses on Building on our Assets.
As we grow to a community of 50,000 residents, we will also need to be
Forward Thinking to adapt to the constantly changing local and global
trends, economies, technology and climate. Historically, our growth has
followed the industries; i.e. the early fur trade, the railroad in 1905 and
mining industry in 1952. Our growth in 2000s was also largely attributed
to expansion of petrochemical operations in the Industrial Heartland. In
the future, we need to be ready to respond to the changes in the energy
sector, emerging industries, and economic development opportunities.
Fostering our resilience will enable us to stand strong in times of economic
downturns, extreme weather and to deal with modern day health crisis such
as diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases. Addressing these new opportunities
and challenges will require a forward looking, proactive, adaptive,
innovative, nimble and solution-oriented approach to development that
aligns with the Community Direction Statement and the Pillars of this mdp.
9
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
How we build our communities has impacts on
our physical, social and economic well-being.
We will grow in the right places and at the
right scale, to support the long-term vitality of
our community. Growing together instead of
growing apart will preserve our connections,
create infrastructure efficiencies, and enable us
to offer increased service levels to our residents.
Focusing on enhancing our quality of life, not
just our standard of living, will help us attract and
retain talented, skilled employees, and industries.
The mdp builds on the high quality of life and
strong sense of community that residents cherish
by ensuring our neighbourhoods and public
places are welcoming, enjoyable, and safe
for groups of all ages, incomes and lifestyles.
Neighbourhoods with character and amenities
will strengthen our identity in the region. Our
city will offer choices in housing, employment,
education, shopping and entertainment that
address the needs of our diverse population.
Through planning, design, and development we
will create a connected community that provides
opportunities to succeed, innovate, and flourish.
4.2 Economic Strategy: Major Employment Lands
Growing to 50,000 people means growing our
economy as well. It will be a cyclical process
of people being attracted by our economic
growth, and people driving that growth
forward. Historically our major periods of
growth have been connected to the growth of
our industries locally and regionally. We have
a tremendous asset of over 550 hectares of
available industrial lands with highway access
in Alberta's Industrial Heartland. These lands
are identified regionally as Major Employment
Lands. Our policy framework will be nimble and
adaptive for the next generation of industrial
development. It is about being ready for the
best value-added types of businesses and
industries that would contribute to our growth
and resilience through future economic cycles.
Edmonton Global, the regional economic
development corporation, identifies
key areas of regional advantage as:
- Food & Agribusiness (e.g. hemp,
food and beverage processing);
- Energy (e.g. downstream and clean tech);
- Advanced Manufacturing & Manufacturing
(e.g. fabricated machinery, plastics); and
- Life Sciences (e.g. pharmaceuticals, health tech).
Locally, we have major employers in energy,
advanced manufacturing, and health with
another strong connection to the food and
agribusiness. As we look to the future, it
is important to analyze our employment
lands through the lens of resiliency.
The economy evolves rapidly, and it is important
to position the city to be adaptable to new
trends, and to be able to take advantage of
the opportunities they present. It is important
to continue to diversify for the resilience of our
local economy because different sectors of the
economy will surge forward and slow down at
different times. Diversification creates space
for innovation as different industries can have
operational synergies in product, waste, and
service, such as we have experienced between
nickel and fertilizer. Some industries need similar
supports for their operation and can spawn
whole new businesses. The knowledge exchange
among employees can support innovative
approaches and open entrepreneurial space.
Looking forward, we will strategically promote
diverse development in our major employment
lands and foster opportunities for knowledge
exchange. Attracting diverse investment will
enhance our resilience through economic
cycles and increase the variety of career paths
locally available to our residents. Our major
employment lands will drive our growth forward
by attracting new residents, enhancing our youth
retention and the prosperity of our community.
Figure 1, above. Business-Talent-Place Triangle.
Adapted from Airdrie's Economic Strategy, 2018 - 2028.
BUSINESS
TALENT
PLACE
needs talent
wants place
needs business
TRIANGLE
Business - Talent - Place
10
4.0 Growth Strategy
4.3 Downtown: Everyone's Neighbourhood
Downtown is consistently valued among
the residents as the heart of the community.
Public engagements consistently demonstrate
residents take pride in downtown. It is where
we bring visitors from out of town. It is where
the entire community comes together at events
and festivals. It is where the original Fort that
established this community was built. It is the
foundation this community was built upon.
Residents identified downtown as being a key
element of fostering the community's small-
town feeling. They value how everything is close
by in downtown; a variety of shops, recreation
opportunities in the river valley, community
events and the Heritage Precinct. Building on
these assets means more Fort Saskatchewan
residents experience and enjoy these settings,
in turn enhancing the vibrancy and diversity
of the downtown. We continue our tradition
of community events and celebrating our
history and downtown remains the focal point
of social activities - a place to socialize with
friends and loved ones, shop and dine at unique
establishments, explore the river valley and be
in touch with History at the Heritage Precinct.
Enhancing connections among these assets,
to the surrounding residential area, and to the
rest of the city, is a tremendous opportunity
to build on our sense of community.
In the past two decades, the downtown has faced
challenges that many small downtowns have
experienced across North America. Downtown is
our most diverse neighbourhood and the City has
long recognized the need to grow its population
to ensure its long-term health and vibrancy.
When rapid growth began in the early 2000s, the
residential growth and therefore the center of
our population shifted further from downtown.
As commercial development grew along the
highway both large and smaller retailers began
to locate along the Highway. The Highway 15/21
corridor has become the main commercial
and service centre for most residents.
When the city's population was nearly 14,000;
the downtown acted as the commercial
core for the city and the surrounding rural
communities. Today, despite having almost
double the population, the downtown faces
challenges including a high vacancy rate. Fort
Saskatchewan residents want to see a more
vibrant downtown with a variety of restaurants
and shopping opportunities, especially unique
local and boutique businesses. Yet, downtown
has a commercial vacancy rate of 15% (2019
Retail Gap Analysis). This disconnect emerges
from the disparity between the catchment
area of downtown versus the entire city.
Today, only around 4,250 residents have
more convenient access to the downtown
for commercial services. The rest of Fort
Saskatchewan's residents are more conveniently
served by commercial establishments along the
Highway 15/21 corridor. A population of 4,250
residents only has the capacity to support less
than 30% of the current downtown commercial
space. As such, a vacancy rate of only 15%
demonstrates downtown's unique draw. As the
immediate population supporting downtown
grows, its vibrancy will increase, and its draw
from surrounding areas will become stronger.
Figure 2. Commercial clusters in Fort Saskatchewan.
Downtown
Station Square
Pineview
99th Ave
Eastgate
Rosscreek
101 St / Hwy 15
Cornerstone
Southpointe
Westpark
Southridge
CENTRAL
SOUTH
DOWNTOWN
WEST
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
11
Although the city witnessed a two-fold increase in
its population since the year 2000, the population
of downtown has remained largely the same,
decreasing slightly, with aging demographics and
fewer children. Household sizes are smaller today
across the country and in Fort Saskatchewan,
meaning less population for the same number of
households to support the businesses in place.
Downtown is home to the oldest housing stock,
some vacant and under-utilized buildings and
lots, and some buildings of historic significance.
It presents opportunities for redevelopment,
reinvestment, and growth. The Growth Strategy
for this Plan recognizes the unique development
pattern of downtown from more recent suburban
developments. Therefore, redevelopment and
infill will require careful consideration of the
downtown setting and the needs and aspirations
of residents and the business community.
This Growth Strategy recognizes the need to
grow the population base in downtown and the
importance of enhancing direct and convenient
multi-modal connections from the rest of
the city to downtown. Downtown residential
neighbourhoods are desired by many Fort
Saskatchewan residents due to their mature
tree lined streets, grid street pattern, proximity
to schools and services, and access to river
valley. Reinvestment, strategic intensification,
and redevelopment creating housing options
for young families, students, and retirees will
allow more residents to enjoy what downtown
has to offer, support local businesses and
efficiently utilize the City's infrastructure.
Figure 3. Lifecycle of a neighbourhood. Adapted from smartergrowth.ca/cities-never-sleep.
Population begins to decline
as children grow up and
leave home.
YEARS 1 - 12
Community development
nears completion; the
residents who arrive are
typically young families.
YEARS 13 - 20
Community is complete;
families continue to grow
and population reaches
its peak.
YEARS 37 - 46
Without revitalization,
neighbourhoods decline;
schools often close, transit
is reduced and local
businesses can't thrive.
YEARS 37 - 46
When revitalization begins,
the neighbourhood gains
vitality and is seen as
desirable; new families move
in, stabilizing the population.
12
4.0 Growth Strategy
4.4 Established Neighbourhoods
Similar to downtown, our established
neighbourhoods have a long history and
legacy in the community. They have extensive
green systems, proximity to the river valley,
and rich social connections. In addition to
plentiful park spaces, they have several
schools and mature tree lined streets.
Since 2000, our established neighbourhoods
have been experiencing population stagnation
or decline. They have an older housing
stock primarily from the 1970s and aging
neighbourhood demographics. These are
normal trends in a neighbourhood's lifecycle
and can represent a crossroads for the future
direction of a neighbourhood. These trends
can be reversed through introducing policy
intervention that allows for timely redevelopment,
new housing stock and new housing forms that
meet diverse housing needs of residents.
The current stock was developed at a time
when households were larger and it is not
seeing the influx of young families that our
developing neighbourhoods do. Older
housing stock comes with updating expenses
that newer stock will not experience for
many years, such as roof replacements. New
housing that reflects current demographic
and economic trends will attract new residents
to our established neighbourhoods.
Great housing choice means new residents can
benefit from and support the existing amenities in
established neighbourhoods. These interventions
make an established neighbourhood's assets
available for enjoyment by new residents.
This type of policy intervention ideally occurs
prior to the loss, deterioration or relocation of
any community assets, such as schools, park
equipment or programming. New development
and intensification also enhances area land
values, improving the value of older housing
stock, and growing a more efficient tax base.
Introducing new residents can allow communities
to enhance the quality of local assets such as
new and upgraded parks equipment, improved
trail maintenance and more programming.
This Growth Strategy emphasizes and
prioritizes the revitalization of our established
neighbourhoods, utilizing potential
redevelopment and intensification sites before we
look to new lands for development. This builds on
the infrastructure investments the City has already
made and creates development efficiencies that
can be used to enhance existing amenities and
services. This diversification of housing stock
in established neighbourhoods will also help
provide entry level homes for our youth and
opportunities for our seniors to downsize within
their neighbourhood. The larger population base
will support local businesses and amenities. More
population in closer proximity to downtown will
also help support the heart of our community.
The Growth Strategy supports the redevelopment
and intensification in the right places and at
right scale through appropriate transition of
development intensity which will be determined
through analysis and consultation with residents.
It encourages investment to enhance existing
assets and amenities in timely manner to
support the existing and additional population.
The policy framework will facilitate investment
in our established neighbourhoods, ensuring
the process is straightforward, consistent,
and poses as few barriers as possible.
4.5 Enhancing Our Connections
Through Multimodal Transportation
Connections have always been foundational to
the growth of the city. The city was established
on the original transportation corridor of
the region, the North Saskatchewan River.
As we have grown over time so to have our
connections to the region, nation, and globe.
Our rail access and proximity to the Edmonton
International Airport provides us with multiple
avenues to connect nationally and internationally.
Roads have become the primary regional
transportation corridors and we are situated
at the intersection of two Provincial highways,
with quick access to the TransCanada highway,
connecting us to the region, industry to the
north, and the cross-country corridor.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
13
Highway 21 and 15 are the transportation spines
for goods and people moving through our
community. They serve as gateways into the
community and serve residents and industry
with excellent regional connectivity. These
corridors are, and will remain, critical for our
economic success. However, they can also act
as barriers, bisecting our community. This Plan
recognizes and supports the role of the highways
as welcoming gateways to our community that
highlight Fort Saskatchewan as a destination.
It will build upon these corridors to preserve
their current functions while expanding their
efficacy as gateways to, and multi-modal
connectors between our neighbourhoods.
The connections between our residents and
to our community play a significant role in
instilling our strong sense of community. The
way our communities are designed shape how
we experience them and each other. Creating
connections to public spaces and local stores
in our community gives residents the chance
to bump into each other at the stores, in the
park, or on the sidewalk. Creating welcoming
spaces where neighbours are comfortable
spending time, creates opportunities for the social
connections among residents to flourish and
our sense of community to strengthen. This Plan
will focus on improving the physical connections
that keep our social connections to each other
and our community strong. This plan will work to
maintain the small town feel that we have kept
as a small city, as we grow to a medium city.
Residents expressed a great sense of pride
in our trail system and placed a high value
on living an active lifestyle. At the same time
almost two-thirds of our residents do not get
enough physical activity. We know people that
use active transportation to meet some of their
daily needs tend to be healthier and get more
physical activity. Building on our existing trail
network to better serve residents' daily needs
will offer them more ways to live the active
lifestyle they desire. As an inclusive community,
increasing our multi-modal transportation
options also will ensure more of our residents
have access to more of our community. A
diverse transportation network can maximize
residents' ability to enjoy their community.
We will build on the assets we already have,
like our substantial trail network, tying that into
a broader active and public transportation
approach, and being deliberate about making
efficient connections. We will cluster higher
densities and commercial activities in nodes and
along arterial and collector roads, ensuring they
are well served by our transit service and overall
active transportation network. A comprehensive
mobility network serves all users, regardless
of transportation mode. More people walking
or taking transit means less traffic on the roads
for those that are driving, and cost savings in
road upgrades, widening, and maintenance.
This approach to connectivity will ensure as
we grow that residents stay connected to each
other and to assets that meet their recreational,
cultural, social, and material needs all while
staying active. It will also enhance the connection
between all residents, cherished community
assets, downtown and the river valley.
14
4.0 Growth Strategy
section 5.0
City-wide Policies
the city of fort saskatchewan is a choice
place for Albertans to live and work. The
following City-wide policies aim to create
a safe, resilient, equitable and affordable
place to live and work, while remaining an
efficient and collaborative regional partner.
The City of Fort Saskatchewan's city-wide policies
includes the following key components:
Regional Cooperation
The City of Fort Saskatchewan is a part of the Edmonton Metropolitan
Region and guided by the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan. That
Plan is a 50-year vision to collaborate and coordinate as a region to manage
economic development, infrastructure, services and growth responsibly.
The City will continue to work with its regional neighbours and partners,
including the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board, the City of Edmonton,
Strathcona County and Sturgeon County, as well as Alberta's Industrial
Heartland Association and other regional stakeholders to coordinate
efforts at all scales of the region and to promote regional cooperation.
Public Engagement
The City of Fort Saskatchewan recognizes the importance of
public engagement as a key component to the democratic
process. Public engagement provides information, supports
decision making, and gives a voice to residents. The City defines its
approach to public engagement in the City of Fort Saskatchewan
Public Engagement Framework, completed in 2012.
Housing Affordability
It is important that the City of Fort Saskatchewan provides affordable,
inclusive and multi-generational housing for all residents in an equitable
manner. Residents can live locally with diverse housing choices to
suit their needs and preferences through various stages of life.
15
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
Emergency Preparedness and Safety
The City of Fort Saskatchewan is responsible
for preparing and implementing an emergency
management program to deal with all
types of emergencies. The City's Municipal
Emergency Plan establishes a framework
that ensures the City is prepared to deal with
emergencies, including how to mobilize
resources and ensure efficient, reliable, and
consistent communication to the public in
order to keep the city and its citizens safe.
Environmental Resiliency
The City of Fort Saskatchewan must be
prepared for the impacts of climate change
such as extreme weather events and
remain resilient in the face of any future
environmental changes that may take place.
Vacant and Underutilized Lands
The City of Fort Saskatchewan has a number of
vacant and underutilized lands throughout the
downtown core and developed areas. These
lands should be prioritised to accommodate
the city's residential growth along with
complementary uses and amenities.
5.1 Objectives
5.1.a
The City has sustainable decision-making tools and processes.
5.1.b
The City is committed to regional cooperation regarding shared resources and regional coordination
of future development including economic development, infrastructure and services.
5.1.c
The City has tools and procedures in place to prepare for and respond to emergency events.
5.1.d
The City's statutory plans and planning documents are kept up to date and reflective of
the community's values as well as socio-economic and environmental trends.
5.1.e
The City's development related documents clearly articulate their purpose and remain
adaptive to creative approaches that maintain or exceed the intent.
5.1.f
City departments have the tools and processes they need in place to work
collaboratively and effectively to best serve our community.
5.1.g
City neighbourhoods are designed to achieve a feeling of comfort and safety.
5.1.h
The City supports affordable housing and transportation options to provide all residents the greatest
access to what our community offers and reduce the need for non-market alternatives.
5.1.i
The City has implemented statutory and guiding documents to support
sustainable development and building practices.
5.1.j
The safety of everyone who lives, works, and plays in Fort Saskatchewan
is integral to City decision making and operations.
5.1.k
Civic facilities are for everyone and are built with inclusive designs to enable access and use.
5.1.l
The development application review process is proactive, supported by a strong solution
oriented service approach to pursue the highest and best use development.
5.1.m All development is consistent with Regional Plans.
16
5.0 City-wide Policies
5.2 Policies
Regional Cooperation
5.2.1
Work with the Edmonton Metropolitan
Region Board and service commissions
to accomplish regional objectives.
5.2.2
Partner with neighbouring municipalities
and stakeholders to assess, monitor and
plan for shared resources such as the
North Saskatchewan watershed.
5.2.3
Continue to promote partnerships for regional
infrastructure, transportation, transit, protective
and emergency services, social services, and
any other service that may gain efficiency
and efficacy from a regional approach.
5.2.4
Coordinate with regional municipalities to
address the transport and management of
topsoil from one municipality to another.
1
Public Engagement
5.2.5
Offer comprehensive and inclusive public
engagement opportunities for proposed civic
facilities, developments, and infrastructure
projects in order to discover diverse perspectives.
5.2.6
Update the City of Fort Saskatchewan Public
Engagement Framework to encourage
opportunities for a diversity of perspectives
and reduce barriers to participation.
Emergency Preparedness and Safety
5.2.7
Ensure the Municipal Emergency Plan is
regularly updated to provide rapid support to
the public in times of emergency and provide
the necessary resources to implement it.
5.2.8
Enhance the Municipal Emergency Plan
through the inclusion of cumulative and
compounding use based risk assessments to
better align plans, policies, and operations
with our community's needs and risk profile.
5.2.9
When required, provide regional support
in times of emergency, disaster, and crisis
while prioritizing the safety and security
of Fort Saskatchewan and its residents.
5.2.10 Partner with regional, private, and not-for-
profit organizations to amplify the ability
to aid the public during emergencies.
Environmental Resiliency
5.2.11
Pursue leed building standards, or
equivalent, for all civic facilities.
5.2.12
Encourage energy efficient design for
new buildings, and retrofits in existing
buildings and infrastructure, using
means such as grant programs.
5.2.13
Support the redevelopment of brownfield sites
through the use of incentives or similar tools.
5.2.14
Soil should be recognized as a limited non-
renewable resource and managed accordingly.
1
Vacant and Underutilized Lands
5.2.15
Inventory vacant and underutilized lands
and buildings, including City owned lands,
and develop strategies to transition vacant
lands, vacant buildings, and underutilized
sites into vibrant active spaces.
5.2.16
Explore public-private partnerships to
develop priority underutilized sites to
meet municipal mixed-use objectives.
Housing Affordability
5.2.17
Ensure proposed housing options align with the
housing needs and affordability of the community.
5.2.18
Identify development incentives for
the provision of non-market affordable
units in mixed market builds.
5.2.19
Continue monitoring demographic changes
and trends at the neighbourhood level to
determine housing needs for all ages.
5.2.20
Explore public-private partnerships to provide
mixed market affordable housing developments.
5.2.21
Explore potential for affordable
housing developments on former
school sites and City owned lands.
1As amended by Bylaw C16-24.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
17
Open Space & Natural Areas
M A P 2
Downtown
Established Neighbourhoods
Major Employment Lands
Special Study Area
Correctional Centre
Developing Neighbourhoods
Future Urban Areas
Existing Major Street Network
Future Major Street Network
Urban Design Study Area
Gateways
Nodes
Community Framework
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
15
21
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
21
18
5.0 City-wide Policies
section 6.0
Our
Neighbourhoods
fort saskatchewan experienced unique
periods of development throughout
its growth from a Fort to a City.
6.1 Introduction
The city's neighbourhoods grew in sections influenced by the two highways
bisecting the community and the bordering North Saskatchewan River.
Growth first occurred in Downtown around the original Fort and then rail
line. Housing proceeded to develop in the area between Highway 15 to the
west, Highway 21 to the south, the river to the north, industry to the east. The
city grew along the river valley, crossing Highway 15 as 1970s approached.
Most of Pineview developed in the 1970s. As the 1990s approached,
Westpark began developing bringing the city further along the river. The
majority of Westpark developed post 2000 and is still developing today. In
the early 2000s, residential development crossed Highway 21 beginning
the city's growth to the south and starting the Southfort neighbourhood.
The city's distinct growth periods created distinct neighbourhood types
that are best served by tailored policy approaches. As one community,
the General Neighbourhood policies capture the commonalities among
our neighbourhoods and promote the values of residents. Throughout
our neighbourhoods, centres of activity have grown over time. These
areas, referred to as nodes in this plan, have a variety of drivers. Some are
centred on commercial activity, some are recreational in nature, and others
come from a convergence of green spaces and transportation networks.
All of these nodes serve our residents and provide locations for them to
come together. These neighbourhood focal points will receive their own
intention and will be grown to allow more residents to enjoy and connect.
The Downtown, Established Neighbourhoods, Developing
Neighbourhoods, and Future Urban Areas capture specific policy
direction for each of these geographies to best serve their context.
Downtown policies direct scale appropriate growth to the heart of the city.
Established Neighbourhood policy ensures our older neighbourhoods
are positioned to share our sense of community with new residents
now and into the future. Developing Neighbourhood policy recognizes
these areas have direction from existing asps while capturing regional
trends and resident aspirations. The Future Urban Areas policy will
ensure future asps continue to reflect the desires of residents and
that development occurs in an inclusive and responsible manner.
19
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
Open Space & Natural Areas
Downtown
Established Neighbourhoods
Major Employment Lands
Special Study Area
Correctional Centre
Developing Neighbourhoods
Future Urban Areas
M A P 3
Policy Areas
20
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
6.2 General Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhoods are the building blocks
that make up communities. They are
organized to provide housing, education
facilities, parks and open spaces, recreation
facilities and social gathering places.
When designed well, neighbourhoods foster a strong sense of community,
promote healthy lifestyles, encourage active modes of transportation,
offer a variety of small scale commercial amenities and personal
services as well as provide affordable and accessible places to live.
Neighbourhood Nodes act as walkable neighbourhood centres and
local destinations for adjacent residential areas. Nodes generally
contain higher density residential development, neighbourhood
scale commercial uses, civic facilities, and cultural, recreational
and social gathering spaces for the neighbourhood.
The composition of each node varies, with either a recreation
focus, a commercial focus and/or an institutional/educational focus,
however, all nodes will accommodate a mix of uses and the focus
for neighbourhood activity. Nodes will be well connected to the
surrounding neighbourhood, providing active and public transportation
connections. The design and character of a node should incorporate
a high-quality standard of architecture and landscaping, and a diverse
range of amenities with a strong sense of place and identity.
Objectives
6.2.a
A range of indoor community gathering spaces, such as libraries,
community halls, and cafes are located near residences.
6.2.b
The amount of indoor community gathering spaces is increased.
6.2.c
Public and private outdoor spaces are increased and accessible throughout the city.
6.2.d
Public and private outdoor spaces are designed for
use and enjoyment through all seasons.
6.2.e
Neighbourhoods and public spaces are designed to be welcoming, comfortable,
and visually interesting to encourage positive interactions between residents.
6.2.f
The built environment of neighbourhoods is varied and diverse.
6.2.g
Access to neighbourhood businesses and services is increased
to meet the needs of surrounding residents.
6.2.h
Neighbourhood nodes are developed utilizing walkable designs, a mix
of uses, and higher densities to serve as hubs of community activity.
6.2.i
The number of recreational amenities that are within
walking distance of residences is increased.
6.2.j
Diverse housing types are integrated into the community to meet
the needs of our different ages, incomes and household sizes.
6.2.k
Neighbourhoods are multi-generational.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
21
Figure 3.1. Establish Neighbourhood Based on Pedestrian
Shed (400m Radius, +/- 160 Acres/65 Ha).
Figure 3.2. Establish Central Public Space as
Neighbourhood Center. A transit Stop Goes
Here. Higher Density Shapes the Center.
Figure 3.3. Locate the commercial center relative to major,
highly visible transportation routes. This is where the highest
density residential and most intense uses are located.
Figure 3.5. Established a connected network of streets
and pathways that shape walkable blocks.
Figure 3.4. Connect the Center to Major Routes and Amenities.
Figure 3.6. Distribute a range of public spaces
within close proximity of all residences.
22
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Figure 3.8. Identify important viewshed & view terminations
for special buildings, and/or an architectural response to its
visible location. This supports wayfinding and builds character.
Figure 3.7. Apply land uses to pacels. Neighbourhoods
should have a range of building types and intensities.
Figure 4. Densification of a Node should occur from the
inside out - areas of higher intensity of use (red) are clustered
around a central public space - in this case, a recreational
greenspace (green). Intensity of use decreases as one moves
further away from the central public space (yellow).
Policies
Nodes
6.2.1
Nodes located within Future Urban Areas
shall develop at or above 70 du/nrha to
support business, services and amenities.
6.2.2
Nodes within established and developing
areas should intensify to or above 60 du/nrha
to support business, services and amenities.
6.2.3
Nodes shall transition to lower densities
at their periphery to integrate with
adjacent neighbourhoods.
6.2.4
Nodes should include medium-density
or high-density developments and are
encouraged to include a mix of both.
6.2.5
Large-format commercial or retail uses
should be integrated into mixed-use,
medium-to-high density developments.
6.2.6
Developments shall be street-oriented with
transparent active interfaces and provide multiple
pedestrian connections, to promote pedestrian-
oriented development and 'eyes on the street'.
6.2.7
Nodes shall have a diversity of uses, such
as mixed-use, office, small-to-medium
format retail, entertainment, institutional,
civic, multi-residential and open spaces.
Figure 5. Parking is located within the block, behind buildings
which face the street to accommodate pedestrians first.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
23
6.2.8
Nodes shall include amenities such as
street furniture, public art, bike parking
and pedestrian-scaled wayfinding.
6.2.9
Nodes should include new parks, plazas,
and community gathering spaces.
6.2.10
Explore and establish reduced parking
requirements within Nodes.
6.2.11
Parking shall be concealed within buildings
with at grade active frontages, located
at the rear of the buildings or located at
the side of the building with decorative
screening and increased landscaping.
6.2.12
Provide local transit connections
to areas surrounding Nodes.
6.2.13
Nodes should provide regional transit
connections to surrounding areas.
Parks, Open Spaces, and Civic Facilities
6.2.14
Increase the number of parks, open spaces,
and civic facilities within neighbourhoods.
6.2.15
Create scale appropriate and optimally
located gathering spaces, pocket parks,
plazas, and/ or community gardens to
increase interaction between neighbours.
6.2.16
Public spaces and facilities shall incorporate
universal design standards.
6.2.17
Public spaces shall be designed and programmed
incorporating design principles of 8 80 Cities.
6.2.18
Utilize Crime Prevention Through Environmental
Design (cpted) principles in the development
of parks, open spaces and public facilities to
promote safety and comfort for all users.
6.2.19
New community facilities should be designed
and regulated to allow for adaptation to
accommodate multiple uses over time.
How Gathering Spaces Foster
a Sense of Community
Gathering spaces, such as parks, plazas,
halls and small businesses can foster
a sense of community belonging by
facilitating social interactions, chance
encounters between neighbours and
opportunities to develop friendships.
A sense of community is associated
with improved wellbeing, increased
feelings of safety and security
and civic responsibility.
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (cpted)
cpted are design principles used to discourage crime and increase the safety
of public spaces and facilities. The three main cpted principles are:
1. Natural Surveillance. Natural surveillance methods include keeping
areas well lit, in particular building entrances, eliminating hiding spots
such as tall hedges or trees, and providing clear lines of sight.
2. Access Control. Access control methods include limiting
quick access to entryways through fences or gates and
utilizing curbing and landscaping to direct foot traffic.
3. Territorial Reinforcement. Territorial reinforcement methods create a
clear distinction between public and private property, such as ownership
signage and keeping an area well-maintained to indicate occupancy.
Figure 6. Parks should be optimally located to accommodate
residents within neighbourhoods. By striving to locate
either an active or passive outdoor greenspace within 400m
of every dwelling unit, residents are provided with more
opportunities to be outside, which has been identified as a way
to support public health, mental wellness, and reduce stress.
24
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
School Sites
6.2.20 Where feasible, school buildings should be utilized
as community facilities outside of school hours.
6.2.21
Collaborate with school authorities on where to
locate joint school and municipal facilities and
developing joint use agreements for these facilities.
6.2.22
Existing school buildings should be used as
schools or other educational uses. If this is not
feasible, the school building and school site
should be adapted and reused for alternative
uses, including community-oriented uses,
open space, or other uses as identified.
6.2.23
New school facilities should be designed
to allow for adaptation in order to
accommodate multiple uses over time.
Figure 7. Windows, balconies, and even front
door steps and landings provide building
transparency and allow residents to interact
with and keep watch over the public street.
Figure 8. Quality architecture choices, including street-facing
balconies, awnings, a diversity of balcony and porch forms,
are attractive features on both commercial and residential
buildings that contribute to street appeal. Corner lot
development should engage with both streets they face.
Figure 9. Providing front door street access to and from
buildings are another way to prioritize the pedestrian
while promoting engagement with the street.
Eyes on the Street
The phrase "eyes on the street" is most
commonly attributed to Jane Jacobs,
an urbanist and activist whose writings
championed a community-based
approach to urban planning and design.
The concept of "eyes on the street"
refers to providing citizens with the
opportunity to watch activities taking
place in city streets. This community
watch keeps the street safer to use, it
encourages positive activity because
if trouble or danger becomes present,
the community is watching - they have
their "eyes on the street" and therefore
are ready to support those in need
or at risk of trouble. It is a principle
consistent with Natural Surveillance
as explained in Crime Prevention
Through Environment Design.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
25
Urban Design
6.2.24
Encourage sustainability, excellence, creativity,
and innovation in architectural, landscape,
site, and neighbourhood design.
6.2.25
Developments shall incorporate high quality
urban, landscape, and architectural design to
ensure development builds upon and adds value
to the neighbourhood's established character.
6.2.26
Developments shall be street-oriented with
transparent active interfaces and provide multiple
pedestrian connections to promote 'eyes on the
street' and pedestrian oriented development.
6.2.27
Developments shall address adjacent street and/
or public space through incorporating quality
architecture, appropriate setbacks, scale, and
massing, building features such as balconies,
windows, canopies and terraces, and landscaping
and fencing that contributes to the street appeal.
6.2.28
Commercial areas shall be designed to include
a variety of elements that enhance the public
realm, such as landscaping, outdoor patios,
courtyards, plazas, fountains, building articulation,
covered walks, and other placemaking features.
6.2.29
Commercial areas shall be designed to ensure
that site access, parking, and circulation for
commercial uses prioritize pedestrian movement
and are easy to navigate in a safe manner
with pedestrian pathways, and lighting.
6.2.30
Parking areas shall be designed to minimise
contiguous hard surfaces through the
incorporation of landscaping elements.
6.2.31
Residential or mixed-use developments
should incorporate ground floor units
with front door access to the street.
6.2.32
Neighbourhoods shall have a diversity of
housing types to enhance character along
block frontages, and within neighbourhoods
meeting the various financial, lifestyle, and
cultural needs of our diverse population.
6.2.33
Locate higher density residential,
commercial, and mixed use developments
along transit routes and near open spaces,
school sites and community services.
6.2.34
Developments shall demonstrate application
of Winter City design principles.
6.2.35
Utilize Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (cpted) principles in the
development of neighbourhoods, including
residential and commercial areas, to promote
safety and comfort for all residents.
6.2.36
Lighting sources should be shielded, diffused,
or indirect to avoid spillover on adjacent
properties, nighttime sky light pollution,
and glare to pedestrians and motorists.
6.2.37 Area Structure Plans and Area Redevelopment
Plans shall include design guidelines for the
neighbourhood to promote innovative and diverse
built forms and architectural style, pedestrian-
oriented design, and a high-quality public realm.
Universal Design
Universal Design is the design of
spaces and buildings to make them
accessible to all people regardless of
age, ability, and other characteristics
to maximize ease of use for all users.
The 7 principles of Universal Design:
1. Equitable Use. The design is useful
to people with diverse abilities.
2. Flexibility in Use. The design
accommodates a wide range of
individual preferences and abilities.
3. Simple and Intuitive Use. Use of
the design is easy to understand,
regardless of the user's experience,
knowledge, language skills, or
current concentration level.
4. Perceptible Information. The
design communicates necessary
information effectively to the user,
regardless of ambient conditions
or the user's sensory abilities.
5. Tolerance for Error. The design
minimizes hazards and the adverse
consequences of accidental
or unintended actions.
6. Low Physical Effort. The design can
be used efficiently and comfortably
and with a minimum of fatigue.
7. Size and Space for Approach
and Use. Appropriate size and
space is provided for approach,
reach, manipulation, and use
regardless of the user's body
size, posture, or mobility.
8 80 Cities
8 80 Cities is a philosophy of city building
which proposes that if an urban place is
designed to function well for both an 8-year-
old and an 80-year-old, then it will be a great
place for all people. The 8 80 Cities concept
engages youth and elderly in creating our
cities and advocates for creating safer,
walkable and bike friendly environments,
and improving transit access and services.
26
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
6.2.38
Encourage creative approaches to subdivision
and neighbourhood design that demonstrate
innovative and creative approaches to
fulfilling plan objectives, such as:
a.
Porkchop lots
b.
Shallow wide lots
c. Alley oriented developments
d.
Radburn concept developments
e.
Fronting greenspaces
f. Alternative roadway designs
Winter City Design
Fort Saskatchewan is a northern city
that warrants a Winter City approach
to design to increase the use of public
spaces and enhance livability during
the winter months. Winter City Design
is an all-seasons approach to city
building, incorporating design elements
that enhances the comfortable use
and vibrancy of the public realm.
Winter City design principles include:
1. Orienting buildings and open
spaces to maximize sun exposure
2. Creating windbreaks through
effective site planning, landscaping
and building design
3. Creating shelter through building
elements such as awnings and
promenades and building setbacks
4. Utilizing site and building lighting,
colour treatments, accent materials
to offset darkness and monotony
5. Designing flexible, comfortable,
accessible, and enjoyable
public and private outdoor
spaces in all seasons, and
6. Develop flexible public spaces that
enable a variety of programming
and uses to support greater activity
throughout the day and year.
a) Porkchop lots
b) Shallow wide lots
c) Alley oriented developments
d) Radburn concept developments
e) Fronting greenspaces
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
27
Housing
6.2.39 All neighbourhoods shall have a diversity
of housing types, such as single and semi-
detached, duplexes, townhomes, rowhouses,
stacked townhomes, multi-attached residential,
and accessory dwelling units to meet the
various financial, lifestyle, and cultural needs
of the city's diverse population and to achieve
municipal and regional housing targets.
6.2.40
Support the provision of market
affordable and non-market affordable
housing in all neighbourhoods.
6.2.41
Encourage the location of affordable
housing options along transit routes
and near commercial uses, open spaces,
school sites and community services.
6.2.42
Encourage the inclusion of barrier
free and adaptive units in multi-
unit residential developments.
Infill Development
6.2.43
Encourage safe and secure development of
accessory dwelling units to facilitate aging in
place and multi-generational neighbourhoods.
6.2.44
Undertake a Mature Neighbourhoods Strategy
and/or Land Use Bylaw Overlay working with the
community to determine suitable residential
infill, redevelopment, and renovation types
for the downtown fringe and established
neighbourhoods in order to rejuvenate the
neighbourhoods and maximize the use and
viability of existing services and facilities.
6.2.45 Support Infill developments and redevelopment
projects that address and complement
existing surrounding development through
building massing and site design.
Barrier-Free & Adaptive Residential Units
Barrier-free (also known as accessible,
universal, or inclusive) design creates a
built environment usable by everyone.
This means taking into consideration
the varying sensory abilities of a diverse
population, including vision, hearing,
communication, mobility, and cognition.
Barrier-free design for residential
application is most often personalized
in accordance with one's abilities and
lifestyle. The special features unique to
an individual's abilities usually involves
costly renovations and time to complete
the project, and may involve some minor
inconveniences to the occupant.
Developers and designers can follow
general residential design standards when
constructing multi-residential developments
that will accommodate most disabilities,
either in selected units or in all units.
Some of these design elements include:
1. Zero or ground level threshold (that is,
an entrance to the unit with no steps);
2. 1.5 m turning diameter in all
areas of the unit, including
entry and laundry areas;
3. Light switches should be mounted
between 1200 - 1400 mm when
measured from the centre line of
the plate to the finished floor; and
4. Lever-handled hardware
on all doors that latch.
Minimum barrier-free design requirements
are derived from the provincial and
national building codes. The Province
of Alberta has a robust Barrier Free
Design Guide that all builders are
expected to have a working knowledge
of and adhere to whenever possible.
Figure 10 (left). Infill units (highlighted in
red) could include attached units such as
basement suites, laneway suites (typically
located over a garage unit), or even stand-
alone detached units located at the rear of
a property beside or in lieu of a garage.
Figure 11 (right). In this example, the
infill development (in red) "fits in" to
the established streetscape - it is only
slightly taller than the existing houses
on the street and abides by the same
setback (red dotted line). It is unique
and has its own sense of character, but
looks like it belongs on this street.
28
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Winter Design Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 1
PRINCIPLE 1
Orienting buildings and open spaces
to maximize sun exposure.
6.2.34
Developments shall demonstrate application
of Winter City design principles.
8.3.25
Maintain snow clearing policies to ensure
active transportation routes are prioritized.
Deciduous trees allow
sunlight to filter through.
Pedestrian scaled lighting
to offset darkness.
Use of evergreen trees and dense
vegetation acts as a wind break.
Use of bright colours on facades to combat
monotony and add visual interest.
Wide sidewalks
maintained multi-use
trails for winter
biking, segways, etc.
Boulevards for snow storage,
protect from road spray.
Building materials
such as brick and stone
absorb and retain heat.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
29
Winter Design Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 2
PRINCIPLE 6
Develop flexible public spaces
that enable a variety of programming
and uses to support greater activity
throughout the day and year.
6.2.34
Developments shall demonstrate application
of Winter City design principles.
BEFORE
Provision of warming shelters
and food vendors.
Pedestrian-scaled lighting
along pathways to preserve
night vision and visibility into
surrounding areas.
Creating visual interest through
seasonal decorative lighting.
Evergreen trees
to block winter winds.
Deciduous trees
allow sunlight to
filter through.
Providing seating areas,
kiosks, washrooms, etc.
Creating partial enclosures
using trees and vegetation
to shelter areas from
prevailing winds.
Adapt to existing park
features and create
opportunities to develop
winter activity hubs
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6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Winter Design Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 3
PRINCIPLE 3
Creating shelter through building
elements such as awnings and
promenades and building
setbacks.
6.2.34
Developments shall demonstrate application
of Winter City design principles.
Year-round patios
with winter
infrastructure.
Maximize sun
exposure
Deciduous trees allow
sunlight to filter through.
Snow cleared
pedestrian access
Pedestrian scale lighting
to offset darkness
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
31
6.3 Downtown
Downtowns are the heart and soul of many
cities. Downtowns tend to be the most
historically significant area, the centre of
commerce, and the place where most residents
refer to when describing their community.
Downtown Fort Saskatchewan exemplifies these concepts as the initial
settlement location, the home of the historic precinct, original fort and
location of many community celebrations today. In recent years it has
experienced stagnation with limited new investment and development.
The population of Downtown has been consistent. As per 2019 statistical
data it is slightly below its population in the year 2000 and predominantly
hom,e to older adults. This stagnation has resulted in part due to the
decentralization of commercial and residential development to other areas
of the city, such as along Highway 21 and to the south. These areas captured
new commercial business growth over the past two decades, mostly in the
form of large-format (big-box) retail and most new housing development.
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan was completed in 2009. The
strategic approach to downtown will require a re-evaluation and potential
update to realize the cds set out by the mdp. Supporting the existing
businesses in the Downtown and creating a vibrant downtown experience
requires a greater population base in and around the downtown area
along with a variety of commercial and social activities that offer unique
experience unlike those found in suburban and highway commercial
settings. Downtown will continue to evolve as the heart of the city.
The City of Fort Saskatchewan's Downtown includes the Downtown
Core, the 99 Avenue Corridor and the Downtown Fringe areas
as shown in the Downtown Policy Areas Map (Map 4).
Objectives
6.3.a
Land, development, and public investment is strategically utilized
to enhance the small-scale urban quality of downtown.
6.3.b
Dwelling units in the Downtown Fringe increase by 15%.
6.3.c
The Downtown Core and 99 Avenue Corridor intensifies to 100+du/nrha to
support the vitality of businesses and enhance the liveliness of downtown.
6.3.d
Downtown is home to more local businesses that
are financially viable and growing.
6.3.e
Downtown's commercial vacancy rates are down from 15% to 7% by 2029.
6.3.f
99 Avenue is a multi-modal high-density mixed-use corridor
that serves as a spine supporting Downtown.
6.3.g
More people visit and enjoy downtown for longer.
32
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O R
T H
S A
S K AT
C H
E W
A N
R
I V
E R
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
Open Space & Natural Areas
Downtown Core
Downtown Fringe
99th Avenue Corridor
M A P 4
Downtown Policy Areas
15
21
15
99 AVENUE
101 STREET
108 STREET
RIVER ROAD
N O R
T H
S A
S K AT
C H
E W
A N
R
I V
E R
15
21
15
99 AVENUE
101 STREET
108 STREET
RIVER ROAD
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
33
Policies
General
6.3.1
Develop a Downtown Strategic Action Plan
and review it every three (3) years to ensure
the continued viability of the downtown.
6.3.2
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan shall
be reviewed in accordance with this Plan to
inform an overarching redevelopment strategy.
6.3.3
Invest in strategic Downtown infrastructure
projects to foster growth and development.
6.3.4
Develop a downtown gateway feature using
distinctive urban design, lighting, enhanced
landscaping, and public art features.
6.3.5
Developments shall be street-oriented and create
active interface with the pedestrian realm.
6.3.6
Prioritize downtown locations for new
educational, recreational, and childcare
facilities to accommodate families with
children that live, work, or play downtown.
6.3.7
Land uses that are industrial or vehicle-
oriented developments shall not be
expanded and new industrial or vehicle-
oriented uses shall not be allowed.
6.3.8
Enhance downtown vibrancy by increasing its
residential density and active street-level uses.
6.3.9
Encourage locating housing units
in the Downtown area.
6.3.10
Encourage locating high quality residential
development at appropriate downtown locations
through incentive measures such as tailored policy
approaches and strategic land management.
6.3.11
Develop a central trailhead and tourism hub
downtown, leveraging the river valley, the Historic
Precinct and the city's position at one end of
our regional trail network to attract visitors.
6.3.12
Simplify and expedite the sidewalk café
application process to encourage their use.
6.3.13 Work with the downtown business community
to extend the hours of business operations.
6.3.14
Promote business support programs including
City grants and incentives to encourage new and
existing business expansions in the Downtown.
6.3.15 Attract targeted businesses and development
to appropriate downtown locations, which
may include activities such as entertainment,
cultural, educational, retail, and office uses.
Commercial Vacancy Rates
The 2019 Retail Market and Gap Analysis
identified that overall, the city has a retail
vacancy of just over 5.3%, suggesting
a relatively healthy retail environment
overall. While the Downtown core is
envisioned as the heart of the city, it
suffers from the highest vacancy rate
of commercial areas at 15%, with a
high amount of tenant turnover. The
area within Downtown with the highest
vacancy rate is Fort Station and Market
Square, with a vacancy rate of 33.2%.
Decreasing Downtown's vacancy rate
to the city average will ensure that
Downtown provides a healthy retail
environment and vibrant place.
34
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Downtown Core
The Downtown continues to be identified as
the community's pride and joy. It is a place for
residents, visitors, and workers to shop, explore,
and relax. The Downtown Core is defined by
many unique features. City Hall is a significant
civic focal point. Jubilee Park and the Heritage
Precinct are places for major community events
and gatherings. The recently revitalized main
street (100 Ave) includes plantings, street
trees, pedestrian crossings, on street parking,
and patio areas that complement existing
small-format retailers and restaurants.
6.3.16
Encourage development of mid-rise street-
oriented buildings to complement the
existing Downtown Core built form.
6.3.17
Encourage the redevelopment of vacant lots
in the Downtown core through marketing
and economic development initiatives.
6.3.18
Conceal parking within buildings with active uses
at grade or located at the rear of the buildings.
6.3.19 Work with property owners to activate vacant and
underutilized sites through temporary uses.
6.3.20
Continuously review and monitor business
and development incentives for downtown.
6.3.21
Explore the development of a Business
Revitalization Zone and other downtown
resources to support business vitality
downtown focused staff resources.
6.3.22
Promote existing and pursue new events
and programming that animate and activate
the Downtown Core on a frequent basis.
99 Avenue Corridor
99 Avenue is a multi- modal corridor that
connects downtown to the rest of the city. It is
currently vehicular oriented in design, defined
by a large road right of way and surface parking
lots fronting on to the road in many instances. A
multi-purpose pathway runs along the northwest
side, connecting to the larger city-wide active
transportation network. The 99 Avenue Corridor
presents a unique opportunity to create a vibrant,
pedestrian-oriented and active transportation
corridor that fosters public and private
redevelopment of adjacent low intensity lands
into medium and high-density mixed-use sites.
6.3.23 As a significant gateway to downtown, the
City shall undertake an Urban Design Corridor
Study to design and redevelop 99 Avenue
from Highway 15 to 108a Street, to improve its
overall design and multi-modal connectivity.
6.3.24
Design the 99 Avenue Corridor to incorporate
pedestrian oriented elements including sidewalks,
frequent street crossings, public seating,
street lighting, public art, and landscaping.
6.3.25
Encourage medium-density and high-density
developments along the 99 Avenue Corridor.
6.3.26
Encourage a diversity of uses, including
mixed-use, office, small- to medium-format
retail, institutional, civic, multi-residential and
open spaces along the 99 Avenue Corridor.
Downtown Fringe
The Downtown Fringe is comprised of mature
neighbourhood areas. These areas have the
potential to add new residents to support the
Downtown Core's businesses while adding
vibrancy to the area. The fringe is home to an
aging housing stock and population while
younger family growth has largely occurred
in developing neighbourhoods over the
past two decades. Infill residential projects
are supported and encouraged in this area
as they create opportunities for residents
and families to embrace downtown.
6.3.27
Support the redevelopment of the former
Dr. Turner's Lodge site (9711 101 Street)
into a high-density residential development,
with potential commercial uses, community
amenities and active street-level uses.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
35
Downtown Core Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 4
6.3.11
Develop a central trailhead and
tourism hub downtown, leveraging
the river valley, the Historic Precinct,
and the city's position at one end of our
regional trail network to attract visitors.
6.3.c
The Downtown Core and 99 Avenue
Corridor intensifies to 100+ du/nrha
to support the vitality of businesses
and enhance the liveliness of downtown.
6.3.8
Enhance downtown vibrancy by
increasing its residential density and
active street-level uses.
6.3.19
Work with property owners to activate
vacant and underutilized sites through
temporary uses.
6.3.18
Conceal parking within buildings with
active uses at grade or located at the
rear of the buildings.
36
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Downtown Core Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 5
6.3.10
Encourage locating high quality residential
development at appropriate downtown locations
through incentive measures such as tailored policy
approaches and strategic land management.
6.3.16
Encourage development of
mid-rise street-oriented buildings
to complement the existing
Downtown core built form.
6.2.4
Nodes should include medium-density
or high-density developments and are
encouraged to include a mix of both.
6.3.5
Developments shall be street-
oriented and create active interface
with the pedestrian realm.
6.2.27
Developments shall address adjacent
street and/or public space through
incorporating quality architecture,
appropriate setbacks, scale, and massing,
building features such as balconies, windows,
canopies, and terraces, and landscaping
and fencing that contributes to the street appeal.
6.2.7
Nodes shall have a diversity of uses,
such as mixed-use, office, small-to-
medium format retail, entertainment,
institutional, civic, multi-residential,
and open spaces.
6.3.17
Encourage the redevelopment of
vacant lots in the Downtown core
through marketing and economic
development initiatives.
BEFORE
6.2.25
Developments shall incorporate high quality
urban, landscape, and architectural design to
ensure development builds upon and adds value
to the neighbourhood's established character.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
37
99th Avenue Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 6
6.2.25
Developments shall incorporate high quality
urban, landscape, and architectural design to
ensure development builds upon and adds value
to the neighbourhood's established character.
6.3.24
Design the 99 Avenue Corridor to incorporate
pedestrian oriented elements including sidewalks,
frequent street crossings, public seating, street
lighting, public art, and landscaping.
8.3.6
Encourage situating street-oriented
development on a case-by-case basis
along collector and arterial roads to
promote traffic calming and create an
engaging street experience without
impacting the opertional functionality.
Housing types along collector and
arterial streets should be reviewed for
their suitabiilty and potential impact on
traffic flow and safety.²
6.2.6
Developments shall be street-oriented
with transparent active interfaces and
provide multiple pedestrian connections
to promote pedestrian oriented
development and "eyes on the street".
6.3.26
Encourage a diversity of uses, including mixed-
use, office, small- to medium-format retail,
institutional, civic, multi-residential and open
spaces along the 99 Avenue Corridor.
6.2.27
Developments shall address adjacent street and/or
public space through incorporating quality architecture,
appropriate setbacks, scale, and massing, building
features such as balconies, windows, canopies, and
terraces, and landscaping and fencing thart contributes
to the street appeal.
8.3.19
Establish an active transportation
network that utilizes arterial and collector
right-of-ways that improves the active
transportation connectivity within the city
and to the Downtown.
6.2.31
Residential or mixed-use developments should incorporate
ground floor units with front door access to the street.
6.3.25
Encourage medium-density and high-density
developments along the 99 Avenue Corridor.
2As amended by Bylaw C25-25
38
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
99th Avenue Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 7
6.2.28
Commercial areas shall be designed
to include a variety of elements that
enhance the public realm, such as
landscaping, outdoor patios, courtyards,
plazas, fountains, building articulation,
covered walks, and other placemaking features.
6.2.24
Encourage sustainability, excellence, creativity,
and innovation in architectural, landscape, site,
and neighbourhood design.
6.2.33
Locate higher density residential,
commercial, and mixed use developments
along transit routes and near open spaces,
school sites and community services.
6.2.6
Developments shall be street-oriented
with transparent active interfaces and
provide multiple pedestrian connections
to promte pedestrian-oriented development
and "eyes on the street."
7.3.20
Incoporate natural landscaping, trees,
and other greening measures into new
transportation and utility corridors and
undertake the naturalization or greening
of existing corridors.
6.2.29
Commercial areas shall be
designed to ensure that site
access, parking, and circulation
for commercial uses prioritize
pedestrian movement and are
easy to navigate in a safe
manner with pedestrian
pathways, and lighting.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
39
6.4 Established Neighbourhood
Established Neighbourhoods were developed
between the 1950s and 1970s and include
Pineview and Sherridon. Established
Neighbourhoods contain low-density
development with grid, modified grid,
curvilinear, and circuitous roads with cul-de-sacs.
They consist of single-family homes with some multi-residential
development, neighbourhood scale commercial amenities,
recreational amenities, parks, schools and open spaces. Their
proximity to the Downtown, the river valley, Historic Precinct,
and mature tree lined streets makes them desirable.
However, these established neighbourhood have experienced population
decline or stagnation with an aging population that can put community
amenities such as schools at risk of closure. Since year 2000, Pineview has
lost 16% of its population and Sherridon's population has stayed consistent,
with the only growth attributable to the relocation of Dr. Turner Lodge
from Downtown. In this same period, the city's population grew by 102%.
While these are desirable neighbourhoods, household sizes today
are smaller than when these neighbourhoods were first developed.
Combining an aging housing stock with changing community
demographics has meant the same population is not present in these
neighbourhoods to enjoy all they have to offer. The focus of this Plan is to
encourage residential development in established areas to regenerate
their population base through diversity of housing choice to support
existing neighbourhood amenities and the Downtown vibrancy.
Objectives
6.4.a
Redevelopment and intensification maximizes use of existing
infrastructure and alleviates the tax burden of infrastructure lifecycles.
6.4.b
Dwelling units are increased by 16% to restore or exceed
the population supported in the year 2000.
6.4.c
There are more businesses and services in established
neighbourhoods to better serve existing and future residents.
40
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Policies
6.4.1
Integrate mixed-use and live-work developments
in established neighbourhoods along transit
routes, and near commercial uses, open
spaces, school sites and community services.
6.4.2
Encourage the comprehensively planned
redevelopment and flexible land use designation
of underutilized lands, buildings, or commercial
areas to promote the efficient use of land,
infrastructure and investment in established areas.
6.4.3
Encourage increased density and missing
middle development along transit routes
and near commercial uses, significant open
spaces, school sites or community services.
6.4.4
Encourage and support locating new housing
units in established neighbourhoods.
Missing Middle Housing
Most contemporary cities in North
America are experiencing a discrepancy
between existing available housing
stock and the housing needs of
shifting demographics. 'Missing
middle' housing includes a spectrum
of housing typologies from carriage
houses, duplexes, townhouses, live-
work units, fourplexes and cluster
housing - everything in between single-
family homes and mid-rise apartment
buildings. The missing middle housing
typologies provide choice to residents,
support walkable neighbourhoods
and housing affordability.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
41
Established Neighbourhood Node Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 8
6.2.12
Provide local transit connections
to areas surrounding Nodes.
6.2.28
Commercial areas shall be designed to
include a variety of elements that enhance
the public realm, such as landscaping,
outdoor patios, courtyards, plazas, fountains,
building articulation, covered walkks, and
other placemaking features.
6.2.5
Large-format commercial or retail uses should
be integrated into mixed-use, medium-to-high
density developments.
6.2.25
Developments shall incorporate high quality
urban, landscape, and architectural design to
ensure development builds upon and adds value
to the neighbourhood's established character.
6.2.8
Nodes shall include amenities such as
street furniture, public art, bike parking,
and pedestrian-scaled wayfinding.
BEFORE
42
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
6.5 Developing Neighbourhood
Developing Neighbourhoods have approved
Area Structure Plans (i.e. Southfort and
Westpark). They are in the process of
developing but are not yet fully built-out.
They are comprised of lower densities with curvilinear and indirect
roads with cul-de-sacs. As the asps were approved prior to the emrb's
Growth Plan (2017) the planned density of these neighbourhoods
is in the range of 25-30 units per net residential hectare.
Developing Neighbourhoods consist mainly of single-unit
dwellings, with apartment style multi-family development.
Neighbourhood scale commercial and recreational amenities
are concentrated along the highway corridor, unlike in the older
parts of the city where they are interspersed throughout.
New and developing areas should be designed to create walkable
complete neighbourhoods that incorporate a diversity of housing options
for all lifestyles, ages and incomes, be well connected by streets and trail
systems that avoid dead ends, and provide centralized neighbourhood
commercial and recreational services within a mixed-use environment within
walking distance of the broader community. These nodes are a means of
prioritizing transportation routes, pedestrian connections and establish
a mixture of uses within the neighbourhoods. These shared gathering
and activity spaces will ensure the strong community connections of our
established neighbourhoods continue in our developing neighbourhoods.
Objectives
6.5.a
Dwelling units in currently built out areas are increased by 15%
to improve access to affordable housing and services.
6.5.b
Neighbourhood nodes are developed at or above 60 du/
nrha to support business, services and amenities.
Policies
6.5.1
New residential development shall include diverse types
of housing to provide choice for residents.
6.5.2
Encourage new and innovative housing types to address financial,
lifestyle, and cultural needs of diverse demographics.
6.5.3
Encourage locating new housing units in the built-
out areas of developing neighbourhoods.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
43
6.6 Future Urban Area
The Future Urban Area consists of lands the City
annexed in 2020 to accommodate additional
years of contiguous growth following the full
build out of the developing neighbourhoods.
These lands currently accommodate agricultural uses and residential
acreages. The City has identified opportunities for future neighbourhood
development that will meet or exceed the minimum as outlined in the
Regional Growth Plan. The urbanization of these lands requires the extension
of services which impacts agricultural operations. Therefore, the City's
efforts will focus on preserving these lands until existing infrastructure is fully
utilized. The ultimate vision for the Future Urban Area, guided by a future
Area Structure Plan and Neighbourhood Structure Plans, is a cohesively
planned extension of the city that embeds best practices established in this
mdp. This includes a well-designed, healthy, well-connected and walkable
neighbourhoods that offer a distinct character with a diversity of housing
options, safe and efficient transportation options, multi-functional open
spaces, and neighbourhood services that are easy to access. These Areas
will be places where the community's identity will continue to flourish.
Objectives
6.6.a
New neighbourhoods are planned to sustain their infrastructure lifecycle and
not increase the infrastructure tax-burden on existing neighbourhoods.
6.6.b
New neighbourhoods are developed at or above a density of
35 du/nrha to support a range of community services.
6.6.c
New neighbourhoods are developed with identified nodes
supported by a density at or above 70 du/nrha.
6.6.d
Development will occur consistent with an Area
Structure Plan approved by the Council.
44
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
Policies
6.6.1
Develop a new Terms of Reference for future
Area Structure Plans and Neighbourhood
Structure Plans within the Future Urban Area.
6.6.2
All new Area Structure Plans shall:
a. be in accordance with the Terms of Reference
for asps, and shall include but not be limited
to innovative and diverse built forms and
architectural style, pedestrian-oriented
design, a high-quality public realm, multi-
modal transportation, work-play-shop
opportunities, and low impact development;
b. preserve, enhance and feature important
elements of significant topographical,
scenic, ecological, or historical interest;
c. include one Node per neighbourhood area
of approximately 160 acres (65 hectares) or
within a 5-minute walkshed (400m radius);
d. provide directions to soil management,
including its reuse and recycling;
3
e. ensure compatible land use patterns between
agricultural and non-agricultural lands; and
f. provide phasing and development
timeframes to provide certainty for the
long-term viability of agricultural uses and
prevent premature fragmentation of lands.
3
g. Demonstrate how it fulfills objective 6.6.a.
6.6.3
Prohibit premature fragmentation and
conversion of agricultural lands through
subdivision and redistricting.
6.6.4
To meet a broad range of housing needs,
new Area Structure Plans should consider:
a. Locating higher density residential uses near:
i. Neighbourhood Nodes, to
promote vibrancy and increased
usage of the activity centre;
ii. Main neighbourhood corridors,
to promote the use of public and
active transportation; and
iii. In proximity to large parks
and open spaces.
b. Locating a diversity of residential uses
throughout low density neighbourhoods to
promote gentle densification, including:
i. Secondary suites, attached;
ii. Secondary suites, detached
(such as backyard suites, garage
suites, garden suites, etc); and
iii. Innovative single-family or community-
style residential uses, (such as tiny
homes, cluster housing, etc).
6.6.5
Area Structure Plans and Area Redevelopment
Plans shall include design guidelines for
neighbourhoods and their nodes to promote
permeability, pedestrian oriented design,
and enhance the built and public realm.
6.6.6
New neighbourhoods shall have distinct identities
and character through neighbourhood, public
realm and architectural design guidelines.
6.6.7
New neighbourhoods should be focused around
a neighbourhood node or activity centre that
creates a well-designed, vibrant, walkable
gathering place for residents and provides
opportunities for small-scale shops and services
and housing choices. Neighbourhoods nodes may
include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Medium to high density housing;
b. Commercial mixed-use development;
c. Live/work spaces;
d. Small-scale retail and businesses;
e. Small-scale cultural facilities and /
or community meeting spaces;
f. Civic offices or facilities; and
g. Transit access and related facilities.
6.6.8
Soil management, including its reuse and
recycling, should be considered as part of an
Area Structure Plan for greenfield areas.
3
6.6.9
Adopt an agriculture lens as part
of urban planning: to ensure water
conservation/ reclamation/ recharge
and encourse a range of approaches to
support various forms of agriculture.
3
6.6.10
Ensure compatible land use patterns
between existing and non-agricultural
lands to minimize risk and conflict.
3
3As amended by Bylaw C16-24.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
45
6.7 Clover Park Special Study Area
The Clover Park Study Area is identified
as a study area in this Plan because of its
unique location and development pattern
in relation to the rest of the community.
Clover Park is a quarter section of country residential development
consisting of forty-two dwelling units, situated between the Major
Employment Area and the Provincial Correctional Centre. The southern
portion of the development currently receives water service while the
majority does not. Gas service is available throughout the development.
This type of development is unique to the city and is situated next
to uses that could pose compatibility challenges over time. The
housing stock in the area is also approaching an age where owners
have or will be considering potential redevelopment, expansion or
substantive renovation. In order to determine the best approach
for future development, and potential servicing for the area, it is
necessary for the City to give thorough attention to this unique area.
Policies
6.7.1
Conduct a study for the quarter section of land municipally known as Clover Park,
including its relationship with surrounding current and future developments.
This study will include, but not be limited to, recommendations for:
a. Future land use options for Clover Park;
b. Tax implications of the development options;
c. Servicing options and lifecycle cost of servicing;
d. Consideration and evaluations of approaches for maintaining
or transitioning the current land use pattern; and
e. The appropriate policy framework to ensure the compatibility of
future Clover Park land use with surrounding land uses.
46
6.0 Our Neighbourhoods
7.1 Introduction
These natural spaces and green infrastructure are highly valued
and provide opportunities for active recreation, passive enjoyment,
as well as preservation and protection of natural habitats, plants,
and wildlife. Protecting, preserving and expanding the city's natural
systems and providing an abundance of green spaces and recreation
opportunities is essential for a sustainable and healthy city.
The City of Fort Saskatchewan's Natural Systems and Green Infrastructure
includes the following key components:
1. The River Valley - The river valley is a major feature of the city,
and encompasses the North Saskatchewan River, the tributaries
that drain into it, and the surrounding environmental areas.
2. The Urban Forest - The urban forest is comprised of both
planted and naturally occurring trees located on public
and private lands along roads, in parks, open spaces,
and in natural areas, including the river valley.
3. Regional and Community Parks - Regional and community parks
in Fort Saskatchewan provide a range of amenities for active
and healthy living and are well-located throughout the city.
4. Green Connections - Green connections include
pathways and linear open spaces that connect people to
parks, schools, services and community amenities.
5. Environmental Areas - Environmental areas support
natural systems including habitat, plants, wildlife, and
hydrological features such as wetlands, creeks and rivers.
Natural resource extraction is a vital part of many municipal economies.
While governed and regulated by the province, planning for future natural
resource extraction is an important component to incorporate into overall
planning in order to determine things such as compatibility of land uses,
setbacks and buffers, as well as potential impact on the city's natural systems.
section 7.0
Natural
Systems, Green
Infrastructure, and
Natural Resource
Extraction
planting our roots and greening our
community. From the natural beauty of our
river valley to our tree lined streets, Fort
Saskatchewan is rich in natural assets.
47
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
River Valley Greenbelt
City-wide Open Space and Natural Areas
Existing Natural Features *require future environmental assessment
Waterbody / Watercourse
M A P 5
Parks, Open Space & Natural Systems
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
15
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
15
21
15
21
48
7.0 Natural Systems, Green Infrastructure, and Natural Resource Extraction
7.2 Objectives
7.2.a
Green infrastructure is protected and increased.
7.2.b
The ecological integrity of the river
valley, natural areas, wildlife habitats,
and watercourses is protected.
7.2.c
Natural areas and systems are woven
throughout our community, connecting
residents with the natural world.
7.3 Policies
Natural Systems
7.3.1
Ensure the North Saskatchewan River Valley
lands are maintained as a naturalized space
for the preservation of natural systems.
7.3.2
Provide public access to the North Saskatchewan
River Valley at regular intervals that to
encourage the use and enjoyment of these
lands to residents and visitors while protecting
the sensitive ecosystems of the river valley.
7.3.3
Develop an Open Space Master Plan to
maximize the public's access to, and enjoyment
of, parks and the natural environment.
7.3.4
Ensure new subdivisions and developments
are appropriately distanced, or set back,
from rivers, waterbodies, and natural
features as per municipal and provincial
legislation, policies, and guidelines.
7.3.5
No development shall occur within the 1:100 year
flood fringe area of the North Saskatchewan River,
Ross Creek, or other crown claimed wetlands
or significant natural features as identified in a
Biophysical assessment, with the exception of
permitted and discretionary use listed in the
PR - Parks and Recreation Land Use District, in
accordance with the Land Use Bylaw, as amended.
7.3.6
New development near steep slopes shall be
setback from the Top of Bank in accordance
with the Land Use Bylaw, as amended.
7.3.7
Ensure environmentally sensitive and/or
significant areas are preserved using various
legislative tools, such as environmental
reserve/environmental reserve easements,
conservation reserves, municipal
reserve, or conservation easements.
7.3.8
Ensure wetlands are evaluated, protected
and preserved in alignment with
provincial policy through the following
methods in order of priority:
a. Avoidance of wetland damage or destruction;
b. Impact minimization and provision
of applicable compensation; and
c. Compensation for wetland
damage or destruction.
7.3.9
Evaluate the urban forest and, where
appropriate, protect the urban forest through the
incorporation of existing tree stands into parks
and open spaces of new neighbourhoods.
7.3.10
Ensure new subdivisions and developments
meet or exceed regional, provincial, and
federal Acts, regulations, and guidelines
with respect to air quality, water quality, and
flood plain and hazard management.
7.3.11
Require municipal and school reserves
dedication equal to a minimum of 10% of
the land remaining after any environmental
reserve has been dedicated as part of a new
subdivision to the satisfaction of Administration.
7.3.12 The dedication of reserve lands shall be the
primary option during the development process,
with cash-in lieu taken only when land would not
serve the City's objectives for recreation, parks,
active transportation, culture and education.
Green infrastructure
The natural vegetative systems and green
technologies that collectively provide society
with economic, environmental and social
benefits (e.g. planting native trees as part
of storm water management system).
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
49
Green Infrastructure
7.3.13
Incorporate public engagement opportunities into
the planning of multi-functional open spaces.
7.3.14
Develop and implement a city-wide Wetland and
Natural Areas Protection Plan for the strategic
protection and enhancement of natural systems.
7.3.15
Develop and implement an Urban Forestry
Protection Plan to ensure the city's
tree canopy is protected, maintained,
renewed, and expanded over time.
7.3.16
Require that any trees that are removed
are replaced in accordance with the
Urban Forestry Protection Plan.
7.3.17
Provide a range and diversity of active and
passive recreational open space in communities
in order to meet the needs of all residents.
7.3.18
Provide a range and diversity of regional
recreational facilities as outlined in the 2015
Recreation and Parks Master Plan update.
7.3.19
Encourage implementation of Low
Impact Development (lid) principles and
green infrastructure alternatives in new
development or redevelopment areas.
7.3.20
Incorporate natural landscaping, trees, and other
greening measures into new transportation
and utility corridors and undertake the
naturalization or greening of existing corridors.
7.3.21
Undertake a city-wide Ecological Inventory
and Ecosystem Services Assessment to inform
natural area and infrastructure policies in
new and developing neighbourhoods.
7.3.22
Maximize visual and physical connectivity to
the natural environment and green spaces.
7.3.23 The City shall use its full authority granted under
the Municipal Government Act in considering the
provision of reserve lands, including municipal
reserve, school reserve, or cash-in-lieu.
7.3.24
Small scale green spaces, such as pocket parks
and plazas, should be distributed throughout
neighbourhoods in order to be within
5-minute walking distance of residences.
7.3.25
Parks smaller than 1000m2 in area at minimum
shall have direct access from one public road
with a minimum 25% road frontage.
7.3.26
Environmental Reserve lands including the river
valley and ravine system should have direct public
access with a minimum of 30% road frontage.
7.3.27
Parks and open spaces taken as Municipal
Reserve should have direct access from at
least two public roads (excluding lanes)
with a minimum of 50% road frontage.
7.3.28
School Reserves shall have direct access from
at least two public roads (excluding lanes)
with a minimum of 50% road frontage.
Natural Resource Extraction
7.3.29 Aggregate resource extraction operations
shall be carried out in accordance
with Provincial requirements.
7.3.30
Development permits for aggregate resource
extraction shall provide for the following:
a. reclamation of the site to an equivalent
land capacity/capability;
b. conservation and storage of topsoil; and
c. any additional information that is required
for consideration of the development
permit at the discretion of the City.
7.3.31
Evaluate resource extraction activities
to mitigate risks and impacts to people
and the natural environment.
7.3.32 Apply design and land use measures to address
risk and nuisance factors associated with resource
extraction, processing and reclamation.
7.3.33
Prevent resource extraction within the
North Saskatchewan River Valley, Ravine
system, and the Future Urban Area in
order to preserve its ecological value.
7.3.34
Encouarge conservation and reclamation of
lands beneficial to the agricultural system.
7.3.35
Ensure compatible land use patterns between
areas of agricultural and non-agricultural
lands to minimize risk and conflict.
50
7.0 Natural Systems, Green Infrastructure, and Natural Resource Extraction
Neighbourhood Park Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 9
6.2.15
Create scale appropriate
and optimally located
gathering spaces, pocket
parks, plazas, and/or
community gardens to
increase interactions
between neighbours.
6.2.18
Utilize Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED)
principles in the development of
parks, open spaces, and public
facilities to promote safety and
comfort for all users.
7.3.27
Parks and open spaces taken
as Municipal Reserve should have
direct access from at least two
public roads (excluding lanes) with
a minimum of 50% road frontage.
6.2.33
Locate higher density residential,
commercial, and mixed use developments
along transit routes and near open spaces,
school sites and community services.
6.2.16
Public spaces and facilities
shall incorporate universal
design standards.
6.2.17
Public spaces shall be designed
and programmed incorporating
design principles of 8 80 Cities.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
51
section 8.0
Mobility
growing our local and regional connections.
Our streets are places for people and as such
are intrinsically linked with land-use and design.
8.1 Introduction
Right-sizing the mobility network to work with adjacent land-uses
to create complete streets is essential to facilitate the movement
of people and goods both within and through the city in a safe,
efficient and accessible manner. Such a network should facilitate
community connections and economic opportunities, all the while
being safe, inclusive and barrier free. By integrating planning and
urban design, the mobility network will provide convenient options
that support equity, improve human health and reduce emissions.
The City of Fort Saskatchewan's Mobility Network
includes the following key components:
1. Connecting People and Places
Our streets are places for people - to move, to linger, to recreate. The
street is the connective tissue that links people to places, and is informed
by the activities and uses that surround it. A healthy and complete
street is one that provides the right mobility options that support the
activities and uses, linking one place to another. This may include
opportunities to walk, bike, scoot, take transit, or drive. These places, or
Nodes, are key activity points across the city and include our downtown,
neighbourhood centres, and other clustered activities in an area.
This grid network, and modified grid development that may deviate from
the right-angle format (to align with an established street, for example),
creates better connected neighbourhoods. The grid system of streets
provides more access and exit points into and out of neighbourhoods, and
more connections through neighbourhoods. A grid also allows for ease
of navigation, whether in a car, emergency vehicle, or as a pedestrian.
52
8.0 Mobility
Highway
Arterial Roads
Collector Roads
Future Roads
Local Roads
Transportation Network
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
M A P 6
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
53
2. Sustainable Transportation Options - Active
Transportation & Public Transportation Network
Sustainable transportation is about providing
alternative opportunities to move people
while improving health and reducing our
overall impact on the environment. Whether
its walking, biking, car sharing, or taking transit,
sustainable transportation balances the current
and future needs of our community, all while
capitalizing on our established trail systems,
multi-use paths, and streets and ensuring
they are used to their fullest capacity.
3. Efficient Movement of Goods
Goods movement is about ensuring that
our business, employment, and economic
systems continue to function. When we
have an effective strategy to move goods
to and from our community, our streets
become safer, our business thrive, and
our industries become stronger.
As Fort Saskatchewan continues
to evolve and change, the mobility
strategies must adapt and respond to the
community of today and tomorrow.
8.2 Objectives
8.2.a
Residents enjoy increased access, accessibility,
and connectivity to the river valley.
8.2.b
As a Vision Zero community the City
implements complete street standards.
8.2.c
The use of active transportation to meet
daily needs is increased through improved
safety, convenience, and efficient
connections throughout the city.
8.2.d
Land use patterns and urban design
create and enhance opportunities for
active and public transportation.
8.2.e
Neighbourhoods have more direct,
active transportation routes.
8.2.f
The use of the public transportation system
increases among all demographics through
improved safety, convenience, and efficient
connections throughout the city.
8.3 Policies
General
8.3.1
The City of Fort Saskatchewan's
Transportation Master Plan shall guide future
enhancements, additions, and alterations
to the city's transportation system.
8.3.2
The mobility network design shall prioritize
the efficient movement of users in the
following order: pedestrians, cyclists,
transit, automobiles, goods movement.
8.3.3
Implement Complete Street standards through
accommodating pedestrians, cyclists, public transit
and automotive users while minimizing land
consumption in new and redevelopment projects.
8.3.4
Implement the Traffic Safety Plan with annual
reporting and three (3) year review cycles
to eliminate traffic related fatalities and
serious injury and improve the overall safety
and comfort of vulnerable road users.
Right-Sizing the Mobility Network
Right-sizing the mobility network
is about finding the perfect match
between the types of infrastructure
within the street to support the
adjacent uses in which they serve.
"Healthy Cities": How the Design of our Cities Impacts our Health.
By providing greater opportunities to walk, cycle, and take transit, we increase physical
activity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve our overall mental and physical
health. Studies by the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (ncceh)
have found people who use active transportation are, on average, more physically
fit, less obese, have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as experience a
range of social benefits. To realize these health benefits, 'Healthy Cities' suggests that
implementing infrastructure modifications such as separated bike lanes, connected
networks of sidewalks, signalized crossing points, and improved access to transit
stops are necessary to encourage residents to try active transportation modes.
54
8.0 Mobility
Connecting People to Places
8.3.5
Utilize
a
variety
of
traffic
calming
methods,
as
identified
in
the
2018
Transportation Master
Plan, and urban design tools to maintain a
low vehicle speed and foster an enjoyable
pedestrian environment on local streets.
8.3.6
Encourage situating street-oriented development on
a case-by-case basis along collector and arterial roads
to
promote
traffic
calming
and
create
an
engaging
street experience without impacting the operational
functionality. Housing types along collector and
arterial streets should be reviewed for their suitability
and
potential
impact
on
traffic
flow
and
safety.4
8.3.7
Community gathering spaces and local or regional
recreation amenities should be situated along
collector
and
arterial
roads
to
promote
traffic
calming
and create an engaging street experience.
8.3.8
Implement
a
grid,
modified
grid,
or
other
highly
connected road network, in combination with
smaller block sizes in new neighbourhoods,
to enhance connectivity and direct access.
8.3.9
Enhance connectivity by creating new routes
and bridging gaps in the existing mobility
network in tandem with road rehabilitation
and redevelopment projects.
8.3.10
As
significant
gateways
to
the
community,
undertake
an Urban Design Corridor Study along Highway
15 and Highway 21 to identify opportunities
to improve the overall design and multi-modal
connectivity between adjacent neighbourhoods.
8.3.11
Design and develop 99th Avenue from Highway 15
to Downtown to accommodate a pedestrian realm
and multi-modal transportation supporting a mix
of uses, higher density and the Downtown Core.
8.3.12
Provide increased mobility options along key
corridors to create direct and convenient connections
to neighbourhood nodes and other destinations.
8.3.13
Develop a wayfinding strategy to increase
awareness of new and existing accesses
to the river valley, Downtown, public park
spaces, and other community assets.
8.3.14
Partner with adjacent landowners and
developers to Increase access and linkages
to the river valley and trail network.
8.3.15
Partner with the River Valley Alliance to explore
the feasibility of trail linkages through the
river valley within the broader context of
the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.
Figure 12. These standards detail what a Complete Street
may look like in a residential neighbourhood (top) and
mixed use neighbourhood (bottom). These streets have
defined space for the accommodation of vehicles, public
transportation, cyclists and other wheeled transport,
including strollers and wheelchairs, and pedestrians, making
the street an inclusive and safe space for everyone.
Grid and Modified Grid Networks:
Throughout our community engagement,
My Fort, My City, My Say, residents
indicated a strong desire for new
neighbourhoods to be built on a grid-
style street system. The grid street plan
is a development style where streets
run at right angles to each other, and
in doing so, create a grid pattern.
4As amended by Bylaw C25-25
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
55
Active Transportation
8.3.16
Undertake a Land Use Bylaw review to encourage
active transportation through removing minimum
parking requirements and promoting the
inclusion of bicycle facilities and infrastructure.
8.3.17
Explore implementing parking
maximums for specific geographies.
8.3.18
Undertake the development of an Active
Transportation Master Plan to help inform a
comprehensive approach to active transportation
in Fort Saskatchewan that incorporates
active transportation best practices, tailored
recommendations for priority routes, and
establishes infrastructure standards.
8.3.19
Establish an active transportation network that
utilizes arterial and collector right of ways that
improves the active transportation connectivity
within the city and to the Downtown.
8.3.20
Review and amend Engineering and Servicing
Standards to ensure new and redeveloping
residential and non-residential neighbourhoods
will have a complete sidewalk network and treed
boulevard equivalent on both sides of the street,
regardless of block length or number of lots.
8.3.21
Ensure permeability of larger urban blocks
and developments using pathways, greenways,
shared lanes, or alternatives to establish and
maintain a connected mobility network.
8.3.22
Include bicycle facilities and infrastructure
in all public facilities as well as in new
private development. Maintain and
improve pathways through continued
City investment in maintenance, safety
improvements, and wayfinding.
8.3.23
Ensure connectivity and mobility in new
residential communities through the
employment of the Walk Score Criteria, identified
in the 2018 Transportation Master Plan.
Figure 13. Traffic calming measures may include clear
crosswalk signage, a variance in paved material at crosswalks,
speedbumps, sidewalk extensions at intersection corners (also
known as "bump-outs"), and even provision for vehicle parking.
Figure 14. This example above details the clear
and direct connections provided by utilizing
the modified grid and grid street networks
(right, in red). The curvilinear loop pattern
and conventional cul-de-sacs (left, in white)
have fewer connections, are more difficult for
a user to "map" in their mind, often require
users to retrace their steps, and have been
proven to be a contributing factor to a greater
number of vehicle-pedestrian accidents
due to a misperception of risk to safety.
56
8.0 Mobility
Existing Active Transportation Network
Future Active Transportation Network
Active Transportation Network
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
15
21
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
21
M A P 7
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
57
8.3.24
Research and encourage effective
emerging alternative transportation
options to improve mobility choice.
8.3.25
Maintain snow clearing policies to ensure
active transportation routes are prioritized.
8.3.26
Conduct mobility audits to identify
opportunities for design changes to
enhance the inclusivity of our network.
Public Transit Network
8.3.27
Locate higher density and community
services including retail and businesses,
transit hubs, and Park and Ride locations
along transit corridors, enabling more people
to conveniently access transit services.
8.3.28
Review transit routing to ensure Downtown
is well connected to neighbourhoods and the
Region through efficient and effective service.
8.3.29
Continuously enhance the local transit system that
connects people throughout Fort Saskatchewan.
8.3.30
Develop transit service standards, inclusive
of infrastructure standards, consistent with
local and regional priorities to inform future
development patterns and service delivery.
8.3.31
Explore opportunities for interim
routing and/or on-demand based transit
services for developing areas.
8.3.32
Explore opportunities to improve transit
services to employment lands.
8.3.33
Continue to support the building of an inclusive
transit system through supporting the Specialized
Transportation Service Society (stss) and Everyone
Rides programs while actively exploring
opportunities to further reduce barriers to access.
8.3.34
Ensure new collector and arterial roads
within new subdivisions and developments
are designed to accommodate future
public transit routes and stops.
8.3.35
Require transit-ready development, including
demonstration of appropriate phasing and siting
of high-density and walkable development.
Roadways and Goods Movement
8.3.35
Ensure Transportation Demand Management
strategies are implemented and monitored
before road widening is implemented.
8.3.36
Prepare a Goods Movement Strategy to
implement best practices in road maintenance
and safety, mitigate impacts to communities
and the environment, and improve overall
network planning and efficiency.
8.3.37 Advocate for a high-speed industrial
bypass of Highway 21 as identified in
the 2018 Transportation Master Plan.
8.3.38 Until the lands are needed for population and/or
growth, agricultural producers must have access
to their agricultural lands to farm their lands.
Figure 15. This example shows how pathways
and greenways can help permeate larger
blocks, allowing pedestrians and cyclists
ease of movement through urban space.
58
8.0 Mobility
Existing Transit Network
Future Transit Network
Regional Connections
Park and Ride
Future Transit Hub
Transit Network
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
15
15
STURGEON RIVER
15
21
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
M A P 8
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
59
Highway
Goods Network
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
N O
R T H
S A
S K
AT
C
H
E W
A N
R I V E R
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
Railway Network
15
15
M A P 9
60
8.0 Mobility
Mobility Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 1 0
6.4.3
Encourage increased density and missing
middle development along transit routes and
near commercial uses, signifcant open spaces,
school sites or community services.
8.3.5
Utilize a variety of traffic calming methods, as identified in the
2018 Transportation Master Plan, and urban design tools to
maintan a low vehicle spped and foster an enjoyable pedestrian
environment on local streets.
8.3.3
ugh
Implement Complete Street standards thro
accommodating pedestrians, cyclists, public transit,
and automotive users while minimizing land
consumption in new and redevelopment projects.
8.3.6
Encourage situating street-oriented development on a case-by-case
basis along collector and arterial roads to promote traffic calming and
create an engaging street experience without impacting the opertional
functionality. Housing types along collector and arterial streets should
be reviewed for their suitabiilty and potential impact on traffic flow and
safety.
8.3.34
Ensure new collector and arterial roads within
new subdivisions and developments are
designed to accommodate future public
transit routes and stops.
5
5As amended by Bylaw C25-25
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
61
Neighbourhood Wayfinding Concept
C O N C E P T A P P L I C A T I O N S K E T C H 1 1
8.3.3
Implement Complete Street standards
through accommodating pedestrians,
cyclists, public transit, and automotive
users while minimizing land consumption
in new and redevelopment projects.
8.3.12
Provide increased mobility options
along key corridors to create direct
and convenient connections to
neighbourhood nodes and
other destinations.
7.3.20
Incorporate natural landscaping, trees,
and other greening measures into new
transportation and utility corridors and
undertake the naturalization or greening
of existing corridors.
8.3.19
Establish an active transportation
network that utilizes arterial and
collector right-of-ways that improves
the active transportation connectivity
within the City and to the Downtown.
8.3.22
Include bicycle facilities and infrastructure
in all public facilities as well as in new
private development. Maintain and
improve pathways through continued
City investment in maintenance, safety
improvements, and wayfinding.
8.3.20
Review and amend Engineering and
Servicing Standards to ensure new and
redeveloping residential and non-residential
neighbourhoods will have a complete sidewalk
network and treed boulevard equivalent on
both sides of the street, regardless of block
length or number of lots.
62
8.0 Mobility
section 9.0
Economic
Development
fort saskatchewan's economy is primarily driven
by industrial businesses located in the Major
Employment Area as a part of Alberta's Industrial
Heartland, a value-added energy cluster that also
includes the City of Edmonton, Lamont County,
Strathcona County and Sturgeon County.
9.1 Introduction
The City has identified a need to diversify its economy in order to mitigate
long-term changes that may occur within the energy industry, and to
become more resilient through economic cycles. In addition, the City
wants to position itself as a choice location for creatives and professionals
in order to attract new industries and bolster economic growth.
The City has an active Chamber of Commerce that supports the
City's economic development and strategic direction. The City is
actively involved in Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association (aiha), an
organization that promotes clustered petrochemical processing in the
Major Employment Area. The City of Fort Saskatchewan also aligns itself
with Edmonton Global's work looking at the region, identifying key new
areas for economic development in Food and Agribusiness, Energy,
Advanced Manufacturing and Manufacturing, and Life Sciences.
The City of Fort Saskatchewan's economic development
includes the following key components:
Downtown and Highway Commercial
Commercial businesses are mainly located in the Downtown and
along Highway 15 and Highway 21. Within these areas, there are
significant opportunities available for commercial intensification.
It is imperative that the Downtown core and highway corridors act as two
distinct yet complementary commercial areas. The Downtown core acts
as the heart of the city, while the highway corridors service the travelling
public. These are different areas with distinct identities, but both areas are
important to the sustainability of the city. The commercial uses located
within each area should be suited to the identity of the area so both areas
can thrive and contribute to the commercial makeup of Fort Saskatchewan.
The attraction and retention of new commercial businesses to the Downtown
core and the development of vacant and underutilized lands are a priority
for the City in order to maintain a healthy, vibrant, and diverse economy.
63
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
Major Employment Areas
The city's industrial land base is a key component
of Fort Saskatchewan's economy. Fort
Saskatchewan's heavy industrial land base is
located on the north side of Highway 15 to the
northeast of the Downtown. The City's Alberta's
Industrial Heartland Area Structure Plan (asp) was
developed in 2001 to enable petrochemical
processing in the area while promoting eco-
industrial development, the reduction of
environmental impacts, and the efficient use of
land and resources. Through its partnerships
in the aiha, the City will continue to support
the expansion of the petrochemical sector,
while working to reduce overall environmental
impacts and achieve economic benefits through
synergistic, eco-industrial development.
On the south side of Highway 15, Fort
Saskatchewan has a significant inventory of
employment lands to support innovative
and diverse industrial development
in Fort Saskatchewan and the Alberta
Industrial Heartland. The City completed
the Josephburg Road North Industrial Area
Structure Plan (asp) in 2014 to provide
direction for these industrial lands while
promoting eco-industrial development, the
reduction of environmental impacts, and
the efficient use of land and resources.
Agriculture
The City recognizes the importance of agricultural
operations and activities in the region. Fort
Saskatchewan contains a significant amount
of agricultural lands with high quality soils in
the south and east areas of the municipality.
Agricultural operations contribute to our
economic diversity and should be supported in
the face on long-term development pressures.
The City supports traditional farming while
encouraging the development of diverse,
innovative, and sustainable forms of agriculture.
Tourism and Cultural Industry
The City of Fort Saskatchewan contains
numerous arts and culture, heritage, recreation
and tourism draws. The tourism and cultural
industry in Fort Saskatchewan should be further
developed and leveraged to support economic
diversity and resiliency. The City's river valley
trails, parks, community events, public facilities,
and heritage assets should be preserved,
enhanced and leveraged to increase tourism.
9.2 Objectives
9.2.a
The city's economy is diversified and
resilient through economic cycles.
9.2.b
The city's Major Employment Area
lands are flexible spaces, responsive to
innovation and emerging trends.
9.2.c
Heritage assets are preserved and leveraged
for economic and tourism potential.
9.2.d
Innovative commercial urban agriculture
practices are embraced.
9.2.e
The city attracts knowledge-based professionals
that support economic diversification.
9.2.f
Urban Agriculture and local food
practices are embraced.
9.2.g
Responsible agricultural operations continue
until lands are required for urban development.
9.2.h
Agricultural lands are not prematurely
fragmented for urban development.
64
9.0 Economic Development
9.3 Policies
General
9.3.1
Develop Foreign Direct Investment Strategy.
a. Once developed, the City should
update its Foreign Direct Investment
Strategy the every three (3) years.
9.3.2
Develop a Retail and Office Space
Inventory and Analysis.
a. Once developed, the City should update
its Retail and Office Space Inventory and
Analysis every two (2) to three (3) years.
9.3.3
Develop a City-specific Labour Profile
a. Once developed, the City should update its
Labour Profile every three (3) to five (5) years.
9.3.4
Develop a Business Retention
& Expansion Strategy.
a. Once developed, the City should update
its Business Retention & Expansion
Strategy every three (3) years.
9.3.5
The City should complete a Municipal
Census every one (1) to two (2) years.
9.3.6
The City should collect and analyze
business licensing data annually to
monitor local business trends.
9.3.7
The City should regularly review and update
its business resources including business
licensing bylaw, the Business Development
Incentive Program, and Business Directory in
order to streamline regulation requirements
for new and established businesses.
9.3.8
Support innovative and emerging
workplace locations, including home-based
businesses and co-working spaces.
9.3.9
Support economic diversification by
ensuring suitable shovel-ready commercial
and industrial lands are available for a
variety of business opportunities.
9.3.10
Explore opportunities with academic institutions
and industries to attract creative, technical and
professional educational facilities to the city.
9.3.11
Explore economic diversification
opportunities and identify competitive edge/
local economic niche opportunities.
9.3.12
Explore opportunities in the circular economy
and conversion Industry to support the
development of eco-industrial clusters and
extend the value chains of our existing industry.
9.3.13 The City should support and enable
innovation in eco-industrial practices and
efficiency of the circular economy.
Tourism and Cultural Industry
9.3.14
Leverage the City's cultural and recreational
facilities to attract events and festivals.
9.3.15
Preserve and enhance heritage assets including
buildings, landmarks, viewpoints and parks.
9.3.16
Enhance and leverage the river valley's
natural assets through the development of
trailheads and connected greenways.
9.3.17
Investigate opportunities to attract a diversity of
cultural and recreational experiences, including
new tourism operations, and a diversity of small
to medium scale cultural amenities such as art
galleries, black box theatres, and music venues.
9.3.18
Develop a Tourism and Cultural Industry Plan
to provide strategic direction and identify
opportunities in tourism and cultural industries.
Downtown and Highway Commercial
9.3.19
Encourage and incentivise short term
and temporary use of commercial spaces
by local or creative businesses.
9.3.20
Explore incentives and financing methods
for downtown commercial development and
highway commercial intensification, such
as community revitalization levies (crl).
9.3.21
Explore public private partnerships
to attract commercial and mixed-
use development to downtown
9.3.22
Review lub to update the commercial districts
to provide better distinction between uses
that are suitable along highway, within
neighbourhoods and in the Downtown.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
65
Major Employment Area
9.3.23
Continue to partner with Alberta's Industrial
Heartland Association and support
the development of an eco-industrial
petrochemical cluster in the region.
9.3.24
Create collaboration opportunities with
the private sector to identify current
employment trends to prepare future
development-ready sites and buildings.
9.3.25
Promote the development of major
employment lands through exploring
incentives such as tax increment financing
and tax abatement until occupancy.
9.3.26
Support diversification and intensification
of industrial developments within
the Major Employment Area by:
a. prioritizing infrastructure improvements;
b. collaborating with the industrial sector,
Alberta Industrial Heartland Association
(aiha), Edmonton Global, and other
economic development groups;
c. updating the Alberta Industrial Heartland asp
and the Josephburg Road North Industrial
asp to ensure the Major Employment Area
lands are planned to be flexible spaces that
can adapt to innovation and emerging trends.
d. investigating the feasibility of creating
industrial development incentives in
collaboration with Edmonton Global,
aiha, and the industrial sector;
e. ensuring that industrial uses meet
current Industrial Risk standards
and guidelines as required;
f. ensuring that risk assessments are required
as integral components of the development
review process for Heavy Industrial uses; and
g. Through a risk management approach,
providing adequate separation distances
between heavy industrial uses or oil and
gas facilities and incompatible uses.
Agriculture
9.3.27
Encourage and support agricultural and
agricultural related economic activities
including traditional, innovative, small-
scale, and value-added activities.
9.3.28
Encourage and support agricultural activities
that provides local food security including
urban agriculture, greenhouse agriculture,
and community level pursuits.
9.3.29
Provide certainty for the continued operation
of responsible agricultural practices through
regularly updated land absorption projections,
staging and build out requirements.
9.3.30
Engage private industry to attract
innovative commercial food production
and agricultural businesses.
9.3.31
Require substantial completion of the
developing area prior to approving statutory
plans that would convert agricultural lands to
non-agricultural development lands, including
service provision, amenities and infrastructure.
9.3.32
Fragmentation of agricultural lands through
re-designation and subdivision may be
supported if there is a demonstrated
need for contiguous urban development
consistent with municipal priorities.
9.3.33
Until the lands are needed for population
and/or growth, agricultural producers must
have access to their agricultural lands to farm
their lands. This includes but is not limited to
maintaning field approaches and local roads
sufficient to accomodate agricultural machinery.
6
9.3.34
Develop an Urban Agriculture Plan to provide
directions on how to will support existing
agriculture operations, urban agriculture in
suitable locations, and create opportunities to
educate the public on the value of agriculture.
6
Circular Economy
The "circular economy" is an alternative
to a traditional linear economy (that
is, create/make, use, dispose) in which
resources are kept in use for as long
as possible and the maximum value of
them is extracted while they're functional.
Once they reach the end of their lifespan,
those resources are recovered and
regenerated into products and materials.
Conversion Industry is utilizing
petrochemical products produced in
the region to create consumer goods as
opposed to shipping them out of country
to traditional manufacturing hubs.
6As amended by Bylaw C16-24.
66
9.0 Economic Development
section 10.0
Infrastructure
and Servicing
as fort saskatchewan experiences growth
to accommodate 25,000 new residents,
the City will have an obligation to provide
essential infrastructure and services to existing
residents and new developments including
water, sanitary sewage, stormwater drainage
and other utilities (including electricity, gas,
telecommunications), fire and police services.
10.1 Introduction
Some services are provided in collaboration with regional partners:
water is supplied from the North Saskatchewan River and is piped to
the city from a treatment facility in Edmonton; sanitary sewage is treated
at a regional tertiary treatment plant; and solid waste is managed
at a regional landfill facility. Regional infrastructure can allow the
City to benefit from economies of scale while lowering the risks and
regulatory needs associated with more, smaller facilities; however, the
City also has less ability to control and customize these services.
As the city grows it is important to be strategic with land management
for future infrastructure needs. The cost to maintain and replace this
kind of infrastructure is substantial. In order to help ensure the City
can afford these costs this infrastructure should be used to its fullest
capacity before new infrastructure is developed. This can be done
in part by ensuring city development is contiguous and efficient.
It is pertinent that the City continues to improve decision making
on how and where to grow efficiently to provide essential services
and to ensure the continued operations and maintenance of these
services. Fort Saskatchewan should align itself with regional partners
to ensure optimized investment in infrastructure and services.
67
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
10.1 Objectives
10.1.a
Services are consistently and efficiently delivered.
10.1.b
Developed areas are made more
resilient to extreme weather events.
10.1.c
New neighbourhoods are planned to be
resilient to extreme weather events.
10.2 Policies
General
10.2.1
Encourage and support increased
density, efficient growth, and contiguous
development patterns that optimize existing
infrastructure investments and minimize
the impact on the natural environment.
10.2.2
Ensure new and updated statutory plans
incorporate climate change adaptation
policies, strategies, and tools to implement
resilient infrastructure systems.
10.2.3
Regularly update long-range infrastructure
master plans for water, sanitary sewer,
and stormwater management.
10.2.4
Periodically evaluate the City's infrastructure
and servicing needs to determine where
regional collaboration versus internal
management is most effective.
10.2.5
Undertake cost analysis for maintaining
and replacing infrastructure as a part
of the development of new asps.
10.2.6
New neighbourhoods shall be planned to
sustain their own infrastructure lifecycle
and not increase the infrastructure tax-
burden on existing neighbourhoods.
10.2.7
Encourage all new development to implement
low-impact development techniques and
environmentally conscious building practices
to help reduce demand on City infrastructure
and slow the impacts of climate change.
10.2.8
Explore opportunities to initiate Smart City
(Smart Service) concepts to enhance service
sustainability, quality, convenience and efficiency
for residents and businesses through:
a. using data collections and analysis to enhance
the quality and efficiency of service;
b. implementing emerging technologies
and innovations to enhance or
provide new services;
c. partnering to enhance the technological
infrastructure available in the city; and
d. offering digital service alternatives.
Water
10.2.9
Encourage regional efforts to ensure the
sustainability of the North Saskatchewan
River water supply and participate
in these efforts where capable.
10.2.10
Manage and protect the watershed
and water supply by minimizing
the impacts of development.
10.2.11
Develop a water conservation strategy
to reduce water consumption.
Sanitary Sewer
10.2.12
Collaborate with regional partners
to identify efficiencies for the
regional sanitary sewer system.
Stormwater Management
10.2.13
Encourage use of low impact development
techniques for stormwater and maximize
retention and filtering of stormwater on site.
10.2.14
Encourage use of permeable materials
in all new developments to reduce
development related stormwater run-off.
10.2.15 Through the development of a wetlands
policy, encourage the incorporation of
established wetlands into the stormwater
management system wherever possible.
Energy
10.2.16
Explore opportunities to provide local
renewable, low emission energy sources
such as solar, wind or geothermal.
10.2.17
Explore opportunities to implement
district heating systems.
10.2.18
Explore and promote energy
conservation incentive programs.
10.2.19
Explore opportunities to develop regional energy
corridors in collaboration with regional partners.
10.2.20
Explore and promote eco-industrial /
energy efficiency for industries through
synergies among different industries.
68
10.0 Infrastructure and Servicing
Waste
10.2.21
Encourage and support the development
of a food waste reduction program
with community stakeholders.
10.2.22
Investigate waste recycling and
diversion programs to reduce solid
waste from going to the landfill.
10.2.23
Promote the principles of reducing, reusing,
recycling, and recover in City operations.
Air Quality
10.2.24 Work with the Fort Air Partnership
to maintain good air quality.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
69
section 11.0
Managing
City Growth
growth management & proactivity. This
Plan is focused on being proactive, growing
in the right places and at the right scale,
to support the long term vitality of Fort
Saskatchewan, maintaining and enhancing
the connections of residents to ensure the
next 25,000 residents can share in the sense of
community pride the residents share today.
11.1 Introduction
While the mdp provides a plan and policies that work towards
achieving a desired growth management strategy over
time, it should be noted that the Community Framework
Map (Map 2) is intended to serve as a guide to future
land use decisions; it is not intended to be interpreted
or amended on a site-specific basis. All information on
the map should be verified by consulting the text of the
mdp, relevant statutory plans, and the Land Use Bylaw. Site
conditions and/or constraints must be assessed on a case-
by-case basis as part of subsequent development stages.
70
11.0 Managing City Growth
11.2 Policies
Growth Management
11.2.1
Prioritize fiscal sustainability through the
optimization of existing infrastructure assets by:
a. "Filling in", or completing established
and developing neighbourhoods; and
b. Seeking opportunities for the
redevelopment of vacant or underutilized
land that can be serviced from adjacent
or nearby services and infrastructure
including water, sewer, and roads.
11.2.2
Development in existing serviced areas shall
be prioritized, followed by areas where the
extension of new services and infrastructure is
logical, contiguous, efficient, and economical.
11.2.3
Develop and update growth financing tools and
practices periodically including off-site levies,
timing of levy collection, and development cost-
recovery mechanisms to ensure they adequately
reflect the costs associated with providing
infrastructure and services to new development.
11.2.4
Existing neighbourhoods will be largely built
out, as determined by the City, prior to new
neighbourhood plans being accepted.
11.2.5
A Subdivision approved prior to this
Plan may not be granted an extension
if it does not comply with this Plan.
Agricultural Lands and Soils
11.2.6
Premature fragmentation and conversion
of agricultural lands through subdivision
and redistricting is prohibited.
11.2.7
Develop land absorption projections in order
to provide certainty to current agricultural
operators on future urban development lands to
promote and encourage agricultural practices.
11.2.8
Revise land absorption projections
and republish in a publicly accessible
location every three (3) years.
11.2.9
Development shall be phased in an order
consistent with the development staging map.
11.2.10 Soil should be recognized as a limited non-
renewable resource and managed accordingly.
7
11.2.11 Soil management, including its reuse and
recycling, should be considered as part of an
Area Structure Plan for greenfield areas.
7
11.2.12 Soils should be managed in the municipality in
which they originate. Where soils are exported
to another municipality, the municipality in
which the soils originated is encouraged to
engage with the municipality receiving the
soil to ensure effective soil management.
7
7As amended by Bylaw C16-24.
71
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
Undevelopable
*Map is representative of the order of development.
Timing of development will be dependent on growth rates.
The terms shown are separate from those defined for implementation.
Immediate Term
Near Term
Medium Term
Long Term
M A P 1 0
Development Staging
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
37
15
21
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
15
15
15
21
STURGEON RIVER
72
11.0 Managing City Growth
Metropolitan Area
Built-Up Urban Area
Major Employment Area
Natural Living System
Regional Bus/Transit Priority Corridor
Pipeline Corridor
Urban Centre
Regional Expressway
Regional Arterial
Airport
M A P 1 1
EMRB Regional Structure
STRATHCONA
COUNTY
STURGEON
COUNTY
CITY OF
EDMONTON
825
1:75,000
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Kilometre
830
STURGEON RIVER
37
21
15
15
21
15
15
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
73
73
M A P 1 2
EMRB Regional Agriculture Master Plan Policy Areas
Policy Area 3 - Agriculture in Future Transition Lands
Policy Area 4 - Urban Agriculture
Prime Agriculture Lands
Natural Living System
Metropolitan Area
8As amended by Bylaw C16-24.
8
74
11.0 Managing City Growth
section 12.0
Implementation
this mdp is not meant to be a static document.
It is intended to be utilized to regularly measure
and monitor progress towards the community's
aspirations for the future. In previous sections,
the mdp has established the following targets
for monitoring the implementation of the
Plan. The mdp implementation targets should
be achieved by the time the City of Fort
Saskatchewan welcomes its 50,000th resident.
12.1 mdp Implementation Targets
12.1.1
Downtown's commercial vacancy rates are down from 15% to 7%;
12.1.2
Dwelling units in the Downtown Fringe have increased by 15%;
12.1.3
The Downtown Core and 99 Avenue Corridor have intensified to 100+ du/nrha;
12.1.4
Dwelling units are increased by 16% in Established Neighbourhoods
to restore or exceed the population supported in the year 2000.
12.1.5
Dwelling units have increased by 15% in Developing Neighbourhoods
in the form of both infill and accessory unit development.
12.1.6
Existing neighbourhood nodes intensify and new nodes in the Developing
Neighbourhoods develop to 60 du/nrha or above for the entire node area;
12.1.7
Neighbourhood nodes in the Future Urban Area are developed
at or above 70 du/nrha for the entire node area;
12.1.8
New urban areas are developed at a density at or above 35 du/nrha.
12.1.9
Transit ridership percent increases outpace population growth.
12.1.10 Transit service through Nodes runs every 15 minutes
or less during peak hour service time.
12.1.11 The percentage of urban tree canopy has increased by 10%.
12.1.12 The health of the urban canopy is monitored annually
utilizing the Urban Forestry Protection Plan.
12.1.13
Mobility improvement opportunities are identified and recommended
for implementation annually through mobility audit process.
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City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
12.2 Purpose
The mdp may be implemented through direct
action arising from the preparation of future
asps, arps, Outline Plans, and/or Land Use
Designation through the approval processes
under the City's Land Use Bylaw, and through the
authority of City Council, administrative staff, and
appropriate City committees. These initiatives
are subject to the availability of resources as
determined through the annual budget process.
12.3 Policies
Measures and Monitoring
12.3.1
The City will monitor the mdp implementation
targets every two years and report to Council and
the public on the progress towards the targets.
12.3.2
A major review of the mdp should be
undertaken once the City population
increases by 5,000, or 5 years after adoption,
whichever happens first, in order to ensure
that the objectives, policy directions,
processes, and actions reflect current growth
forecasts, market trends, overall community
values, and the City's financial capacity.
Administration
12.3.3
The City of Fort Saskatchewan Administration
shall be guided by the objectives and policies of
the MDP in making recommendations to Council.
Approving Authorities
12.3.4
The City of Fort Saskatchewan Subdivision
Authority shall be guided by the objectives
and policies of the mdp and applicable plans
and policies in making subdivision decisions
and in their recommendations to Council.
12.3.5
The City of Fort Saskatchewan Development
Authority shall be guided by the
objectives and policies of the mdp and
applicable plans and policies in making
development approval decisions and in
their recommendations to Council.
12.3.6
The Subdivision and Development Appeal
Board (sdab) shall have regard to the
policies of the mdp in making its subdivision
and development appeal decisions.
Land Use Planning
12.3.7
The policies of this Plan will be further refined
and implemented through the preparation,
adoption, and implementation of Area
Structure Plans, Area Redevelopment Plans,
the Land Use Bylaw, and Outline Plans.
12.3.8
Phasing of new development shall be
in accordance with efficient extension of
infrastructure and the City's capital budget.
12.3.9
The Land Use Bylaw shall undergo a
comprehensive review and be brought
into alignment with the mdp within 24
months of the adoption of this Plan and
following every major review of this Plan.
Capital Budgeting
12.3.10 A three-year budget shall be prepared to identify
the actions and expenditures that may be
taken to implement the policies of this Plan.
12.3.11 The budget shall be reviewed annually
as part of the regular budgeting process
and shall follow Council's requirements
for public input through Council meetings
and any other public engagement
process the Council deems necessary.
76
12.0 Implementation
section 13.0
Strategic
Implementation
the following matrix lists planning and
capital infrastructure projects that will help
the City of Fort Saskatchewan meet the
measures and objectives of this mdp.
13.1 Planning Projects
13.1.1
Review and update the Land Use Bylaw, existing
asps and arps in alignment with this mdp
13.1.2
Conduct a municipal census and neighbourhood level analysis
13.1.3
Develop Mature Neighbourhood Strategies and/or Land Use Bylaw overlays
13.1.4
Develop Transit Service Standards
13.1.5
Develop a Terms of Reference for the preparation of new Area Structure Plans
13.1.6
Develop a Downtown Strategic Action Plan
13.1.7
Explore a Downtown Business Revitalization Zone
13.1.8
Conduct a Mobility Audit including annual/bi-annual audit process
13.1.9
Conduct a study of the Clover Park Area
13.1.10
Review the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (darp)
and long-term strategic approach for Downtown
13.1.11
Undertake a 99 Avenue Urban Design Corridor from Highway 15 to 108a Street
13.1.12
Undertake a Highway 15 Urban Design Corridor Study
13.1.13
Undertake a Highway 21 Urban Design Corridor Study
13.1.14
Develop a Wayfinding Strategy
13.1.15
Develop an Active Transportation Master Plan
13.1.16
Review and amend Engineering and Servicing Standards
13.1.17
Develop an Open Spaces Master Plan
13.1.18
Develop Tourism and Cultural Industry Plan
13.1.19
Develop a Wetland and Natural Areas Protection Plan
13.1.20
Develop an Urban Forestry Protection Plan
77
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
13.1.21
Develop a Foreign Direct Investment Strategy
13.1.22
Conduct a Retail and Office Space
Inventory and Analysis
13.1.23 Analyze Local Labour Profile
13.1.24
Develop a Business Retention
and Expansion Strategy
13.1.25
Develop a Municipal Land Management Strategy
13.1.26
Enhance the City's risk profile
13.1.27 Develop an Urban Agriculture Plan
13.2 Capital Infrastructure Projects
13.2.1
Develop a Downtown Gateway Feature
13.2.2
Develop a Downtown River Valley
Trailhead and Tourism Centre
13.2.3
Implement 99 Avenue Corridor
Improvements established by the 99
Avenue Urban Design Corridor Study
13.2.4
Implement Highway 15 Corridor
Improvements established by the Highway
15 Urban Design Corridor Study
13.2.5
Implement Highway 21 Corridor
Improvements established by the Highway
21 Urban Design Corridor Study
13.2.6
Implement the Wayfinding Strategy
13.2.7
Construct proposed Active Transportation
Connections as per the Active Transportation map.
Planning Projects
Municipal Project
Purpose
Implementation Term
Lead Department
Review and update the Land Use
Bylaw, existing asps and arps to
ensure alignment with updated mdp
Aligning these lower hierarchy statutory documents
with the mdp is an mga requirement and will
promote efficiency and cohesion between the
Plans, and will ensure the best opportunity for
successful implementation of the mdp
immediate
Planning
Review and amend Engineering
and Servicing Standards
Similar to reviewing and amending/updating the
statutory documents, ensuring these Standards
align with the mdp will support the implementation
of the mdp. These Standards should be reviewed
regularly to ensure they are still accurate and
valid within the Fort Saskatchewan context.
immediate
Engineering
Develop Transit Service Standards
Establishing Transit Service Standards is intended
to establish the expectation for provision of public
transit services, including frequency and infrastructure
requirements. These standards are to be consistent
with local and regional priorities to inform future
development patterns and service delivery.
short
Public Works
Develop Tourism and
Cultural Industry Plan
Tourism planning should work towards achieving four
main goals: sustainable use of resources, enhanced
visitor satisfaction, integration of local community and
area and improved economy and business success.
This Plan will identify tourism and cultural assets,
how they can catalyze population, employment, and
economic growth, and explore how to best leverage
them to bolster this industry and diversify the economy.
short
Culture and Recreation
/ local and regional
tourism partners
Develop Terms of Reference
documents for Preparation of New
Area Structure Plans (asps)
Terms of Reference (tor) documents are intended to
help Administration determine when to recommend
approval of a new asp-level development area and
will guide Council in the decision-making process.
short
Planning
Develop a Downtown
Strategic Action Plan
This Plan will provide a step-by-step guide for the City to
follow to achieve the desired goals for the downtown area.
short
Economic Development
Conduct a Mobility Audit including
annual/bi-annual audit process
Also referred to as an Accessibility Audit, the goal of the
mobility audit is to ensure the Active Transportation
network includes appropriate access for a range of
users with impairments. This includes visually and
hearing-impaired pedestrians, wheelchair users,
and people with other mobility impairments
short
fcss & Engineering
78
13.0 Strategic Implementation
Planning Projects Continued
Municipal Project
Purpose
Implementation Term
Lead Department
Explore a Downtown Business
Revitalization Zone
Engage the downtown business community on
interest in participating in a Business Revitalization
zone. The creation of such Zones can help achieve
the desired goals for the downtown established in
this mdp (i.e. lowering vacancy rates, increasing
the downtown residential population, etc).
short
Economic Development
Review the Downtown Area
Redevelopment Plan (DARP)
and long-term strategic
approach for Downtown
The goal for this project is to review the existing
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (darp),
a 2009 policy document that guides the
redevelopment of Downtown including building
appearance, streetscape (design guidelines). The
darp incorporates both the land use policy and
implementation information and the design guidelines
for each of the sub-areas of the Downtown.
short
Planning
Develop a Retail and Office
Space Inventory and Analysis
A comprehensive inventory further will assist
the City in future projections of how much new
retail and office space is required, which will help
established minimum or maximum requirements
in future asps, arps, or master plan applications.
The Inventory will add another tool to the toolbox the
City is building to help attract new businesses and
investors as well as help retain established businesses
that have either outgrown their current space or
require less space by providing them with an up-to-
date and accurate list of available building spaces.
short
Economic Development
Develop a Labour Profile
A Labour Profile is another tool that will help attract new
businesses seeking to locate in Fort Saskatchewan as
they will quickly and accessibly be able to determine
if the workforce required is available, or if there is a
workforce available that may require specific training.
short
Economic Development
Develop a Business Retention
and Expansion Strategy
With the support of the Retail and Office Space
Inventory and Analysis and implementation of a
Downtown Business Revitalization Zone, the goal
of this Strategy is to support the City's established
business community, encourage their grow, and
ensure they have what they require to continue
to achieve success in Fort Saskatchewan.
short
Economic Development
Develop Mature Neighbourhood
Strategies and/or Land
Use Bylaw overlays
These strategies will identify how best to revitalize
and ensure the sustainability of Downtown and
Established Neighbourhoods through intensification,
focusing on enhancing and building up nodes and
corridors. These Strategies will include consultation,
and articulate built form requirements and
guidelines, and may provide recommendations
for land use bylaw revisions and amendments.
short
Planning
term period:
Immediate: these projects should be commenced within
the 6-months to 1 year after the adoption of this mdp.
Short: these projects should be commenced within
1-4 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Medium: these projects should be commenced
within 3-7 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Long: these projects should be commenced within
6-10 years after the adoption of this mdp.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
79
Planning Projects Continued
Municipal Project
Purpose
Implementation Term
Lead Department
Develop an Open Spaces Master Plan
The goal of this Plan is to encourage active living and
foster engaging outdoor experiences for residents and
visitors that are multi-functional, inclusive, and accessible.
Similar to the Active Transportation Master Plan, this
Plan will help the City identify its current open space
assets, reveal which assets are underused or unprotected,
and prioritize future open space investments.
short
Public Works
Develop an Active
Transportation Master Plan
The goal of this plan is to create an environment
where utilizing modes of non-vehicular transportation
- walking, cycling, etc - is an appealing, convenient,
safe and stimulating experience for residents and
visitors. The City already has many active transportation
assets - this Plan will help the City identify those
established assets, tie all those assets together, and
discover where the gaps are in the overall network.
short
Engineering
Develop a Water
Conservation Strategy
The goal of this Strategy is to identify key methods
the City can use to conserve water and limit its
water consumption, both in public facilities and
parks as well as private homes and businesses.
short
Public Works
Develop a Wetland and Natural
Areas Protection Plan
The goal of this Plan is to protect and improve
native vegetation and wildlife ecosystems to
help improve the overall resilience of the city and
help the city adapt to climate change. This Plan
will establish the rules for development around
wetlands. - should a developer be required to fill in
or impact a wetland, these policies will determine
what (if any) penalties they will be subjected to.
short-medium
Public Works
Undertake a 99 Avenue Urban
Design Corridor Study from
Highway 15 to 108a Street
By studying the opportunity to establish urban design
requirements for this stretch of 99 Avenue the City will
be able to determine how best to achieve a heightened
level of building and public realm design and establish
clear design directions for developers to follow.
short-medium
Planning
Enhance the City's risk profile
through the inclusion of cumulative
and compounding use based
risks to inform the Municipal
Emergency Plan Hazard Assessment
and Risk Identification process.
A more comprehensive risk profile will support
the City's emergency preparedness, mitigation
and response through identifying the more
probable risk scenarios, impacted locations, and
sources within and around our community.
short
Director of Emergency
Management
term period:
Immediate: these projects should be commenced within
the 6-months to 1 year after the adoption of this mdp.
Short: these projects should be commenced within
1-4 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Medium: these projects should be commenced
within 3-7 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Long: these projects should be commenced within
6-10 years after the adoption of this mdp.
80
13.0 Strategic Implementation
Planning Projects Continued
Municipal Project
Purpose
Implementation Term
Lead Department
Conduct a study of the
Clover Park Area
The goal of this Study is to develop a comprehensive
plan for the future of the Clover Park Area.
medium
Planning
Undertake a Highway Urban
Design Corridor Study
By studying the opportunity to establish urban
design requirements for Highways 15 & 21 in a
comprehensive and holistic manner, the City will be
able to determine how best to achieve a heightened
level of building and public realm design and establish
clear design directions for developers to follow.
medium
Engineering
Ecological Inventory and
Ecosystem Services Assessment
The goal of this study is to place tangible social value on
the ecological assets of Fort Saskatchewan. Ecosystem
services are the benefits that people obtain from
ecosystems. These are divided into four key categories:
supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural. An
ecological inventory investigates and categorizes all
the ecosystems and ecological assets of a community,
while the assessment identifies and analyzes the
vital links between the ecosystem services and the
benefits the public receive from those services.
medium
Public Works
Develop an Urban Forestry
Protection Plan
Similar to the Wetland & Natural Areas Policy,
the goal of this Plan is to protect the established
urban canopy and forested areas, and provide
guidance about how to replace established trees
- what the cost of the established tree is to the
City that the developer is expected to pay, what
vegetation should replace established trees, how
long it should be cared for after planting, etc.
medium
Public Works
Develop a Wayfinding Strategy
The goal of a wayfinding strategy is to produce a signage
and information system that is consistent, accessible
and predictable. It is an opportunity to reduce visual
clutter in parks, and encourage the use and discovery
of the City's open space network by residents and
visitors. Furthermore, a wayfinding strategy is a fun,
creative way to engage the public in civic matters.
medium
Planning
Develop a Foreign Direct
Investment Strategy
The goal of this strategy is to investigate how the
City may best attract out-of-country investment.
This Strategy should be developed in alignment with
Edmonton Global and capitalize on the expertise
that economic development group has to offer.
medium
Economic Development
Develop an Urban Agriculture Plan
The goal of this Plan is to create awareness,
understanding, and public support for urban agriculture,
to obain guidance on the transition from existing
agricultural land to urban develolpment, to comprehend
agriculture-related trends, economic diversification
opportunities, and agriculutre related matters.
short
Planning
term period:
Immediate: these projects should be commenced within
the 6-months to 1 year after the adoption of this mdp.
Short: these projects should be commenced within
1-4 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Medium: these projects should be commenced
within 3-7 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Long: these projects should be commenced within
6-10 years after the adoption of this mdp.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
81
Capital Infrastructure Projects
Municipal Project
Purpose
Implementation Term
Lead Department
Develop a Downtown
Gateway Feature
The goal of establishing a gateway feature is to provide a
welcoming sense of entry for both visitors and residents.
The feature may also act as a public feature that helps
identify the City and is a point of pride for its residents.
short- medium
N/A
Develop a Downtown River Valley
Trailhead and Tourism Centre
This Tourism Centre will provide visitors and tourists with
a definitive starting location from which to explore the
City. This Centre will help ensure a successful the visitor
experience and has the potential to capture travelers
who did not intend to stop in Fort Saskatchewan.
medium
N/A
Implement the Wayfinding Strategy
The goal of this project is to implement the Wayfinding
Strategy (including project surveying, construction,
engineering, public realm enhancements, etc)
medium
N/A
Implement 99 Avenue Corridor
Improvements established by the 99
Avenue Urban Design Corridor Study
The goal of this project is to implement the
findings of the Urban Design Corridor Study
(including project surveying, construction,
engineering, public realm enhancements, etc).
long
N/A
Implement Highway 15 Corridor
Improvements established
by the Highway 15 Urban
Design Corridor Study
The goal of this project is to implement the
findings of the Urban Design Corridor Study
(including project surveying, construction,
engineering, public realm enhancements, etc).
long
N/A
Implement Highway 21 Corridor
Improvements established
by the Highway 21 Urban
Design Corridor Study
The goal of this project is to implement the
findings of the Urban Design Corridor Study
(including project surveying, construction,
engineering, public realm enhancements, etc).
long
N/A
Construct proposed Active
Transportation Connections as
per the Active Transportation
map within this mdp.
The goal of this project is to implement the
missing connections identified through the
development of an Active Transportation Master
Plan (including project surveying, construction,
engineering, public realm enhancements, etc)
ongoing
N/A
term period:
Immediate: these projects should be commenced within
the 6-months to 1 year after the adoption of this mdp.
Short: these projects should be commenced within
1-4 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Medium: these projects should be commenced
within 3-7 years after the adoption of this mdp.
Long: these projects should be commenced within
6-10 years after the adoption of this mdp.
82
13.0 Strategic Implementation
appendix a
Definitions
9
Term
Definition
Public and
Private outdoor
spaces
Outdoor spaces for rest, recreation, and enjoyment, that may be public or private depending
on the circumstances (such as patios, parks, plazas, courtyards, sidewalks, etc).
Built
Environment
Places and spaces created or modified by people
Node
A centre of community activity where people and transportation routes congregate.
Pedestrian-
Oriented
Development
A development that is oriented to pedestrians prioritizes walking first, followed by cycling and public transit use, and lastly
providing for motor vehicle use. Following this hierarchy encourages the use of sustainable modes of transportation and supports
public health initiatives. Development considerations that contribute to the pedestrian experience include the number and
location of entrances, the size and distribution of windows, building setbacks from the street, landscaping, along with building
design elements such as lighting and awnings. Site layout is also important to facilitating pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.
Factors such as the building location, parking lots, driveways, open space, plazas, and pocket parks merit careful attention.
du/nrha
Short-form for measurement to determine density. The measurement is the number of Dwelling
Units (Du) divided by the net amount of Residential area (Nr) in hectares (Ha).
Gateway Feature
A visually stimulating, often large-scale structure that indicates arrival into a municipality or community or
other such place. These features may be a statue, sculpture, or architectural feature such as an arch, sign, or
other such construction. A gateway feature often incorporates local symbology of community pride.
Vision Zero
The long-term goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Complete Streets
Streets that are designed to be safe for everyone: people who walk, bicycle, take transit, or drive, and people of all ages and abilities.
Active
Transportation
Human powered travel, including but not limited to: walking, cycling, inline skating and travel with the use of mobility
aids, including motorized wheelchairs and other power assisted devices moving at a comparable speed
Eco-industrial
development
Eco-industrial development (eid) is a framework for industry to develop while reducing its impact on the environment. It uses a
closed loop production cycle to tackle a broad set of environmental challenges such as soil and water pollution, desertification, species
preservation, energy management, by-product synergy, resource efficiency, air quality, etc. Mutually beneficial connections among
industry, natural systems, energy, material and local communities become central factors in designing industrial production processes.
Low Impact
Development
(lid)
lid is an approach to land development (or re-development) that works with nature to manage stormwater as close to its
source as possible. LID employs principles such as preserving and recreating natural landscape features, minimizing effective
imperviousness to create functional and appealing site drainage that treat stormwater as a resource rather than a waste
product. There are many practices that have been used to adhere to these principles such as bioretention facilities, rain gardens,
vegetated rooftops, rain barrels and permeable pavements. By implementing lid principles and practices, water can be
managed in a way that reduces the impact of built areas and promotes the natural movement of water within an ecosystem
or watershed. Applied on a broad scale, lid can maintain or restore a watershed's hydrologic and ecological functions.
Major
employment
area
An area with a concentration of industrial, commercial and/or institutional land uses that have regionally significant
business and economic activities and high levels of employment. This includes existing larger scale urban and rural
industrial parks, Alberta's Industrial Heartland, the lands around Edmonton International Airport and regional airports.
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
9As amended by Bylaw C16-24.
83
Term
Definition
Agriculture
The growing, raising, managing and/or sale of livestock, crops, horticulture and agriculture related products or services including food,
feed, fibre, energy, and other complementary value-added activities.
Agricultural Land
Land that is or can be used for agriculture.
Agricultural Uses
Land uses directly associated with agriculture and includes buildings and structures accessory to and supportive of the activities.
Agricultural-
Related Uses
Are uses directly related to agriculture, primarily support agriculture, benefit from being in close
proximity to agriculture and provide direct products and/or services to agriculture.
Agri-Tourism
Uses
Farm-related tourism uses, including limited accommodation, direct-to-consumer sales, agricultural education,
recreation and activities that involve observation and participation in the farming operations.
Prime
Agricultural Land
Agricultural lands identified through the EMR Land Evaluation Site Assessment tool (LESA) that meet or exceed the
identified threshold.
Prime
Agricultural
Areas
An area where prime agricultural lands predominate and may include lands considered as all other agricultural lands if they are
contiguous to prime agricultural lands. Prime agricultural areas will be delineated in detail by member municipalities in municipal
development plans.
Policy Area 3:
Agriculture in
Future Transition
Lands
Policy Area 3 includes agricultural lands generally within the metropolitan area policy area of the growth plan and includes
agricultural lands identified for future growth. These lands may be planned and are recognized within RAMP as lands approved
within a statutory plan for future growth for the next 25- 50 years. Lands within this policy area may contain unique climate and
soil conditions and well suited for specialty crops. Policy Area 3 contains 6.5% of the prime agricultural lands in the Region.
Policy Area
4: Urban
Agriculture
Policy Area 4 supports the emerging urban agriculture sector and its potential for growth in the built-up urban areas within
urban centers in the Region. This policy area is included in all three tiers of the growth plan and may include cities, towns, growth
hamlets and hamlets.
Land Evaluation
and Site
Assessment
tool (LESA)
An analytical tool to evaluate land capability land and inform the identification of lands for conservation. LESA includes two components:
1. Land Evaluation (LE) measures the land's biophysical considerations; and
2. Site Assessment (SA) measures other important geographic, economic and social factors.
Value Added
Agriculture
The addition of a process or service to an agricultural raw material being produced by the (farmer) producer. This may include some
form of processing (such as milling, drying, cleaning, sorting, slaughtering, distilling, refining, or direct marketing through farm
gate sales, farmers' markets or direct distribution).
Urban
Agriculture
Is the growing, processing, and distribution of food and other products through intensive
plant cultivation and animal husbandry in and around cities.
84
Appendix A Definitions
appendix b
Community
Profile
B.1 Demographics
In 1901 the population of Fort Saskatchewan was recorded as 306 residents. The
population surpassed the 1000 resident mark in 1951 and reached the population
of 10,000 in 1978. This growth was a result of industrial expansion, particularly in the
petrochemical industry. Since its incorporation as a City in 1985, Fort Saskatchewan's
population doubled from 12,078 in 1991 to 24,040 in 2015. Today, the City of Fort
Saskatchewan is home to 26,942 residents. The city grew by 27.4% between 2006
and 2011 making it the fifth-fastest growing city in Canada. This steady growth over
the next five years at a rate of 27.5% making it the tenth-fastest growing city in 2016.
With a regionally competitive cost of living, proximity to local, and regional, services,
employment opportunities, and access to the river valley, the city has attracted
many young residents and families in recent years. As a young community, with a
median age (34.3) below that of Alberta (36.7) and Canada (41.2), Fort Saskatchewan
can anticipate sustained growth over the coming years. Another dynamic of this
rapid growth was a shift in household size. Between 2001 and 2006 the average
household size in Fort Saskatchewan shifted from 3.2 to 2.6 and has remained
largely stable at 2.6 since. With growth, the community's household sizes came
more in line with the provincial and national profiles, 2.6 and 2.5 respectively.
Fort Saskatchewan households had a gross median income of $116,290 in
2015. The median gross income of two-or-more-person households was
$134,490, contrasted by $60,928 for single person households (22% of all
households). In all of these cases, the local medians are higher than Provincial
and Federal medians. The significant gap between these figures indicates
potential challenges for some single person households in the community.
The total number of occupied dwellings in 2019 was 10133. Single detached
houses comprise a majority of the total occupied dwelling units followed by
apartments, duplexes, and row houses. Housing affordability is a challenge in the
community as 69% of the non-apartment stock are single family detached product,
providing more space than many households require (58% of households have
1 or 2 people) at a cost greater than 41% of households can afford (Table 2).
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
85
New construction since 2014 has gradually
decreased the proportion of single-family
detached stock however it is still being
produced at a greater price point than income
and household size data would indicate aligns
with the community's needs. Housing choice
is important at all market points and housing
affordability is a challenge across the nation.
The community will continue to strive towards
making choices available for all our households
as a welcoming, complete community.
The 2014 economic downturn in Alberta
dropped the city's housing occupancy rates
from 93% in 2013 to 86.6% in 2014, it steadily
recovered to 88.9% in 2018. And, the vacancy rate
declined from 7% in 2016 to 5.8% in 2018. Fort
Saskatchewan is home to many new residents
and a significant portion of residents that have
lived in the community for ten years or more.
The City strives to weave culture into all aspects
of civic planning and life in Fort Saskatchewan,
making it a warm and welcoming place for
visitors, residents, and newcomers. Culture has
played an important role in Fort Saskatchewan's
formative history. Overtime, the city has
become a community of mixed languages and
ethnicities. Today the most common languages
spoken in homes in Fort Saskatchewan are
English, French, and Tagalog. With a booming
energy sector, changing demographics and
growing need to retain social, economic and
environmental sustainability, the City values
being a diverse and inclusive community. This
is supported through providing safe, affordable
and stable housing options to meet the needs
of all residents now and into the future.
Figure 16. Household after-tax income (2015 dollars). Statistics Canada, 2016.
Size
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
N
%
N
%
N
%
N
%
N
%
1 Person
1,909
21.1
1,983
21.4
2,087
21.5
2,145
21.6
2,128
21.0
2 People
3,335
36.9
3,425
36.9
3,529
36.4
3,624
36.5
3,671
36.3
3 People
1,506
16.7
1,541
16.6
1,665
17.2
1,649
16.6
1,738
17.2
4 People
1,519
16.8
1,553
16.7
1,633
16.8
1,672
16.8
1,687
16.7
5 People
552
6.1
561
6.0
553
5.7
588
5.9
625
6.2
6+ People
222
2.4
219
2.4
227
2.4
259
2.6
269
2.6
Total
9,043
100.0
9,282
100.0
9,964
100.0
9,937
100.0
10,118
100.0
Table 1. Fort Saskatchewan households by size. Statistics Canada, 2016.
$5000
$5,000 - $9,999
$10,000 - $14,999
$15,000 - $19,999
$20,000 - $24,9999
$25,000 - $29,999
$30,000 - $34,000
$35,000 - $39,999
$40,000 - $44,999
$45,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $59,999
$60,000 - $69,999
$70,000 - $79,999
$80,000 - $89,999
$90,000 - $99,999
$100,000 - $124,999
$125,000 - $149,999
$150,000 +
0.7%
0.4%
0.6%
1.2%
2.5%
2.2%
2.3%
2.8%
2.9%
2.9%
6.5%
6.6%
15.7%
20.1%
11.4%
6.7%
6.9%
7.5%
86
Appendix B Community Profile
With the city's growth in recent years, there
has been an upturn experienced by the
city's commercial service sector as well.
Fort Saskatchewan is well positioned to
serve as an ideal destination for customary
shopping experiences for many surrounding
rural communities. At the same time the
southward expansion and shift of the
city's population has posed challenges
for businesses in the downtown.
B.2 Population Projection
The substantial recent growth experienced by
the city has been driven by a confluence of
several factors drawing new residents. One of
the main factors has been the role of the city in
the oil and gas industry along with its proximity
to the employment opportunities in Alberta's
Industrial Heartland. Location is a driving factor
for growth. The city is positioned between the
region's population center and its globally
competitive employment hub. Additionally, the
City's investment in community assets such as
the Dow Centennial Centre, river valley trails,
natural and activity-oriented parks contribute to
a high quality of life that attracts new residents.
Fort Saskatchewan has maintained a small
town feel during its rapid growth and offers
residents a strong sense of community.
Three growth scenarios were considered for
the city's future population. The recommended
scenario is the medium case projection
from the 'Where Do We Grow From Here?'
2015 Growth Study (the 'Growth Study').
The medium case scenario provides a more
conservative approach than the high case. It also
presents a more probable case for the future
population growth of Fort Saskatchewan.
Townhouse -
Single Family
Duplex -
Single Family
Detached -
Single Family
Detached
Single Family*
Estate Lots
Country
Residential
Condo Units
Number of units
104
1,282
6,254
5,965
225
42
1,460
% housing units
1.1%
14.1%
68.7%
65.6%
2.5%
0.5%
16.1%
% household below
affordable income
27.7%
30.1%
41.4%
40.9%
73.1%
61.8%
20.8%
Average assessed value
$278,448
$299,195
$397,492
$385,517
$710,207
$572,483
$216,779
Equivalent monthly affordable rent
$1,857
$1,970
$2,508
$2,482
$4,291
$3,524
$1,519
Average density (units per hectare)
38.14
30.70
14.33
17.33
5.70
0.77
Average tax per hectare
$79,837.93
$72,519.52
$44,969.26
$52,745.57
$31,939.47
$3,494.96
Since 2014
Number of units
55
503
1,090
65
Percent of housing units
3.20%
29.4%
63.6%
3.8%
Average assessed value
$293,095.13
$318,961.00
$465,566.00
$303,256.00
Table 2. Ownership housing information by stock type. Statistics Canada, 2016.
Figure 17. Population Change, 2011 - 2019.
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Downtown
Sherridon
Pineview
Clover Park
Southfort
West Park
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
City of Fort Saskatchewan Municipal Development Plan
87
It utilizes an average annual growth rate of 2.2%
over 52 years, which is lower than the 3.7% that
the city experienced over the past 50 years. A
decreased growth percentage is anticipated
as the community becomes larger. This is not
indicative of a decrease in true growth, it simply
represents the base population being larger.
Based on the recent and long term trends, as
well as the Growth Study, the population of
the City of Fort Saskatchewan is expected to
reach 47,762 by 2040 and 71,216 by 2066.
Growth in Fort Saskatchewan has
been, and is expected to remain,
significant over the coming years.
The story of the community's growth at a city
scale can obscure trends occurring within the
community. The city grew 102% from 2000 to
2019. That growth veiled a collective population
loss in the established neighbourhoods of the
community. The most significant of these was
a 16% loss in the Pineview neighbourhood.
To capitalize on our existing community assets
and ensure the continued vibrancy of all of
our neighbourhoods, Fort Saskatchewan
will continue to commit to a neighbourhood
place-based lens. The City will embrace
both growth and growth management.
B.3 Economic Profile
The City of Fort Saskatchewan is a vibrant
economic hub ideally located in Alberta's
Industrial Heartland. It plays a significant role
in the socio-economic transformation of the
region through knowledge diffusion and
innovation by hosting industries and major
employers across several key sectors. The
City continues to embrace economic diversity
and encourage local businesses to ensure a
responsive and resilient local economy.
Edmonton Global identified four key sectors
where the Edmonton Metropolitan Region
has a global competitive advantage.
- Food & Agribusiness (e.g. hemp,
food and beverage processing);
- Energy (e.g. downstream and clean tech);
- Advanced Manufacturing & Manufacturing
(e.g. fabricated machinery, plastics); and
- Health (e.g. pharmaceuticals, health tech).
The Advanced Manufacturing, Health, and
Energy sectors are represented among the
city's major employers. There is also a direct
link to Food and Agribusiness through fertilizer
production, opportunities for greater expansion
in this sector in the major employment lands and
existing agricultural operations. This competitive
positioning will contribute to local growth and
economic resiliency moving forward. This also
creates opportunities for strategic economic
development initiatives focused on expanding
the Fort's opportunities and reputation as
a competitive business environment.
According to 2018 census, 41% of residents in
the labour force work in Fort Saskatchewan. The
community has strong labour force participation
at 73.9%, higher than the Provincial (71.8%)
and Federal (65.2%) rates. The unemployment
rate of 7.4% is lower than that of Alberta
(9.0%) and Canada (7.7%). Higher labour
force participation and lower unemployment
demonstrate strong local economic performance.
The City also has land opportunities for
the expansion and diversification of our
industrial area and local businesses.
The city's growth in recent years has supported
significant expansion of the commercial service
sector. Today, major retail outlets and unique
downtown boutiques offer consumers options
for buying locally in the city. Being the closest
urban municipality to many rural communities,
Fort Saskatchewan is well positioned as a
recognized regional-serving destination for
communities to the north and east. It serves
as a critical and convenient catchment for
shops and services for towns such as Lamont,
Bruderheim, Redwater, Gibbons, Bon Accord,
Smoky Lake, Ashmont, and Two Hills. A 2019
analysis indicates recent growth in retail centers
near the City may increase competition for local
and regional consumer activity. Ensuring an
appealing mix of established retailers and unique
local businesses in the city will serve to maintain
Fort Saskatchewan's competitive advantage. The
historic downtown will provide opportunities to
strengthen the unique independent business
offerings of the community and combined
with established retail expansion will allow the
community to offer a regionally unique draw.
The analysis also indicates Fort Saskatchewan's
position as a regional service centre means it
can support more than the existing commercial
offerings and projects significant growth
in its capacity over the next 10 years.
88
Appendix B Community Profile