Proposal

McElhaney Consulting has applied for a Concept Plan and Zoning Bylaw Text Amendment to amend the Direct Control District 3 (DCD3) located in the U of S Lands Management Area.

The proposed Concept Plan and DCD3 Zoning Bylaw Text Amendment would make the following changes to the existing Preston Crossing Regional Shopping Centre:

Proposed Concept Plan Amendments

• Remove the existing pedestrian connection between the Canadian Tire building and Best Buy building and provide for a new connection to the multi-use trail in the south-east corner of the site.
• Establish a pedestrian amenity space adjacent to the Preston Crossing entry feature.
• Enhance north-south pedestrian connectivity within the existing parking lot south of Preston Ave.
• Expansion of the existing Canadian Tire retail store.

Proposed Zoning Bylaw Text Amendments

• Reduce required parking spaces from one space per 20 m² of gross floor area to one space per 30 m² of gross floor area for all permitted and accessory uses. Should City Council adopt regulations to remove parking requirements under the ongoing work associated with Housing Accelerator Fund, that would take precedent over the proposed new parking rate.
• Allow for a permanent accessory building within an outdoor sales area that is associated with a larger format retail store.
• Clarify that an outdoor sales area does not have to be immediately adjacent to the large format retail store that it is associated with.

What is a Concept Plan Amendment?

A Concept Plan is approved by resolution of City Council following an extensive review process. Once a Concept Plan is approved, it is implemented over many years as the land is subdivided, zoning is applied, roads and services are installed, parks are constructed, and residences and businesses in the new neighbourhood are established. Proposed amendments are reviewed prior to being considered by City Council for a decision.

What is a Text Amendment?

All property in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning designation under the Zoning Bylaw No. 8770. Within each zoning designation, specific land uses are either permitted, prohibited, or discretionary.

An amendment to the text of the Zoning Bylaw may involve adding a specific land use designation to a particular zoning district or changing the development standards within a zoning district to accommodate certain aspects of a particular use.

Applications to change the text of a zoning designation may be considered through a rezoning process, which includes review by City Administration and engagement with the surrounding neighbourhood. All rezoning applications require a decision by City Council at a Public Hearing upon conclusion of the process.

Text amendment rezoning applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis where both the subject site(s) and, the surrounding neighbourhood, and the zoning designation uses and development standards are considered in the review.

What is the Typical Process for an Amendment Application?

When an amendment application is received by Planning and Development, it is reviewed for conformity with the Official Community Plan, Zoning Bylaw, and other applicable city planning policies and development regulations.  The application is also circulated to other Civic Departments to review technical considerations such as the capacity of water, wastewater, stormwater, and transportation infrastructure to accommodate the proposal.

Once internal review by the relevant Civic Departments is complete, public engagement on the application is undertaken. This phase of the process provides the opportunity for members of the public to review a proposal, ask questions, identify issues, and provide comment. Adjacent registered property owners, the Community Association, and the Ward Councillor are notified of the application, and are invited to provide questions and comments.  When necessary, a public information meeting is held that may include a formal presentation, and question and answer session.

Following public engagement, Planning and Development prepares a report that includes a recommendation on the application, and outlines information collected from the internal review and public engagement processes. The report is first considered by the Municipal Planning Commission, an advisory committee to City Council. 

The final decision to approve or deny an amendment application rests with City Council which considers the report, and recommendation along with the Municipal Planning Commission’s feedback at a Public Hearing.  Any member of the public is welcome to provide a written submission or address City Council regarding the application at the Public Hearing.