Proposal

Saskatoon Land (the applicant) has applied to amend the Kensington Neighbourhood Concept Plan (Concept Plan) and rezone two parcels adjacent to the Kensington Village Square. The proposed Concept Plan Amendments are also highlighted on the Amendment Area tab for your reference.

Concept Plan Amendment

The proposed Concept Plan Amendment will redesignate the parcels from Multi Unit (Stacked Group Townhouse) and Multi Unit (Group Townhouse) to Multi Unit Medium Density (Apartment Style) as shown below:

Rezoning

Currently, the parcels are undeveloped and zoned a mix of RMTN – Townhouse Residential District and RMTN1 – Medium Density Townhouse Residential District 1. The purpose of these districts is to provide for comprehensively planned low to medium-density multiple-unit dwellings in the form of townhouses, dwellings groups and other building forms.

The applicant is proposing to rezone these parcels to RM3 – Medium Density Multiple-Unit Dwelling District. The proposed rezoning to RM3 would align with the Multi Unit Medium Density (Apartment Style) Concept Plan Amendment that is being applied in conjunction with this rezoning application.

The purpose of the RM3 district is to provide for a variety of residential developments in a medium-density form. Note: the area on the rezoning map that is labelled "from R1A to RM3" is located on public roadways and is not part of the official rezoning application. This area has been included to change the base zoning to align with the RM3 application, should it be approved.

What is a Neighbourhood Concept Plan?

A Neighbourhood Concept Plan (NCP) is a neighborhood-level land use plan that guides the development of a new neighbourhood in Saskatoon. It outlines the land uses, densities, transportation network, parks system, and community facilities intended for a neighbourhood as it grows.

An NCP is approved by a resolution of City Council following an extensive review process. Once an NCP 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.

As a new neighbourhood is built out, circumstances often necessitate amendments to an NCP. Proposed amendments are reviewed, including a community engagement process prior to being considered by City Council for a decision.

What is a Rezoning?

All property in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning designation under the Zoning Bylaw No. 8770, 2009. Within each zoning designation, specific land uses are either permitted, prohibited, or discretionary.

Applications to change the zoning designation of a property 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 the conclusion of the review process.

Both NCP amendment and rezoning applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis where both the subject site and the surrounding neighbourhood 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.  It 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.  Registered property owners, typically within 75-150 metres of the subject site, the Community Association, and the Ward Councillor are notified of the application, and are invited to provide questions and comment.  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 who consider 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.

Online Public Information Meeting:

A virtual public information meeting was held on March 5th, 2024 where information was provided on the proposed amendments.

This public information meeting was recorded and a link to the video is available below:

Public Information Meeting - Kensington Village Centre - YouTube