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5 McGill Int'l J. Sust. Dev. L. & Pol'y 115 (2009)
Re-Zoning Alberta: Smart Regulation for Smart Growth

handle is hein.journals/mcgijosd5 and id is 107 raw text is: Re-Zoning Alberta: Smart Regulation for Smart Growth Matti Lemmens* Euclidean zoning is a dominant planning tool for many Canadian municipalities, resulting in an overbearing focus on managing land uses. This article assesses recent reforms made to a provincially-coordinated land use framework in the Canadian province ofAlberta. Several key federal, provincial, and municipal planning laws are relevant to this process, and are outlined in the article. The Government of Alberta was the first in Canada to adopt carbon emissions targets, subsequently revising its climate change strategy to encourage environmental planning strategies which conserve and use energy effi- ciently. The article evaluates current practices, as imple- mented in Edmonton, and concludes that the Euclidean zoning technique allocates land use in a manner incon- sistent with these environmental goals. Alternative plan- ning techniques, including form-based code and perfor- mance-based zoning, are put forward as methodologies better suited to the environmental goals promulgated by La contribution du zonage euclidien pridomine tou- jours les outils de planification urbaine dans plusieurs municipalitis canadiennes, ce qui risulte en une concen- tration dsmesure sur la gestion des terres. Cet article se concentre sur les municipalitis albertaines et les reformes rs'centes qui sont le produit de nouvelles politiques coor- donnes par la province. Plus spicifiquement, l'article se penche sur la ville d'Edmonton et son nouveau plan municipal et intermunicipal innovateur. L'article offre un survol des lois frdrales, provinciales et municipales sur l'ams'nagement du territoire. Le Gouvernement de lAlberta fut le premier au Canada d adopter des objec- tifi pour l'imission de carbone et a encouragi l'adoption des stratgies de planifications environnementales afin de conserver et utiliser l'inergie de fafon efficace. L'auteure fait une ivaluation des pratiques courantes telles qu'implanties par la ville d'Edmonton et diter- mine que l'emploi des techniques de zonage euclidien mine l'utilisation des terres h aller h l'encontre des objec- the Alberta Legislature. Historical development ofplan- ning techniques and examples of their application in Canada are discussed. The article then analyzes currently available planning legislation, and suggests that it is pos- sible to incorporate the alternative planning practices of form-based code and performance-based zoning into the Euclidean framework. It is, however, unlikely that the Euclidean framework will be completely overhauled due to entrenched political attitudes. Nevertheless, the tools for smart growth are available, and for the sake of the environment, municipal development bylaws and plans must evolve. tif environnementaux. Des techniques d'amdnagement alternatives, telles un code bass sur la forme et le zonage basi sur la performance, sont examinies et mises de l'avant comme de meilleures me'thodologies pour attein- dre les objectifi environnementaux promulgus par lAssemblke ligislative de lAlberta. L'auteur analyse les lois actuelles sur l'aminagement du territoire et suggre qu'il est bien possible dincorporer les pratiques alterna- tives de code bass sur la forme et le zonage bass sur la performance dans le cadre euclidien. Ultimement, les attitudes politiques non informies font qu'une reforme complete du cadre euclidien soit improbable. Toutefois, les outils pour une croissance intelligente sont disponibles et les changements doivent avoir lieu dam les statuts et les plans municipaux. Matti Lemmens received her LL.B. with an environmental specialization from Dalhousie University. Her degree included academic exchanges at Oxford University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and the University of Alberta. She is currently articling at the Calgary office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. She would like to thank Howard Epstein and Chad Manley for their helpful contributions to the drafting of this article.

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