City proposes new residential zones to support infill

The City of Yellowknife is proposing two new zone types to support residential intensification.

At a meeting on Monday, city staff explained how the proposed new zones – named R1 and R1-1 – will help address the housing gap in existing neighbourhoods.

“This new zone, the residential intensification zone, is one way we think we can add new housing and housing options to the Yellowknife housing spectrum,” said Charlsey White, Yellowknife’s director of planning and development.

“It will provide encouragement for development of dwellings to meet the diverse needs of our community, and it is a tool for near future as the city moves to develop infill and some intensification on fully serviced municipal land within the city.”

White said the new zones would help the city meet its commitment to build “missing middle housing” – a gap in housing between large apartment complexes and single-family homes – as part of federal funding it received through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

What are R1 and R1-1?

According to the city, R1 aims to provide for new infill residential development. R1-1 is a lighter version of R1 that supports residential intensification on a reduced scale where land and properties are limited by factors like their topography.

Both zones would primarily permit multi-unit and townhouse dwellings. No single-detached dwellings would be allowed in the new zones.

Vivian Peng, a planner with the city, said the new zones are supported by “lots of research, analysis and consultation.”

She said they are intended for land or properties where infill is ideal and the city does not intend to re-zone entire neighbourhoods or force anyone to redevelop.

A public hearing and approval from city council is required to add the new residential intensification zones to the city’s zoning bylaw, which was overhauled in 2022. Councillors plan to again discuss the proposed new zones on October 7.

The city has not yet identified specific properties where the new zones could be applied. City staff said that won’t happen any time soon, as changing a property’s zoning also requires a public hearing and approval from council.

Yellowknife’s infill plan

Residential infill, or intensification, is a key part of the city’s plan to address the need for more housing, particularly rental and affordable housing.

City councillors unanimously backed an infill housing plan in January 2023.

While some Yellowknife residents have been vocal about not wanting more neighbours or changes to their neighbourhoods, the city has said infill will help control urban sprawl, lower tax burdens for residents and make better use of existing infrastructure and services.

“The concept of residential intensification is getting more and more popular these years,” Peng said on Monday.

“Residential intensification is a very good land use management tool that can bring more housing and encourage efficient use of existing municipal infrastructure and amenities.”

By contrast, realtor and former city councillor Adrian Bell has called for the city to change at least some of its approach.

“You cannot reduce demand for detached-single family homes by restricting their availability. That’s not how supply and demand work,” Bell wrote online earlier this month.

“By refusing to bring land to market for the construction of single-family homes, the city has not somehow socially engineered residents into preferring apartment living,” he wrote.

“It has merely dissuaded people from moving to Yellowknife, or from staying here as long as they otherwise might.”

Land transfer and housing needs assessment

Separate to the proposed zoning changes, the city said on Monday it is still working with the territorial government on the transfer of land to the municipality. A lack of land available for sale has been raised as an issue in the city for years.

In 2021, a process began by which the territorial government was to hand over large chunks of land for the city to administer. That process has yet to conclude.

City staff also said on Monday they plan to discuss a housing needs assessment with councillors on October 15.

Ollie Williams contributed reporting.