Parkview residents escalate infill housing fight to Alberta Court of Appeal

Lawn signs along 88 Avenue in Parkview tell the story: "your neighbourhood is changing." Now residents are fighting that change in court.

Corisandra Leyton-High lives in an infill in the west-end neighbourhood and doesn't oppose adding density with duplexes and fourplexes. But she's worried about multiple eight-unit infills coming to her block and is pushing back.

Her case was shot down by the Edmonton subdivision and development appeal board in May, but she's filed in the Alberta Court of Appeal with a hearing set for early August. At the heart of her case: whether builder Davach Properties' plans allow enough space between properties for a path, retaining wall, swale, and fence posts.

The May decision ruled the plans allowed adequate space, saying whether the retaining wall and swale would decrease the width was "speculative." But Leyton-High said she worked with a professional builder on her appeal.

"Those lots are not very big. I don't understand how they're going to fit them," she said.

A Davach Properties spokesperson said it wouldn't comment as the matter remains before the courts.

The conflict reflects broader tensions around infill after the city's 2024 zoning bylaw allowed buildings with up to eight units in developed neighbourhoods, requiring at least 75 square metres of space per unit. Frustrated residents like Leyton-High say the bylaw is too vague.

Ward Sipiwiwiniwak Coun. Thu Parmar said developers have been buying up large numbers of houses throughout her ward, with some telling people their homes will drop in value to pressure them into selling. "Developers are starting to buy entire neighbourhoods," she said, adding it has resulted in "dramatic changes."

Of 33 communities in her ward, seven are now pursuing restrictive covenants to try to slow or prevent infill.