Katz Group wants a special deal for liquor store in Ice District
The Katz Group is asking for a special bylaw exemption to open a liquor store in the Ice District and Edmonton city council indicated it is at least willing to listen.
The major downtown developer wants a liquor store on the ground floor of the Stantec Tower, now under construction near the corner of 102 Street and 103 Avenue with a grocery store planned for the second floor.
But the new liquor store would be roughly 30 metres — just across the street — from an existing liquor store located in an alley just outside Ice District boundaries. Zoning rules ban anyone from opening a new liquor store within 500 metres of an existing store anywhere within the mature neighbourhood area of the city.
The Katz Group made its plea at the
last public hearing of December, arguing the new store would be one of the safest in Edmonton.
In a 6-5 vote, council decided to require tighter rules around the exemption — on the location, number of stores and size — before considering it for approval. The application returns to council Feb. 12.
Downtown Coun. Scott McKeen said he made that compromise motion to prevent the request by the Katz Group from being shot down completely, offering his support because both the downtown business association and the downtown community league supported the idea.
“I was trying to be pragmatic,” said McKeen, adding a denial from council could mean little anyway. Several developers denied permits under Edmonton’s existing rules have appealed to the subdivision and development appeal board and won.
“So why don’t we, in partnership with them, get some regulations in place so it’s not huge and we know where it’s going,” he said.
