University f Alberta: Dn Hickey, Anastasia Lim (Chair), Emily Ball, Ben Luie, Pat Jansen, Dug Dawsn Cmmunity members: Frank Weichman (McKernan), Stephen Dbsn (Lendrum), Bernie Schwartz (Lansdwne), Paul Greenwd (Lansdwne), Bb Kamp (Belgravia), Anish Neupane (Grandview), Gail Faurschu (Grandview) Cmmenced: 7:00pm Minutes frm January 28, 2014 meeting n changes and accepted Chair asked everyne arund the table t intrduce themselves. Chair (A. Lim) asked E. Ball t update the grup n the Secnd Access Pint prject. E. Ball tld the grup that there had been a meeting set up by A. Neupane and the City f Edmntn (COE) representative fr the prject fr the cmmunity f Grandview. The meeting utlined the prject and the respnse by the COE t cmmunity cncerns and requests. E. Ball tld the grup that a lt f wrk has gne int ensuring cmmunity members are nt impacted by the prject. E. Ball was happy t reprt that the U f A and its cntractr have been able t find a way t keep the 65 Avenue bike/pedestrian rute pen thrughut the duratin f the prject and that the backup plan in case the path needed t be clsed was a temprary intersectin at 62 Avenue. E. Ball reprted t the grup the SCCG is and will cntinue t receive a mnthly e-newsletter abut the prject. The Chair asked E. Ball t update the grup n the Michener Park Sectr Plan. E. Ball reprted t the grup that the Michener Park Sectr Plan was nw cmplete and the dcumentatin regarding the cnsultatin which includes the letter frm the SCNC and the U f A respnse will g the Facilities Develpment Cmmittee (FDC) fr review. E. Ball thanked the SCCG members fr their time and cmmitment t the cnsultatin part f the prject and reminded the grup that the cnsultatin fr Michener Park wuld cntinue when develpment takes place thrugh a cnsultatin prcess fr substantial develpment. E. Ball tld the grup that many f the tpics raised during the pen huses were abut peratinal issues but were imprtant t hear s that if/when substantial develpment takes place, the U f A has a better understanding f hw the cmmunity wants t see the site nt nly develped but perated. The Chair deferred the agenda item f partnership buildings n Sectr 12 until the Chair f the SCCG arrived. The Chair intrduced the agenda item regarding the status f the Suth Campus LRDP Amendment. Dn Hickey, Vice President, Facilities and Operatins, reprted t the grup that given the significant changes that recently tk place with the prvincial gvernment, changes in the Advanced Educatin prtfli and that the Minister f Advanced Educatin was als currently the Premier the U f A is tracking the dcument clsely and is hping fr a respnse in the very near future. Representative frm Lendrum asked if the dcument was n the website and E. Ball respnded that it was and if he had difficulty finding it t cntact her. Chair asked D. Hickey t give his presentatin. D. Hickey thanked the grup fr the pprtunity t present infrmatin abut an imprtant initiative the U f A is cnsidering which will g t the Bard f Gvernrs n Page 1 f 5
June 20, 2014. D. Hickey gave a brief presentatin abut the ptential frmatin f a Land Trust. Highlights frm the presentatin and D. Hickey s cmments are: What ther universities have land trusts and best practices? Guelph University and Yrk University in the east, University f British Clumbia (UBC), Simn Fraser University (SFU) in the west, and in Alberta, bth University f Calgary (U f C) and Keyan Cllege institutins have been able t turn land assets int lng-term financial assets, generating a sustainable, lng-term revenue surce t supprt their cre missins. A land trust perates at arms-length f the university, which als allws the U f A t maintain its charitable status under the Incme Tax Act. Our Prvst has indicated that this is a mvement being undertaken wrldwide as all pstsecndary institutins lk fr sustainable revenue. UBC has had excellent results and success with their land trust. Questins: Rep frm Lansdwne what are the disadvantages if the U f A des nt set up a land trust? If U f A prceeds t develp its lands fr cmmercial purpses withut a land trust, and creates a prfit, the U f A charitable status wuld be in jepardy. Under the land trust mdel, the U f A becmes a beneficiary f the prfits f the trust. The U f A is nt set up t deal with real estate the land trust is an excellent way t ensure experts in the area are invlved and will see t ensuring the U f A benefits frm the develpment f its land assets. Reps frm Lendrum des a land trust raise cash mre quickly? The land trust can brrw mney against the land and mve relatively quickly. The current psitin is that the land trust will align with the LRDP. Why nw? U f A has reviewed this ptin ver the last 25-30 years. U f A needs t identify and implement new strategies t enhance revenue streams t ffset reduced gvernment investments t the institutin. All indicatrs pint t the apprpriateness f prceeding at this time, subject t the apprval f the Bard f Gvernrs and the Gvernment f Alberta, t cnsider the varius means by which ur land assets can benefit the missin f the university. What is it and hw des it wrk? The land trust is a crprate trust mandated t develp U f A land assets in accrdance with the mandate frm the U f A s Bard f Gvernrs. It is an arm s length relatinship with the university with all prfits ging back t the U f A. Trusts perate cmpletely independent f the institutin and are able t brrw mney against lands that have been leased frm the institutin t cver their perating and develpment csts. Page 2 f 5
Hw is it gverned? The U f A Bard f Gvernrs apprves a trust. A trust agreement creates the trust, establishes its mandate, the pwers and bligatins f the trustee, as well as any reservatins f rights t the identified beneficiary, r the riginal dnr. The trustee f the trust becmes respnsible fr making all decisins n behalf f the trust, and wes a fiduciary duty t act exclusively in the best interests f the beneficiary. What are the benefits? The develpment f designated lands can cntribute t the demand fr high-quality, residential, mixed use, in-fill develpments f vibrant, livable cmmunities near the university and the city s cre. A land trust ffers an pprtunity fr the U f A t diversify its revenue streams while maintaining the institutin s academic integrity. Cnsultatin fr land assets that are transferred t the land trust will be the respnsibility f the land trust and the COE. Questins: Rep frm McKernan The experience f what happened with the U f A and Cllege Plaza left a negative impressin n the cmmunity. The U f A did nt exempt itself frm the municipal prcess with Cllege Plaza and did nt hide behind the PSLA. Cllege Plaza is a 75 year lease and the land trust that is being discussed nw is nt the same mdel f what was used fr Cllege Plaza. The land trust will get its mandate frm the Bard f Gvernrs. Will develpment align with the LRDP? The U f A is currently in discussin with the COE t understand hw the land trust will wrk between and interact with the LRDP and the COE Municipalities Act. The U f A has fficially begun these discussins with the COE. Cnsultatins? The rle f the public in ur planning prcesses has increased significantly and will cntinue. We have an established prcess and the COE has an established prcess. We understand the cmmunity is lking fr bth grups t wrk tgether and this will be explred. Timelines? The U f A is asking the Bard f Gvernrs n June 20, 2014 fr apprval t prceed with frming the land trust. If the Bard f Gvernrs apprves the establishment f the trust, the Bard must create the trust and its mandate, seek necessary gvernment apprvals and Orders in Cuncil allwing the institutin t lease the land t the trust, and then t allw the trust t enter int lease agreements with third parties. Page 3 f 5
Once the trust is established there will be a need t nminate bard members and its chair, and recruit trust staff, including its CEO. It will take apprximately a year t set up. D. Hickey will cme t future SCCG meetings and prvide updates n the status f the land trust. D. Hickey asked the grup fr further questins. Representative frm Lansdwne respnded that this is a difficult tpic t fllw and is rather abstract and asked fr an example. D. Hickey ffered an example f Michener Park (MP). If the U f A redevelped MP at a cst f $250 millin the U f A wuld have t cme up with 20% equity fr the prject which is nt pssible at this time. The land trust can brrw the mney fr the prject and turn it arund faster. Representative frm Lansdwne respnded that the West 240 was suppsed t be partner lands and asked if it wuld nw be ptential husing. D. Hickey respnded that the 2002 LRDP saw the West 240 having partner lands at the center and husing n the edge and that the amended LRDP mre specifically utlines the transitin znes fr husing. Representative frm Lansdwne asked if the land trust wuld develp the West 240. D. Hickey respnded that it culd. Representative frm Lansdwne cmmented that if the land trust perates arm s length and acts in the best interest f the U f A he is wrried abut wh will be n the Bard f Trustees. D. Hickey respnded that the U f A is lking fr experts in the area f land develpment. The U f A knws that it will be held t a higher standard and takes this respnsibility very seriusly. He added that the Bard f Gvernrs will chse the land trust bard trustees. The U f C has already dne this and this mdel is nt new t the prvincial gvernment. Representative frm Lansdwne respnded that he understands the need fr the U f A t d this and hpes it will adhere t develping the land accrding t the LRDP which D. Hickey respnded that it is his belief that the land trust will develp land accrding t the LRDP. Representative frm McKernan again brught up Cllege Plaza and tld the grup that he wants t make sure that if the land trust is created it has a series f discussin with cmmunities. Representative frm Grandview shared with the grup that given all the time and effrts that cmmunities have put in the LRDP that if the land trust is nt held accuntable t what all agreed upn there will be significant prblems. He added that the Bard f Gvernrs is nt a bdy set up t understand the cmplicated issues that cmmunities face with develpment by the U f A. Representative frm Lendrum asked when the U f A r the land trust will annunce what land will be designated fr develpment and can D. Hickey frecast what kind f prfit the land trust will make. D. Hickey respnded that it will be at least a year befre any land is designated t the land trust and it is difficult t frecast what the prfit will be fr the U f A. Representative frm Grandview asked fr a cmmitment frm the U f A that cmmunity will get input int what the trust will lk like with specific input int the Terms f Reference fr ptential develpers. He added that the land trust is anther layer f develpment that the cmmunity will nt want t deal with r that they will nt understand the impact n lcal cmmunities. D. Hickey respnded that this is ne f several meetings Page 4 f 5
with the SCCG where the land trust will be discussed and that he wuld return t respnd t questins as the initiative prgresses. Representative frm Lansdwne asked where he can find a gd example f a land trust. D. Hickey respnded that UBC has an excellent website and infrmatin abut what their land trust has accmplished. The representative frm Lansdwne added that hw des the U f A ensure the land trust Trustees d nt take advantage f the public land. D. Hickey respnded that Trustees are nt the wners f the land and will be respnsible fr making all decisins n behalf f the trust, and wes a fiduciary duty t act exclusively in the best interests f the beneficiary. E. Ball asked cmmunity members t keep track f questins they get frm their cmmunities and bring back t the next meeting t review and get answers. Chair revisited agenda item abut partnership buildings n Sectr 12 and reprted that there is n further infrmatin n a pssible twin arena prject/partnership and that the U f A is still seeking pssible partners fr the prject. Talks cntinue with the COE with a pssibility f signing an MOU in the near future. P. Jansen reprted that there were tw initiatives fr Fte Field last year being track replacement and turf replacement. The track replacement is cmplete and the turf replace is ging frward ver the summer. P. Jansen added that the U f A cntinues t lk fr funds t advance the prject whereby a temprary dme wuld be placed n Fte Field. Representative frm Grandview tld the grup and U f A reps that signs fr peple t park n Nrth Campus - if Suth Campus parking is full - are t small and nt useful. The meeting was adjurned at 8:50 p.m. Page 5 f 5