Recently lost an appeal regarding the house next door

Recently lost an appeal regarding the house next door being converted to a commercial scale daycare (34 children). The Zoning Bylaw Renewal of 2024 claims that these changes are to "build the city Edmontonians want". This bylaw renewal has done the complete opposite by removing our rights to notification, consultation and the right to appeal. I was entitled to appeal this daycare only because there was a variance to the permit regarding parking. I lost the appeal because it was determined that 40+ cars needing parking next to my home would not interfere with the use and enjoyment of residential properties. To appeal higher to the Court of Appeal is extremely costly (up to 30K) and to what end? The Annual Review that took place June 3, 2025 determined that too many Edmontonian's were appealing such cases as "traffic and parking impacts were the most frequently cited concern from residents". The city's proposed solution to that is to remove these barriers so that adjacent properties no longer need to be notified, consulted and no rights to appeal shall exist. The review quotes "approval for child care services has been simplified." So even IF I had won my appeal and even IF I took it to the Court of Appeal and won - once the minimum parking requirements are abolished, the daycare would open its doors anyway with no notification, consultation or ability to appeal. The Zoning Bylaw Renewal of 2024 mentions wanting an Urban City. This city should have thought of that 30 years ago and planned for growth. Instead this small town trying to be an urban city is doing nothing more than trying to play catchup. For years there has been a clear lack of common sense and zero planning for growth. City officials like to talk about “urban vision,” but let’s be honest—this isn’t vision. It’s damage control. If Edmonton truly wanted to be the modern, urban city it now claims to be building, where was the foresight years ago? We got a ring road that is more of a commuter road than a true ring road because it wasn’t planned for the city’s growth, a half-finished, ground-level LRT that clogs traffic instead of relieving it. We got infill homes that jam oversized buildings onto tiny lots, leaving people staring at a brick wall out their kitchen window. And now? We’re told to accept disruptive developments next to our homes because suddenly the City is in a rush to be “urban.
When residents are denied notice, stripped of meaningful appeal rights, and told their livability and rights to enjoy their homes don’t matter, what role is left for the people who actually live in these communities? Decision makers are silencing neighbourhoods and then claiming to speak on its behalf? This issue does not require more discussion — it requires the courage of the people we vote for to stop pretending these decisions reflect the will of Edmontonian's.