'A profound mistrust in council': Why Edmontonians are getting restrictive covenants on their homes

"Zoning and covenants do the same thing. Both of them are intended to protect neighbourhood character and property and homeowners' interests"

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Brad Clough recalls a lot in his neighbourhood of Crestwood that used to only fit one home. After changes to the city’s zoning bylaw two years ago, it was eventually subdivided into two lots, which he said now sport a combined 15 units.

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While he’s been pushing back on the new zoning rules for some time, he said examples of new infill like this are what prompted him and others to take a different route.

“People started saying, ‘What could we do to protect ourselves?'” he said. “So a few of us got together, had a meeting and said, ‘Well, we could do a restrictive covenant.'”

That agreement in Crestwood now prevents a number of properties that were registered from having three or more units per lot.