Council prepares to hold marathon rezoning hearing
Hundreds have registered to speak at meeting, which could last days
Citywide rezoning will take centre stage this week with a marathon city council hearing that could span seven days, making it the largest and longest council meeting in Calgary's history.
As of Friday, 675 people were registered to speak at the hearing, which begins Monday at 9:30 a.m. It is expected to go on for multiple 12-hour days, with proceedings wrapping up around 9:30 p.m. each night.
Over 5,500 written public feedback submissions are included in the meeting's agenda, totalling more than 13,000 pages.
“People are passionate about their communities, and their housing,” said Acadia resident Alex Williams, one of many Calgarians signed on to speak in front of council during the marathon meeting.
“I think it's good, honestly, that so many people signed up, it shows an engaged population.”
Williams said he supports the proposed R-CG rezoning — which allows for additional types of low-density dwellings, such as semi-detached or duplex dwellings, and row houses — on parcels previously zoned only for single-family detached homes.
“I think it's important to open up those broader property rights, in order to build a long-term resilient city, as well as a more adaptable city,” he said.
“Our neighbourhoods change, and I don't think we should use zoning as a way to restrict change.”
Newer neighbourhoods in the city are already zoned to allow a variety of medium-density housing forms, so the R-CG proposal wouldn't change how development proceeds in them. Older residential neighbourhoods — many of which are zoned solely for detached single-family housing — would be most affected by a change to R-CG.
Property owners are currently allowed to build duplexes or row house infills in these communities by applying for a land use redesignation. Currently, council approves 95 per cent of applications for R-CG rezoning.
Lakeview community association president Jon Himmens was one of 42 representatives from Calgary community associations that met with Mayor Jyoti Gondek on Saturday to voice their concerns about the proposed rezoning.
Himmens said the rezoning would remove a level of control on part of the city, and hand over the reins to private builders.
“We don't want builders to be opportunistic and take the low-hanging fruit, then leave us (the city) with a much bigger problem,” he said.
Himmens argues that densification may not necessarily equate affordability, but rather gentrification in existing neighbourhoods.
“All of the community associations support densification, and support the affordable housing initiative,” said Himmens. “Rezoning is something of a rush move, that we don't think has been well thought through on behalf of all Calgarians.”
The R-CG rezoning is part of the city's broader housing strategy, which council voted in favour of in September last year.
The outcome Himmens hopes for from the hearing is council's rejection of the proposed rezoning.
“There's no doubt that we've got to find a solution — this isn't it,” he said.
Himmens believes the city should be taking a community-by-community approach, possibly through things like local area planning, which he sees as a potential solution.
“The solution is not a crisis response, which we think will lead to uncontrolled building in the wrong places,” Himmens said.
Williams said, “Affordability isn't the only issue on the table; availability is a huge concern for Calgarians.”
A renter, Williams said he spent four months looking for a place to live, and despite offering three months rent upfront he was still shot down by dozens of landlords.
“I think this change is actually really small,” he said. “It's not going to change much, we're putting housing next to housing.”
“Whether or not we should do this, is kind of like debating why ice cream shops should be allowed next to bakeries. They kind of go in the same place, and I think that's fine.”
Gondek said Saturday she will review the written submissions the city has received and looks forward to listening to the Calgarians that have signed up to speak at the hearing.
City council members are legally obligated to remain amenable to persuasion during the public hearing.
After the public hearing — which is required to amend the city's land-use bylaw — council will deliberate and vote on whether to amend the bylaw.
If approved, the rezoning changes are expected to take effect in August according to the city's website.