Blanket Rezoning Repeal – One More Round
by Melanie Swailes on behalf of the Development and Transportation Committee
Urban Planning ideas evolve and change over time. Sometimes we can only determine what doesn’t work well after the fact. As an example, when the current City Municipal Building opened in 1985 next to the old City Hall, a common criticism was that it “turned its back” on what is now the East Village area. Although the Municipal Building faces Stephen Avenue Mall, the Glenbow Museum, Olympic Plaza, and more, the large scale and form of the building forms an imposing wall, and it has taken decades to revitalize the area behind City Hall.
Every building or planning decision is an experiment, however large or small. You build a garage and soon wish it was just a bit longer to fit your new truck. A new commercial development goes up on a street and has noisy garbage pick-ups very early in the morning that neighbours didn’t anticipate. There should always be a continuous feedback loop so that we learn from experience by collecting opinions and making improvements.
Brentwood residents can now view the results of the Blanket Rezoning “experiment”, because in communities around us such as Capitol Hill or Bowness there are many examples of newly constructed townhouses or rowhouses which have replaced former single-family homes. What do you like or not like about the new buildings? We will start seeing similar buildings in Brentwood. To date, the Development and Transportation Committee has received two multi-unit Development Permit (DP) applications, each for eight-units on what used to be a single house.
You have the opportunity and the right to comment, but you have to use the chance if you wish to be heard! The City has a mandate to collect public feedback on DP applications. The City’s Engage Policy defines engagement as “Purposeful dialogue between The City, impacted or interested Calgarians and other communities or groups to gather information to influence decision-making.”
What is the City hearing about past applications? In the first quarter of 2025, the City received 1,527 comments on applications enabled by the citywide rezoning through Development Map (DMAP). The greatest number of comments were around building design (78%), parking/loading zones (76%), site layout (52%), and privacy consideration (52%).
Of all those comments, 1,295 were opposed (85%), 137 were neutral (9%), and 75 (4.9%) were in support of the applications (https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=327314).
When 85% of the comments received are in opposition, it’s a strong indicator that there are major flaws in the experiment. Building design is the top concern, closely followed by parking. What I’ve heard repeatedly from Brentwood residents is that eights units on a property is simply too much: many have suggested duplexes (which could have suites), allowing for four units in total, which would also allow for four parking spaces, one for each unit (instead of the current .5 per unit).
The Notice of Motion to Repeal Blanket Rezoning was approved by a 13-2 vote on December 15, with a Public Hearing slated for March 2026. Note that the overwhelming majority vote does not mean that most councillors support a full repeal, but rather that they voted to have the matter addressed in a full public hearing.
You will have a chance to submit your feedback prior to the March Public Hearing by sending a letter or by speaking in person. If you think that your opinions won’t matter, consider that there will be other people submitting feedback, including developers, investors, and those who won’t necessarily represent your community or your interests. If you want your voice to count, now is the time to speak up to ensure you can help shape policies around development.
Please learn more and get involved. We haven’t seen a lot of redevelopment in Brentwood, but we will. For starters, learn about “The Guide for Small-Scale housing” and subscribe for updates (https://engage.calgary.ca/SmallScaleGuide). Although the initial engagement is over, this link provides the considerations for building form, site layout, etc. – issues on which you may wish to include feedback in any submissions. Keep an eye out for information sessions in February and March prior to the Council Hearing.
Next month, I’ll focus on specific design aspects. (I am stepping back from Development-related roles, but for now, I’ve heard from many Bugle readers that you do read and follow the DTC articles, so I will continue to write them. Thank you for the support.)
If you would like to join our community association, you are always welcome to do so. Contact the office at [email protected] or at 403-284-3477.
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