by Brenda Erskine, CHCA Planning Committee
About 80 people attended a public meeting to inform the Crescent Heights community about the Heritage Guidelines Areas (HGAs).
Two members from the Heritage division of the City of Calgary’s Planning Department presented background on the HGAs, and provided examples of how the Guidelines can impact a Development Permit. The Q&A went for longer than an hour.
The most important difference with the Guidelines is that any Development Permits (DPs) within the defined areas are automatically discretionary, and the applications are circulated to CHCA’s planning committee for comment. DPs for things in the “discretionary uses” list might be approved by The City at its discretion. The discretion is often based on guidelines or other special conditions. This gives CHCA’s planning committee, impacted homeowners, and the City’s Heritage Planners more say in the conditions for approval.
City staff also explained the use of “should” in the Guidelines. “Should” is almost the same as “must” unless there is an overriding constraint (i.e., utilities) that prevents the applicant from conforming to the “should”. They emphasized that the Guidelines are not meant to preserve heritage homes – only the “heritage character” of the areas.
Other tools under development by the City to encourage heritage preservation include incentives for heritage assets (pre-1945 homes), and tax reductions and grants for Heritage Designated properties. These have yet to be approved by Council.
Watch for future workshops on Heritage Incentives and the Heritage Designation process.
The Committee also reviewed and objected to the following:
Land Use Amendment LOC2023-0056b RC2 to RCG 1402 4 St NW (Heritage Guidelines Area)
Land Use Amendment LOC2023-0069 RC2 to RCG 240 7 Ave NE (Heritage Guidelines Area)
Land Use Amendment LOC2023-0086 RC2 to RCG 201 10 Ave NE. Heritage Guidelines Area)
A public hearing for Land Use change at 201 7 Ave NE was May 16. At the time of writing, the planning committee intends to make a presentation against this application.
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