by D. Jeanne Kimber
By time you read this, Calgary City Council will have held a public hearing on the “Rezoning for Housing” proposal. Residents of Highland Park have already received postcards providing basic information about the proposal to upzone R1/R-C1 and R-2/R-C2 land use to R-CG. There are also proposed amendments to R-CG that will be put forward at the hearing.
Another significant planning initiative currently underway is the City Building Program. The program has three components:
• Integrating the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and the Calgary Transportation Plan,
• Developing a new Zoning Bylaw to replace the current Land Use Bylaw, and
• Creating a new Street Manual to provide updated guidance on how Calgary’s streets are designed.
Information on the Program can be found at https://www.calgary.ca/planning/city-building-program.html. Public engagement is closed, and we are still waiting for “What Comes Next”.
Here is a brief listing of the recent planning and development applications in Highland Park starting with land use change applications:
• LOC2023-0352 212 32 Ave NE for R-CG land use was approved at a public hearing at Council on April 9.
• LOC2024-0069 3910 Centre B St NW for a land use change to R-CG.
• LOC2024-0083 440 32 Ave NW for a land use change to R-CG
• LOC2024-0006 3520 Centre St NE for a land use change from M-C1 to M-U2 to enable construction of a six-storey multi-residential building with ground floor commercial potential. This is a 50 ft mid-block parcel and we have questioned the feasibility and the appropriateness of such a development, even though it is on a designated “Main Street”. The application does not appear to have progressed since March.
• LOC2024-0034 4020 1 St NW for H-GO to allow for five units with suites. The property is within the 40 Ave Neighbourhood Flex corridor but there is an older bungalow in-between the parcel and 40 Ave. The application will be going to the Calgary Planning Commission for a non-public hearing, but the date has not been set.
• LOC2023-0259 3820 and 3824 Centre A St NE. The application is for M-C1 zoning which allows a max density of 148 units per hectare and a building height of 14 m. Our response was that M-CG would be more appropriate. The application is still under review.
• LOC2023-0290 3308 2 St NE. The application for R-CG has not progressed since March.
Recent Development Permit (DP) applications include:
• DP2024-01385 212 32 Ave NE for two three-unit rowhouses with six suites. We have noted that the building plans do not conform to R-CG land use.
• DP2024-00453 4023 Centre B St NW for a five-unit rowhouse with suites.
• DP2024-01681 204 33 Ave NE for a four-unit rowhouse with suites. Some discrepancies in the surveyed parcel width might impact setbacks.
• DP2023-08976 3404 3 St NW. The application is for two buildings containing five units and four suites in a stacked townhouse style. The DP is still under review.
• DP2023-07472 116 43 Ave NE for two semi-detached buildings with suites. The plans are still under review.
• DP2024-00614 3704 Centre St NE for a Chinese Buddhist Temple is under review.
• DP2024-00720 458 33 Ave NW for a five-unit rowhouse with suites is under review.
• DP2024-01027 3307 2 St NE for a rowhouse with suites is under review.
• DP2023-01343 covering #204 to #212 40 Ave NW. Revised plans for three parcels to build three rowhouse buildings with 16 units and 16 suites. Still under review
To learn more about any of the land use change or development permit applications in Highland Park, please visit the City’s Development Map at https://developmentmap.calgary.ca/.
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