Blanket rezoning
Blanket rezoning information
Blanket rezoning is coming for public hearing on April 22.
On April 22, 2024, City Council will consider blanket rezoning for Calgary: the proposal to re-designate residential areas in Calgary that currently allow only single or semi-detached homes to also allow row houses and townhouses. If blanket rezoning is approved, such projects would no longer require an individual public hearing in front of Council.
Blanket rezoning was one of the recommendations of Home is Here: The City of Calgary's Housing Strategy 2024-2030 that City Council approved in September 2023 to address the ongoing housing affordability criss that Calgary faces.
Councillor Sharp was pleased to support the housing strategy, because it includes many important actions that will help increase housing and housing affordability, but she was and remains concerned about blanket rezoning.
No final decisions have been made. Over the past few months, The City has hosted information sessions and requested feedback from the public. City Administration is presenting its recommendation to Council at the April 22 Public Hearing, where all members of the public are welcome to address Council or to submit written feedback.
Until the public hearing is completed, provincial law requires that all members of Council remain open to persuasion from the public on this matter.
Key dates
March, 2024 - Affected landowners formally notified by mail
March 11, 2024 - Ward 1 session hosted by Councillor Sharp
March 17, 2024 - Deadline for online feedback at engage.calgary.ca
April 15, 2024 - Deadline to submit written comments to all members of Council for inclusion in the public agenda
April 22, 2024 - Public Hearing meeting of Council. Register to speak.
Learn more about what's proposed
Visit calgary.ca/rezoningforhousing to learn more about what these changes could mean and whether your property will be affected. The page includes an interactive map to check the proposed zoning for your address.
Your feedback
Thanks to everyone who has shared their feedback, whether directly to Councillor Sharp, by making a submission to Council, by participating in Administration's engagement process, or by registering to speak at the Public Hearing. The deadline for submitting written feedback has now passed.
Council has received nearly 5500 written submissions, not including all of the messages received by individual members of Council. More than 650 people have registered to speak at the Public Hearing.
Councillor Sharp is reviewing the feedback she has received before making a final decision at the Public Hearing during the week of April 22.
Administration has prepared a What We Heard report collating the results from its engagement process which is available on the Rezoning for Housing Engage page.
If you have any questions or if you would like to share comments directly with Councillor Sharp, please reach out to the Ward 1 Office anytime.
Plebiscite Notice of Motion
Councillor Sharp and five of her colleagues sponsored this Notice of Motion which would have directed Administration to hold a plebiscite on blanket rezoning as part of the 2025 General Election.
Blanket rezoning is a significant change that affects not just how our city grows, but the process we use to get there and how people can participate. Councillor Sharp believes it's essential to hear from as many people as possible for such a fundamental change, and a plebiscite is one of the best ways to do that.
This motion was unfortunately defeated by Council in an 8-6 vote on March 13. Councillor Sharp hopes that Ward 1 residents will make their voices heard as part of the public hearing on April 22.