Resources to better understand the Land Use Bylaw changes

Where a community has an approved multi-community Local Area Plan made in partnership with residents of the community, the plan sets the intended H-GO locations using Neighbourhood Connector and Neighbourhood Flex urban form categories. For example, in the North Hill Local Area Plan, H-GO development could be supported on 20 Avenue N, Center Street N, 4 Street NW and Edmonton Trail. Refer to the North Hill LAP Urban Form map for exact locations of the Neighbourhood Connector and Neighbourhood Flex urban form categories.

If there is no modern Local Area Plan, H-GO is intended for Inner and Centre City communities, which is identified on the Municipal Development Plan’s Urban Structure Map. Within the Inner and Centre City, H-GO is intended for parcels within the location criteria provided in the district: within 200 meters of a Main Street or Activity Centre (also identified on the Urban Structure map), 600 meters of an LRT station, 400 meters of a BRT station and 200 metres of the Primary Transit Network. The Primary Transit Network is higher level-of-service bus routes identified in the Municipal Development Plan and Calgary Transportation Plan. The location criteria is a major factor that is taken into consideration when a land use application for H-GO is submitted, along with applicable local policy, the Municipal Development Plan, and site context. 

There are currently approximately 2800 R-CG parcels in Calgary. Many are located close to Main Streets, including Bowness and Montgomery and near 17th Avenue SE, 37 Street SW and the Banff Trail/Capitol Hill LRT Station. View a map of all R-CG parcels in the city.

R-CG rezoning applications are evaluated by City staff, who make a recommendation to Council. City Council makes the final decision. Staff recommendations are based on existing land use policies, technical analysis and public feedback. All land use applications require a Public Hearing.

Rezoning applications are presented to Council and require a Public Hearing. Residents can speak at the Public Hearing or write a letter, information on how to do so can be found here.

Many cities are removing or reducing their minimum parking requirements, recognizing that minimum parking requirements can have negative impacts. One example that has received a lot of attention is the move in Edmonton to an open parking approach. 

By reducing the parking requirements for rowhouse and townhouse developments, space is freed up for better waste and recycling facilities, increased storage space for residents and/or more trees and landscaping. 

Parking requirements can be a barrier to redevelopment city-wide, so a city-wide solution is needed. Requiring the same amount of parking in multi-residential districts as in rowhouse and townhouse supporting districts provides an even playing field. It also enables larger multi-family developments where they are best suited, for example within commercial and transit station areas, rather than having the cost of extra parking make building fewer homes more attractive and viable. 

People often decide where to live based on their transportation preferences. Homes with fewer parking spaces are a valuable housing option for residents who own fewer or no cars, take transit or walk and bike to their everyday destinations. The availability of grade-orientated homes in amenity rich, walkable areas with easy access to transit is currently under-supplied in Calgary. If a resident owns more cars than they have parking stalls, they will use neighbourhood street parking. 

Trees are an important and defining feature of vibrant and healthy neighborhoods. The amended R-CG and H-GO district both have requirements for trees, shrubs and soft landscaping to ensure that new development contributes to the city tree canopy provides quality outdoor spaces for residents and contributes to stormwater management and urban biodiversity. To encourage the retention of existing trees incentives have been incorporated into the R-CG and H-GO district where retaining an existing mature tree counts more towards the required number of trees than planting a new one.

Waste and recycling areas will now be shown and labelled on site plans and need to be screened from the view of public spaces, neighbours and amenity spaces. The Landscape Design Guide for Small Residential Sites outlines expectations for applicants. Not every unit or suite needs three separate bins, bin-sharing is permitted and encouraged, as are semi-underground bins. The reduction in typical minimum parking requirements by one stall provides additional space for waste and recycling storage.