Achi news desk-
Calgary City Council heard its final panel at the historic public hearing about a proposed rezoning bylaw Monday night, concluding more than two weeks of presentations.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek told reporters Monday afternoon that there will be a recess for the city administration to compile a summary of the public hearing submissions, followed by a recess to organize amendments before discussion and debate.
Gondek previously told Global News that she believed the debate could last two to three days.
“Anytime we get into something where there’s a lot of interest from the public and the council, it’s hard to predict where the conversation will go,” he said.
The proposed bylaw is one of about 80 recommendations in the City of Calgary’s housing strategy, which would change the basic residential zoning district to RC-G instead of RC-1 or RC-2 zones.
Currently, the majority of residential areas are zoned to allow single-family homes only by default.
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RC-G zoning will allow the construction of single-family homes and duplexes, triplexes and townhouses. No flats are allowed to be built in RC-G neighbourhoods.
City administration said that by changing the primary residential zoning district to RC-G, it will be easier to build a diverse range of homes, which will increase housing options for all Calgarians and improve housing affordability in the city.
According to the City of Calgary website, rezoning will also increase transportation options, such as active and public transit systems.
The website also said rezoning will help keep property taxes down as the costs of maintaining utilities and roads are shared among a larger population.
Those who were against the bylaw argued that by adding duplexes, triplexes and townhouses, the council would introduce too much density to RC-1 zoned neighborhoods which will ultimately change their character.
Others said they are not sure rezoning will actually have an impact on house prices, arguing that developers and landlords will charge high rents for new buildings.
Many of those opposed to the bylaw also said they don’t feel they are being heard by the city council, claiming their rights are being taken away. However, the city administration said public hearings for development permits will continue even if the bylaw is passed.
Many organizations that support and provide resources to vulnerable Calgarians urged council to pass the bylaw, saying the bylaw could potentially speed up the process to develop off-market housing. The representatives also said that many low-income residents were unable to participate in the public hearing because they could not afford to take time off from work.
Representatives from the Drop-In Centre, YWCA Calgary and Momentum Calgary among others asked the council to vote in favor of the bylaw.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
