URGENT – Rideau-Roxboro May Soon No Longer Be An R-C1 Neighbourhood

URGENT

You may have heard in the news recently about the City of Calgary’s upcoming consideration of the recently released Report from the “Housing and Affordability Task Force”, given its core Recommendation 1(d), to change the Land Use Bylaw to “up-zone” all of Calgary’s R-C1 (Single Detached Dwelling) neighbourhoods to become R-CG “Residential – Grade-Oriented Infill”. This is a low density residential designation that broadens permitted building forms to include Rowhouse Buildings, Townhouses, Duplex Dwellings, Semi-detached Dwellings and other forms.

House and Affordability Task Force Recommendations

What this means is that a developer will be able to build these dwelling forms without having to apply to re-zone a lot, with its required community engagement and Council hearing. These forms could be built by the developer, with a simple development permit, as of right. Imagine for example 8 units on a 50’ x 120’ lot.

This represents perhaps the most significant change to the City’s approach to zoning in a lifetime. Over time, it would fundamentally alter in multiple ways R-C1 communities throughout all of Calgary. Because of the now-vacant flood lots, this community is particularly vulnerable to these changes in the immediate future.

Regardless of whether the City can achieve its goal of housing affordability facilitated by densification through in part this one profound change, your RRCA Board fundamentally OPPOSES the exclusion of our community’s residents, as key stakeholders, from discussions regarding the evolution of Rideau-Roxboro over time.

The City has recently initiated the “West Elbow Local Area Plan” process that includes RR. Discussions are planned to begin this month and you can be involved. This is the right forum to garner input for long term planning for the community‘s evolution, including possible re-zoning in appropriate targeted areas. City-wide up-zoning obviates an LAP, and allows developers to build what they want where they want. This is unacceptable.

Councillor Sonya Sharpe issued a Notice of Motion last week, that explains her and some fellow Councillors’ objections to the City’s approach to the HATF Report. As meritorious as many of the 33 Recommendations are, the implementation of Recommendation #1(d) must at least be delayed and much more thoroughly considered.

Sonya Sharp’s Press Release

CALL TO ACTION

Please read her press release and sign-up to speak at next Thursday’s (September 14) Council Meeting on this issue. Instructions provided at the end of this document. This will be an extremely tight vote and is likely the only option to sway Council’s thinking. At least, provide your written comments online.

QUESTIONS?

Krista Teare: playground@rideauroxboro.com

Tony Morris: 403-831-2490

Mary Moran: 403-993-5799

Registering to sign up to speak

Go to: https://forms.calgary.ca/content/forms/af/public/public/public-submission-to-city-clerks.html

What do you wish to do?

Request to speak

What meeting do you wish to attend or speak to?

Choose “Standing Policy on Community Development” in the meeting options

Choose September 14, 2023 as the date

What agenda item do you wish to comment on?

Enter “Housing Strategy” as the item

Choose in opposed.

Instruction to participate remotely

Follow along on the live video stream found at https://www.calgary.ca/council/council-and-committee-webcasts.html

If you have register to speak call in 2 panels ahead and wait for your name to be called

If you have not registered to speak you can still participate but you will have to wait for all registered speakers to finish. It is unknown how many registered speakers there are. check in periodically

Please dial in as follows.

Dial-in number: 403-232-0994 
Participant code: 3232595# 

Once you have dialed in, please mute your phoneto reduce background noise.
Listen for the Chair, Mayor Gondek, to call you name (if registered) or to ask if anyone else wishes to speak (if not registered)
Answer Yes and state your name.
You will have 5 minutesto speak. use the entire time
After your presentation, remain on the line in case Council members have any questions of the panel you are part of.

Sending Letters to City Councillors to voice your opinion

To be on record you must send letters to cityclerk@calgary.ca in addition to one or more of the following:

Mayor: themayor@calgary.ca

To send to all Councillors:councillorweb @calgary.ca