Friday, July 18, 2025
  • Login
Forbes 40under40
  • Home
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Real Estate
  • Leadership
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Real Estate
  • Leadership
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
Forbes 40under40
No Result
View All Result
Home Money

Leong: Planned upzoning drives parking, neighbourhood character debate

by Riah Marton
in Money
Leong: Planned upzoning drives parking, neighbourhood character debate
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Breadcrumb Trail Links

  1. Opinion
  2. Columnists

Calgary is less than one month from public hearings on proposed citywide upzoning.

Published Mar 25, 2024  •  3 minute read

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Homes on the northern edge of Calgary were photographed on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. Gavin Young/Postmedia

Article content

With a public hearing on Calgary’s proposed city-wide rezoning less than a month away, public scrutiny over the proposal is ramping up by the day.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Calgary Sun

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

  • Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account and fewer ads.
  • Get exclusive access to the Calgary Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
  • Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
  • Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
  • Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

  • Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
  • Get exclusive access to the Calgary Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
  • Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
  • Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
  • Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

  • Access articles from across Canada with one account.
  • Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
  • Enjoy additional articles per month.
  • Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Sign In or Create an Account

or

Article content

If approved by city council, the base zoning in Calgary would be adjusted to allow forms of low-density housing other than single-family homes in neighbourhood where this isn’t already the case.

Article content

It is hoped such a change would make more land available for the construction of semi-detached homes (a.k.a. duplexes and triplexes) and townhomes, allowing for gentle increases in density.

There are so many facets of this topic to explore and when I broached the subject last week, there were a few things I didn’t get to that are worthy of discussion.

I’d also like to acknowledge readers for sending in their thoughts and chatting about the subject on social media. Some of that feedback inspired what’s to come below.

Parking sign
Pictured is a parking sign in Calgary on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia file

A few people highlighted concerns about accommodations for parking.

opening envelope

Calgary Sun Headline News

Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

Thanks for signing up!

A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Calgary Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Article content

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

You can already observe successful parking strategies in parts of Calgary that were previously upzoned, where the housing stock is already beginning to evolve — the most common (and logical, in my humble opinion) being attached garages at ground level with the rest of the dwelling built above it.

If residents choose not to park in their private spaces and insist on using curbside parking instead, that’s a problem of their own making.

We may also occasionally overestimate how many people will actually need to park a vehicle. This is worth noting as the highest-density developments are planned to be on or near main streets with good access to transit and other transportation modes.

Row homes
Row housing on 20 Ave. and 5 St. N.W. is seen on Friday, October 6, 2017. Jim Wells/Postmedia file

One of the more alarming messages that landed in my inbox suggested the proposed changes would turn Calgary into a giant slum.

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Hyperbole aside, the upzoning proposal doesn’t include apartment buildings.

Even with semi-detached dwellings and row houses, plus secondary suites where applicable, there are maximum limits on lot coverage and minimum suite sizes.

It’s not as if someone can cram as many units as they want into whatever is being built.

Another reader commented about the esthetics of rowhouses, after seeing an image of such a building embedded within my commentary on our website last week.

All I can say is … beauty is in the eye of the beholder, no matter what kind of houses are being built. Some will look great, and others will be pedestrian or worse. Something you or I dislike is something someone else might appreciate.

Townhomes in north Calgary
Townhomes in the Cornerstone community in northeast Calgary Don Molyneaux/Postmedia file

Concerns also remain about upzoning affecting the character of a neighbourhood. And on a related note, one reader objected to my highlighting of Garrison Woods last week.

Advertisement 5

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

That is a fair criticism, at least partly, as Garrison Woods was mostly developed from the ground up, although I was trying to demonstrate how you can have a mix of housing types without it being ugly.

Let me repeat the exercise using the neighbourhoods on either side of Sunnyside CTrain station.

Looking at the City of Calgary’s development map, you’ll notice the base zoning in those areas had already been changed to allow for development of dwellings other than single-family homes.

Despite this, those areas still contain mostly single-family homes, and some of the new builds there continue to be … single-family homes.

Mixed in with those are duplexes, triplexes and town homes as high as three or four stories. There are even low-rise apartment buildings.

Advertisement 6

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

And everything is fine.

Yes, the entire neighbourhood has changed subtly over the last two decades — perhaps less subtly along its major streets and near the CTrain, where taller buildings have cropped up with time — but a lot has endured and the neighbourhood’s character is still thriving, with the area feeling as neighbourly, welcoming and liveable as always.

The same story could be told of other places like Crescent Heights, Bridgeland, Inglewood, and more.

And while past performance is not an indicator of future outcomes, the generally positive experience with rezoning in central Calgary neighbourhoods bodes well for the entire city.

rleong@postmedia.com

Article content

Share this article in your social network

Tags: characterDebateDrivesLeongneighbourhoodParkingPlannedupzoning
Riah Marton

Riah Marton

I'm Riah Marton, a dynamic journalist for Forbes40under40. I specialize in profiling emerging leaders and innovators, bringing their stories to life with compelling storytelling and keen analysis. I am dedicated to spotlighting tomorrow's influential figures.

Next Post
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down in management shakeup amid safety crisis

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down in management shakeup amid safety crisis

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Forbes 40under40 stands as a distinguished platform revered for its commitment to honoring and applauding the remarkable achievements of exceptional individuals who have yet to reach the age of 40. This esteemed initiative serves as a beacon of inspiration, spotlighting trailblazers across various industries and domains, showcasing their innovation, leadership, and impact on a global scale.

 
 
 
 

NEWS

  • Forbes Magazine
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Money
  • Leadership
  • Real Estate
  • Lifestyle
Instagram Facebook Youtube

© 2024 Forbes 40under40. All Rights Reserved.

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Real Estate
  • Leadership
  • Money
  • Lifestyle

© 2024 Forbes 40under40. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In