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AUGUST 2020 NEWSLETTER

Planning & Development

Our mission: To plan and enable building a great Calgary

Calgary is a great place to make a living and a life. Planning & Development continues to support our local economy and the aspirations of landowners by processing planning applications and building permits. We remain open for business, with a continued focus on providing great service for our customers and building great communities together.
In July, permit and licencing services continued to be in high demand.  
  • We received 1,090 online Residential Improvement Project applications, nearly double the number of online Residential Improvement Project applications received in July 2019.
  • LiveChat staff served 5,360 customers and Call Centre staff answered 11,889 calls within 81% of customers served within 90 seconds.
  • We processed 230 drop-off applications, delivered in person to our front counter.
We've created a number of fee relief measures and process changes to support our business and industry customers during these challenging times. For a complete list of Planning & Development service changes, visit calgary.ca.

BUSINESS SUPPORT
Have your say on removing parking minimums from Land Use Bylaw

The City is proposing the removal of minimum parking requirements for non-residential buildings in the Land Use Bylaw, and wants your input.  

The current rules require building tenants to provide a set minimum number of parking spots. Given Calgarians’ evolving social and environmental interests, and the difference in visitor numbers by business type, the minimums in many cases exceed actual demand.

Learn more about the issues related to minimum parking requirements. Take the survey to share your input by Aug. 31.

CONSERVATION

Preserving the old gets a new approach 

Direction on new policy and incentive tools to boost The City’s heritage conservation efforts was provided by Council on July 28.

The heritage area policy tools are designed to increase the viability of keeping a heritage building versus demolishing it to build new, and to improve compatibility of new development with neighbouring heritage assets. The tools will be implemented through a two-year phased program starting in 2021 through the local area planning process, Land Use Bylaw amendments and/or land use redesignations.

The financial incentives include direction to prepare a request for a $2M increase to The City’s $500,000 Historic Resource Conservation Grant in 2020, and to return to the Priorities & Finance Committee in 2022 with a proposed residential tax credit program. The grant program funding increase will be considered as part of the mid-cycle budget adjustments this November. The tax credit program will be considered as part of the 2023-2026 budget.

In 2019, a city-wide assessment of potential heritage assets identified thousands of heritage assets which are unprotected from significant alteration or demolition (Calgary’s current inventory has just over 100 protected properties). The grant program and proposed tax credit provide incentives for owners to consider legally-designating their properties.

Heritage conservation is an important component of sustainable city building. It benefits economic development, environmental sustainability and quality of life for Calgarians, creating a sense of place and identity through our city’s development over time.

For more information about the new policy and incentive tools, view the report and attachments submitted to Council (Agenda item 7.5). To keep informed of our progress implementing the tools and future engagement opportunities, visit our web page at calgary.ca/Heritage.

COLLABORATION

Noise Exposure Forecast contour areas due for update

The City has been working with the Calgary Airport Authority on a proposal to update the Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) contours within the Airport Vicinity Protection Area (AVPA). The NEF contours provide important land use planning data.

The AVPA  regulation is provincial legislation that identifies prohibited uses within certain areas of the city due to potential noise impacts from aircrafts flying over communities as they arrive or depart. These areas are defined by NEF contours, which are important inputs to land use planning decisions. 

Calgary's NEF mapping contours were last reviewed more than 40 years ago. Since then there've been many advancements in aviation regulations and aircraft technologies - aircrafts are quieter but our airport is busier. The proposed updates will enable land use potential in some communities, while preserving operations of the Calgary International Airport.

The Planning & Urban Development Committee will hear the proposal on Sept. 2. View a copy of the proposed NEF contour map and a summary table of NEF contours by ward, community and NEF contour at Calgary.ca/AVPA

PROCESS

Rubber stamps out, emails in

To ensure consistent service levels regardless of access – online, in person or by mail – we are discontinuing use of the compliance stamp on paper copies of Real Property Reports (RPR), as of Sept. 21.

Certificate of Compliance applications delivered in-person will continue to be reviewed by Planning Services staff at the third floor counter in the Municipal Building*. However, the RPR will be scanned rather than stamped, and the compliance issued by email.

For applications submitted by mail, only one copy of the RPR will be required, also as of Sept. 21. Paper copies won’t be returned; rather a digital copy will be emailed confirming the compliance. 

*Access to the Municipal Building is limited to the main entrance on Macleod Trail. 

BUSINESS SUPPORT 

Land Use Bylaw changes now in effect

We've updated our Land Use Bylaw to provide more support for Calgary's recovering businesses. On July 27, City Council approved amendments to the Land Use Bylaw including:
  • Eliminating the minimum number of parking stalls required for permitted uses when going into existing building.
  • Allowing outdoor cafes to have speakers.
  • Eliminating the maximum size allowed for outdoor cafes.
  • Eliminating the 25m distance rule from an outdoor café to a residential building to better integrate restaurants and the nearing communities.
  • Allowing more space outside for business displays.
  • Allowing more opportunities for pop-up and interim uses.
  • Increasing the number of days a special event class 1 can operate from 60 days from 15 days.
These amendments are effective immediately - read the full scope of changes here

COLLABORATION

Business panel looking for participants

The City is looking for members of Calgary's Business community to participate in our Business Perspectives Panel. The panel is an online research forum with more than 800 Calgary-based decision-makers from a variety of industries. 

Joining the panel gives you an opportunity to actively provide input to City Administration and Council, share your perspectives on a variety of critical business topics, and help shape business-facing programs and services through online surveys and other research activities.

Our goal is to ensure an active panel that reflects our diverse business community. To learn more about the panel and how to join, please contact us at business.panel@calgary.ca

COLLABORATION

Regional growth input period extended 

In the July edition of Dispatch, we invited you to provide input on a regional growth and servicing plan being created by the Calgary Metro Region Board (CMRB). The engagement period has since changed – it now runs until Sept. 4. Visit calgarymetroregion.ca to learn more and have your say.
Visit our online Development Map to find developments of interest, stay up-to-date on the status of applications and submit your comments directly to the file manager.
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Our mailing address is:
planninganddevelopment@calgary.ca