{ "file": "/tmp/tmp3my98og_/0055d248-7087-4cef-8ce5-ca2f2a856ba1.mkv", "language": "en", "segments": [ { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1094.645, "end": 1098.285, "text": "Welcome back to Calgary City Council. Mr. Clerk, would you please call the roll?" }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1099.205, "end": 1100.765, "text": "Thank you, Mayor. On the roll, Councillor Yule," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1101.605, "end": 1102.225, "text": "Councillor Kelly," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_08", "start": 1102.845, "end": 1103.125, "text": "Present." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1103.545, "end": 1104.125, "text": "Councillor Aliwell," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1107.365, "end": 1108.605, "text": "Thank you, Councillor Panzazopoulos," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1109.265, "end": 1109.985, "text": "Councillor Atkinson," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1110.485, "end": 1111.085, "text": "Councillor Schmidt," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1111.605, "end": 1112.245, "text": "Councillor Clark," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1112.985, "end": 1113.605, "text": "Councillor Chabot," }, { "speaker": "Councillor A. Chabot", "start": 1114.465, "end": 1114.705, "text": "Present." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1115.165, "end": 1115.625, "text": "Councillor Ward," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1116.285, "end": 1117.005, "text": "Councillor Jameson," }, { "speaker": "Councillor Jameson", "start": 1117.325, "end": 1117.685, "text": "I'm here." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1117.985, "end": 1118.585, "text": "Councillor McLean," }, { "speaker": "Councillor D. McLean", "start": 1119.025, "end": 1119.225, "text": "Here." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1119.485, "end": 1120.085, "text": "Councillor Johnston," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_07", "start": 1121.085, "end": 1121.305, "text": "Mayor." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1121.905, "end": 1122.785, "text": "Councillor Tyres," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1123.445, "end": 1124.185, "text": "Councillor Winness," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1126.525, "end": 1127.645, "text": "Thank you, Mayor Farkas." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1130.605, "end": 1131.325, "text": "Oh, was it me?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1131.465, "end": 1133.085, "text": "Yes. It's my turn. Yes, I am here." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1131.545, "end": 1131.665, "text": "Yes." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 1133.245, "end": 1133.725, "text": "Thank you, Mayor." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1133.945, "end": 1135.445, "text": "I apologize, Mr. Clerk." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1135.825, "end": 1145.385, "text": "All right, colleagues, uh, we are still on the public hearing. We're had approximately 15 people sign up uh over the weekend. So I'm gonna start calling uh" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1145.765, "end": 1155.125, "text": "panels 111 through 13, and then we're gonna go back to zero to attempt to catch up to anybody uh that we may have missed, but their names were called previously." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1155.485, "end": 1161.065, "text": "So starting on panel 111, do we have uh Christian Leventure with us? Okay, come on down, Christian." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1161.325, "end": 1165.485, "text": "I'm gonna keep calling names here until I have five people and then we'll begin to uh" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1165.845, "end": 1167.165, "text": "accept the presentations." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1167.605, "end": 1169.265, "text": "Do we have Alison Kareem McSweeney," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1171.565, "end": 1172.585, "text": "Paul Augustine," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1174.785, "end": 1175.645, "text": "Sharon Chu," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1177.685, "end": 1178.785, "text": "Janet Wong Ken," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1181.705, "end": 1182.665, "text": "Connor Monkey," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1185.445, "end": 1186.365, "text": "Guy Buchanan," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1189.165, "end": 1190.165, "text": "Rianne Leventure?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1190.605, "end": 1191.325, "text": "Come on down, Rihanne." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1198.585, "end": 1199.605, "text": "Nathan Ross." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1200.265, "end": 1201.125, "text": "Okay, come on down, Nathan." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1204.245, "end": 1205.345, "text": "Emily Krahulik." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1210.565, "end": 1212.185, "text": "All right, so far I have Christian," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1212.545, "end": 1213.345, "text": "Rihan," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1215.025, "end": 1215.725, "text": "and Nathan." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1216.305, "end": 1220.045, "text": "And then I'm going to seek two more names to wrap up this panel." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1220.385, "end": 1222.045, "text": "Do we have anyone on the line?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1222.625, "end": 1226.005, "text": "Do we have anyone in the line from panels one through 25?" }, { "speaker": "Paul Augustine", "start": 1228.325, "end": 1230.985, "text": "I am Paul Augustine, Panel 111." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1231.885, "end": 1233.405, "text": "All right, Paul, uh please stand by." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1237.425, "end": 1240.225, "text": "Do we have anyone on the line from panels one through 25?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1244.105, "end": 1246.525, "text": "Anyone from panels 26 through 50?" }, { "speaker": "Andrea Walter", "start": 1248.365, "end": 1248.785, "text": "Yes." }, { "speaker": "Andrea Walter", "start": 1249.145, "end": 1250.145, "text": "It's Andrea Walter." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1251.625, "end": 1252.585, "text": "Andrea, was that you?" }, { "speaker": "Andrea Walter", "start": 1252.605, "end": 1252.865, "text": "Hello." }, { "speaker": "Andrea Walter", "start": 1253.685, "end": 1254.045, "text": "Yes." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1255.065, "end": 1256.445, "text": "Andrea, which panel were you on?" }, { "speaker": "Andrea Walter", "start": 1257.805, "end": 1258.745, "text": "Forty one." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1258.745, "end": 1259.425, "text": "41?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1260.525, "end": 1267.585, "text": "All right, this will be our first panel. It'll be Christian, Rianne, Nathan, Paul, then Andrea. Let's uh start with Christian, please." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1271.685, "end": 1273.965, "text": "Thanks so much for being here with us. Uh yeah, five minutes." }, { "speaker": "Christian Leventure", "start": 1274.025, "end": 1293.505, "text": "Okay, cool. Perfect. Hi, Council. My name is Christian, and today I wanted to discuss the blanket part of blanket rezoning. A conversation around the semantics of what blanket means is sure to be exciting, so please pay attention. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1295.685, "end": 1299.865, "text": "We keep using that word blanket, but what does it mean? Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1301.485, "end": 1318.425, "text": "Here's a map of multifamily unit applications on RCG lots since August 6, 2024. This data was compiled by Serene U via City of Calgary open data. You can see from the map that there's quite an intense level of development in the inner city. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1320.305, "end": 1333.305, "text": "Wait, what? No, this is actually a map of the 632 redevelopments of single family homes on RCG lots since blanket rezoning started. What? Is this the blanket we're talking about? Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1334.725, "end": 1339.905, "text": "This is the map of 257 developments of duplexes on RCG's parcels. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1341.865, "end": 1345.205, "text": "This is 301 developments of row houses. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1345.765, "end": 1349.685, "text": "And this is the 324 developments of townhomes. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1350.305, "end": 1367.105, "text": "So, to recap, since the zoning for housing, this blanket approach has seemingly yielded non blanket results. Many different types of low density housing forms suited to market demand. It's almost like the blanket rezoning is delivering the flexibility it promised. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1368.165, "end": 1380.205, "text": "Where's the blanket? I know there are concerns on development, but blanket zoning is spreading out the density at various levels dependent on the unique site context, while giving people and communities across the city more choice. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1381.525, "end": 1383.145, "text": "If you look at it all together," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1383.585, "end": 1389.025, "text": "it's really more like a quilt. I would say top 10 quilts of all time. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1390.025, "end": 1394.565, "text": "So I'd like to pitch you a new name, Quilted Zoning. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1395.485, "end": 1407.365, "text": "This is where I live, Earlton in Ward 8. There are single family homes, townhomes, apartments, and although they're not in the zoning code, there's also cute bunnies and uh ducks. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1408.945, "end": 1415.805, "text": "Uh the history of Earlton is interesting. There used to be it used to be a suburb of Calgary, it used to have a streetcar, it used to even have a school. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1417.265, "end": 1425.265, "text": "But in 1984, yep, there would be an infamous change. The rezoning of North Earlton to allow for townhomes and condos. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1426.185, "end": 1437.505, "text": "I'd like to read you this quote from a resident in the Calgary Herald on the decision at the time. I think the whole community is going downhill. We don't believe it is a viable community. Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1438.705, "end": 1443.445, "text": "So, who ended up living in these newly zoned areas, anyways? Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1443.765, "end": 1454.085, "text": "It's me, of course, and my wife and my daughter. We lived in the homes which residents in 1984 said would ruin the community character. And honestly, we have a pretty great life." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1454.465, "end": 1465.345, "text": "The density people were afraid of is normal for us today because the development that's there is a part of the community, and the people who live in that development are valued, they contribute, and they are proud to do so." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1465.765, "end": 1493.685, "text": "I can't help but think this hearing is a rehash of Earlton in 1984. We're talking about a zoning code that's less restrictive, that can respond to market demand and create beautifully quilted neighborhoods that evolve over time. More housing choice preserves communities as they grow and evolve, just like in Earlton. If you keep our quilted zoning, I promise you that in 20 years, just like current residents of Earlton look fondly at the townhomes and condos that their friends live in, Calgarians will look fondly upon quilted zoning. It will be the pride of our city." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1494.365, "end": 1513.785, "text": "Lower housing costs help our local economy as it leaves more money in our pockets to spend on local business. A greater choice of housing secures our future so we have the space to raise kids. A stronger tax base within our existing infrastructure helps us keep taxes low, building trust with local government. Allowing neighborhoods to densify and evolve sure sounds like the Calgary advantage." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_14", "start": 1514.425, "end": 1522.205, "text": "Don't spend our money micromanaging low density, let quilted zoning and the flexibility it provides stay, and thank you for your consideration." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1523.025, "end": 1525.965, "text": "Thank you so much. Uh we'll go next to Rian, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1538.505, "end": 1538.825, "text": "Hi." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1541.425, "end": 1542.885, "text": "Good morning. Thanks for being with us." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1543.985, "end": 1568.505, "text": "Thank you. My name is Rihanne. I'm speaking in opposition to the repeal of RCG zoning. I grew up in a suburb in Edmonton with a dream of a family and a white picket fence in a neighborhood where I could walk over to the farmer's market on Sundays and chat with the grocer who I'd know by name, where I knew all my neighbors and we supported each other. I dreamt of community. I assumed that I could only find this in a small town because it didn't exist in the suburbs of Edmonton." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1568.825, "end": 1584.505, "text": "On my many road trips through Calgary to the mountains growing up, I would pass the suburban sprawl in a very uh Edmontonian fashion would declare that Calgary looked dystopian with its copy-paste boxed houses rolling throughout the hills. I never could have imagined living there, let alone loving the city as much as I do now." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1585.605, "end": 1604.325, "text": "When my husband and I moved to Calgary six years ago, my worldview was turned upside down when we started to explore the city. It started with Inglewood, its character shops and community centered breweries, and cute character homes. As we continued to explore neighborhoods like Sunnyside, Mission, Marteloup, Sinalta, and Bridgeland to name a few, I learned what it felt like to fall in love with the city." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1604.885, "end": 1613.525, "text": "I learned that my dream of living, that my dream lived outside of small towns. In fact, it lived in the heart of the city. It lived within neighborhoods that were well designed with people in mind." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1614.825, "end": 1627.365, "text": "In the summer of 2023, we were lucky enough to buy our first home, a two bedroom condo in Earlton, close to the sea train, next to a beautiful park, and everything we needed within walking distance. A year later, in the fall of 2024, our first child was born." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1627.885, "end": 1634.965, "text": "I spent the last year and a half on maternity leave with her, and it has been the greatest time of my life, and I'm fully convinced that that is largely in part to living where I do." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1637.005, "end": 1663.905, "text": "When Mara was one week old, we heard beautiful piano music pouring in from our neighbor's condo and she listened to live music for the first time. We regularly walk along the Elbow River towards the grocery store where we do know the staff by name. We go on daily walks through Lindsay Park and stop to chat with neighbors. The park is full of life. As we walk, Mara names the sounds she hears and can identify ducks from geese from pigeons. The other day we were sitting on the rocks by the river and I asked Mara what she was grateful for. She said squirrels and water." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1664.745, "end": 1689.405, "text": "Mara rides in a seat at the front of our family bike and we often use the biking paths to go to Inglewood, Sinalta, Stanley Park to name a few. Mara loves to sing songs during our bike rides and is eager to point out every puppy dog we see. We go to the memorial and central library at least once a week, and the zoo is only a few stops away on the train. Mara isn't quite one and a half years old yet, and she already says, train is coming and stay behind yellow line. Her childhood is full of color." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1690.365, "end": 1698.405, "text": "Of course, motherhood isn't always easy. The days and nights can feel endless and exhausting. We go out most days, but on the days we stay inside, I find parenting to feel draining and less fulfilling." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1698.985, "end": 1725.785, "text": "I've tried to imagine what life might be like if we lived in a suburb. The pathways are mostly unsafe for biking. Walks would be spent strolling past house after house, which all look similar, to get to a Tim Hortons in a large parking lot, a stark contrast to the walks along the river pathway to one of the many local coffee shops on 4th Street. Even if there was a park nearby, the walk there would likely be less than desirable with narrow sidewalks next to wide roads with vehicles driving faster than they should and minimal nature. I am sure that I wouldn't go out as often as I do, and I am sure that would affect my mental health." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1726.045, "end": 1743.545, "text": "I've made friends with multiple neighbors who moved from the suburbs to the inner city specifically because they felt poorly designed suburbs caused postpartum depression. I've heard from many others in my line of work as a public health nurse where I work with families in the Northeast that many mothers in the suburbs rarely leave the house with their kids because there's nowhere to go without a car." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1744.725, "end": 1756.765, "text": "All families deserve to have what I have here in the inner city if that is what they want. I know there are many neighborhoods around the inner city that are incredibly desirable places to live, and it feels selfish to gatekeep that to the people who are wealthy enough to afford single family homes." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1757.685, "end": 1777.325, "text": "Now, as we are starting to dream about having another child, we are torn on what to do. We love our home in the inner city, but more children demand more space or at least more bedrooms. Blanket rezoning would allow for the possibility for more family housing in the inner city. Homes that are more suitable than an apartment, but more affordable than single family homes. I want this for myself, my children, my clients, and for future Calgarians in generations to come." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_01", "start": 1778.365, "end": 1778.745, "text": "Thanks." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 1779.485, "end": 1783.645, "text": "Thank you so much for being here with us. We'll go to Nathan next, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1791.285, "end": 1868.885, "text": "Good morning, Mayor Farkas and our counsel and all counselors. My name is Nathan Ross. I am a born and raised Calgarian. I am a homeowner here, and I will start just off by saying that I do not support repealing the rezoning bylaw. Should council decide to ultimately repeal, I would be dismayed to see a full repeal and return to the low-density residential zones that existed prior to May 2024 and not have a working alternative put into place. While much of the hearing has been focused on the housing itself, I'm hoping to speak today about another issue at play here, which I believe will be affected by the decision that council comes to. Calgary is, in my estimation, experiencing a quiet crisis of losing its young adults. They're not dying en masse or anything dramatic, but they are simply being priced out of the city or choosing to leave of their own accord. I work for the University of Calgary Students Union. You have already heard from our president Naomi Bacana and our vice president external Julia Law. They represent the best of what the next generation should be bringing to Calgary's workforce, but young adults like them are becoming few and far between. Did you know that since 2007, Alberta has lost more students to other provinces in post secondary than it gains? Every year, without fail, for nearly two decades, Alberta has seen thousands of graduating high schoolers and other young adults choose to leave places like Calgary, and it's gotten to be a near two to one ratio of students who leave as opposed to come here to places like Calgary." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1869.545, "end": 1873.945, "text": "When the latest numbers come out, I do suspect that they will eclipse that two to one ratio." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1874.365, "end": 1913.145, "text": "Even with aggressive strategies like the University of Calgary's Ahead of Tomorrow, which was put into place back in 2023 with the goal of attracting 10,000 new students to Calgary by the end of the decade, the enrollment at U of C in fall of 2025 was lower than it was in fall of 2024. We are not on track to hit those numbers. And yes, these are just post secondary numbers, but let's take a look at Calgary's own stats for a second. Per the city's website, when you look at the most recent data for population and age, quote Over the past 20 years, the population aged 15 to 29 was the slowest growing age group in Calgary. During that time, the age group increased by less than half the rate of increase for the general population." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1913.925, "end": 1927.425, "text": "Conversely, the population aged sixty five and over was the fastest growing age group in Calgary. It more than doubled during that time period. And I mean this with no disrespect to my elders, but it is alarming to me to see that shift in alienation of our young people." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1928.065, "end": 1956.645, "text": "I do think that this is a reflection of what Calgary has prioritized during the 21st century, either because of decisions that have been made to trickle down from what Alberta has chosen or what the city has by itself. Decisions like the long battle over secondary suites, prioritizing select industries, continually building out instead of building up. There is no single decision or declaration that has targeted young people outright, but as we have seen with our recent water woes, we have seen what chronically underinvesting in something for 20 years can do." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1957.465, "end": 1972.825, "text": "Did RCG zoning prove to fix all that? No, it would have been impossible for it to. In fact, it wasn't even meant to be the load bearing recommendation that was put forward by the Calgary Housing and Affordability Task Force in 2023. Yet we haven't seen a lot of these recommendations become reality yet." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 1973.505, "end": 2014.405, "text": "According to local journalist Jimena Gonzalez, according to Calgary's housing strategy, implementing all 98 actions should enable the construction of an annual 3,000 non-market homes, but Calgary is far from achieving this ambitious goal. As of June of last year, city administrators reported only 893 non-market homes had been issued a development permit by the end of 2024, and 121 of those had received a building permit. For all the talk about how new builds are not an affordable option and supposedly showing how rezoning has failed, we haven't given it a fair shot, and now we risk going back to what was not working before for many Calgarians who want to call the city home in both five years' time and more importantly, in 50 years' time." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 2015.285, "end": 2044.165, "text": "I have had the pleasure of meeting with many of you that I stand before today with my students over this past year, and I look forward to continuing to meet with you as new student leaders emerge. I hope that you, as leaders of this city, continue to weigh choices that appear to be easy with what is impactful. I ask that you consider those that traditionally do not speak at these hearings and think of the young people that this city needs to thrive as it barrels towards its two million citizen, and ask yourself how sustainable that is when our over 65 populace outgrows our 15 to 29ers." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 2044.925, "end": 2054.205, "text": "I firmly believe that our older population deserves to retire with dignity and not have to buckle down just to keep our city functioning, if not for anything else, but just to keep our health care working." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 2054.865, "end": 2068.905, "text": "To do that, we need young people to stick around and see themselves living here, metaphorically and literally. But if young people are fleeing Calgary because they can't afford to live here, no matter how well paying the remaining jobs are, then this will become a system wide crisis very, very soon." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_02", "start": 2069.645, "end": 2089.085, "text": "There is no single decision that will make or break this city, a city that we love, but I hope that, like you, I'm inspired by the next generation of these future students. I hope that you govern with that lens as well. Thank you for that for your time today, and a final thank you to all the city employees and stenographers that have worked tirelessly to make sure that this hearing runs smoothly and is accessible to everyone. Thank you." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2089.865, "end": 2090.665, "text": "Thank you so much." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2091.705, "end": 2096.925, "text": "We'll go now to round off this panel. Uh Andrea on 41. Please go ahead, Andrea." }, { "speaker": "Andrea Walter", "start": 2101.785, "end": 2107.585, "text": "Hello. My name is Andrea Walter and I'm for no repeal of blanket rezoning without a replacement." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2107.725, "end": 2110.365, "text": "And just you know, I've never done anything political" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2110.645, "end": 2111.925, "text": "except voting in my life." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2112.305, "end": 2136.445, "text": "So I'm very strong about this. I live in a lovely bungalow that I renovated for myself in Oak Ridge. Previously I lived in North Gloudmore and Altrador. They are all nice communities, but I really enjoy Oak Ridge for its spaces and housing variabilities. There are row houses and townhouses right across from very large two-story single houses. We were able to do this in the 1970s. So what is the issue now?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2136.925, "end": 2138.645, "text": "After earning my master's degree" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2139.025, "end": 2157.965, "text": "in Waterloo, my ex and I moved to Calgary in 1992. We moved here despite job offers in Ontario and San Francisco. Reasons for choosing Calgary, number one, affordability. In a relatively short time, especially compared to today's standards, we saved the 25% deposit for a modest house in Buffalo." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2158.265, "end": 2160.305, "text": "We're able to quickly start a family to" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2160.905, "end": 2161.625, "text": "the kindness," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2161.865, "end": 2163.405, "text": "friendliness of Calgaryans." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2163.865, "end": 2167.305, "text": "I saw this during my engineering co-op terms in the 1980s." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2167.785, "end": 2168.945, "text": "And of course the mountains." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2169.305, "end": 2172.405, "text": "I had 30 years and I'm in a very difficult situation." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2172.705, "end": 2174.765, "text": "I was going to a stressful, complicated" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2175.605, "end": 2179.525, "text": "separation agreement involving our personal and corporate access." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2179.805, "end": 2185.765, "text": "Following the sale of the North Glenmore residence, I was temporarily without housing and uncertain about my next steps." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2186.225, "end": 2191.345, "text": "It was also difficult to access money from assets prior to the separation agreement finalization." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2191.785, "end": 2198.425, "text": "I did have my most loved bow, a probable golden retriever cross that I adopted as a failed foster." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2198.805, "end": 2204.665, "text": "Bo had been seized by animal control from its previous owners due to neglect, including an embedded collar." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2205.125, "end": 2208.365, "text": "In the 11 months until I drooped into my lovely Oak home," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2208.865, "end": 2211.145, "text": "Bo and I stayed in 10 different tapes." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2211.565, "end": 2219.625, "text": "Including several short-term rentals. It was so difficult to find rental accommodation if you have a pet, specifically a larger dog." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2219.885, "end": 2222.785, "text": "I endured having to stay in unsafe basement suites." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2223.145, "end": 2229.105, "text": "Mean landlords who held out me and myself and Bo having to stay in less desirable accommodations due to both." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2229.425, "end": 2236.585, "text": "I also volunteer at the Calvin Maine Society. I recent asked them about how many pets get surrendered by renters due to pet injuries," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2236.905, "end": 2238.185, "text": "pets, pet issues." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2238.825, "end": 2244.845, "text": "The main society sent me some written material from their communication strategies they say are working on with the city." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2245.165, "end": 2251.705, "text": "It lists free impacts such as over 60% of renters report being denied housing because of a pet." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2251.885, "end": 2257.805, "text": "Tenants reports staying in unsafe or unhealthy environments due to lack of options, just like myself." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2258.165, "end": 2262.345, "text": "Vulnerable groups, low income families, seniors, and zones are the most affected." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2262.705, "end": 2269.505, "text": "I will also read some of Calgary Mainz's most recent news, an article on pet inclusive housing." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2270.285, "end": 2277.045, "text": "By Kelly Johnson, who I've known for a long time and certainly knows both. At Humane Society, over the past three years," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2277.565, "end": 2280.385, "text": "an average of 295" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2280.565, "end": 2284.085, "text": "animals per year have been impacted by housing relating" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2284.365, "end": 2295.125, "text": "surrender pressures, highlighting the growing connection between housing access and family saturation. I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams I'm to surrender my love beloved beau." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2295.325, "end": 2308.565, "text": "Back to the main society because I had to choose bringing him inadequate housing. I see the sadness in the eyes of the dogs that I walk at the main society that have had to be surrendered, especially older, larger dogs which are more difficult to adopt." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2308.745, "end": 2338.365, "text": "I also know that these innocent animals have had loving owners, isolated sneakers, young families with children, and the mentally ill who have had to choose to give up their beloved companion just to have a place to live. So I'm speaking today. Please consider at least a replacement for blanket zoning that improves Calgary's housing supply and choice for both affordable and pet inclusive housing. This is not specifically tied to pet, but related to my being a water engineer." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2338.625, "end": 2349.385, "text": "Calgary should prioritize housing that reduces hooding spall, which stresses our already broken infrastructure with more than four kilometers of water pipeline per resident." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2349.585, "end": 2356.745, "text": "I want Calgary to be the friendly, caring city I moved to 34 years ago. I want to be proud to cite" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2358.225, "end": 2369.105, "text": "to cite positive specif statistics like affordability and the most kilometers of urban bike pathway than the number of pets surrendered and our broken infrastructure." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_12", "start": 2369.425, "end": 2370.025, "text": "Thank you." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2371.265, "end": 2372.265, "text": "Thank you so much." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2373.285, "end": 2376.325, "text": "And then we'll go to Paul, please, to conclude the panel." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2382.085, "end": 2384.725, "text": "I assume my first slide is up on the screen." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2385.305, "end": 2387.165, "text": "Yes, it is. Uh, thanks for being with us." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2388.605, "end": 2389.145, "text": "Thank you." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2389.665, "end": 2392.565, "text": "My name is Paul Augustine and I live in Ward 1." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2393.225, "end": 2395.245, "text": "Thank you for this opportunity to speak." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2395.705, "end": 2398.545, "text": "I support the immediate repeal of blanket rezoning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2399.125, "end": 2405.005, "text": "I also support engaging stakeholders and the public hearing process for new zoning amendments." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2406.365, "end": 2410.665, "text": "An example of the poor consequences of blanket rezoning in Calgary" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2411.045, "end": 2412.905, "text": "is in the Bonas community." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2413.285, "end": 2415.205, "text": "Development has been haphazard." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2415.945, "end": 2423.825, "text": "There are many new, tall, four-plex buildings being built with high lot coverage that are very intrusive to adjacent houses." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2426.065, "end": 2427.585, "text": "Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2432.465, "end": 2436.505, "text": "So it is important to keep house building in Calgary in perspective." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2437.445, "end": 2442.645, "text": "Firstly, it is difficult to get ahead with the needed housing starts to reduce prices" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2443.185, "end": 2447.145, "text": "when the population in Calgary area has been growing so rapidly." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2448.045, "end": 2453.945, "text": "Calgary cannot possibly provide low-cost housing to everyone who wants to live in Calgary." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2455.165, "end": 2458.125, "text": "The population growth in the Calgary CMA" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2458.425, "end": 2461.285, "text": "from 2021 to 2025" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2461.705, "end": 2466.325, "text": "was the highest of all major cities in Canada at 19%." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2467.105, "end": 2471.625, "text": "In 2025, based on the population per thousand as an example," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2472.245, "end": 2478.645, "text": "Calgary CMA had the highest housing starts by far compared to other large cities in Canada." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2479.665, "end": 2487.245, "text": "Calgary has still managed to maintain more favorable housing prices compared to most other major cities in Canada." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2488.165, "end": 2492.325, "text": "To reduce urban sprawl, slowing down the population growth" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2492.665, "end": 2495.925, "text": "from outside Canada would make a huge difference." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2497.185, "end": 2497.905, "text": "Secondly," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2498.585, "end": 2505.685, "text": "even with the needed changes to blanket rezoning, Calgary will still continue to have a high number of housing starts." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2506.285, "end": 2510.165, "text": "Established communities will continue to densify with good planning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2510.365, "end": 2515.645, "text": "Proper contextual bill forms for new housing, and the addition of secondary suites" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2515.925, "end": 2517.625, "text": "and backyard suites." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2518.625, "end": 2526.785, "text": "Calgary is also developing many new communities with densification much higher than communities planned 50 years ago." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2528.465, "end": 2529.145, "text": "Thirdly," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2529.685, "end": 2533.405, "text": "it is important to continue to build row houses and apartments" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2533.745, "end": 2538.525, "text": "to lower housing prices and to add density in the right locations." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2539.185, "end": 2544.145, "text": "It is also critical to keep and build single attached and semi attached housing." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2544.505, "end": 2545.445, "text": "With yards" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2545.885, "end": 2548.825, "text": "to encourage more Canadians to have children." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2550.525, "end": 2551.205, "text": "Next slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2556.425, "end": 2558.645, "text": "Land use bylaws changes." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2559.245, "end": 2569.825, "text": "At the public hearing, there have been many excellent presentations on reasons why blanket rezoning needs to be repealed, as well as recommendations of how to improve." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2570.645, "end": 2574.265, "text": "For myself, the need for major changes includes" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2574.705, "end": 2582.185, "text": "only consider grandfathering to developments that have been approved and not those in the application or unapproved stage." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2583.285, "end": 2586.905, "text": "Improve community engagement in the development process." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2587.945, "end": 2596.685, "text": "Prioritize gradual higher density bill form and contextual setting to preserve long term attractive community character." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2597.825, "end": 2609.485, "text": "Provide homeowners in low density neighborhoods with confidence their house investment will not be jeopardized by the construction of new tall intrusive multiplex buildings next door." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2609.705, "end": 2612.785, "text": "With high lot coverage and minimal parking stalls." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2614.265, "end": 2618.125, "text": "So that should now be on my next slide, or the last slide, the fourth slide." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2620.225, "end": 2622.165, "text": "In low density neighborhoods," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2622.545, "end": 2625.185, "text": "restrict lot coverage to 50%" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2625.705, "end": 2628.365, "text": "and restrict building heights to 10 meters." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2628.805, "end": 2634.685, "text": "The current 60% land use allowance does not include for driveways, sidewalks," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2635.145, "end": 2637.045, "text": "stairwells, to lower" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2637.465, "end": 2638.225, "text": "suites," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2638.625, "end": 2641.925, "text": "window wells, decks, garbage band, and bike areas." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2642.185, "end": 2646.665, "text": "Thus leaving only a small amount of area for grass, trees, and gardens." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2647.405, "end": 2651.545, "text": "Also, suitable setbacks for different build forms need to be reviewed." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2652.945, "end": 2658.465, "text": "Restore one parking stall per unit to avoid the inevitable community parking problems." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2659.545, "end": 2662.925, "text": "And low density neighborhoods only allow up to triple" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2663.405, "end": 2664.265, "text": "corner lots" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2664.605, "end": 2668.785, "text": "where this is suitable, no fourplexes and no mid block locations." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2669.205, "end": 2676.645, "text": "This also encourages larger parking stalls than fourplexes for accommodating medium sized vehicles." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2677.645, "end": 2685.105, "text": "Limit the number of bedrooms in bill forms to avoid investment housing that have an exceptionally high number of bedrooms." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2685.965, "end": 2690.125, "text": "And lastly, do not allow backyard suites in laneless parcels" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2690.405, "end": 2692.165, "text": "and along green spaces." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2692.765, "end": 2696.805, "text": "Also maintain the seven meter setbacks for homes along green spaces," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2696.805, "end": 2700.045, "text": "Just at time, but perhaps a final sentence to conclude your thoughts." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2701.425, "end": 2703.705, "text": "but allow exemptions where suitable." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_04", "start": 2704.225, "end": 2704.765, "text": "Thank you." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2705.465, "end": 2706.245, "text": "Thank you so much." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2707.845, "end": 2710.445, "text": "All right, uh, this concludes this panel." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2711.145, "end": 2716.425, "text": "I don't see any uh questions from members of council, so thank you so much, uh everyone, for being here with us." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2717.145, "end": 2723.225, "text": "I'm gonna go now to uh call names that uh previously had been called over the past uh week or two." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2723.645, "end": 2727.165, "text": "But before I do that, uh is there anybody in the chamber with us" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2727.565, "end": 2728.865, "text": "who has not spoken yet?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2730.005, "end": 2735.265, "text": "Alright, so I'll ask the two people in the chamber just to come and uh approach. You'll be our first two." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2736.565, "end": 2740.145, "text": "And then I'm gonna be seeking uh three more names from those of us on the line." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2740.645, "end": 2744.545, "text": "Is there anyone uh on the line from panels uh one through fifty?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2749.065, "end": 2752.345, "text": "Anyone on the line from panels fifty one through seventy five?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2758.225, "end": 2761.685, "text": "Anyone on the line from panels 76 through 90?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2767.185, "end": 2770.125, "text": "Anyone from panels 91 through 100?" }, { "speaker": "Charlene Prickett", "start": 2772.305, "end": 2777.405, "text": "Yes. Uh sorry, I I was muted. Charlene Prickett, panel eighty-seven." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2777.805, "end": 2779.725, "text": "Charlene on 87, please stand by." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2783.465, "end": 2788.145, "text": "Is there anyone else uh on the line from uh uh any panel up to 100?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2792.205, "end": 2795.625, "text": "All right, panels uh 101 through 105." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2799.825, "end": 2802.205, "text": "How about panels 106 through 110?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2806.085, "end": 2809.885, "text": "All right, is there anybody uh besides Charlene on the line who wants to speak?" }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 2811.445, "end": 2814.765, "text": "Hello, can you hear me? I am Sharon on panel one one two." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2815.685, "end": 2817.305, "text": "Uh was that uh Sherry?" }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 2818.625, "end": 2819.505, "text": "Sharon, yes." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2819.605, "end": 2820.345, "text": "Okay, on one" }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 2820.345, "end": 2820.865, "text": "Sharon Chu." }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 2821.945, "end": 2822.425, "text": "Yes." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2823.525, "end": 2826.445, "text": "is there anyone uh on the line besides uh" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2827.665, "end": 2829.925, "text": "those two panelists from 87 and 112?" }, { "speaker": "Guy Buchanan", "start": 2831.765, "end": 2833.685, "text": "What's it? Guy Buchanan here." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2834.425, "end": 2839.265, "text": "All right, guy, please stand by. You'll be our final panelist. So we'll go to" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2840.045, "end": 2844.485, "text": "The two individuals in the chamber and then the other three on the line. So please uh approach." }, { "speaker": "Connor Meinke", "start": 2844.805, "end": 2848.165, "text": "Hi, uh my name's Connor Meinke. Uh I have a presentation." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2852.665, "end": 2854.685, "text": "If you don't mind just repeating your name and the panel number." }, { "speaker": "Connor Meinke", "start": 2854.785, "end": 2857.625, "text": "Uh Connor Meinke, panel uh 112." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2857.785, "end": 2858.865, "text": "Okay, give us just a moment here." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 2869.065, "end": 2869.945, "text": "Thanks. Please go ahead." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2870.205, "end": 2882.945, "text": "Perfect. Uh I'm uh resident of Ward 7 and an optimization engineer, but today I'm here to talk to you about Econ 101, why removing upzoning from Calgary is actually going to make us poorer, and how land use rules distort housing and growth. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2884.465, "end": 2894.345, "text": "Um I want to start here with the survey that was conducted before the election of the main issues present for Calgarians. I'll get into that in the next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2895.165, "end": 2906.465, "text": "I grouped it into four main categories: infrastructure and maintenance, taxes and spending, social costs and quality of life. And Calgarians generally want an affordable city, low taxes, controlled spending, and safety. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2907.305, "end": 2922.625, "text": "When we're talking about infrastructure and maintenance, really what we're talking about is economies of scale. And density is always going to win when we're talking about economies of scale. Here, I'm a chemical engineer, we're talking about a pipe here. When you double the diameter of a pipe, you actually quadruple the capacity that it can hold. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2923.585, "end": 2927.185, "text": "When we're talking about taxes and spending, this aligns with infrastructure as well." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2927.965, "end": 2949.285, "text": "In 2009, the City of Calgary did a report looking at alternative growth strategies and found that between 33 and 55% lower costs were associated with upzoning brownfields projects, inner city projects, things like that. So the less greenfields we have, the cheaper our infrastructure actually is, again, aligned with economies of scale. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2950.565, "end": 2953.405, "text": "I live downtown, I own a house, a condo downtown." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2953.965, "end": 2962.705, "text": "I care a lot about homelessness and the social costs of homelessness, and homelessness is directly proportional to the cost of housing. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2963.665, "end": 2989.365, "text": "Then when we talk about quality of life, be it bike lanes, be it infrastructure, be it community centers, things like that, again, economies of scale are always going to win. Density is always going to win in these cases. Next slide, please. So when I look at it as a disconnect, Calgarians have come here and said, hey, we we want to repeal the upzoning case, but their priorities are misaligned with that. In every single case, removing upzoning is going to make every single one of these issues that Calgarians care about worse. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 2990.505, "end": 3005.905, "text": "Why does it make everything worse? Well, if we look at an economy, it's land, labor, capital. Next slide, please. And when you restrict land, when you restrict land use, all you're doing is making land more expensive. Congratulations, we've created inflation. We're passing that inflation on to businesses, on to communities, on to" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3006.125, "end": 3008.905, "text": "future generations and rents. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3009.665, "end": 3024.805, "text": "So again, it makes everything worse. Repeal up zoning, congratulations. We have higher prices, higher taxes, less investment in the city because you have to invest more in just spending on this land that's distorted in the market. And we have higher city spending. On the right here, I have" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3025.545, "end": 3043.705, "text": "a chart that was presented in 2024 showing that the more density we build, the more we replace single family homes with denser units, the cheaper those units become. So when people are coming here and saying, Oh my goodness, I can't believe townhomes are more expensive than single family homes that we're replacing, this is actually what we expected. This was in the presentation. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3044.765, "end": 3065.085, "text": "So, what's the fundamental issue? Well, NIMBY's don't really pay for the cost of their actions. Blocking building harms our city through higher costs. Those costs aren't dispersed and they're hard to see and they're not borne completely by the NIMBES. They're passed on through inflation, they're passed on to future generations, and we kick that can down the road. This is what in economics we would call an unpriced negative externality. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3066.545, "end": 3076.685, "text": "So the solution that I think works the best is following something like a Houston, Texas model, where we allow each individual block to zone themselves, but what Houston doesn't do is they implement a best use tax." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3077.905, "end": 3088.565, "text": "A best use tax would price in the negative externality and it accounts for the harms caused to society by NIMBES. In the case I have here, if the best use is a fourplex and the NIMBY say, no, no, no, no, we don't want our" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3089.325, "end": 3100.625, "text": "block to be zoned that way, cool. Pay four times your property tax because you are harming society, you're harming future generations, and you're harming businesses in the city and the wealth that we can generate. Next slide, please." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 3102.105, "end": 3124.625, "text": "At the end of the day, there are no free lunches, only trade offs. If you support lower taxes, higher wages, smaller businesses, less homelessness, environmentalism, better services, then we should reject this motion. But if you support inflation, less individual freedom, protecting neighborhood character, having a poorer city overall, and government controlled markets, then pass the motion. This is the trade off we're looking at. Thank you for listening to my presentation. That's all I have." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3125.105, "end": 3129.205, "text": "Thank you so much for being here with us. We'll ask our next uh presenter to please approach." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3132.765, "end": 3134.605, "text": "There. I'm just gonna take a moment." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3142.805, "end": 3145.985, "text": "This is my third time coming to the chamber, so I'm glad I made it today." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3148.405, "end": 3149.905, "text": "We're glad you made it too. Thanks for being here." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3151.545, "end": 3200.205, "text": "Good morning, Mayor and Councillors. My name is Natalie Odd, and I'm a longtime resident of Calgrane Ward 7 and the executive director of the Alberta Environmental Network, or AEN. AEN and our larger community organized grassroots campaigns to protect nature and ecosystems. You may know us as the co-leaders of the Defend Alberta Parks campaign to protect 174 provincial parks. There are so many lawn signs around the province. Personally and on behalf of AEN, I strongly support keeping the blanket rezoning to defend our natural spaces. This is a long awaited, much needed approach to densification started just two years ago. At this very early stage, it makes sense to evaluate the impact of the first two years of building activity and make appropriate adjustments and improvements. I see you doing that now, listening to and assessing feedback from Calgarians to make informed and thoughtful amendments to blanket rezoning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3200.905, "end": 3255.585, "text": "This hearing, the innovative suggestions made by Calgarians is positioning Council for a big opportunity to build on the progress already made by blanket rezoning. Calgary is growing quickly and we have to keep moving forward, continue building multifamily dwellings in established communities, building new low density homes on the edge of Calgary is very costly to Calgarians. I've lived in Calgary for 49 years since the population was 500,000. I've lived in five communities and six homes, two of those were row houses. The city is very different now than in 1977. It's constantly evolving. Neighborhoods are changing, homes are changing. My parents brought up my three brothers and me in Calgary. Now I'm raising my family here. I have a son in high school and we have another in university, and we have a very good quality of life. I believe that we need to build our city for our children, young people, the next generations. We need to ensure that Calgary is vibrant and livable for them." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3256.825, "end": 3346.905, "text": "We we live in Ward 7, where there's intensive building. Our community almost completely single-family homes has transformed over the past years. Within a few years of our home, within a few streets of our home are two expansive apartment complexes, new row houses, a major condo complex, attached infills, and a new six-floor apartment complex. It's more and more vibrant. The shared spaces are lively and well used, and a lot of people are walking and cycling. People want to live in this area, and they should have the chance to. Good bus line close to bike paths and green spaces. And as you know, what makes communities vibrant are strong social connections, diversity and inclusion, shared spaces and activities and safety. As a director of AEN, I'm going to remind council that we cannot afford to continue building into and destroying the wetlands on the edge of the city. Wetlands are not empty lands, they're irreplaceable infrastructure that provides critical water management services and protection at no cost to Hulgarians. Southern Alberta is naturally prone to drought and increasingly prone to flooding. Wetlands are one of the few systems that help manage both store water when it's abundant and release when it's scarce. When we remove them, we're not just increasing flood risk, we're reducing our ability to manage drought as well. When we destroy wetlands around Calgary, we still have to manage water. So this Calgary installs stormwater ponds, pipes, and culverts that have lower function than wetlands and are expensive to build and maintain. Calgary has already lost 90% of pre establishment wetlands. 2013 flood displaced 75,000 Calgarians, caused $6 billion in damage, and was one of the costliest disasters in Canadian history." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3347.505, "end": 3436.225, "text": "We've paid a lot of money for flood mitigation infrastructure, but incredibly, we continue to remove wetlands, which provide services at no cost. The water doesn't disappear, it moves faster, with greater force into our river streets and homes. So wetlands absorb water during heavy rainfall, slow runoff before it reaches rivers, reduce peaks, flood levels across the system, and we're removing these natural systems that protect the city. We do have policies to protect wetlands, but the question is how strongly they're applied when they come into conflict with development pressures. So expansion into places like Ricardo Ranch. In 2023, the city approved three new suburban communities in the far outskirts of the city, among the last intact riparian ecosystems on the Bow River. And that development pushes into wetlands that would protect us from flooding and drought. We're growing, we need much more housing, but we need those communities to be safe, resilient communities. Building on the edges of Calgary, destroying wetlands, increases risk and long-term costs for the very residents who are trying to house. Fifty years ago, a developer planned to make a Nose Hill Park rare and ecologically important into a residential area, and Calgaryans and City Council fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada to protect that space in 1980. And those same factors threaten our what is now Nose Hill Park, threaten natural space in our city today. So we not only do we need to keep blanket rezoning, we need to council to approve high density projects that make sense. So we saw Glenmore Landing and Viscount Bennett site in Richmond were either not approved or were scaled back considerably." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3436.985, "end": 3438.585, "text": "Twenty seconds. Um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 3440.045, "end": 3463.125, "text": "It's not a question of choosing between new homes or wetlands. We can have both if we build in established areas where infrastructure is already in place. That's where Calgary should focus density, where we can grow without damaging critical infrastructures, one sentence. Counselors, with blanket rezoning, we can build homes in resilient established communities. Repeal means we'll build homes that carry more risk and higher costs from day one." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3464.465, "end": 3467.425, "text": "Thank you so much for being here with us. We'll go to" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3468.005, "end": 3472.885, "text": "Charlene on panel 87, then Sharon on 112 after that. Uh please go ahead, Charlene." }, { "speaker": "Charlene Prickett", "start": 3474.865, "end": 3508.005, "text": "Good morning. I'm Charlene Prickett. I live in Ward 8. I favor fully repealing blanket up zoning, resetting the zoning to what it was before, no amendments, and then start from scratch with Calgarians to develop through local area plans. I was certainly impressed when I happened to be listening one day to hear the presentation by the group Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth. Seemed to me that they had a treasure trove." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3508.705, "end": 3531.805, "text": "Great ideas for improvement of our planning process. That was Rusty and Patty Miller, Chris Davis, and the gal from Elbow Park, Lisa Pool. So for those counselors who have heard that or can go back and re listen to Calgaryans for Thoughtful Growth, I think those are sane." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3532.185, "end": 3536.525, "text": "Uh experienced voices that might give us good direction." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3536.745, "end": 3541.005, "text": "I want to speak. I want to be testimonial" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3541.905, "end": 3544.765, "text": "for sun and tree canopy." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3545.325, "end": 3550.705, "text": "In this climate, tree canopy and sunshine are critical." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3551.825, "end": 3560.665, "text": "I live in a neighborhood in Ward 8 that enjoys a magnificent tree canopy, and it serves as the park." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3561.065, "end": 3566.045, "text": "Where neighboring high density communities come to walk." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3566.445, "end": 3573.105, "text": "And my neighbors are delighted to see nearby communities enjoying our neighborhood." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3573.325, "end": 3576.665, "text": "I mean, people just love sun and trees," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3577.045, "end": 3581.185, "text": "but high density development has not been conducive" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3581.605, "end": 3583.665, "text": "to large canopy trees." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3584.725, "end": 3591.065, "text": "Most people, including myself, who moved into this neighborhood in Word 8, did it with" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3592.305, "end": 3597.445, "text": "Focused intention and years of financial planning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3597.765, "end": 3598.405, "text": "And" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3598.825, "end": 3610.145, "text": "blanket upzoning robs us of any confidence that the investment we've made in the place we live will last." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3612.585, "end": 3614.365, "text": "Gosh, so many of us" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3614.785, "end": 3626.285, "text": "started our young days as renters. Most Calgarians seem to realize that we need new apartment and condo complexes." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3627.145, "end": 3639.085, "text": "But it seems that there should be real study and thought to where that kind of build should should come. And and" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3639.265, "end": 3651.905, "text": "we start young as young people, apartment renters, and many of us then find enough money to to buy or build a home. But in our last chapter," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3652.325, "end": 3670.845, "text": "Many folks uh have to or choose to retreat to multifamily housing, denser population. But we w still want some certainty that the biggest financial outlay of our lives will not be devalued" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3671.185, "end": 3672.325, "text": "by density." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3673.545, "end": 3675.565, "text": "Uh it seems to me that" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3676.385, "end": 3685.225, "text": "blanket upzoning is is is the biggest mistake I've seen in municipal government in my life. It's not" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3685.585, "end": 3688.925, "text": "Poor planning. It's no planning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3689.465, "end": 3694.285, "text": "And it pits cal good Calgarians against each other." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3694.605, "end": 3700.665, "text": "It's the planning department saying, Well, we don't know what to do, so you folks just go fight it out." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3701.425, "end": 3704.805, "text": "I I just don't think that's good governance." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3705.045, "end": 3708.665, "text": "It it's it it it w it hasn't worked." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3709.505, "end": 3711.685, "text": "In this neighborhood, we" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3712.245, "end": 3717.625, "text": "We are so appreciative. We so value the tree canopy" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3718.205, "end": 3726.725, "text": "and the sunshine, the space to ha have the sunshine that that nourishes uh well tended gardens." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3727.365, "end": 3738.885, "text": "I don't necessarily mean vegetable gardens, but landscaping that we all love and that that make this such a pleasant community to walk through. And uh" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3739.585, "end": 3743.145, "text": "I I am the director in this community of the" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3744.145, "end": 3752.565, "text": "Portfolio called public open spaces. So I work hard with all the eager volunteers" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3753.245, "end": 3764.345, "text": "in my neighborhood to plant and weed and maintain traffic circles and boulevards and splitter islands, and we have a strong relationship with" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3764.625, "end": 3775.045, "text": "the Calgary Parks Department. So we work at maintaining and adding to our tree canopy, and we we don't want um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3775.485, "end": 3776.805, "text": "indiscriminate" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3777.525, "end": 3785.865, "text": "planning to interrupt uh all the work and joy that we've come to thank you so much your" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3785.865, "end": 3788.365, "text": "You're unfortunately just at time, but perhaps a final." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_11", "start": 3788.365, "end": 3790.085, "text": "sentence to conclude your thoughts." }, { "speaker": "Charlene Prickett", "start": 3791.085, "end": 3800.305, "text": "No no I'm I'm done. Good job, Mayor. You you've you persevered with much grace during this uh process. I admire you." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3800.325, "end": 3806.785, "text": "Well it's uh it's a it's a true effort by uh our council colleagues here unanimously. We're we're very happy to hear from you and everyone else." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3807.485, "end": 3808.845, "text": "Uh we will go to" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3809.985, "end": 3810.725, "text": "Sharon" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3811.145, "end": 3815.625, "text": "on 1012, then Guy on 10112 after that. But uh" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3815.845, "end": 3823.565, "text": "I believe that we've acknowledged the the A V team. I believe that we've acknowledged the the clerks, the the city administration, the council colleagues, but" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3823.865, "end": 3828.245, "text": "I want to acknowledge the amazing text to speech writer who is uh transcribing" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3828.605, "end": 3834.985, "text": "all of these. And this is, I think, an unsung hero that helps uh keep the uh proceedings accessible. So" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3835.305, "end": 3838.785, "text": "With that, I'm going to you, Sharon, then Guy after that. Please go ahead, Sharon." }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 3840.225, "end": 3840.745, "text": "Thank you." }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 3841.545, "end": 3842.865, "text": "Can can everyone hear me?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 3842.985, "end": 3843.365, "text": "Yes." }, { "speaker": "Sharon Chu", "start": 3844.605, "end": 3869.425, "text": "Excellent. Good morning everyone. Thank you to the council for taking the time to listen to our concerns regarding blanket rezoning. My name is Sharon Chu and I'm representing myself as a concerned citizen. My stance for today is in opposition to repealing the blanket rezoning policy that has been in effect for the past few years. I approach this stance from personal experience, as I do not have a background in bourbon development." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3869.905, "end": 3883.985, "text": "The perspective I offer comes from being the first-generation Canadian daughter of two immigrant parents. My parents worked hard their entire lives and risked their comfort zone and culture in order to find better opportunities here." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3884.265, "end": 3889.385, "text": "I grew up in a single family house with two floors and a basement in northwest Calgary." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3889.925, "end": 3911.585, "text": "Most years, my parents had at least two cars for commuting and vacation trips. As a result of their efforts and a support network, my siblings and I went to good public schools, participated in extracurriculars, and gone into university. For the most part, we went with we never went without. And in other words, my origin story among my peers is nothing special. Or so I thought." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3912.045, "end": 3914.125, "text": "I am currently 31 years old." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3914.305, "end": 3935.345, "text": "Renting an affordable apartment unit with my partner also in the Northwest. We both have university degrees in chemistry and have worked our respective jobs to varying degrees of success. Despite the current job market and rising living costs, we are both continuing to forge a path forward. However, that path forward does not include home ownership within the foreseeable future." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3936.245, "end": 3937.045, "text": "If anything," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3937.805, "end": 3949.925, "text": "we are the lucky ones. We have some savings, a strong support network, and we work hard just like our parents. Our credentials should be more than enough to achieve the same milestones as our parents." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3950.245, "end": 3962.625, "text": "But the best we can do is maintain a stable living situation. The work hard for the white picket fence house is no longer a reliable or sustainable narrative when there is not enough affordable housing." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3963.145, "end": 3970.165, "text": "To me, blanket rezoning is a puzzle piece to a much larger issue, and I ask the council to take in a holistic perspective." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3970.365, "end": 3982.685, "text": "I understand that it is a per it is a complex matter, and the supply of housing would not be a complete discussion about talking about transportation, infrastructural costs, living wage, and taxes, to name a few." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3983.105, "end": 3987.325, "text": "In fact, when I discussed the lack of density in various parts of the city with my friends," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3987.625, "end": 3996.305, "text": "the primary concern was somehow that the city and the country as a whole was too big and we spread out everywhere, therefore we must drive everywhere." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 3996.805, "end": 4001.185, "text": "It took me a while to discern what my peers were saying against the reality we live in." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4001.785, "end": 4049.345, "text": "We should have encouraged gentle density growth decades ago. And instead we grew outward, not upward. This encourages everyone to commute by car, which further consumes land usage only for commuting. And with more people on the road taking up more space due to their personal vehicles versus being on a bus or a train or just biking or cycling, that just increases the traffic exponentially. We become the traffic. This becomes vicious positive feedback loop where the mode of transportation becomes one of the primary motivators for choosing a place to live. It doesn't matter how walkable the newer communities are if everyone still needs to drive to the city center to access entertainment spots." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4050.505, "end": 4054.925, "text": "Driving is an unnecessary necessity in a North American city." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4055.305, "end": 4070.445, "text": "Other countries that I had the privilege of visiting has done so much more with less, transporting people from point A to point B. But because we have lacked the density to attract alternative modes of transportation, we are stuck with driving." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4071.005, "end": 4083.605, "text": "Again, housing is a complex issue. Transportation is a complex issue, and so is living wage. But like a bus stop, the blanket rezoning is a step forward towards a better solution, not the destination." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4084.005, "end": 4093.785, "text": "And I imagine this council and future councils will continue to have many discussions about this matter for years to come. Everyone hates the construction, everyone hates" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4094.445, "end": 4117.545, "text": "I don't think everyone hates the multiplexes, but this is the debt manifest that has incurred because of zoning for single-family houses. If the blanket rezoning is repealed, we'll simply push that debt onto future generations. And the despair of not being able to have options to afford a stable living situation is devastating." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4118.345, "end": 4121.825, "text": "I don't need a two story house with a basement. Many of us don't." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4122.305, "end": 4124.505, "text": "We all just need affordable options" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_13", "start": 4124.925, "end": 4126.345, "text": "everywhere. Thank you." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 4128.225, "end": 4133.405, "text": "Thank you so much. We'll go now to Guy on 112 to round off the panel, please." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 4134.685, "end": 4135.165, "text": "Go ahead, Guy." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4136.505, "end": 4150.505, "text": "Thank you. Uh Mayor Farkas, uh good morning, and also good morning to members of council. My name is Guy Buchanan, and I am in favor of a full repeal of blanket rezoning without any amendments." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4151.265, "end": 4162.045, "text": "Any amendments would be a disservice to those Calgarians that voted for those of you that ran on a platform of repealing blanket rezoning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4162.625, "end": 4173.485, "text": "Amendments would be the thin edge of the wedge that would allow this damaging planning ideology to creep back into our neighborhoods." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4174.485, "end": 4182.465, "text": "Blanket rezoning is lazy planning founded on an ideology that is against single family homes and the automobile." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4183.065, "end": 4185.645, "text": "I'm certainly not against densification," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4185.945, "end": 4192.765, "text": "but for the reasons cited by previous speakers, blanket rezoning has not delivered affordable housing." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4193.265, "end": 4199.385, "text": "Rather, it has been extremely disruptive and damaging to the lives of many Calgarians." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4200.105, "end": 4205.345, "text": "Truly affordable housing can be achieved by building housing of scale" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4205.745, "end": 4210.765, "text": "along major transportation corridors and LRT stations." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4211.345, "end": 4216.985, "text": "As noted by your engineering department and my recent email to each of you," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4217.345, "end": 4223.465, "text": "the infrastructure in established neighborhoods was never designed to accommodate this density." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4224.005, "end": 4232.665, "text": "Locating the density along specific transportation corridors will allow for thoughtful planning of infrastructure" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4233.305, "end": 4240.825, "text": "with the builders paying their fair share of off site levies for that upgraded infrastructure." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4241.305, "end": 4245.565, "text": "Taxpayers should not be subsidizing inner city builders." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4246.945, "end": 4255.745, "text": "And finally, Council, Calgaryans are tired of this ongoing onslaught of ideological planning generated by the planning department." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4256.245, "end": 4258.845, "text": "The planning department is now proposing" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4259.065, "end": 4262.105, "text": "to replace the current NMDP" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4262.445, "end": 4265.325, "text": "that was just updated in 2020" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4265.665, "end": 4266.945, "text": "with a document" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4267.385, "end": 4271.465, "text": "that is full of divisive DEI ideology." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4271.925, "end": 4274.665, "text": "Please table that document indefinitely" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4275.005, "end": 4276.065, "text": "and spend" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4276.305, "end": 4279.565, "text": "the limited resources revising the various" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4279.825, "end": 4285.545, "text": "LAPs to conform to the current MDP and original zoning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 4286.065, "end": 4294.205, "text": "There will be opportunities to find places for density that is acceptable to communities. Thank you for your time." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 4295.845, "end": 4302.005, "text": "Thank you so much. We will go now to questions for the panel. Councillor Schmidt, please." }, { "speaker": "Councillor Schmidt", "start": 4302.485, "end": 4303.685, "text": "Uh Ms. Odd," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4305.325, "end": 4307.825, "text": "just wanted your thoughts on" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4308.005, "end": 4309.645, "text": "something we actually heard" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4310.205, "end": 4323.405, "text": "right as you were sitting here, too, that we've we've heard a lot of that you touched on, which is the environmental concerns with densification. And you presented a somewhat contrary argument to that, that" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4323.725, "end": 4324.365, "text": "the" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4325.305, "end": 4326.005, "text": "our inner" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4326.925, "end": 4337.445, "text": "by taking away our ability to do that, we are actually causing more environmental destruction with things like wetlands in the outer areas of the city." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4338.465, "end": 4346.085, "text": "Ricardo Ranch being a particularly notable example that you used. Can you," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4347.125, "end": 4361.205, "text": "given your experience, just give us your thoughts around the concerns we've heard about tree canopy loss and permeable space within the inner city versus the loss from that you've noted with the sprawl?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 4364.445, "end": 4365.565, "text": "Yeah, thank you." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 4366.385, "end": 4487.805, "text": "So I've been listening to the speakers for the last couple of weeks, and I completely agree that we need to conserve the canopies and the natural spaces in the communities, and I think that can be done as well. I just didn't have enough time to include that in what I said today. But that affects where I live. It affects everybody, and nature actually has a very compelling impact on people's mental health and whether they gather in communal spaces. So I think that there is a way, from what I've learned, and I've asked this question about nature within communities and inner city communities, is that there is a way to conserve those. I've been asking about the situation with trees being taken down, and that there is a way to adjust for that. Like some of the rules are a bit rigid around planting trees or removing trees. And I think some builders actually are removing trees that they don't want to remove, but the regulations make it a bit restrictive about where they have to place the homes and whatnot and where the trees have to be. So I think some really useful amendments would be around ensuring that the canopies, the trees, whether it's keeping them there or planting them, we should absolutely optimize the canopies, trees, natural spaces within communities. But it's not an either-or. I mean, there's a lot of places to build density within the city that we where we haven't built them, as I mentioned. Glenmore Landing and the old Vicant Bennett site, those were excellent uh locations for high density. And City Council did not approve one of them and then you know scaled back the other one. So we still have to really optimize those spaces, and then we can make sure the canopy and other natural spaces are saved everywhere, other places. It's not an either or. But what I think is necessary is to make the principle of conserving natural spaces a priority when looking at planning and amendments. Like build that in as a priority and a principle that." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_10", "start": 4488.265, "end": 4500.965, "text": "really feels somewhat non-negotiable that you don't reduce the natural spaces in a community. So I think both are absolutely possible and we're looking to council to make those changes and improvement and amendments. Yeah." }, { "speaker": "Councillor Schmidt", "start": 4501.945, "end": 4502.965, "text": "Excellent, thank you." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4503.545, "end": 4505.265, "text": "And then Mr. Mikey." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4507.285, "end": 4508.685, "text": "Sort of similar" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4509.285, "end": 4513.585, "text": "scope of question for you. You mentioned the um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4513.985, "end": 4524.165, "text": "thing uh uh a bunch of words that I'm gonna forget now, but basically the cost benefit of densification versus uh outward growth. But we've also heard a lot" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4524.685, "end": 4537.285, "text": "about outward growth paying for itself and that it's an efficient way for us to build given the density of new communities. So how do you square that circle with the arguments that you've made today?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4537.285, "end": 4574.705, "text": "So we're kind of talking about a few different things. There's capital costs for building these new communities being paid for itself, not necessarily operating costs over a long 60-year period. And then the counterfactual of what if we did something else? So how much more revenue, right? We know that denser communities make just more overall revenue per hectare. Things like that. The further we have to push a pipe. I showed just the diameters, but it's also the resistance in the pipe. So the smaller the pipes are for smaller communities being like cul de sacs, single family homes, things like that, actually have worse efficiencies. And the further you have to push that pipe out, the worse efficiency you get. That's just one example." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4575.265, "end": 4583.345, "text": "And again, for uh the further that you expand, the more those problems expand on themselves. Um and again, so um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4583.725, "end": 4633.025, "text": "We we don't have data for Calgary, but there's other cities that have done it, things like Seattle, where they show you'll either get negative overall operating cost revenue for single-family home zoned areas, then you'll get like $1,000 per hectare after all costs are included for a little bit denser, and then like $10,000 for higher density areas. So that's the counterfactual we're talking about. Even if you are positive in those communities, you're less positive than you would be if we did more density and we would have more revenue for more of these things, fixing more of our roads, fixing our pipes, building more community centers, et cetera. Or you guys could run on lowering property taxes because you can get more of that revenue from a smaller area. You're always going to be more efficient, and this is why economies of scale are so successful across every other industry. It's crazy to me that we pretend that housing is different than every other economy in the world." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4634.245, "end": 4636.245, "text": "And then uh as a follow-up," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4637.505, "end": 4641.905, "text": "we've also heard, and again, relating back to your arguments, that" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4642.105, "end": 4652.665, "text": "the inner city communities we have can't handle the density, they're not built for it, and that we're subsidizing developers who are not paying their way into" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4653.605, "end": 4654.445, "text": "um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4654.705, "end": 4665.905, "text": "upgrading or maintaining that infrastructure, but that that would happen more with the off site levy system. So, again, if there's a way that you can square that circle for us given your argument." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4665.905, "end": 4730.065, "text": "Yeah, so in part it's the offsite levies. Like we're not saying get rid of like the um the development permits and stuff like that. Again, upzoning only removed the zoning time. The development permit is still there. You still have to see, hey, do we have the capacity for these things? The off-site levies partly cover that. And then if you look at the long-term revenue of just upzoning, the extra tax revenue that you're gonna get for it is going to more than pay for these increased infrastructures. And again, that's what that report shows. This was from 2009, when I'd argue we were probably a little bit less liberal on these policies. It's just this is shown in all of the economic literature, left or right. It just doesn't matter. It's economies of scale, once again, of the denser you build, the tighter you do these things. Yeah, it's annoying to rip up your street and do all those extra infrastructure pieces. By the end of the day, in the long run, uh over the next 60 years, over the next 30 years, uh it's going to be cheaper and uh improve the tax revenue. The idea that infrastructure is a barrier to entry is a total fallacy and not backed up by any of the literature from Calgary and from the broader society at whole." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_17", "start": 4730.865, "end": 4731.885, "text": "Okay, thank you." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4731.965, "end": 4732.185, "text": "Yeah." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 4734.825, "end": 4743.025, "text": "Thank you. I'll go to uh Councillor Kelly and I'll just note uh councillor uh councillors Ewell and Dalywall had to step out for council business." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 4743.585, "end": 4744.405, "text": "Over to you, Councillor Kelly." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4744.825, "end": 4747.505, "text": "Your worship. Uh Mr. Menichi, if you wouldn't mind. Come on." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4749.645, "end": 4751.525, "text": "Um you" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4751.765, "end": 4810.605, "text": "Thank you for your presentation today. First, you you gave us something new today that we we actually haven't had before. Um, and I wanted to talk to you a little bit about the highest and best use uh tax idea that you that you floated here today. One of the things I've been struggling with a little bit in the Ward 4 communities is that we're seeing a pretty significant decrease in our in our population in in those neighborhoods, and so as a result, trying to maintain service in those neighborhoods is getting more expensive on a per capita basis. Uh so I'm quite concerned about higher taxes for my neighbors as a result. Um, and so really trying to balance that idea of higher taxes versus a townhouse next to you, like which one of those things would you would you prefer? Not a terribly fair question, but it's literally what we're what we're taking a look at right now. I wonder if you could just talk to us a little bit more about this idea of uh highest and best use tax. I'm familiar with it in a real estate context, uh in terms of uh" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4812.085, "end": 4814.605, "text": "Establishing the the" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4815.385, "end": 4821.965, "text": "optimal price for a real estate transaction. But I'm wondering if you can talk to us a little bit more about it from a tax perspective." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4821.965, "end": 4869.825, "text": "Yeah, so admittedly it is if you're familiar with Georgism or land value taxes, it's it's like an inefficient version of that where with land value taxes you're incentivized to create the best product possible with with your land. And so a best use tax again would take a bit more government bureaucracy to understand that and say, hey, um we have lots of demand in this area, people want to build, right? We're trying to get to a more frictionless free market as possible with housing, um, is is what upzoning and all these things are doing, so that the market, the people, me, you, everybody in here, can decide what is the best housing for them to live in, right? The my dream home is a point access block, and that's completely illegal here in Alberta. Um and it's it's just our ability to say that." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4871.385, "end": 4892.885, "text": "You know, you're causing economic harm to your neighbors, your community, all of these things by stopping a developer from putting um uh a fourplex in or an eightplex or whatever it might be and then um rationalizing that into the economy. Um but yeah, it definitely takes some uh bureaucratic um um knowledge." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4894.465, "end": 4920.665, "text": "Yeah, I appreciate it. I've I've had this conversation with our planning team a couple of times around uh the land the local area plans need to match, or the pardon me, the land use bylaw needs to match the local area plans, and the argument back has been like that doesn't always make sense. And your your description here is the first time where I went, Oh, I can see why you might not want those two things to match. If the local area plan says that it can have it, but the residents themselves say we don't want it." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4920.665, "end": 4920.845, "text": "Yeah." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4921.265, "end": 4924.585, "text": "then that's where uh the tax would I" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4924.585, "end": 4924.745, "text": "Yeah." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4924.745, "end": 4925.025, "text": "go ahead." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4925.025, "end": 4935.785, "text": "That would apply, exactly. And and um you can also do things with like the local area plans. Like once the local area plan is set, you go, Okay, we we're gonna have, you know, in this is this area like" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4936.225, "end": 4980.805, "text": "15 more duplexes, say, and then you can't stop them anymore, right? Like it's in the local area plan, we're going forward. Like we need to, we're talking about cutting red tape. I know there's a presentation uh that talked about you know the zoning had like increased red tape in a different area because of like the litigation processes. So, you know, your job as council is to go down, okay, we got rid of the red tape of the eight months. How do we get rid of the next step of red tape and the next step and the next step and the next step? Because all of these are holding our things up. Can we like um I believe it's eight months was originally for the upzoning, then eight months for the development plan, and then eight more months to build it. So we're looking at a two year turnaround and um before we um we remove the the first zoning requirement, right? So" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 4981.165, "end": 4993.005, "text": "Uh thank you very much. I like I I'm I'm willing to have some pretty bold, innovative discussions about how we go about this. Um uh and and you've given us an additional thing to uh to think about." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_03", "start": 4993.005, "end": 5010.625, "text": "I would look towards Texas. Texas does a lot of these things and um Austin, Texas had a four percent population growth and decreasing housing prices because they are just able to build. They they win on renewable energy too, because they cut more red tape and they can just build. It's it's really simple." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_09", "start": 5011.805, "end": 5013.105, "text": "Thank you very much for your time. Appreciate it. Yeah." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5014.105, "end": 5015.985, "text": "Thank you, Councillor Tyres, please, for the panel." }, { "speaker": "Councillor Tyres", "start": 5016.125, "end": 5018.325, "text": "Uh yeah, Mr. Buchanan, are you still on the phone?" }, { "speaker": "Councillor Tyres", "start": 5022.105, "end": 5033.765, "text": "Yeah, you piqued my interest. Uh you were talking about a planning document that's uh coming to council that may or may not have something to do with repealing blanket zoning as it stands. Do you want to elaborate on that?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5035.965, "end": 5043.425, "text": "Yes, uh through the mayor to Councillor Tyres. Um it it really is that planning should be done" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5044.385, "end": 5049.305, "text": "as intended in a hierarchy, and the municipal development plan is the" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5049.925, "end": 5056.445, "text": "uh most senior planning document that a municipality in Alberta has to guide its future." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5056.965, "end": 5064.285, "text": "And all other planning should fall out of that, should uh uh conform to that um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5064.585, "end": 5065.725, "text": "higher vision." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5066.085, "end": 5069.965, "text": "But what we've seen with blanket rezoning, it really um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5070.445, "end": 5072.385, "text": "we've gone into um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5072.805, "end": 5081.385, "text": "uh local area plans and uh communities bought into those, and those were huge plans, 10 communities or more." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5081.865, "end": 5087.625, "text": "Um and no sooner were was, I guess, the ink dry on those plans." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5088.105, "end": 5093.825, "text": "And we've threw a wrench into those plans by putting in blanket rezoning." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5094.345, "end": 5102.705, "text": "So I guess what I'm saying is um I've I've looked at the draft of the M the um the proposed MDP," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5103.125, "end": 5108.225, "text": "and it really is uh would be going against, I believe," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5108.865, "end": 5113.105, "text": "what the majority will of Calgaryans um." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5113.865, "end": 5119.765, "text": "um is and we've seen we'll I guess ultimately council well council will decide on that but" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5120.205, "end": 5123.485, "text": "uh they're saying they're pushing back and saying look let's uh" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5123.965, "end": 5125.525, "text": "let's put this um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5125.925, "end": 5130.805, "text": "let's get rid of this i ideology these this planning ideology" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5131.185, "end": 5134.305, "text": "and and listen to the community" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5134.545, "end": 5140.565, "text": "and and I believe we can put the density uh in places that um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5140.985, "end": 5148.645, "text": "Will create more affordable housing. We can put it next to transit. People won't, you won't need to build," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5149.185, "end": 5151.505, "text": "let's say, an underground" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5151.965, "end": 5155.665, "text": "parking spot at great expense." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5157.565, "end": 5161.285, "text": "And you can size the pipes. You can actually focus on" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5161.885, "end": 5170.625, "text": "sizing the pipes for a concentrated density and have those builders pay for those pipes rather than." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5171.165, "end": 5180.825, "text": "Um uh citizens in the other areas. Uh the builders need to pay their fair share. So I hope I answered your question, Councillor." }, { "speaker": "Councillor Tyres", "start": 5181.845, "end": 5189.765, "text": "Uh yeah, and what was the name of Okay, so the I guess is this the Calgi plan that you're talking about? You're saying what's replacing the MDP?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5192.125, "end": 5193.925, "text": "Yes, yeah, the Calgary Plan. Yes." }, { "speaker": "Councillor Tyres", "start": 5193.925, "end": 5194.305, "text": "CalGee plan." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5194.305, "end": 5195.485, "text": "It it is. Uh" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5196.105, "end": 5199.785, "text": "it is the Calgary plan. And I believe that was proposed to" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5199.925, "end": 5204.825, "text": "come to Council in June. And I guess I'd I'm just saying Calgarians are" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5205.205, "end": 5206.805, "text": "are tired of" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5207.225, "end": 5213.045, "text": "this stuff, and we need to go back to basics, listen to Calgaryans. Let's let's go back and" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5213.305, "end": 5220.045, "text": "And uh I believe the MDP that was the current MDP that was updated in 2020" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5220.325, "end": 5224.105, "text": "is still relevant. It's a very, very good document." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5224.705, "end": 5227.625, "text": "And so I'm saying let's not throw it out." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5228.145, "end": 5235.945, "text": "Uh let's let's uh keep that document in place, let's say for the next 10 years, let's revise the L LAPs" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5236.085, "end": 5239.965, "text": "after listening to Calegarians and actually have" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5240.485, "end": 5241.245, "text": "um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5242.225, "end": 5253.865, "text": "You know, I've I've witnessed a lot of drive-by consultation uh by the planning department, but this time they really need to listen to Calgaryans and get the LAPs right. And let's put the density" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5254.125, "end": 5258.085, "text": "uh where it is is truly going to work and be affordable." }, { "speaker": "Councillor Tyres", "start": 5259.345, "end": 5262.125, "text": "Okay, excellent. Thanks for your feedback. Appreciate it." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5264.645, "end": 5264.945, "text": "Thank you." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_05", "start": 5264.945, "end": 5266.345, "text": "Thank you, Councillor. Thank you, Doug." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5267.105, "end": 5271.645, "text": "Thank you so much to the presenters. Thank you for being with us. This concludes the panel." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5272.245, "end": 5277.425, "text": "We will work on assembling our next panel. Do we have anyone in the chamber with us who hasn't spoken, who would like to?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5277.825, "end": 5278.985, "text": "Great. Come on down, please." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5284.985, "end": 5288.405, "text": "And then I'll go back to calling folks who may have been on the line." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5288.985, "end": 5293.205, "text": "Do we have anyone on the line wishing to speak from panels one through 75?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5297.265, "end": 5299.325, "text": "How about panels 76 through 100?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5303.225, "end": 5306.105, "text": "And anyone else on the line uh just period, any panel." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5310.165, "end": 5313.425, "text": "Okay, we uh we have one panelist uh with us, please approach." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5316.765, "end": 5341.805, "text": "Hi everyone, thank you for doing the work of democracy. I know it's not always fun to hear person after person, but it's really important and it's appreciated. I wanted to acknowledge all the people who you don't get to hear because they're busy working, or they don't know what's going on, or they have some sort of disability that precludes them from being involved." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5342.925, "end": 5346.405, "text": "I want to say that change is inevitable." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5348.485, "end": 5356.785, "text": "It's really hard to acknowledge that the world you grew up in is not the world that you were expecting." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5357.265, "end": 5367.405, "text": "The world that you put all your hard earned money into isn't what you were thinking it would be. Whether that's" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5368.085, "end": 5377.025, "text": "being a younger person who was told that just get a university degree and it'll be fine, or whether you're an older person who was told" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5377.685, "end": 5383.745, "text": "You will live and die in this house. You can stay here forever. Nothing will change." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5384.545, "end": 5385.805, "text": "It'll be like this." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5386.885, "end": 5390.725, "text": "And we all know the Calgary has changed. It is so much bigger," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5391.125, "end": 5392.725, "text": "more vibrant." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5393.165, "end": 5395.845, "text": "I love living in a city that is alive," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5396.685, "end": 5397.865, "text": "that's growing." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5398.845, "end": 5401.365, "text": "I have been to places that are not growing," }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5401.965, "end": 5407.545, "text": "and it's sad, right? You see boarded up stores, you see" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5408.545, "end": 5410.745, "text": "a ton of poverty everywhere." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5411.565, "end": 5416.585, "text": "And so it's important that Calgary grows, but it's important that we" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5417.465, "end": 5419.865, "text": "grow in the direction of" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5421.125, "end": 5423.865, "text": "what we need for everyone. And so" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5425.685, "end": 5432.445, "text": "there are a lot of details that people talk about, whether it's parking or trees, but we have to remember that this is about how" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5433.505, "end": 5439.905, "text": "policy works. So does city council spend all the time?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5440.445, "end": 5448.785, "text": "Looking at individual applications, or do we get past the individual applications and focus more on things" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5449.505, "end": 5450.025, "text": "like" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5451.305, "end": 5458.165, "text": "the policy that Natalie was talking about about trees? How do we change" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5458.605, "end": 5464.025, "text": "existing rules that are getting in the way of making" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5464.925, "end": 5468.285, "text": "growth easier and better for everyone around?" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5472.285, "end": 5495.385, "text": "Yeah, I just wanted to remind everyone that change is inevitable and we need to build a Calgary that is good for everyone. And as a caregiver, I work with a lot of people who are in their 90s and they want to stay in their communities, but they can't if they can't move to a smaller place." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5497.365, "end": 5515.425, "text": "So I think a lot of people actually want density, they want diversity of options for housing where they live, in their communities. And that builds vibrancy, diversity, so social support, which is a huge issue." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5515.925, "end": 5526.405, "text": "Yeah, so I just want to advocate for housing in general. I think it's really important. And I also want to say that" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5528.005, "end": 5530.025, "text": "there are people who say" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5530.645, "end": 5535.045, "text": "they don't want this, but then when you give them another option, they don't want that either." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5536.445, "end": 5537.065, "text": "So" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5538.145, "end": 5540.285, "text": "fewer rules, fewer" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5541.065, "end": 5545.385, "text": "hearings for council to sit through, um" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5546.025, "end": 5547.765, "text": "I think is a better way to go." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_00", "start": 5548.825, "end": 5549.325, "text": "That's all." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5549.605, "end": 5551.465, "text": "Thank you so much for being here with us." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5552.605, "end": 5555.285, "text": "Is there anybody else in the chamber who would like to speak? Who hasn't?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5556.945, "end": 5559.165, "text": "Anyone else on the phone who would like to speak?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5561.585, "end": 5562.405, "text": "Going once," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5563.825, "end": 5564.845, "text": "going twice," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5565.885, "end": 5566.805, "text": "going thrice." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5568.065, "end": 5571.645, "text": "Last call. Anyone in the chamber or on the phone who would like to speak?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5574.505, "end": 5577.825, "text": "All right, colleagues, uh, I am declaring our public hearing" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5578.285, "end": 5578.785, "text": "closed." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5580.485, "end": 5582.365, "text": "This uh concludes the" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5583.705, "end": 5602.725, "text": "Public hearing uh j again a a giant thank you to the members of the public, thank you to city administration, the the city clerks, uh office team, colleagues, the support crew as well uh in the councillor's office, much appreciated. Uh I believe that uh this doesn't quite outdo the record that was set in the previous one, but we gave it the good old college try." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5603.245, "end": 5631.085, "text": "So colleagues, uh I think it's time that we test the the will of council. I think that there was a uh uh a desire from many of you to recess at this point until tomorrow, coming back fresh tomorrow at 9 30 for questions of clarification, uh moving of the recommendations, potential amendments, and uh potential uh votes. So uh given that, uh could I have a motion to recess uh this meeting until tomorrow at 9 30 a.m.?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5631.705, "end": 5632.985, "text": "Moved by Councillor Clark," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5633.225, "end": 5636.665, "text": "second by Councillor Penazopoulos. Uh any debate on that?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5640.005, "end": 5640.725, "text": "Any opposed?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5641.325, "end": 5643.045, "text": "Or I'm gonna call the question all in favor?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5644.505, "end": 5645.285, "text": "Any opposed?" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5646.065, "end": 5652.885, "text": "Uh on that actually let's engage the the e-vote uh Mr. Uh Clerk. I just need to open up my e script." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5672.565, "end": 5673.845, "text": "Councillor Ewell, your vote, please." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5675.025, "end": 5676.665, "text": "He stepped away. Mayor Will Markham is absent." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5677.905, "end": 5679.285, "text": "Uh same with Councillor Dollywell." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5679.685, "end": 5679.845, "text": "Yeah." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5681.325, "end": 5682.385, "text": "Councillor Kelly, your vote, please." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5683.085, "end": 5683.425, "text": "Yes." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5684.825, "end": 5685.565, "text": "Mayor, all the votes are in." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5686.265, "end": 5687.725, "text": "Thank you. Please display the results." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5696.585, "end": 5701.065, "text": "On the recess to tomorrow at 9 30, that motion is carried 7 to 6." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5701.305, "end": 5707.425, "text": "So again, uh when we bang the gavel tomorrow at 9 30, we're gonna go into questions of clarification," }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5707.705, "end": 5710.645, "text": "and then we'll have the uh moving of the uh main items. And" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5710.945, "end": 5716.845, "text": "I believe that there is a process by which the potential amendments and motions arising are being uh reviewed." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5717.225, "end": 5720.785, "text": "Um maybe GM Hamilton, if you don't mind just speaking to that briefly." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5720.985, "end": 5723.525, "text": "There was an email I think that was sent out. Maybe we could resend that." }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_15", "start": 5723.765, "end": 5745.625, "text": "Absolutely, Mayor. Thank you very much. So, Council, if you are considering amendments or motions arising, if you could please get those to myself and uh Hannah Williamson in my office, uh, we will then review them with the team, including law, uh, let you know um any feedback that we have to make them technically" }, { "speaker": "SPEAKER_15", "start": 5745.785, "end": 5749.525, "text": "sound, and then once they're confirmed, you can send them to clerks." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5750.065, "end": 5750.525, "text": "Thank you." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5750.725, "end": 5756.485, "text": "Actually, Mr. Clerk, I apologize. I I neglected to read the results that that motion had carried seven to six." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5757.025, "end": 5759.525, "text": "If we could just read out those who were opposed." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5760.265, "end": 5761.765, "text": "Correct. Mayor and um" }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5761.985, "end": 5762.845, "text": "I'll just" }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5762.845, "end": 5765.085, "text": "Please, if you don't mind. I'm sorry I neglected to do that." }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5765.085, "end": 5767.405, "text": "uh opposed to that vote was Councillor Ward," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5767.845, "end": 5768.985, "text": "Councillor Jameson," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5769.365, "end": 5770.605, "text": "Councillor Tyres," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5770.885, "end": 5771.985, "text": "Councillor Shabot," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5774.525, "end": 5775.005, "text": "excuse me," }, { "speaker": "City Clerk", "start": 5775.925, "end": 5778.245, "text": "Councillor Wyness, and Councillor Johnston." }, { "speaker": "Mayor Farkas", "start": 5779.445, "end": 5787.825, "text": "All right. With that, colleagues, I see no further uh request to speak. We'll see you tomorrow at 9 30 a.m. Uh great uh couple of weeks' work here." } ], "full_text": "Welcome back to Calgary City Council. Mr. Clerk, would you please call the roll? Thank you, Mayor. On the roll, Councillor Yule, Councillor Kelly, Present. Councillor Aliwell, Thank you, Councillor Panzazopoulos, Councillor Atkinson, Councillor Schmidt, Councillor Clark, Councillor Chabot, Present. Councillor Ward, Councillor Jameson, I'm here. Councillor McLean, Here. Councillor Johnston, Mayor. Councillor Tyres, Councillor Winness, Thank you, Mayor Farkas. Oh, was it me? Yes. It's my turn. Yes, I am here. Yes. Thank you, Mayor. I apologize, Mr. Clerk. All right, colleagues, uh, we are still on the public hearing. We're had approximately 15 people sign up uh over the weekend. So I'm gonna start calling uh panels 111 through 13, and then we're gonna go back to zero to attempt to catch up to anybody uh that we may have missed, but their names were called previously. So starting on panel 111, do we have uh Christian Leventure with us? Okay, come on down, Christian. I'm gonna keep calling names here until I have five people and then we'll begin to uh accept the presentations. Do we have Alison Kareem McSweeney, Paul Augustine, Sharon Chu, Janet Wong Ken, Connor Monkey, Guy Buchanan, Rianne Leventure? Come on down, Rihanne. Nathan Ross. Okay, come on down, Nathan. Emily Krahulik. All right, so far I have Christian, Rihan, and Nathan. And then I'm going to seek two more names to wrap up this panel. Do we have anyone on the line? Do we have anyone in the line from panels one through 25? I am Paul Augustine, Panel 111. All right, Paul, uh please stand by. Do we have anyone on the line from panels one through 25? Anyone from panels 26 through 50? Yes. It's Andrea Walter. Andrea, was that you? Hello. Yes. Andrea, which panel were you on? Forty one. 41? All right, this will be our first panel. It'll be Christian, Rianne, Nathan, Paul, then Andrea. Let's uh start with Christian, please. Thanks so much for being here with us. Uh yeah, five minutes. Okay, cool. Perfect. Hi, Council. My name is Christian, and today I wanted to discuss the blanket part of blanket rezoning. A conversation around the semantics of what blanket means is sure to be exciting, so please pay attention. Next slide, please. We keep using that word blanket, but what does it mean? Next slide. Here's a map of multifamily unit applications on RCG lots since August 6, 2024. This data was compiled by Serene U via City of Calgary open data. You can see from the map that there's quite an intense level of development in the inner city. Next slide. Wait, what? No, this is actually a map of the 632 redevelopments of single family homes on RCG lots since blanket rezoning started. What? Is this the blanket we're talking about? Next slide, please. This is the map of 257 developments of duplexes on RCG's parcels. Next slide. This is 301 developments of row houses. Next slide. And this is the 324 developments of townhomes. Next slide, please. So, to recap, since the zoning for housing, this blanket approach has seemingly yielded non blanket results. Many different types of low density housing forms suited to market demand. It's almost like the blanket rezoning is delivering the flexibility it promised. Next slide, please. Where's the blanket? I know there are concerns on development, but blanket zoning is spreading out the density at various levels dependent on the unique site context, while giving people and communities across the city more choice. Next slide. If you look at it all together, it's really more like a quilt. I would say top 10 quilts of all time. Next slide. So I'd like to pitch you a new name, Quilted Zoning. Next slide. This is where I live, Earlton in Ward 8. There are single family homes, townhomes, apartments, and although they're not in the zoning code, there's also cute bunnies and uh ducks. Next slide. Uh the history of Earlton is interesting. There used to be it used to be a suburb of Calgary, it used to have a streetcar, it used to even have a school. Next slide. But in 1984, yep, there would be an infamous change. The rezoning of North Earlton to allow for townhomes and condos. Next slide. I'd like to read you this quote from a resident in the Calgary Herald on the decision at the time. I think the whole community is going downhill. We don't believe it is a viable community. Next slide. So, who ended up living in these newly zoned areas, anyways? Next slide. It's me, of course, and my wife and my daughter. We lived in the homes which residents in 1984 said would ruin the community character. And honestly, we have a pretty great life. The density people were afraid of is normal for us today because the development that's there is a part of the community, and the people who live in that development are valued, they contribute, and they are proud to do so. I can't help but think this hearing is a rehash of Earlton in 1984. We're talking about a zoning code that's less restrictive, that can respond to market demand and create beautifully quilted neighborhoods that evolve over time. More housing choice preserves communities as they grow and evolve, just like in Earlton. If you keep our quilted zoning, I promise you that in 20 years, just like current residents of Earlton look fondly at the townhomes and condos that their friends live in, Calgarians will look fondly upon quilted zoning. It will be the pride of our city. Lower housing costs help our local economy as it leaves more money in our pockets to spend on local business. A greater choice of housing secures our future so we have the space to raise kids. A stronger tax base within our existing infrastructure helps us keep taxes low, building trust with local government. Allowing neighborhoods to densify and evolve sure sounds like the Calgary advantage. Don't spend our money micromanaging low density, let quilted zoning and the flexibility it provides stay, and thank you for your consideration. Thank you so much. Uh we'll go next to Rian, please. Hi. Good morning. Thanks for being with us. Thank you. My name is Rihanne. I'm speaking in opposition to the repeal of RCG zoning. I grew up in a suburb in Edmonton with a dream of a family and a white picket fence in a neighborhood where I could walk over to the farmer's market on Sundays and chat with the grocer who I'd know by name, where I knew all my neighbors and we supported each other. I dreamt of community. I assumed that I could only find this in a small town because it didn't exist in the suburbs of Edmonton. On my many road trips through Calgary to the mountains growing up, I would pass the suburban sprawl in a very uh Edmontonian fashion would declare that Calgary looked dystopian with its copy-paste boxed houses rolling throughout the hills. I never could have imagined living there, let alone loving the city as much as I do now. When my husband and I moved to Calgary six years ago, my worldview was turned upside down when we started to explore the city. It started with Inglewood, its character shops and community centered breweries, and cute character homes. As we continued to explore neighborhoods like Sunnyside, Mission, Marteloup, Sinalta, and Bridgeland to name a few, I learned what it felt like to fall in love with the city. I learned that my dream of living, that my dream lived outside of small towns. In fact, it lived in the heart of the city. It lived within neighborhoods that were well designed with people in mind. In the summer of 2023, we were lucky enough to buy our first home, a two bedroom condo in Earlton, close to the sea train, next to a beautiful park, and everything we needed within walking distance. A year later, in the fall of 2024, our first child was born. I spent the last year and a half on maternity leave with her, and it has been the greatest time of my life, and I'm fully convinced that that is largely in part to living where I do. When Mara was one week old, we heard beautiful piano music pouring in from our neighbor's condo and she listened to live music for the first time. We regularly walk along the Elbow River towards the grocery store where we do know the staff by name. We go on daily walks through Lindsay Park and stop to chat with neighbors. The park is full of life. As we walk, Mara names the sounds she hears and can identify ducks from geese from pigeons. The other day we were sitting on the rocks by the river and I asked Mara what she was grateful for. She said squirrels and water. Mara rides in a seat at the front of our family bike and we often use the biking paths to go to Inglewood, Sinalta, Stanley Park to name a few. Mara loves to sing songs during our bike rides and is eager to point out every puppy dog we see. We go to the memorial and central library at least once a week, and the zoo is only a few stops away on the train. Mara isn't quite one and a half years old yet, and she already says, train is coming and stay behind yellow line. Her childhood is full of color. Of course, motherhood isn't always easy. The days and nights can feel endless and exhausting. We go out most days, but on the days we stay inside, I find parenting to feel draining and less fulfilling. I've tried to imagine what life might be like if we lived in a suburb. The pathways are mostly unsafe for biking. Walks would be spent strolling past house after house, which all look similar, to get to a Tim Hortons in a large parking lot, a stark contrast to the walks along the river pathway to one of the many local coffee shops on 4th Street. Even if there was a park nearby, the walk there would likely be less than desirable with narrow sidewalks next to wide roads with vehicles driving faster than they should and minimal nature. I am sure that I wouldn't go out as often as I do, and I am sure that would affect my mental health. I've made friends with multiple neighbors who moved from the suburbs to the inner city specifically because they felt poorly designed suburbs caused postpartum depression. I've heard from many others in my line of work as a public health nurse where I work with families in the Northeast that many mothers in the suburbs rarely leave the house with their kids because there's nowhere to go without a car. All families deserve to have what I have here in the inner city if that is what they want. I know there are many neighborhoods around the inner city that are incredibly desirable places to live, and it feels selfish to gatekeep that to the people who are wealthy enough to afford single family homes. Now, as we are starting to dream about having another child, we are torn on what to do. We love our home in the inner city, but more children demand more space or at least more bedrooms. Blanket rezoning would allow for the possibility for more family housing in the inner city. Homes that are more suitable than an apartment, but more affordable than single family homes. I want this for myself, my children, my clients, and for future Calgarians in generations to come. Thanks. Thank you so much for being here with us. We'll go to Nathan next, please. Good morning, Mayor Farkas and our counsel and all counselors. My name is Nathan Ross. I am a born and raised Calgarian. I am a homeowner here, and I will start just off by saying that I do not support repealing the rezoning bylaw. Should council decide to ultimately repeal, I would be dismayed to see a full repeal and return to the low-density residential zones that existed prior to May 2024 and not have a working alternative put into place. While much of the hearing has been focused on the housing itself, I'm hoping to speak today about another issue at play here, which I believe will be affected by the decision that council comes to. Calgary is, in my estimation, experiencing a quiet crisis of losing its young adults. They're not dying en masse or anything dramatic, but they are simply being priced out of the city or choosing to leave of their own accord. I work for the University of Calgary Students Union. You have already heard from our president Naomi Bacana and our vice president external Julia Law. They represent the best of what the next generation should be bringing to Calgary's workforce, but young adults like them are becoming few and far between. Did you know that since 2007, Alberta has lost more students to other provinces in post secondary than it gains? Every year, without fail, for nearly two decades, Alberta has seen thousands of graduating high schoolers and other young adults choose to leave places like Calgary, and it's gotten to be a near two to one ratio of students who leave as opposed to come here to places like Calgary. When the latest numbers come out, I do suspect that they will eclipse that two to one ratio. Even with aggressive strategies like the University of Calgary's Ahead of Tomorrow, which was put into place back in 2023 with the goal of attracting 10,000 new students to Calgary by the end of the decade, the enrollment at U of C in fall of 2025 was lower than it was in fall of 2024. We are not on track to hit those numbers. And yes, these are just post secondary numbers, but let's take a look at Calgary's own stats for a second. Per the city's website, when you look at the most recent data for population and age, quote Over the past 20 years, the population aged 15 to 29 was the slowest growing age group in Calgary. During that time, the age group increased by less than half the rate of increase for the general population. Conversely, the population aged sixty five and over was the fastest growing age group in Calgary. It more than doubled during that time period. And I mean this with no disrespect to my elders, but it is alarming to me to see that shift in alienation of our young people. I do think that this is a reflection of what Calgary has prioritized during the 21st century, either because of decisions that have been made to trickle down from what Alberta has chosen or what the city has by itself. Decisions like the long battle over secondary suites, prioritizing select industries, continually building out instead of building up. There is no single decision or declaration that has targeted young people outright, but as we have seen with our recent water woes, we have seen what chronically underinvesting in something for 20 years can do. Did RCG zoning prove to fix all that? No, it would have been impossible for it to. In fact, it wasn't even meant to be the load bearing recommendation that was put forward by the Calgary Housing and Affordability Task Force in 2023. Yet we haven't seen a lot of these recommendations become reality yet. According to local journalist Jimena Gonzalez, according to Calgary's housing strategy, implementing all 98 actions should enable the construction of an annual 3,000 non-market homes, but Calgary is far from achieving this ambitious goal. As of June of last year, city administrators reported only 893 non-market homes had been issued a development permit by the end of 2024, and 121 of those had received a building permit. For all the talk about how new builds are not an affordable option and supposedly showing how rezoning has failed, we haven't given it a fair shot, and now we risk going back to what was not working before for many Calgarians who want to call the city home in both five years' time and more importantly, in 50 years' time. I have had the pleasure of meeting with many of you that I stand before today with my students over this past year, and I look forward to continuing to meet with you as new student leaders emerge. I hope that you, as leaders of this city, continue to weigh choices that appear to be easy with what is impactful. I ask that you consider those that traditionally do not speak at these hearings and think of the young people that this city needs to thrive as it barrels towards its two million citizen, and ask yourself how sustainable that is when our over 65 populace outgrows our 15 to 29ers. I firmly believe that our older population deserves to retire with dignity and not have to buckle down just to keep our city functioning, if not for anything else, but just to keep our health care working. To do that, we need young people to stick around and see themselves living here, metaphorically and literally. But if young people are fleeing Calgary because they can't afford to live here, no matter how well paying the remaining jobs are, then this will become a system wide crisis very, very soon. There is no single decision that will make or break this city, a city that we love, but I hope that, like you, I'm inspired by the next generation of these future students. I hope that you govern with that lens as well. Thank you for that for your time today, and a final thank you to all the city employees and stenographers that have worked tirelessly to make sure that this hearing runs smoothly and is accessible to everyone. Thank you. Thank you so much. We'll go now to round off this panel. Uh Andrea on 41. Please go ahead, Andrea. Hello. My name is Andrea Walter and I'm for no repeal of blanket rezoning without a replacement. And just you know, I've never done anything political except voting in my life. So I'm very strong about this. I live in a lovely bungalow that I renovated for myself in Oak Ridge. Previously I lived in North Gloudmore and Altrador. They are all nice communities, but I really enjoy Oak Ridge for its spaces and housing variabilities. There are row houses and townhouses right across from very large two-story single houses. We were able to do this in the 1970s. So what is the issue now? After earning my master's degree in Waterloo, my ex and I moved to Calgary in 1992. We moved here despite job offers in Ontario and San Francisco. Reasons for choosing Calgary, number one, affordability. In a relatively short time, especially compared to today's standards, we saved the 25% deposit for a modest house in Buffalo. We're able to quickly start a family to the kindness, friendliness of Calgaryans. I saw this during my engineering co-op terms in the 1980s. And of course the mountains. I had 30 years and I'm in a very difficult situation. I was going to a stressful, complicated separation agreement involving our personal and corporate access. Following the sale of the North Glenmore residence, I was temporarily without housing and uncertain about my next steps. It was also difficult to access money from assets prior to the separation agreement finalization. I did have my most loved bow, a probable golden retriever cross that I adopted as a failed foster. Bo had been seized by animal control from its previous owners due to neglect, including an embedded collar. In the 11 months until I drooped into my lovely Oak home, Bo and I stayed in 10 different tapes. Including several short-term rentals. It was so difficult to find rental accommodation if you have a pet, specifically a larger dog. I endured having to stay in unsafe basement suites. Mean landlords who held out me and myself and Bo having to stay in less desirable accommodations due to both. I also volunteer at the Calvin Maine Society. I recent asked them about how many pets get surrendered by renters due to pet injuries, pets, pet issues. The main society sent me some written material from their communication strategies they say are working on with the city. It lists free impacts such as over 60% of renters report being denied housing because of a pet. Tenants reports staying in unsafe or unhealthy environments due to lack of options, just like myself. Vulnerable groups, low income families, seniors, and zones are the most affected. I will also read some of Calgary Mainz's most recent news, an article on pet inclusive housing. By Kelly Johnson, who I've known for a long time and certainly knows both. At Humane Society, over the past three years, an average of 295 animals per year have been impacted by housing relating surrender pressures, highlighting the growing connection between housing access and family saturation. I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams I'm to surrender my love beloved beau. Back to the main society because I had to choose bringing him inadequate housing. I see the sadness in the eyes of the dogs that I walk at the main society that have had to be surrendered, especially older, larger dogs which are more difficult to adopt. I also know that these innocent animals have had loving owners, isolated sneakers, young families with children, and the mentally ill who have had to choose to give up their beloved companion just to have a place to live. So I'm speaking today. Please consider at least a replacement for blanket zoning that improves Calgary's housing supply and choice for both affordable and pet inclusive housing. This is not specifically tied to pet, but related to my being a water engineer. Calgary should prioritize housing that reduces hooding spall, which stresses our already broken infrastructure with more than four kilometers of water pipeline per resident. I want Calgary to be the friendly, caring city I moved to 34 years ago. I want to be proud to cite to cite positive specif statistics like affordability and the most kilometers of urban bike pathway than the number of pets surrendered and our broken infrastructure. Thank you. Thank you so much. And then we'll go to Paul, please, to conclude the panel. I assume my first slide is up on the screen. Yes, it is. Uh, thanks for being with us. Thank you. My name is Paul Augustine and I live in Ward 1. Thank you for this opportunity to speak. I support the immediate repeal of blanket rezoning. I also support engaging stakeholders and the public hearing process for new zoning amendments. An example of the poor consequences of blanket rezoning in Calgary is in the Bonas community. Development has been haphazard. There are many new, tall, four-plex buildings being built with high lot coverage that are very intrusive to adjacent houses. Next slide, please. So it is important to keep house building in Calgary in perspective. Firstly, it is difficult to get ahead with the needed housing starts to reduce prices when the population in Calgary area has been growing so rapidly. Calgary cannot possibly provide low-cost housing to everyone who wants to live in Calgary. The population growth in the Calgary CMA from 2021 to 2025 was the highest of all major cities in Canada at 19%. In 2025, based on the population per thousand as an example, Calgary CMA had the highest housing starts by far compared to other large cities in Canada. Calgary has still managed to maintain more favorable housing prices compared to most other major cities in Canada. To reduce urban sprawl, slowing down the population growth from outside Canada would make a huge difference. Secondly, even with the needed changes to blanket rezoning, Calgary will still continue to have a high number of housing starts. Established communities will continue to densify with good planning. Proper contextual bill forms for new housing, and the addition of secondary suites and backyard suites. Calgary is also developing many new communities with densification much higher than communities planned 50 years ago. Thirdly, it is important to continue to build row houses and apartments to lower housing prices and to add density in the right locations. It is also critical to keep and build single attached and semi attached housing. With yards to encourage more Canadians to have children. Next slide. Land use bylaws changes. At the public hearing, there have been many excellent presentations on reasons why blanket rezoning needs to be repealed, as well as recommendations of how to improve. For myself, the need for major changes includes only consider grandfathering to developments that have been approved and not those in the application or unapproved stage. Improve community engagement in the development process. Prioritize gradual higher density bill form and contextual setting to preserve long term attractive community character. Provide homeowners in low density neighborhoods with confidence their house investment will not be jeopardized by the construction of new tall intrusive multiplex buildings next door. With high lot coverage and minimal parking stalls. So that should now be on my next slide, or the last slide, the fourth slide. In low density neighborhoods, restrict lot coverage to 50% and restrict building heights to 10 meters. The current 60% land use allowance does not include for driveways, sidewalks, stairwells, to lower suites, window wells, decks, garbage band, and bike areas. Thus leaving only a small amount of area for grass, trees, and gardens. Also, suitable setbacks for different build forms need to be reviewed. Restore one parking stall per unit to avoid the inevitable community parking problems. And low density neighborhoods only allow up to triple corner lots where this is suitable, no fourplexes and no mid block locations. This also encourages larger parking stalls than fourplexes for accommodating medium sized vehicles. Limit the number of bedrooms in bill forms to avoid investment housing that have an exceptionally high number of bedrooms. And lastly, do not allow backyard suites in laneless parcels and along green spaces. Also maintain the seven meter setbacks for homes along green spaces, Just at time, but perhaps a final sentence to conclude your thoughts. but allow exemptions where suitable. Thank you. Thank you so much. All right, uh, this concludes this panel. I don't see any uh questions from members of council, so thank you so much, uh everyone, for being here with us. I'm gonna go now to uh call names that uh previously had been called over the past uh week or two. But before I do that, uh is there anybody in the chamber with us who has not spoken yet? Alright, so I'll ask the two people in the chamber just to come and uh approach. You'll be our first two. And then I'm gonna be seeking uh three more names from those of us on the line. Is there anyone uh on the line from panels uh one through fifty? Anyone on the line from panels fifty one through seventy five? Anyone on the line from panels 76 through 90? Anyone from panels 91 through 100? Yes. Uh sorry, I I was muted. Charlene Prickett, panel eighty-seven. Charlene on 87, please stand by. Is there anyone else uh on the line from uh uh any panel up to 100? All right, panels uh 101 through 105. How about panels 106 through 110? All right, is there anybody uh besides Charlene on the line who wants to speak? Hello, can you hear me? I am Sharon on panel one one two. Uh was that uh Sherry? Sharon, yes. Okay, on one Sharon Chu. Yes. is there anyone uh on the line besides uh those two panelists from 87 and 112? What's it? Guy Buchanan here. All right, guy, please stand by. You'll be our final panelist. So we'll go to The two individuals in the chamber and then the other three on the line. So please uh approach. Hi, uh my name's Connor Meinke. Uh I have a presentation. If you don't mind just repeating your name and the panel number. Uh Connor Meinke, panel uh 112. Okay, give us just a moment here. Thanks. Please go ahead. Perfect. Uh I'm uh resident of Ward 7 and an optimization engineer, but today I'm here to talk to you about Econ 101, why removing upzoning from Calgary is actually going to make us poorer, and how land use rules distort housing and growth. Next slide, please. Um I want to start here with the survey that was conducted before the election of the main issues present for Calgarians. I'll get into that in the next slide, please. I grouped it into four main categories: infrastructure and maintenance, taxes and spending, social costs and quality of life. And Calgarians generally want an affordable city, low taxes, controlled spending, and safety. Next slide, please. When we're talking about infrastructure and maintenance, really what we're talking about is economies of scale. And density is always going to win when we're talking about economies of scale. Here, I'm a chemical engineer, we're talking about a pipe here. When you double the diameter of a pipe, you actually quadruple the capacity that it can hold. Next slide, please. When we're talking about taxes and spending, this aligns with infrastructure as well. In 2009, the City of Calgary did a report looking at alternative growth strategies and found that between 33 and 55% lower costs were associated with upzoning brownfields projects, inner city projects, things like that. So the less greenfields we have, the cheaper our infrastructure actually is, again, aligned with economies of scale. Next slide, please. I live downtown, I own a house, a condo downtown. I care a lot about homelessness and the social costs of homelessness, and homelessness is directly proportional to the cost of housing. Next slide, please. Then when we talk about quality of life, be it bike lanes, be it infrastructure, be it community centers, things like that, again, economies of scale are always going to win. Density is always going to win in these cases. Next slide, please. So when I look at it as a disconnect, Calgarians have come here and said, hey, we we want to repeal the upzoning case, but their priorities are misaligned with that. In every single case, removing upzoning is going to make every single one of these issues that Calgarians care about worse. Next slide, please. Why does it make everything worse? Well, if we look at an economy, it's land, labor, capital. Next slide, please. And when you restrict land, when you restrict land use, all you're doing is making land more expensive. Congratulations, we've created inflation. We're passing that inflation on to businesses, on to communities, on to future generations and rents. Next slide, please. So again, it makes everything worse. Repeal up zoning, congratulations. We have higher prices, higher taxes, less investment in the city because you have to invest more in just spending on this land that's distorted in the market. And we have higher city spending. On the right here, I have a chart that was presented in 2024 showing that the more density we build, the more we replace single family homes with denser units, the cheaper those units become. So when people are coming here and saying, Oh my goodness, I can't believe townhomes are more expensive than single family homes that we're replacing, this is actually what we expected. This was in the presentation. Next slide, please. So, what's the fundamental issue? Well, NIMBY's don't really pay for the cost of their actions. Blocking building harms our city through higher costs. Those costs aren't dispersed and they're hard to see and they're not borne completely by the NIMBES. They're passed on through inflation, they're passed on to future generations, and we kick that can down the road. This is what in economics we would call an unpriced negative externality. Next slide, please. So the solution that I think works the best is following something like a Houston, Texas model, where we allow each individual block to zone themselves, but what Houston doesn't do is they implement a best use tax. A best use tax would price in the negative externality and it accounts for the harms caused to society by NIMBES. In the case I have here, if the best use is a fourplex and the NIMBY say, no, no, no, no, we don't want our block to be zoned that way, cool. Pay four times your property tax because you are harming society, you're harming future generations, and you're harming businesses in the city and the wealth that we can generate. Next slide, please. At the end of the day, there are no free lunches, only trade offs. If you support lower taxes, higher wages, smaller businesses, less homelessness, environmentalism, better services, then we should reject this motion. But if you support inflation, less individual freedom, protecting neighborhood character, having a poorer city overall, and government controlled markets, then pass the motion. This is the trade off we're looking at. Thank you for listening to my presentation. That's all I have. Thank you so much for being here with us. We'll ask our next uh presenter to please approach. There. I'm just gonna take a moment. This is my third time coming to the chamber, so I'm glad I made it today. We're glad you made it too. Thanks for being here. Good morning, Mayor and Councillors. My name is Natalie Odd, and I'm a longtime resident of Calgrane Ward 7 and the executive director of the Alberta Environmental Network, or AEN. AEN and our larger community organized grassroots campaigns to protect nature and ecosystems. You may know us as the co-leaders of the Defend Alberta Parks campaign to protect 174 provincial parks. There are so many lawn signs around the province. Personally and on behalf of AEN, I strongly support keeping the blanket rezoning to defend our natural spaces. This is a long awaited, much needed approach to densification started just two years ago. At this very early stage, it makes sense to evaluate the impact of the first two years of building activity and make appropriate adjustments and improvements. I see you doing that now, listening to and assessing feedback from Calgarians to make informed and thoughtful amendments to blanket rezoning. This hearing, the innovative suggestions made by Calgarians is positioning Council for a big opportunity to build on the progress already made by blanket rezoning. Calgary is growing quickly and we have to keep moving forward, continue building multifamily dwellings in established communities, building new low density homes on the edge of Calgary is very costly to Calgarians. I've lived in Calgary for 49 years since the population was 500,000. I've lived in five communities and six homes, two of those were row houses. The city is very different now than in 1977. It's constantly evolving. Neighborhoods are changing, homes are changing. My parents brought up my three brothers and me in Calgary. Now I'm raising my family here. I have a son in high school and we have another in university, and we have a very good quality of life. I believe that we need to build our city for our children, young people, the next generations. We need to ensure that Calgary is vibrant and livable for them. We we live in Ward 7, where there's intensive building. Our community almost completely single-family homes has transformed over the past years. Within a few years of our home, within a few streets of our home are two expansive apartment complexes, new row houses, a major condo complex, attached infills, and a new six-floor apartment complex. It's more and more vibrant. The shared spaces are lively and well used, and a lot of people are walking and cycling. People want to live in this area, and they should have the chance to. Good bus line close to bike paths and green spaces. And as you know, what makes communities vibrant are strong social connections, diversity and inclusion, shared spaces and activities and safety. As a director of AEN, I'm going to remind council that we cannot afford to continue building into and destroying the wetlands on the edge of the city. Wetlands are not empty lands, they're irreplaceable infrastructure that provides critical water management services and protection at no cost to Hulgarians. Southern Alberta is naturally prone to drought and increasingly prone to flooding. Wetlands are one of the few systems that help manage both store water when it's abundant and release when it's scarce. When we remove them, we're not just increasing flood risk, we're reducing our ability to manage drought as well. When we destroy wetlands around Calgary, we still have to manage water. So this Calgary installs stormwater ponds, pipes, and culverts that have lower function than wetlands and are expensive to build and maintain. Calgary has already lost 90% of pre establishment wetlands. 2013 flood displaced 75,000 Calgarians, caused $6 billion in damage, and was one of the costliest disasters in Canadian history. We've paid a lot of money for flood mitigation infrastructure, but incredibly, we continue to remove wetlands, which provide services at no cost. The water doesn't disappear, it moves faster, with greater force into our river streets and homes. So wetlands absorb water during heavy rainfall, slow runoff before it reaches rivers, reduce peaks, flood levels across the system, and we're removing these natural systems that protect the city. We do have policies to protect wetlands, but the question is how strongly they're applied when they come into conflict with development pressures. So expansion into places like Ricardo Ranch. In 2023, the city approved three new suburban communities in the far outskirts of the city, among the last intact riparian ecosystems on the Bow River. And that development pushes into wetlands that would protect us from flooding and drought. We're growing, we need much more housing, but we need those communities to be safe, resilient communities. Building on the edges of Calgary, destroying wetlands, increases risk and long-term costs for the very residents who are trying to house. Fifty years ago, a developer planned to make a Nose Hill Park rare and ecologically important into a residential area, and Calgaryans and City Council fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada to protect that space in 1980. And those same factors threaten our what is now Nose Hill Park, threaten natural space in our city today. So we not only do we need to keep blanket rezoning, we need to council to approve high density projects that make sense. So we saw Glenmore Landing and Viscount Bennett site in Richmond were either not approved or were scaled back considerably. Twenty seconds. Um It's not a question of choosing between new homes or wetlands. We can have both if we build in established areas where infrastructure is already in place. That's where Calgary should focus density, where we can grow without damaging critical infrastructures, one sentence. Counselors, with blanket rezoning, we can build homes in resilient established communities. Repeal means we'll build homes that carry more risk and higher costs from day one. Thank you so much for being here with us. We'll go to Charlene on panel 87, then Sharon on 112 after that. Uh please go ahead, Charlene. Good morning. I'm Charlene Prickett. I live in Ward 8. I favor fully repealing blanket up zoning, resetting the zoning to what it was before, no amendments, and then start from scratch with Calgarians to develop through local area plans. I was certainly impressed when I happened to be listening one day to hear the presentation by the group Calgarians for Thoughtful Growth. Seemed to me that they had a treasure trove. Great ideas for improvement of our planning process. That was Rusty and Patty Miller, Chris Davis, and the gal from Elbow Park, Lisa Pool. So for those counselors who have heard that or can go back and re listen to Calgaryans for Thoughtful Growth, I think those are sane. Uh experienced voices that might give us good direction. I want to speak. I want to be testimonial for sun and tree canopy. In this climate, tree canopy and sunshine are critical. I live in a neighborhood in Ward 8 that enjoys a magnificent tree canopy, and it serves as the park. Where neighboring high density communities come to walk. And my neighbors are delighted to see nearby communities enjoying our neighborhood. I mean, people just love sun and trees, but high density development has not been conducive to large canopy trees. Most people, including myself, who moved into this neighborhood in Word 8, did it with Focused intention and years of financial planning. And blanket upzoning robs us of any confidence that the investment we've made in the place we live will last. Gosh, so many of us started our young days as renters. Most Calgarians seem to realize that we need new apartment and condo complexes. But it seems that there should be real study and thought to where that kind of build should should come. And and we start young as young people, apartment renters, and many of us then find enough money to to buy or build a home. But in our last chapter, Many folks uh have to or choose to retreat to multifamily housing, denser population. But we w still want some certainty that the biggest financial outlay of our lives will not be devalued by density. Uh it seems to me that blanket upzoning is is is the biggest mistake I've seen in municipal government in my life. It's not Poor planning. It's no planning. And it pits cal good Calgarians against each other. It's the planning department saying, Well, we don't know what to do, so you folks just go fight it out. I I just don't think that's good governance. It it's it it it w it hasn't worked. In this neighborhood, we We are so appreciative. We so value the tree canopy and the sunshine, the space to ha have the sunshine that that nourishes uh well tended gardens. I don't necessarily mean vegetable gardens, but landscaping that we all love and that that make this such a pleasant community to walk through. And uh I I am the director in this community of the Portfolio called public open spaces. So I work hard with all the eager volunteers in my neighborhood to plant and weed and maintain traffic circles and boulevards and splitter islands, and we have a strong relationship with the Calgary Parks Department. So we work at maintaining and adding to our tree canopy, and we we don't want um indiscriminate planning to interrupt uh all the work and joy that we've come to thank you so much your You're unfortunately just at time, but perhaps a final. sentence to conclude your thoughts. No no I'm I'm done. Good job, Mayor. You you've you persevered with much grace during this uh process. I admire you. Well it's uh it's a it's a true effort by uh our council colleagues here unanimously. We're we're very happy to hear from you and everyone else. Uh we will go to Sharon on 1012, then Guy on 10112 after that. But uh I believe that we've acknowledged the the A V team. I believe that we've acknowledged the the clerks, the the city administration, the council colleagues, but I want to acknowledge the amazing text to speech writer who is uh transcribing all of these. And this is, I think, an unsung hero that helps uh keep the uh proceedings accessible. So With that, I'm going to you, Sharon, then Guy after that. Please go ahead, Sharon. Thank you. Can can everyone hear me? Yes. Excellent. Good morning everyone. Thank you to the council for taking the time to listen to our concerns regarding blanket rezoning. My name is Sharon Chu and I'm representing myself as a concerned citizen. My stance for today is in opposition to repealing the blanket rezoning policy that has been in effect for the past few years. I approach this stance from personal experience, as I do not have a background in bourbon development. The perspective I offer comes from being the first-generation Canadian daughter of two immigrant parents. My parents worked hard their entire lives and risked their comfort zone and culture in order to find better opportunities here. I grew up in a single family house with two floors and a basement in northwest Calgary. Most years, my parents had at least two cars for commuting and vacation trips. As a result of their efforts and a support network, my siblings and I went to good public schools, participated in extracurriculars, and gone into university. For the most part, we went with we never went without. And in other words, my origin story among my peers is nothing special. Or so I thought. I am currently 31 years old. Renting an affordable apartment unit with my partner also in the Northwest. We both have university degrees in chemistry and have worked our respective jobs to varying degrees of success. Despite the current job market and rising living costs, we are both continuing to forge a path forward. However, that path forward does not include home ownership within the foreseeable future. If anything, we are the lucky ones. We have some savings, a strong support network, and we work hard just like our parents. Our credentials should be more than enough to achieve the same milestones as our parents. But the best we can do is maintain a stable living situation. The work hard for the white picket fence house is no longer a reliable or sustainable narrative when there is not enough affordable housing. To me, blanket rezoning is a puzzle piece to a much larger issue, and I ask the council to take in a holistic perspective. I understand that it is a per it is a complex matter, and the supply of housing would not be a complete discussion about talking about transportation, infrastructural costs, living wage, and taxes, to name a few. In fact, when I discussed the lack of density in various parts of the city with my friends, the primary concern was somehow that the city and the country as a whole was too big and we spread out everywhere, therefore we must drive everywhere. It took me a while to discern what my peers were saying against the reality we live in. We should have encouraged gentle density growth decades ago. And instead we grew outward, not upward. This encourages everyone to commute by car, which further consumes land usage only for commuting. And with more people on the road taking up more space due to their personal vehicles versus being on a bus or a train or just biking or cycling, that just increases the traffic exponentially. We become the traffic. This becomes vicious positive feedback loop where the mode of transportation becomes one of the primary motivators for choosing a place to live. It doesn't matter how walkable the newer communities are if everyone still needs to drive to the city center to access entertainment spots. Driving is an unnecessary necessity in a North American city. Other countries that I had the privilege of visiting has done so much more with less, transporting people from point A to point B. But because we have lacked the density to attract alternative modes of transportation, we are stuck with driving. Again, housing is a complex issue. Transportation is a complex issue, and so is living wage. But like a bus stop, the blanket rezoning is a step forward towards a better solution, not the destination. And I imagine this council and future councils will continue to have many discussions about this matter for years to come. Everyone hates the construction, everyone hates I don't think everyone hates the multiplexes, but this is the debt manifest that has incurred because of zoning for single-family houses. If the blanket rezoning is repealed, we'll simply push that debt onto future generations. And the despair of not being able to have options to afford a stable living situation is devastating. I don't need a two story house with a basement. Many of us don't. We all just need affordable options everywhere. Thank you. Thank you so much. We'll go now to Guy on 112 to round off the panel, please. Go ahead, Guy. Thank you. Uh Mayor Farkas, uh good morning, and also good morning to members of council. My name is Guy Buchanan, and I am in favor of a full repeal of blanket rezoning without any amendments. Any amendments would be a disservice to those Calgarians that voted for those of you that ran on a platform of repealing blanket rezoning. Amendments would be the thin edge of the wedge that would allow this damaging planning ideology to creep back into our neighborhoods. Blanket rezoning is lazy planning founded on an ideology that is against single family homes and the automobile. I'm certainly not against densification, but for the reasons cited by previous speakers, blanket rezoning has not delivered affordable housing. Rather, it has been extremely disruptive and damaging to the lives of many Calgarians. Truly affordable housing can be achieved by building housing of scale along major transportation corridors and LRT stations. As noted by your engineering department and my recent email to each of you, the infrastructure in established neighborhoods was never designed to accommodate this density. Locating the density along specific transportation corridors will allow for thoughtful planning of infrastructure with the builders paying their fair share of off site levies for that upgraded infrastructure. Taxpayers should not be subsidizing inner city builders. And finally, Council, Calgaryans are tired of this ongoing onslaught of ideological planning generated by the planning department. The planning department is now proposing to replace the current NMDP that was just updated in 2020 with a document that is full of divisive DEI ideology. Please table that document indefinitely and spend the limited resources revising the various LAPs to conform to the current MDP and original zoning. There will be opportunities to find places for density that is acceptable to communities. Thank you for your time. Thank you so much. We will go now to questions for the panel. Councillor Schmidt, please. Uh Ms. Odd, just wanted your thoughts on something we actually heard right as you were sitting here, too, that we've we've heard a lot of that you touched on, which is the environmental concerns with densification. And you presented a somewhat contrary argument to that, that the our inner by taking away our ability to do that, we are actually causing more environmental destruction with things like wetlands in the outer areas of the city. Ricardo Ranch being a particularly notable example that you used. Can you, given your experience, just give us your thoughts around the concerns we've heard about tree canopy loss and permeable space within the inner city versus the loss from that you've noted with the sprawl? Yeah, thank you. So I've been listening to the speakers for the last couple of weeks, and I completely agree that we need to conserve the canopies and the natural spaces in the communities, and I think that can be done as well. I just didn't have enough time to include that in what I said today. But that affects where I live. It affects everybody, and nature actually has a very compelling impact on people's mental health and whether they gather in communal spaces. So I think that there is a way, from what I've learned, and I've asked this question about nature within communities and inner city communities, is that there is a way to conserve those. I've been asking about the situation with trees being taken down, and that there is a way to adjust for that. Like some of the rules are a bit rigid around planting trees or removing trees. And I think some builders actually are removing trees that they don't want to remove, but the regulations make it a bit restrictive about where they have to place the homes and whatnot and where the trees have to be. So I think some really useful amendments would be around ensuring that the canopies, the trees, whether it's keeping them there or planting them, we should absolutely optimize the canopies, trees, natural spaces within communities. But it's not an either-or. I mean, there's a lot of places to build density within the city that we where we haven't built them, as I mentioned. Glenmore Landing and the old Vicant Bennett site, those were excellent uh locations for high density. And City Council did not approve one of them and then you know scaled back the other one. So we still have to really optimize those spaces, and then we can make sure the canopy and other natural spaces are saved everywhere, other places. It's not an either or. But what I think is necessary is to make the principle of conserving natural spaces a priority when looking at planning and amendments. Like build that in as a priority and a principle that. really feels somewhat non-negotiable that you don't reduce the natural spaces in a community. So I think both are absolutely possible and we're looking to council to make those changes and improvement and amendments. Yeah. Excellent, thank you. And then Mr. Mikey. Sort of similar scope of question for you. You mentioned the um thing uh uh a bunch of words that I'm gonna forget now, but basically the cost benefit of densification versus uh outward growth. But we've also heard a lot about outward growth paying for itself and that it's an efficient way for us to build given the density of new communities. So how do you square that circle with the arguments that you've made today? So we're kind of talking about a few different things. There's capital costs for building these new communities being paid for itself, not necessarily operating costs over a long 60-year period. And then the counterfactual of what if we did something else? So how much more revenue, right? We know that denser communities make just more overall revenue per hectare. Things like that. The further we have to push a pipe. I showed just the diameters, but it's also the resistance in the pipe. So the smaller the pipes are for smaller communities being like cul de sacs, single family homes, things like that, actually have worse efficiencies. And the further you have to push that pipe out, the worse efficiency you get. That's just one example. And again, for uh the further that you expand, the more those problems expand on themselves. Um and again, so um We we don't have data for Calgary, but there's other cities that have done it, things like Seattle, where they show you'll either get negative overall operating cost revenue for single-family home zoned areas, then you'll get like $1,000 per hectare after all costs are included for a little bit denser, and then like $10,000 for higher density areas. So that's the counterfactual we're talking about. Even if you are positive in those communities, you're less positive than you would be if we did more density and we would have more revenue for more of these things, fixing more of our roads, fixing our pipes, building more community centers, et cetera. Or you guys could run on lowering property taxes because you can get more of that revenue from a smaller area. You're always going to be more efficient, and this is why economies of scale are so successful across every other industry. It's crazy to me that we pretend that housing is different than every other economy in the world. And then uh as a follow-up, we've also heard, and again, relating back to your arguments, that the inner city communities we have can't handle the density, they're not built for it, and that we're subsidizing developers who are not paying their way into um upgrading or maintaining that infrastructure, but that that would happen more with the off site levy system. So, again, if there's a way that you can square that circle for us given your argument. Yeah, so in part it's the offsite levies. Like we're not saying get rid of like the um the development permits and stuff like that. Again, upzoning only removed the zoning time. The development permit is still there. You still have to see, hey, do we have the capacity for these things? The off-site levies partly cover that. And then if you look at the long-term revenue of just upzoning, the extra tax revenue that you're gonna get for it is going to more than pay for these increased infrastructures. And again, that's what that report shows. This was from 2009, when I'd argue we were probably a little bit less liberal on these policies. It's just this is shown in all of the economic literature, left or right. It just doesn't matter. It's economies of scale, once again, of the denser you build, the tighter you do these things. Yeah, it's annoying to rip up your street and do all those extra infrastructure pieces. By the end of the day, in the long run, uh over the next 60 years, over the next 30 years, uh it's going to be cheaper and uh improve the tax revenue. The idea that infrastructure is a barrier to entry is a total fallacy and not backed up by any of the literature from Calgary and from the broader society at whole. Okay, thank you. Yeah. Thank you. I'll go to uh Councillor Kelly and I'll just note uh councillor uh councillors Ewell and Dalywall had to step out for council business. Over to you, Councillor Kelly. Your worship. Uh Mr. Menichi, if you wouldn't mind. Come on. Um you Thank you for your presentation today. First, you you gave us something new today that we we actually haven't had before. Um, and I wanted to talk to you a little bit about the highest and best use uh tax idea that you that you floated here today. One of the things I've been struggling with a little bit in the Ward 4 communities is that we're seeing a pretty significant decrease in our in our population in in those neighborhoods, and so as a result, trying to maintain service in those neighborhoods is getting more expensive on a per capita basis. Uh so I'm quite concerned about higher taxes for my neighbors as a result. Um, and so really trying to balance that idea of higher taxes versus a townhouse next to you, like which one of those things would you would you prefer? Not a terribly fair question, but it's literally what we're what we're taking a look at right now. I wonder if you could just talk to us a little bit more about this idea of uh highest and best use tax. I'm familiar with it in a real estate context, uh in terms of uh Establishing the the optimal price for a real estate transaction. But I'm wondering if you can talk to us a little bit more about it from a tax perspective. Yeah, so admittedly it is if you're familiar with Georgism or land value taxes, it's it's like an inefficient version of that where with land value taxes you're incentivized to create the best product possible with with your land. And so a best use tax again would take a bit more government bureaucracy to understand that and say, hey, um we have lots of demand in this area, people want to build, right? We're trying to get to a more frictionless free market as possible with housing, um, is is what upzoning and all these things are doing, so that the market, the people, me, you, everybody in here, can decide what is the best housing for them to live in, right? The my dream home is a point access block, and that's completely illegal here in Alberta. Um and it's it's just our ability to say that. You know, you're causing economic harm to your neighbors, your community, all of these things by stopping a developer from putting um uh a fourplex in or an eightplex or whatever it might be and then um rationalizing that into the economy. Um but yeah, it definitely takes some uh bureaucratic um um knowledge. Yeah, I appreciate it. I've I've had this conversation with our planning team a couple of times around uh the land the local area plans need to match, or the pardon me, the land use bylaw needs to match the local area plans, and the argument back has been like that doesn't always make sense. And your your description here is the first time where I went, Oh, I can see why you might not want those two things to match. If the local area plan says that it can have it, but the residents themselves say we don't want it. Yeah. then that's where uh the tax would I Yeah. go ahead. That would apply, exactly. And and um you can also do things with like the local area plans. Like once the local area plan is set, you go, Okay, we we're gonna have, you know, in this is this area like 15 more duplexes, say, and then you can't stop them anymore, right? Like it's in the local area plan, we're going forward. Like we need to, we're talking about cutting red tape. I know there's a presentation uh that talked about you know the zoning had like increased red tape in a different area because of like the litigation processes. So, you know, your job as council is to go down, okay, we got rid of the red tape of the eight months. How do we get rid of the next step of red tape and the next step and the next step and the next step? Because all of these are holding our things up. Can we like um I believe it's eight months was originally for the upzoning, then eight months for the development plan, and then eight more months to build it. So we're looking at a two year turnaround and um before we um we remove the the first zoning requirement, right? So Uh thank you very much. I like I I'm I'm willing to have some pretty bold, innovative discussions about how we go about this. Um uh and and you've given us an additional thing to uh to think about. I would look towards Texas. Texas does a lot of these things and um Austin, Texas had a four percent population growth and decreasing housing prices because they are just able to build. They they win on renewable energy too, because they cut more red tape and they can just build. It's it's really simple. Thank you very much for your time. Appreciate it. Yeah. Thank you, Councillor Tyres, please, for the panel. Uh yeah, Mr. Buchanan, are you still on the phone? Yeah, you piqued my interest. Uh you were talking about a planning document that's uh coming to council that may or may not have something to do with repealing blanket zoning as it stands. Do you want to elaborate on that? Yes, uh through the mayor to Councillor Tyres. Um it it really is that planning should be done as intended in a hierarchy, and the municipal development plan is the uh most senior planning document that a municipality in Alberta has to guide its future. And all other planning should fall out of that, should uh uh conform to that um higher vision. But what we've seen with blanket rezoning, it really um we've gone into um uh local area plans and uh communities bought into those, and those were huge plans, 10 communities or more. Um and no sooner were was, I guess, the ink dry on those plans. And we've threw a wrench into those plans by putting in blanket rezoning. So I guess what I'm saying is um I've I've looked at the draft of the M the um the proposed MDP, and it really is uh would be going against, I believe, what the majority will of Calgaryans um. um is and we've seen we'll I guess ultimately council well council will decide on that but uh they're saying they're pushing back and saying look let's uh let's put this um let's get rid of this i ideology these this planning ideology and and listen to the community and and I believe we can put the density uh in places that um Will create more affordable housing. We can put it next to transit. People won't, you won't need to build, let's say, an underground parking spot at great expense. And you can size the pipes. You can actually focus on sizing the pipes for a concentrated density and have those builders pay for those pipes rather than. Um uh citizens in the other areas. Uh the builders need to pay their fair share. So I hope I answered your question, Councillor. Uh yeah, and what was the name of Okay, so the I guess is this the Calgi plan that you're talking about? You're saying what's replacing the MDP? Yes, yeah, the Calgary Plan. Yes. CalGee plan. It it is. Uh it is the Calgary plan. And I believe that was proposed to come to Council in June. And I guess I'd I'm just saying Calgarians are are tired of this stuff, and we need to go back to basics, listen to Calgaryans. Let's let's go back and And uh I believe the MDP that was the current MDP that was updated in 2020 is still relevant. It's a very, very good document. And so I'm saying let's not throw it out. Uh let's let's uh keep that document in place, let's say for the next 10 years, let's revise the L LAPs after listening to Calegarians and actually have um You know, I've I've witnessed a lot of drive-by consultation uh by the planning department, but this time they really need to listen to Calgaryans and get the LAPs right. And let's put the density uh where it is is truly going to work and be affordable. Okay, excellent. Thanks for your feedback. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor. Thank you, Doug. Thank you so much to the presenters. Thank you for being with us. This concludes the panel. We will work on assembling our next panel. Do we have anyone in the chamber with us who hasn't spoken, who would like to? Great. Come on down, please. And then I'll go back to calling folks who may have been on the line. Do we have anyone on the line wishing to speak from panels one through 75? How about panels 76 through 100? And anyone else on the line uh just period, any panel. Okay, we uh we have one panelist uh with us, please approach. Hi everyone, thank you for doing the work of democracy. I know it's not always fun to hear person after person, but it's really important and it's appreciated. I wanted to acknowledge all the people who you don't get to hear because they're busy working, or they don't know what's going on, or they have some sort of disability that precludes them from being involved. I want to say that change is inevitable. It's really hard to acknowledge that the world you grew up in is not the world that you were expecting. The world that you put all your hard earned money into isn't what you were thinking it would be. Whether that's being a younger person who was told that just get a university degree and it'll be fine, or whether you're an older person who was told You will live and die in this house. You can stay here forever. Nothing will change. It'll be like this. And we all know the Calgary has changed. It is so much bigger, more vibrant. I love living in a city that is alive, that's growing. I have been to places that are not growing, and it's sad, right? You see boarded up stores, you see a ton of poverty everywhere. And so it's important that Calgary grows, but it's important that we grow in the direction of what we need for everyone. And so there are a lot of details that people talk about, whether it's parking or trees, but we have to remember that this is about how policy works. So does city council spend all the time? Looking at individual applications, or do we get past the individual applications and focus more on things like the policy that Natalie was talking about about trees? How do we change existing rules that are getting in the way of making growth easier and better for everyone around? Yeah, I just wanted to remind everyone that change is inevitable and we need to build a Calgary that is good for everyone. And as a caregiver, I work with a lot of people who are in their 90s and they want to stay in their communities, but they can't if they can't move to a smaller place. So I think a lot of people actually want density, they want diversity of options for housing where they live, in their communities. And that builds vibrancy, diversity, so social support, which is a huge issue. Yeah, so I just want to advocate for housing in general. I think it's really important. And I also want to say that there are people who say they don't want this, but then when you give them another option, they don't want that either. So fewer rules, fewer hearings for council to sit through, um I think is a better way to go. That's all. Thank you so much for being here with us. Is there anybody else in the chamber who would like to speak? Who hasn't? Anyone else on the phone who would like to speak? Going once, going twice, going thrice. Last call. Anyone in the chamber or on the phone who would like to speak? All right, colleagues, uh, I am declaring our public hearing closed. This uh concludes the Public hearing uh j again a a giant thank you to the members of the public, thank you to city administration, the the city clerks, uh office team, colleagues, the support crew as well uh in the councillor's office, much appreciated. Uh I believe that uh this doesn't quite outdo the record that was set in the previous one, but we gave it the good old college try. So colleagues, uh I think it's time that we test the the will of council. I think that there was a uh uh a desire from many of you to recess at this point until tomorrow, coming back fresh tomorrow at 9 30 for questions of clarification, uh moving of the recommendations, potential amendments, and uh potential uh votes. So uh given that, uh could I have a motion to recess uh this meeting until tomorrow at 9 30 a.m.? Moved by Councillor Clark, second by Councillor Penazopoulos. Uh any debate on that? Any opposed? Or I'm gonna call the question all in favor? Any opposed? Uh on that actually let's engage the the e-vote uh Mr. Uh Clerk. I just need to open up my e script. Councillor Ewell, your vote, please. He stepped away. Mayor Will Markham is absent. Uh same with Councillor Dollywell. Yeah. Councillor Kelly, your vote, please. Yes. Mayor, all the votes are in. Thank you. Please display the results. On the recess to tomorrow at 9 30, that motion is carried 7 to 6. So again, uh when we bang the gavel tomorrow at 9 30, we're gonna go into questions of clarification, and then we'll have the uh moving of the uh main items. And I believe that there is a process by which the potential amendments and motions arising are being uh reviewed. Um maybe GM Hamilton, if you don't mind just speaking to that briefly. There was an email I think that was sent out. Maybe we could resend that. Absolutely, Mayor. Thank you very much. So, Council, if you are considering amendments or motions arising, if you could please get those to myself and uh Hannah Williamson in my office, uh, we will then review them with the team, including law, uh, let you know um any feedback that we have to make them technically sound, and then once they're confirmed, you can send them to clerks. Thank you. Actually, Mr. Clerk, I apologize. I I neglected to read the results that that motion had carried seven to six. If we could just read out those who were opposed. Correct. Mayor and um I'll just Please, if you don't mind. I'm sorry I neglected to do that. uh opposed to that vote was Councillor Ward, Councillor Jameson, Councillor Tyres, Councillor Shabot, excuse me, Councillor Wyness, and Councillor Johnston. All right. With that, colleagues, I see no further uh request to speak. 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