Reconnecting with the Heritage Communities!

The Heritage Communities Local Area Plan (approved in September 2023) includes the communities of: Acadia, Chinook Park, Eagle Ridge, Fairview, Haysboro, Kelvin Grove, Kingsland, Maple Ridge, Southwood and Willow Park as well as Fairview Industrial, East Fairview Industrial and Glendeer Business Park.


Why are we Reconnecting?

In May 2024, Council voted to approve citywide rezoning amendments to allow for single, semi-detached, townhomes and rowhouses in communities across Calgary. Approved local area plans will be updated to align with this decision (see Rezoning for Housing for more information). With this Council-approved rezoning, the Heritage Communities Local Area Plan will be updated to align.

As part of Rezoning for Housing, Council directed Administration to re-engage in approved LAP areas – our focus will be on community improvements found in Chapter 3/Appendix A.


What Updates are being made?

Rezoning for Housing

When the Heritage Communities Local Area Plan was approved in 2023, it included Limited Scale policies under the Neighbourhood Local category (Section 2.2.1.6, page 29). These policies provide location criteria for building forms containing three or more units. Based on the city-wide rezoning decision, these policies will be removed to align with Council direction.

A new policy will be added to section 2.2.1.6 to clarify multi-residential development is only supported in the Neighbourhood Local, Limited Scale areas in a grade-oriented form.

Community Improvements

Council also directed Administration to re-engage with residents of the Heritage Communities Local Area Plan to discuss and collect feedback on additional community improvements. New ideas that were submitted were reviewed internally for feasibility and scope, and if appropriate, added to Chapter 3 or Appendix A of the applicable Plan.

Proposed additions to the Heritage Communities Local Area Plan based on community improvement feedback include:

  • Prioritize access to transit stations through safe and convenient transit, walking and wheeling, and barrier-free connections.
  • Provide upgrades to Kingsland Park.
  • Explore pedestrian and wheeling upgrades to the underpass of 78 Avenue S and Macleod Trail S for greater east-west connectivity.

Share Your Thougts with Committee and Council

The Local Area Plan Reconnect is scheduled to be brought forward to the Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC) on January 8, 2025.

There are opportunities for the public to get involved at both the Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC) and Council public hearings. Members of the public can submit written comments to Committee and Council and/or can register to speak at either or both hearings.

The agenda for both meetings will be posted a few days prior to the hearings at the link below:

Those who want to participate in the public hearings can submit their comments or register to speak. Comments submitted before the agenda has been posted should clearly state that the submission is for "Local Area Plan Reconnect".

Members of the public may also watch the Committee and Council hearings via live webcast

For more information visit Participate in a Council or Committee meeting (calgary.ca)


Get Involved

Share your thoughts on additional community improvements for the Heritage communities

Engagement for the Local Area Plan Reconnect project is now closed.

To see what we heard, what we did, and the feedback gathered please view the What We Heard and What We Did Report here HERE. You can view the Local Area Plan Reconnect Engagement Summary HERE.

Chapter 3 of the LAP (page 77) and Appendix A (page 102) identify a number of potential community improvements/investment priorities. We are looking for your feedback on any other ideas you might have.

Community Improvements are:

  • Higher-level objectives 
  • Linked to the Plan’s vision and core values 
  • Designed to be flexible and adaptable to meet changing needs over time 
  • The community improvements include, but are not limited to, upgrading existing streets, transportation networks, parks and recreation facilities

Community Improvements are not:

  • Prescriptive spot improvements (e.g., sidewalk repairs, crosswalk painting) 
  • Focused on existing infrastructure maintenance 
  • Intended to replace or refurbish infrastructure that is at the end of its lifespan
  • Attached to any existing funding


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Review frequently asked questions by clicking on the drop down menu below.


A local area plan sets the vision for the evolution of the area over the next 30 years. It provides direction on future development and investment that residents, landowners, builders / developers, City Planners and Council can commonly refer to when new development and investment ideas are proposed.

A local area plan will support your community as it changes by: 

  • Increasing predictability about how the area could change in the future. 
  • Responding to changing trends and demographics such as population decline, family composition, aging in place, housing preferences. 
  • Expanding housing choice to welcome additional people and increase population. 
  • Supporting local amenities and businesses through increased population. 
  • Informing decisions about reinvestment, such as improvements to public spaces. 
  • Adding more homes, increasing wheeling and walkability opportunities, and improving access to amenities and transit, as well as reducing the need to expand our city’s footprint, all play a role in environmental sustainability. 

Local area plans are not set in stone but are intended to be updated over time to respond to the changing needs of the communities. We are returning to update previously approved local area plans to keep them up to date to align with recent Council decisions and direction.

Life cycle of a community

New communities tend to draw many young families and typically reach their peak population within the first 20 years.

Population begins to decline as children begin to move away from home.

Homes and buildings age and the population continues to drop or flatline. Schools and businesses often struggle to stay open.

The community is revitalized through private redevelopment and public reinvestment, bringing increased population growth and enabling local businesses and amenities to thrive.

Local area plans are meant to be living documents that may be amended and updated over time as the community changes and as conditions and circumstances in the area evolve.

A local area plan may require amendments over time to align with Council decisions or direction that impact the local area plan – such as the citywide Rezoning for Housing decision.

Local area plans are also intended to be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure they continue to guide growth and change in a strategic manner.

City Council is the final decision maker on all local area plan amendments.

The Urban Form and Building Scale maps will not be updated as part of the Reconnect.