In-person Engagement Session

• Wednesday, June 12 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• The Elbow Park Residents Association Clubhouse is located at 800 - 34 Ave SW Calgary.
• Registration not required. Drop in anytime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Virtual Engagement Sessions

• Tuesday, June 4 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 18 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• A brief presentation, followed by the opportunity to ask questions and provide input.
• REGISTER HERE for virtual engagement sessions.

This video presentation below is an overview of Phase 2 Engagement:

Engagement Booklets will be mailed to homes and businesses starting the week of May 28. They include a feedback form on the back page that includes pre-paid postage to mail back to us by June 24.

A digital version of the Engagement Booklet is available if you did not receive one. You can also find a booklet at an Engagement Station (see map) nearby.

There are multiple topics open for feedback:

• Topic 1: Vision and Core Values
• Topic 2: Potential Focus Areas for Growth
• Draft Plans: Provide feedback on the revised draft of Chapter 1 & the initial draft of Chapter 2 of the local area plan.

Click the tabs below to review information on provide feedback on each topic.

What We’re Talking About Now

We are currently in Phase 2 – EXPLORE, and we want to hear your thoughts on the draft Vision and Core Values. We’re also going to start looking at where and how growth and change could happen in the area.

What We’ve Discussed So Far

In Phase 1 – ENVISION, we asked you to help us look back at the past, understand the present and envision the future. The feedback provided helped us draft a Vision and Core Values for the West Elbow Communities that will help guide decisions about the evolution of the area over the next 30 years.

What We’ll Discuss Next

Your input now will help inform and refine the focus areas for growth and new development. In the next phase of engagement, we will ask for your thoughts on the appropriate building scales (heights/number of storeys) and uses (residential, commercial, industrial, mixed use, etc.) for growth within all areas of the plan. In addition, we will discuss community improvements and reinvestments.

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

City Council is the decision maker for all local area plan amendments

Yes. During the third phase of public engagement, which is scheduled to launch in the fall, we will be talking about the community improvements that people want to see throughout the West Elbow Communities.

This could include items such as park improvements, streetscape upgrades or planting of more trees. The input we get during Phase 3 will help shape Chapter 3: Supporting Growth.

On May 14, 2024, City Council voted to approve citywide rezoning with amendments. Additional information will be shared on Calgary.ca/RezoningforHousing as it becomes available.

Local area plans will align with Council's rezoning decision to support rowhouses. Moving forward, efforts will shift to helping people understand how citywide rezoning and the local area plans align. 

In Phase 2, we explore potential focus areas where new moderate-to large-scale homes and businesses could be welcomed. This is generally defined as buildings that are 4 storeys or larger, in contrast to small-scale homes, which are those 3 storeys or less.

A small-scale home is any home that is three storeys or less with one or more units that each have their own exterior entrance.

According to the Land Use Bylaw, small-scale homes include:

Single-detached homes

• Contain one primary residence and may include a backyard or basement suite.
• Can be different scales including one storey (bungalow) two or three storeys.
• The general lot coverage is 45 per cent and the maximum height is 10 metres.

Semi-detached and duplex homes

• Contain two primary residences in one building and may include a basement suite or backyard suite for each primary residence.
• Residences in semi-detached dwellings are separated from each other side to side, and duplexes are separated above and below. Can be different scales including one storey (bungalow) two or three storeys.
• The general lot coverage is 45 per cent and the maximum height is 10 metres. This makes the massing generally similar to a single-detached home.

Rowhomes

• Contain three or more residences on a property and may include a basement suite or backyard suite for each primary residence.
• Typically have up to 60 per cent lot coverage and up to three storeys in height (11 metres).

Triplex and Fourplex homes

• Contain three or more primary residences (suites are not permitted).
• Residences not required to have front entrance facing the street.
• Typically have up to 60 per cent lot coverage and can be up to three storeys in height (11 metres).
• Residences are separated from each other side to side and / or top to bottom.

The West Village will be incorporated into the Greater Downtown as part of the revised Calgary Plan. This will allow the area to be better integrated with the Greater Downtown, as it relates to the river pathway and open space system and other downtown-related initiatives on West Village lands. The map on page 2 reflects this boundary amendment.

Heritage Guidelines Areas have concentrations of heritage assets (homes built prior to 1945), sometimes known as character homes. Heritage assets are privately owned structures that significantly retain their original form, scale, massing, window/door pattern and architectural details or materials.

Concentrations of heritage assets have been identified in 11 of the West Elbow Communities: Bankview, Cliff Bungalow, Elbow Park, Erlton, Mission, Roxboro, Rideau Park, Scarboro, South Calgary, Sunalta, and Upper Mount Royal.

The Heritage Guidelines will help ensure new development respects the historic character of existing homes and positively contributes to the ongoing heritage nature of these areas. When the Guidelines are in place, any plans to build or renovate homes within the boundaries must meet the Heritage Guidelines.

You can find more information about Heritage Guidelines and the Working Group here.

More information on the Heritage Guidelines will be released in Phase 3 of public engagement, along with opportunities to provide feedback as the plan develops.

The West Elbow Communities will continue to grow and develop as active and vibrant communities that are defined by their proximity to downtown, walkable neighbourhoods, access to an exceptional park network highlighted by the Elbow River valley, variety of homes, as well as its unique mix of local businesses. Main Streets such as 17 Ave. S.W., 33 Ave. S.W. and 14 St. S.W., and LRT and BRT Stations will be areas of the greatest growth and change, followed by secondary corridors, nodes and activity centres.

Utilize public space including parks, civic facilities and public roads to improve social connections and improve safety in the community and gathering opportunities with improved lighting, activity and wayfinding.

Enable a diversity of new housing that includes older and newer homes while providing opportunities for the retention of historic homes. Support housing options that meet the needs of all ages, abilities, incomes and household compositions.

Improve the safety and ease that people move throughout the West Elbow Communities, prioritizing pedestrian experience, active mobility and transit connections.

Build resiliency and develop mitigation measures that address hazards caused by a changing climate, particularly flood or drought events on the Elbow River, while supporting development and ways of travel that reduce per capita greenhouse gas emissions.

Enable a mix of businesses that allow daily needs to be met close to home and contribute to a unique sense of place. Build upon the network of Main Streets comprised of 10 Ave. S.W., 17 Ave. S.W., 33 Ave. S.W., Macleod Tr. S.W., 4 St. S.W. and 14 St. S.W. while exploring opportunities for neighbourhood commercial uses along secondary streets and nodes.

Recognize the Elbow River Valley and local parks as the foundation for an enhanced and expanded open space system that provides social, recreational and ecological functions. Steward the use of park space to protect areas of ecological and cultural significance.

New moderate-to large-scale buildings for homes and businesses give more people the option of living and working near local amenities, shops, and restaurants.

Since more people bring more businesses to an area, it also provides all residents and employees with increased access to a greater variety of amenities and services nearby.

There are areas in the city where this type of development is already directed to go. Focus areas for growth are outlined in Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP).

These growth focus areas include:

1. The map below shows initial ideas and potential focus areas for moderate-to large-scale growth.

2. We want and need your feedback to refine the map.

3. The map was created based on direction in the Municipal Development Plan (see overview under the key considerations above), with some refinements made based on initial feedback.

• Orange areas show potential focus areas where new buildings that are four storeys (or potentially higher) could potentially be welcomed if proposed in the future. These areas are a starting point for discussion.
  
  
• Grey areas are existing focus areas that already support (through zoning or policy) new development that is four storeys or higher.

4. New development will continue to be proposed with or without a local area plan in place. Through discussions like these, we can work together to help guide where new moderate-to large-scale buildings could fit best.

5. In the next phase of engagement, in Fall 2024, revised maps with additional detail (including potential building scales/heights and uses – residential/commercial/mixed-use) will be shared and additional opportunities for discussion and feedback will be provided.

These areas are existing focus areas that already support (through zoning or policy) new development that is 4-6, 7-12 or greater than 12 storeys.

The orange areas are potential focus areas for growth to discuss and consider. Light orange areas show proposed 4-6 storey growth, medium orange areas show proposed 7-12 storey growth and dark orange areas show proposed greater than 12 storey growth (colours subject to change).

Based on the Municipal Development Plan and feedback received so far, these are areas that have been highlighted as potential areas for discussion and feedback, where new buildings that are four storeys (or potentially higher) might fit best if proposed in the future.

Focus areas for growth are areas where buildings such as residential apartments, buildings with shops on the ground floor and residential above (mixed-use), or commercial and professional office buildings could fit best.