Riley Communities Local Area Plan Update

On October 16, 2024, the Riley Communities Local Area Plan was presented to the Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC). After much discussion and debate, a recommendation to refer the Plan back to Administration was passed. This motion was presented to Council on October 29, 2024 and passed unanimously.

As a result, Administration will undertake a review and amend portions of the Plan based on the Council direction below:

1. Prioritize greater density around Transit Oriented Development (TOD) sites within the Riley Communities Local Area Plan;

2. Focus on planning for growth and change that integrates multi-modal mobility and improved citizen experience of land use development that enables walkability, community connections, and integrated commercial and residential uses for all ages and abilities; and

3. Report back to the Infrastructure and Planning Committee by Q2 2025.

Once these changes are made, an updated Riley Communities Local Area Plan will be presented to the IPC. A return-back date to IPC has not been determined. We will provide regular updates when available.

Click here for Phase 4: REALIZE

About


Communities change and evolve over time. Conversations about where, why and how revitalization and redevelopment should happen are essential to ensure our communities change in the right ways.

Through the local area planning process, we'll work together to create a future vision for how land could be used and redeveloped in the Riley Communities area. A local area plan outlines a future vision for the area, provides guidance on what growth and change makes sense where, and includes development direction that residents, landowners, builders and developers, city planners and Councillors can commonly refer to as new development ideas are proposed by property owners and landowners in the area.

Learn more about Local Area Planning in Calgary.

The Riley Communities Local Area Planning project is one of the 42 multi-communities areas in the city. This project includes the communities of: Sunnyside, Hillhurst, West Hillhurst and Hounsfield Heights - Briar Hill.

A new local area plan will fill gaps in communities/areas where no local plan currently exists and replace other plans that are largely outdated. In this project context, the local area plan will cover multiple communities and will be a statutory plan adopted by Council as an Area Redevelopment Plan.


As part of the Riley Communities Local Area Plan, we will be working with interested or impacted groups and individuals in the plan area to create Heritage Guidelines. These will apply in areas of the Riley Communities that have concentrated groupings of heritage assets, sometimes known as character homes. Heritage assets are privately owned structures, typically constructed before 1945, that significantly retain their original form, scale, massing, window/door pattern and architectural details or materials.

The Guidelines will help ensure new development respects the historic character of existing homes and positively contributes to the ongoing historic 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.

The intent is that the Heritage Guidelines will address general characteristics of buildings rather than enforcing strict architectural rules. Although the design of new development needs to be sensitive to and respect existing heritage assets, the intent of the Heritage Guidelines is not to require new development to have a historic appearance. Instead, the Heritage Guidelines are written to encourage modern development that is highly contextual and echoes the past context established by existing heritage assets.

Communities in Calgary have sought these types of area-based heritage conservation tools for a long time. In July 2020, Council approved a series of conservation tools and incentives to offer that area-based approach. More information on the Heritage Guidelines will be released along with opportunities to provide feedback as the plan is further developed.


To help inform our understanding of community context & trends in the local area plan, we are also undertaking a mobility study. This study will review existing and anticipated transportation issues and opportunities in the Riley communities. In addition, this study will provide a long-term roadmap for the City to guide transportation improvement projects and investments to address issues and opportunities over the next several years. This page will be updated as the project develops.

Timeline

Four phase process from winter 2022 - fall 2023

Riley Communities Local Area Plan: Project Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    ENVISION

    Phase 1: Spring 2022

    • Looking back at the past, understanding the present and envisioning the future of the area.
    • Share what you love about the community, what could be improved, and your vision for the future.
    • Apply to be a member of the working group

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    EXPLORE

    Phase 2: Fall / Winter 2022

    • Exploring where and how growth and change could happen in the area.

  • Timeline item 3 - complete

    REFINE

    Phase 3: Fall 2023

    • Refining the local area plan and confirming investment priorities.

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    REALIZE

    Phase 4: Spring - Fall 2024

    • May-June 2024: Sharing the final draft local area plan with the public for review.
    • September - October 2024: Sharing the proposed plan and bringing it forward to Committee and Council for review and Public Hearing.

Past Engagement

Below are reports completed after each phase of engagement.

To learn about what we heard from the public and other key impacted and interested groups view the What We Heard Reports and What We Heard Engagement Summary.

To see key themes raised as well as summaries of what we did in each phase of engagement, view the What We Did Reports.

Phase 1: ENVISION

Phase 2: EXPLORE

Phase 3: REFINE

Phase 4: REALIZE

Related Planning Initiatives

We’re planning and building our city now to ensure we remain a place where home is sustainable, diverse, accessible, equitable and liveable for everyone. We need to act now as we are quickly approaching a population of two million Calgarians.

Current initiatives include:

  • Home is Here: The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy: This strategy aspires to ensure that everyone living in Calgary has an affordable place to call home.
  • City Building Program: This program of work, which includes the Calgary Plan, Zoning Bylaw, and Street Manual, will set the forward-looking direction, and provide clear and user-friendly policy and regulation for The City and our partners to guide growth, mobility, land-use and development citywide.
  • Rezoning for Housing: As part of the Home is Here: The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy this work will present to Council a proposal to rezone low-density residential areas to a base residential district that supports more housing options and improves affordability in all communities.

Learn more and get involved in these current initiatives focused on supporting the ongoing planning and building of our city.

GET INVOLVED

Your feedback is needed to help shape how your community and the surrounding area grows and changes over the next 30 years.

Click the links below to review previous engagement phases and to get involved in current engagement as the Riley Communities Local Area Plan is created and refined.


  • Phase 1: ENVISION

    Looking back at the past, understanding the present, and envisioning the future of the area.

    CLICK TO VIEW PAGE 

  • Phase 2: EXPLORE

    Exploring where and how growth and change could happen in the area.


    CLICK TO VIEW PAGE 

  • Phase 3: REFINE

    Refining the plan and confirming the community improvement ideas.



    CLICK TO VIEW PAGE