Civic Affairs

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Repeal of Blanket Rezoning Approved on April 8, 2026

The public hearing to repeal blanket rezoning was held March 23-April 8, 2026.  Council voted to repeal blanket rezoning 12-3 with Councillors Atkinson, Schmidt, and Yule opposed.  This is very good news for Calgarians, however, more needs to be done to protect single family areas.

Implementation Date – August 4, 2026

As of August 4, 2026 most properties will revert back to their former land use district – mostly RC-1 (single detached dwelling) and RC-2 (semi-detached or duplex dwelling).

Properties that have received an approval for a rowhouse prior to August 4, 2026 will retain R-CG zoning.  Applications for rowhouses or subdivisions submitted prior to first reading of the bylaw on April 8 will be reviewed under the old/current bylaw and those properties will retain R-CG zoning. 

Applications for development permits received after first reading of the bylaw on April 8 will be processed under the new bylaw that comes into effect on August 4, 2026.

Appeals of approved development permits are made to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB).  If an approval of a rowhouse is overturned by SDAB prior to August 4, that property will revert back to its previous zoning.

The major change is that if a landowner wants to build a rowhouse, they will now have to rezone the land from RC-1 or RC-2 to R-CG or H-GO at a public hearing of Council before they can obtain a development permit.  This allows affected residents to present their case to Council as to whether the site is appropriate for a rowhouse.

Other Approved Changes

Backyard Suites

  • A property can no longer build both a secondary suite and a backyard suite. It may only have either a secondary suite or a backyard suite.
  • Backyard suites can no longer be built on properties with semi-detached homes.
  • Backyard suites will have a parking requirement again (0.5 stalls/unit instead of 0.0).

Amendments to the Rules for Rowhouses

Approved changes to R-CG that will apply to future developments after August 4, 2026:

  • Maximum height is reduced from 11 metres to 10 metres.
  • Maximum lot coverage is reduced from 60% to 55%.
  • Zero lot line developments are no longer allowed.
  • Rowhouses that meet all rules can be a permitted use in R-CG again, the same as prior to the citywide rezoning in 2024. There are no appeals of permitted uses.

 

Motions Arising & Public Hearing on July 21, 2026:

R-CG Zone Testing and Modelling of Additional Rule Changes

Direct Administration to undertake technical modelling to:

  • Evaluate a reduction in R-CG maximum density from 75 to 60 units per hectare and, if appropriate, bring any required Land Use Bylaw rule changes back to the July 21, 2026 Public Hearing.
  • R-CG rule changes including contextual front setbacks, number of buildings on a property, and restricting rowhouses and townhouses mid-block, as part of the new Zoning Bylaw.

Change Secondary and Backyard Suites to Permitted Uses

Direct Administration to bring back amendments to the land use bylaw to allow for secondary suites and backyard suites to be permitted uses in all low-density residential districts. These changes will be brought forward at the July 21, 2026, public hearing for further consideration for approval by Council.

(Note:  The Varsity Community Association will oppose changing backyard suites from a discretionary use to a permitted use as it is essential affected neighbours have the right to appeal this use at SDAB.  Backyard suites can be two storeys tall and located in a back yard or on top of a garage.  They have the potential to create overshadowing and overlooking issues and increase parking congestion.)

Support Strategic Council Discussion on Growth Opportunities

Direct Administration to prepare for the July 16, 2026, Strategic Meeting of Council information, analysis and discussion with respect to where and how more housing can occur in Calgary in alignment with the draft growth split target, with a focus on nodes and corridors, transit-oriented development, and brownfield sites.

Rezone Properties with Subdivision and Development Appeal Board Refusals

Direct Administration to bring a report to a public hearing in Q4 that reverts the zoning of properties that had applications refused by the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

South Shaganappi Local Area Plan

 Note that we still need amendments to the South Shaganappi Local Area Plan to include a designation to preserve single family areas.

New Calgary Zoning Bylaw

City Administration is preparing the Calgary Zoning Bylaw which will replace Land Use Bylaw 1P2007.  Calgarians will have to pay close attention to the many changes proposed in this bylaw.