Civic Affairs

ARCHIVED CIVIC AFFAIRS REPORTS

VARSITY CIVIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

December 2024

Vecova

The news of the pending closure of Vecova in 2025 has hit Varsity residents and the disabled community in Calgary extremely hard.  Vecova was not successful in obtaining funding from the federal government to upgrade the facility.  For more information see https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/opinion-skies-not-so-blue-in-calgary-for-disability-community.  You can also visit their website at https://vecova.ca/.  You can write your member of parliament to express your opinion on this issue.

Enmax

The Alberta Utilities Commission has released its decision on the appeal of an earlier decision to restore the underground location of the major transmission line on Varsity Estates Drive by the Groves of Varsity and Crowchild Square.  Unfortunately, the decision was to allow the existing overhead structures to remain as they are.

New Zoning Bylaw

The City is creating a new Zoning Bylaw which will replace Bylaw 1P2007.  The residential housing categories will be collapsed into 3 categories.  One of the initiatives is to eliminate parking requirements for all residential development.  It is called an Open Strategy which allows the builder to determine if they need any parking stalls and if so, how many.  It is also proposed to change a number of land uses from discretionary use to permitted use category.  Although the bylaw is still in draft form, we have a number of concerns with respect to residential and parks proposals.  For a complete description of the new zoning bylaw go to:  https://engage.calgary.ca/citybuilding/cbpphase4.

Restrictive Covenants

Restrictive Covenants are an agreement between neighbours that limit the type of development that can be built on their properties.  Email me if you would like me to send you information on this initiative.

South Shaganappi Local Area Plan

The Local Area Plan engagement process is now in Phase 4 and the new map of urban form categories and proposed heights is available at https://engage.calgary.ca/shaganappi/realize.  This will go to the Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC) in January 2025 and will be followed by a public hearing at Council.

For information regarding the Civic Affairs Committee, please contact JoAnne Atkins, Director of Civic Affairs, at joanneatkins@shaw.ca.