CCA Letter Re- Land Use Bylaw Amendments to Address Missing Middle Housing

September 27, 2022

The City of Calgary

P.O Box 2100, Station “M”

Calgary, AB  T2P 2M5

 

Attention: Calgary City Council

Dear City Council:

Re: Land Use Bylaw Amendments to Address Missing Middle Housing (IP2022-0989)

The Calgary Construction Association (CCA) stands in support of City Administration in pursuit of its creative solutions to assist with housing affordability. Namely, the proposed “missing middle” amendments to the land-use bylaw will accommodate housing forms which are unique and gently increase density in existing communities.

The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) endeavours to accommodate 50 percent of Calgary’s future population growth over the next sixty to seventy years within the City’s existing, developed areas.  As such, we believe that changes to Calgary’s Land Use Bylaw that would allow zoning flexibility and gentle density are necessary if the MDP goal is to be actionable – not just aspirational.

As it stands, the current Land Use Bylaw has regulator barriers that limit how units can be arranged on parcels, as well as unclear parking requirements with complex criteria for relaxation. We support the new amendments as regulatory changes would remove these sometimes-costly barriers to market-rate housing – costs that can be then reinvested to deliver a high-standard product.

We believe that these amendments are an important first step in allowing the market the flexibility to create and develop a housing product that is both consistent with the City’s density goals and allows Calgarians further housing choice.

We appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on these amendments. If you have further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Respectfully,

 

Wm (Bill) Black, B.Sc., CEC, LEED AP                                          Frano Cavar

 

President & COO                                                                              Director of Government Relations