The owner of the Glenmore Landing Shopping Centre, RioCan, has submitted an outline plan and land use amendment application.
The application includes the shopping centre property and the adjacent City-owned land. The City of Calgary is reviewing the application and will accept public comments until July 22, 2024. You can download the circulation package and the design framework (comprehensive plan for redevelopment) that are being reviewed by the City for this application at Glenmore Landing Redevelopment Proposal (calgary.ca) Please submit comments through the Development Map link. https://developmentmap.calgary.ca/?find=LOC2023-0130 Comments are due by: July 22, 2024 On May 23, 2024, The South Hill land use application for the east side of Riverbend was at Calgary Planning Commission.
Per the notice from the City (below), residents will note that the Commission chose to remove the barricade on Riverstone Road for bus and emergency access, which would allow for all vehicle use. Based on conversations with residents, I advocated to maintain this condition at Planning Commission, however this was not supported and an amendment to the Outline Plan was passed. You can watch video of the presentation by Administration, my debate, and changes by Commission here: pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/Players/ISIStandAlonePlayer.aspx?Id=fd53a68c-7126-4625-9710-4130cc0dc0db (Item starts at 3:00:00) Knowing this was important to nearby residents, I am working with Administration to understand if there is another opportunity to give direction to have Riverstone Road open to only transit and emergency access. It is my hope to have this plan in place for public hearing on July 16, 2024. I encourage residents to consider writing to Council or presenting to Council to voice concerns at the July 16 Public Hearing of Council Find more information on the public submission and presentation process here: Council and committee meetings (calgary.ca) Kourtney The need for homes is not going away. On this it seems, we all agree. To that end, a societal crisis requires our collective response. Do we need to build in the greenfield to accommodate the number of people coming to Calgary? Yes (right now), AND Do we need to ensure we are releasing city owned land for subsidized affordable housing? Yes (we are), AND Do we need to continue to encourage development around transit? Yes, AND Do we need to provide more options in low density housing form in established communities? Yes, and that’s why we are here. We’ve hosted a brave conversation. We have held space for competing viewpoints through a democratic process of a public hearing. It is apparent that Calgarians are connected to their neighbourhoods. They have built memories and invested in community. And for those who do not have that stability – they indicated they are seeking those same opportunities, to move simply from housing to a place they can call home. It is not lost on me the personal and vulnerable stories shared with us about living or escaping precarious housing positions or the real challenges of finding housing despite having (adequate) stable income or saving. I worry about those who didn’t come share their stories but who are living rough situations every day. We will need to move forward together after this decision. This action alone will not solve the housing crisis and neither will this destroy neighbourhoods. Calgarians and Council will have to contemplate the future after our decision, as there will be need for further action and investment no matter the vote today. On the backside we will have to manage the challenges. Many of the concerns raised from both sides could be true – we could struggle with parking. We could also struggle with more homelessness. When it comes right down to it, I would rather have the challenge of managing utility capacity or infrastructure upgrades, parking or garbage bins than managing the challenges that come from a housing shortage. I don’t want to need to increase funding to social agencies or continue to see housing and rents costs drastically outpacing inflation or wages. I want to lessen the pressure on non-market housing providers and know that every door means one less houseless person or family, because it is not just those on the lowest income spectrum unable to find housing. We are one of the most diverse Cities in Canada–by age, income, ethnicity, but this diversity is not reflected in our housing. A thought leader on EDI says the opposite of equity diversity and inclusion is:
If we are truly committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion as City leaders, then we cannot ignore that those values must be part of our housing and land strategy, city wide. Saying yes to city-wide rezoning, yes to a new(ish) kind of housing, in more places across all communities, will be one of the most kind and generous things we can do for our city, for others who are here now and needing housing, and those who are coming who we’ve yet to meet. Generosity as a principle is about setting aside personal need for the good of others. Community is built by action. Actions of hope, joy, love, sharing. Community is not a static state. The words that resonated with me throughout the hearing were the need for future focus, sustainability, and normalization of new-ish housing types. Housing needs to be our priority. Financially, this is good for everyone. Environmentally, this is good for everyone. Socially, this is incredibly good for everyone. Whether by need or by choice, we need more homes. This is not a matter of if we build it, they will come. They are coming. They are already here. To borrow from Mr. Johnston – It’s time to build optimism. I am supporting rezoning. KourtneyHearing from the public is important. What I appreciate about public submissions and presentations at council is the ‘why’ behind the support or disagreement with the proposal before council.
I encourage all Calgarians, regardless of age, housing need, or length of time living in Calgary, to consider writing to council or presenting to council on April 22. Find more information on the public submission and presentation process here: Council and committee meetings (calgary.ca) Learn more about proposed rezoning here: Rezoning for housing (calgary.ca) Since taking office I have been keenly focused on supporting housing, social supports, and transit affordability for all.
The recently released 2024 provincial budget falls short of addressing these critical areas that as a council, we have stepped up to support to ensure no Calgarian gets left behind. It is disappointing that after years of continued advocacy from Calgary and other municipalities that funding for preventative social services through FCSS (Family and Community Support Services) remains well below the needed level of $130 million to fully fund FCSS programs. FCSS programs across the province work to prevent poverty, social isolation, and family violence. Per the agreement, this joint program between municipalities and the Province, programs should receive 80% of its funding from the Province and 20% from municipalities. However, with no budgeted inflationary growth in provincial funding, municipalities are now on the hook to cover 25-30% of program costs and are unable to support organizations with new programming dollars for crucial preventative social services. Preventative social care is the most cost-effective way to ensure more expensive intervention spending isn’t needed further down the road. Calgary recently made significant investments in affordable housing. This has been met with federal funding and support. To date, the Province, while continuing to say they want to be a partner, hasn’t put their money where their mouth is. A good partnership supports the initiatives and leadership of others, we do not have that with this provincial government. I worry about the condition of provincially-owned social housing managed by housing providers. I worry that an increase in rent supplements alone, without significant new affordable housing doors, does not accurately reflect the real need for permanent below-market affordable housing that is shock resistant to market volatility. Simply put, the Province still has not come to the table as a fully invested partner to address the housing crisis. This budget also appears to reduce funding support for low-income Calgary transit passes. Meaning the cost of subsidizing Calgarians of the lowest income will almost entirely fall to the City and we will have to adjust for an increase to our budget to support these residents. Councillor Dhaliwal and I previously advanced an initiative through City Administration to the Province, valued at $1.7 million, that saw seniors have their income evaluated independently of their multi-generational household income. This allowed more seniors to qualify for the low-income transit pass, giving them independence through transit. The program saw great uptake but now there’s no certainty that it can continue, thus increasing the cost of living for Calgary seniors and hindering their social mobility. I will continue to advocate for housing, social services, and municipal funding to help Calgarians have infrastructure and services that reflect their needs and quality of life they expect. - Kourtney |
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May 2024
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