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During this budget cycle we’ve talked a lot about affordability and the challenges of cost escalations over a number of daily needs for all individuals and families. Over the past year I’ve heard from many constituents sharing their stories of affordability, and what becomes clear hearing the many different stories of ward 11 residents, is that affordability is more than property taxes. This budget invests in our city services and public amenities (libraries, recreation, pathways, parks) in response to the most common requests from residents to tackle the major challenges and opportunities facing Calgarians. The investments brought forward were part of monthly sessions of refinements over the course of a year, where options were presented to Council for consideration. They advanced priorities brought forward by councillors (both individually and collectively) and Administration based on their knowledge of service needs and most importantly, direct citizen feedback. The resulting investments were those which received the most support from Council and Administration. I am proud to support this budget based on the communication my office has received from residents. The most frequent concern we hear from all communities are about improvements to pedestrian safety. Data shows that those who live close to services and amenities incur less costs, especially transit and active transportation. There are multiple line items in this budget to improve active mobility and make it more affordable for Calgarians to get around including:
We’ve also clearly heard the need for better transit safety. There is a $15 million new investment ensuring more Peace Officers on transit for quicker service call response. This also comes with funding for social-service agencies to work alongside Peace Officers to provide support and access to services for vulnerable persons. Other investments included in this budget help Calgarians with low-income, including $10 million in funding for emergency support for vulnerable Calgarians. This funding will be allocated to non-profit service providers to provide basic needs funds for those requiring relief supports. The budget includes over $75 million for housing, with a particular focus on creating and delivery more affordable housing. This will add more housing to our city in the short and long term to provide much needed relief for Calgarians. As we continue to evolve the budget process, we will continue to look for both savings and investments to deliver a spectrum of quality services for Calgarians. As always, I’m committed to a long term vision for Calgary and making smart investments that build on our current successes. The budget adjustment package for 2024 was released publicly today November 7, 2023. The investments put forward are a direct result of listening to Calgarians and asking us, collectively, to invest in a secure and safe future.
In 2023, I championed free transit for youth under 12. Due to overwhelming success and support of Calgarians, transit would like to make this permanent and I’m very supportive of this change. All transit fare increases are also paused in this budget. The presentation from administration outlines the budget, the factors in the decisions before us, and a breakdown of the recommended tax increase resulting from previously approved direction, tax shift, and new investments (page 27). The presentation also benchmarks the City against other jurisdictions, especially with regards to the tax ratio. In many ways, Calgary is a leader, remaining one of the lowest taxed jurisdictions both provincially and nationally. However, our competitive edge with regards to business property tax is quickly declining. A course correction has been recommended for a second year in a row. It is good policy and governance to use this data to support the shift even knowing the costs to non-residential rate payers. As always, I encourage you to read through the budget and send in your comments. You may also make a public submission to council or apply to speak. KourtneyOctober 23 & 25 UPDATES:
October 10 UPDATE:
October 2 UPDATE: RioCan posted the following update and details of an upcoming information session for community members on their website Home - Glenmore Landing (community-developmentinfo.com): Project Status Since we submitted our initial Outline Plan, Land Use Redesignation and Draft Plan of Subdivision in Spring 2023, we have been working with the City of Calgary to refine our applications and as we continue to do so, we want to re-engage with community members and tenants for further feedback. We want to share what we heard from you and how we have addressed your comments in our applications. We’re hosting an Information Session for community members! Use the link to sign up for a timeslot on our Eventbrite webpage. Registration is required – no drop-ins will be accepted. Eventbrite Registration: glenmorelanding.eventbrite.ca Information Session Details Date: October 25, 2023 Time: 10am – 8pm Location: Heritage Park – Gasoline Alley Mezzanine (Second Floor). Elevators available. Please note: Timeslot registration is on a first-come-first-serve basis to manage attendance, reduce long lines, and to ensure we can discuss the project with all attendees. Eventbrite reservations will be checked at the door. 90-minute free parking available with plate registration. September 15 UPDATE: We received the following update from RioCan: "RioCan has received valuable feedback from the community on the proposed development at Glenmore Landing and understand that the site is an important feature for surrounding neighbourhoods. We will be returning for further engagement on October 25th to share project updates with the community and revisions made to the Land Use application, including but not limited to the lowering of building heights. We understand that there are outstanding questions or concerns with respect to traffic and parking and are in the process of or committed to completing the necessary studies to ensure this redevelopment is feasible. All this and more will be shared with the community at our next engagement session." Visit Home - Glenmore Landing (community-developmentinfo.com) for more information and updates from the developer. July 28 UPDATE: Kourtney’s Responses to Common Concerns re. RioCan Glenmore Landing Redevelopment Thank you to everyone who submitted comments on the proposed RioCan Glenmore Landing Redevelopment and shared those comments with the Ward 11 Office. The feedback received as part of the engagement process will inform ongoing conversations between Kourtney, the developer, RioCan, and City Administration in acknowledging and addressing the project challenges and opportunities of the project. The officially submitted comments are being compiled and documented by Planning and have not been shared with us yet. We can state that comments we have heard thus far that relate to such matters as building height, intersection safety, and construction staging timelines are of critical importance. Compiled feedback and further project information should be available in the fall and as we know more, we will share with the community as well as update the project info page on Kourtney’s website where you can find current information to date. Kourtney will continue to consider community feedback while evaluating the proposal based on its merits and drawbacks, in conjunction with city-wide policies and goals. Please find Kourtney’s response to each of the summarized common concerns received by the Ward 11 Office. These common concerns have been shared with both RioCan and City Planning for respective comment/response. You can also watch a video of Kourtney discussing these points Kourtney’s comment on the proposed development by Glenmore Landing My role at this time is to continue to consider community feedback while evaluating the proposal based on its merits and drawbacks, in conjunction with city-wide policies and goals. Overall, I welcome residential development at the RioCan site. It has long been identified as a potential residential growth area. The City continues to try and accommodate the need for new homes across the city without sprawling outwards, and this site is well situated to offer new residents access to established services such as transit, schools, shopping, and recreation. The initial proposal is not without its flaws and there is much still to be determined and agreed upon. City Planning and I continue to encourage RioCan to refine their proposal and as those amendments are completed, to return to the community for further engagement which will likely occur in fall 2023. Comment: “The proposed building heights are too high.” I’ve expressed concerns with the shadowing directly to RioCan and will evaluate their changes as they come forward based on comments from the public and my own observations on the project. The shadows, sun glare, and privacy concerns of the proposed heights, - particularly of the East towers, are well warranted. I will continue to work with RioCan on heights that are contextually sensitive to the existing community and naturalized areas while still allowing for a viable development. Comment: “There is not a need for (affordable) housing in this area.” Affordable Housing is needed throughout Calgary. This including market rentals, below market units, and dedicated seniors housing. The towers to the West, along 90th avenue are continually sought after and full, indicating good market potential in this area. It is important that we welcome housing in all forms across the city to accommodate incoming and existing Calgarians. Affordable Housing, as we commonly use the term, in Calgary refers to units that are rented at below market rate, often managed, and provided through a non-profit housing provider though not in all cases. The application would be what is deemed mixed-market, meaning the units would be of both below and at market rates. Comment: “There will be a loss of parking.” The plan does not propose to take away any existing parking from the site. However, this seems to be an issue requiring clarity from RioCan and I have/will ask for them to communicate to the community. There is an area of currently underused parking which the developer plans to use for construction staging East of Safeway. The parking lot currently does not fill as there are regularly open spots on the east side of the property. Further, housing on the site will need to provide for a ratio of new parking for their residents and guests which aligns with City policy and will be part of the final land-use agreement. As a private site, parking for uses such as access to the reservoir pathway are not required to be contemplated in the review. The site is under no obligation to provide free parking for pathway users. That said, this is a reality and RioCan is aware of this benefit their site offers to Calgarians. Comment: “This will create an increase in traffic that creates an unsafe environment.” More homes and businesses do indeed bring more traffic. Applications of this size require a traffic impact assessment provided by the applicant which reviews the number of units/proposed population, access by emergency vehicles, commercial truck traffic, along with pedestrian and cycling movement. This will all be part of the ongoing conversations and is standard in the development process. A site such as this is contained service-wise and with proximity to transit, walking, and cycling should alleviate some of these pressures. The intersections and access points on site will be reviewed for function and this application provides an opportunity to look towards enhancing these intersections to provide better pedestrian and cycling crossings along with traffic pattern improvements. I am committed to ensuring this work is completed as part of amenity upgrades that coincide with the development. Comment: “90 Ave and 14th Street need upgrades due to the ring road connection, so this development is not compatible” At this time 90 Ave continues to be reviewed for vehicle count, speeds, and safety. There have been upgrades such as lights and overhead pedestrian crossing signals in the past 12 months which have been due to advocacy from our office upon hearing residents’ concerns. Our understanding is that no further upgrades to 90 Ave pertaining to the ring road connection are planned. Administration is the lead on traffic and roads and will be able to offer further information in the coming months. Comment: The area schools cannot handle the population increase. Schools in the area are not at capacity. The site is within walking distance to multiple elementary schools and two junior high schools. Comment: Businesses will be lost. RioCan’s business model relies upon occupancy in their units be it residential or commercial. I will defer to RioCan to comment on why compromising the relationship with their tenants is not in their best interests and how construction will be mindful of the need for businesses tenants to stay operational during the construction. No businesses are being moved or displaced to accommodate construction. A more populous area better supports commercial activity, in particular grocery stores. Additionally, residential towers present the opportunity for further businesses to be part of the site to complement other uses. Comment: “The construction will take too long.” Project of this scale regardless of location take time. Per above, RioCan will be looking to protect their existing assets to ensure the site is operationally viable. Thus, mitigating construction disruptions will be critical for them. I am mindful that the construction could impact the multi-use pathway on the South side of the site, and we will be working to ensure the pathway stays open throughout the duration of the build. Comment: “This will eliminate green space and impact wildlife.” The wooded green space to the North is not contemplated for redevelopment. We know this area supports wildlife so I will be discussing this further with RioCan and Admin and asking for mitigations to concerns such as light pollution, sun glare, and sound during and after construction. The grass berms being proposed to use for construction are not significant in terms of ecology. Tree loss will be compensated according to city policy and new greenery can be part of the requirements in any development permit. I will be asking Administration and RioCan to update their communication to clarify these points. Comment: “This will negatively impact water quality in the reservoir and/or the ecology of the area around the reservoir.” There are no indicators that this site could or would impact water quality through development. Water quality of the Glenmore reservoir is primarily affected by rainfall, runoff, pollutants from users, and upstream activity along the Elbow. The naturalized areas surrounding the site could be affected by shadows hence why I will be discussing this further with RioCan and Administration to minimize impacts to plant and animal life. Comment: “This development will negatively impact property value of nearby homes and communities.” Redevelopment alone does not decrease property values. However, I am concerned about impacts of shadowing affecting property values should they not be corrected which I have addressed with the applicant for change. Comment: “The increase in density will result in an increase in crime in neighbouring communities.” Density alone does not increase crime rates and the inference that those residing in the buildings would either be the criminals or attract criminals is not rooted in any fact. There are no evident examples in Calgary where housing has increased crime. Comment: Regarding climate and carbon mindful builds “Will there be solar, electrical charging stations, bird-friendly windows to prevent collisions? Air purification? Heating methods? Etc” These are NOT land use application considerations and would have to be discussed at the development permit stage. May 22, 2023 The RioCan Glenmore Landing redevelopment project (LOC2023-0130) is in the public engagement phase led by the developer, RioCan. The engagement focuses on exploration, feedback gathering, and working through conceptual design ideas. At this stage, it is important for community members to engage in this process and be aware of available information and resources to provide informed feedback, comments, and questions. The role of Councillor Penner is to consider the feedback from individuals and nearby organizations based on this engagement process. Currently, comments we are hearing predominantly relate to effects on traffic, parking, and understanding of affordable/subsidized housing and density. The Ward 11 office was aware of the open-houses hosted in Palliser, Bayview, Pumphill (PBP) and the Haysboro community associations (CAs) and we had opportunity to attend and observe at these events. These open-houses are a good avenue to learn about the proposal and provide constructive comments directly to the developer. Councillor Penner met with RioCan prior to these open-houses and looks forward to follow-up conversations to discuss the information that was shared, and the summarization of feedback heard from attendees and Community Associations. Important information and resources about the project:
At this time, the Ward 11 Office will continue to receive community feedback and help share information (as above) and be in communication with City Administration as they steward the process of this development application, as well as remaining in contact with the developer RioCan to stay informed of the process timelines. The role of Councillor Penner at this time is to consider community feedback while evaluating the proposal based on its merits and drawbacks, in conjunction with city-wide policies and goals. Below is a summary of the timeline and process of the development with the City: 2015, First pre-application submitted. Council Notice of Motion passed directing Administration to work with RioCan (applicant/owner):
2016 – 2022, Negotiations held between RioCan and the City’s Real Estate & Development Services (REDS) 2019, Second pre-application reviewed by Administration, mostly a technical review regarding servicing/infrastructure 2022 (Fall), Purchase & Sale Agreement struck between RioCan and REDS. PSA has clause that land use must be approved by Council by early 2024. 2022 (Fall), Third pre-application reviewed by Administration, mostly Q&A re: technical components and process expectations for a formal application 2023 (March), Fourth pre-application reviewed by Administration, including master plan concept for short term and long-term redevelopment. Master plan concept was also reviewed by UDRP mid-March. 2023 (April), Applicant-led engagement/outreach with surrounding communities and interested parties. Administration was not involved in the engagement. 2023 (May), Planned submission of outline plan and land use amendment (LOC) application to City by applicant. 2023 (July 6), Public comments due 2023 (Fall), Plan for redevelopment goes before Calgary Planning Commission October 25 Update Additional Glenmore Landing redevelopment engagement webinar added, comment closure date extended. In response to requests from the Ward 11 Office, the Glenmore Landing applicant, RioCan has announced an additional online engagement session, supplementary to the sold-out in-person Oct 25th session. Additional public engagement details from https://glenmorelanding.community-developmentinfo.com/ : Date: November 14, 2023 Time: 7 – 8pm Location: Online [Link to be provided once you register] PLEASE NOTE: The information provided in this webinar will be the same information prepared for the in-person Information Session. Please register for the webinar through Eventbrite. We have also confirmed with City Planning that whilst the November 13, 2023, date is published as the last day to submit comments (the standard 3-week consultation period for all applications like this one), residents can submit comments and they will be accepted up until the public hearing of Council. Further public hearing information available on the Application Summary via DMap, https://developmentmap.calgary.ca/?find=LOC2023-0130. October 23 Update The revised application for Glenmore Landing was posted last week and is available to the public. Notably, the proposed maximum heights have decreased from the original proposal of 36 stories to 20-25 stories. City Administration is carefully reviewing the revised application from RioCan with respect to the land use changes at Glenmore Landing. As with all proposed developments, the application is going through an extensive detailed review by subject matter experts within the City including Mobility/traffic, Planning, Environment, and other business units. We encourage you to review the revised application and submit comments by November 13, 2023. You can view more details about the project in two places:
In response to our request for an added engagement session to supplement the sold-out in-person engagement, RioCan is exploring hosting an additional online open house. Any further update would be shared on the RioCan project page (noted above) and as we know more, those details will be shared. As with all applications, the Ward 11 office is reviewing the revised application to examine its alignment with broader city objectives balanced with community comments and providing our feedback to both the applicant and city planning. We have received requests for access to studies provided by the applicant such as:
Upon inquiring with Planning about release of these documents, we have confirmed these reports are the intellectual property of the applicant to be used by specialists within the City to evaluate the proposal. The City uses these reports to make requests for improvements to the land use application (including suggested heights, density, and project phasing) and, if land use is approved, to create conditions as part of the Development Permit application. As these reports are the intellectual property of the applicant, our office is unable to release them to the public. Requests to review these studies should be made directly to the applicant, RioCan. Further, as there is public conversation about the agreement on title regarding the surrounding lands, we noted that it wasn't widely available so want to ensure the public has access to it. You can read the agreement below. 
The following information is to help interested parties to understand the process and legality of the sale of the lands in question.
Comments about the land sale are separate and distinct from the land use application. Comments about the land sale are due to the City by October 23 and used only by the City of Calgary, not RioCan. (realestateinquiries@calgary.ca) RioCan is returning to the community with revised plans on October 25 from 10am-8pm based on feedback submitted from the community, my office, and the planning review team. You can register to attend that session here. Kourtney |
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