Community activists feel ‘betrayed’ after last-minute density change
A last-minute density change to Plan It Calgary the city’s long-range growth blueprint unanimously approved by council has angered community activists who say the deal was brokered in a backroom.
Developers met with Mayor Dave Bronconnier days before the September 28 council meeting. Council then approved an amendment relaxing density targets for new communities — a target city administration had already softened — to 60 residents and jobs per hectare down from 70 residents in the original plan. Recent plans for new communities are already within that density range.
“We’re feeling very much betrayed” says community activist Cheri Macaulay. “There are some really good things in this plan… but when it took a backroom deal and an end run around the stakeholders who have given their own time to participate in this for months then you sacrifice something that’s pretty fundamental.”
Mary Axworthy the city’s director of land use planning and policy says she’s “extremely happy” with council’s decisions. “Perspective is what’s required here. Council made one amendment that deals with planning for one part of the city.” The “critical” targets — such as shifting half of the city’s growth into developed areas over the next 60 years — are still intact Axworthy says. “That’s huge.”
Michael Flynn of the Urban Development Institute says it’s not unusual for developers to meet with city politicians. “There have been [industry] meetings going on throughout this whole process with the aldermen and administration as well.”
