In this week's episode, Councillor Dan Mclean joins me to discuss Calgary's proposed blanket rezoning plan, which would see existing single family homes converted into townhomes and row houses. We talk about the potential issues that could arise from this change, including infrastructure issues and parking issues.
00:00:53.720So one of the questions that I'm hearing a lot of when I talk to Calgary residents is they actually aren't sure how many properties are going to be allowed on a home.
00:01:01.880So for example, let's say you live in a neighborhood, there's a little old bungalow beside you.
00:01:05.940That bungalow could be sold, it could be taken down and four new properties could be built.
00:01:11.660The city's also saying that there would be allowed suites in each one of those four units.
00:01:16.700Which would actually mean that there's eight new properties on a home beside you, which before was just a bungalow with maybe a couple people living in it.
00:01:23.220So what's your understanding of what's actually going to be allowed under these rezoning efforts?
00:01:27.940Yeah, I think the city has done a very poor job communicating this.
00:01:31.480When they say four units, that means they have four doors that come off of a sidewalk or off a street.
00:02:37.620Already, in some of these communities that have started to densify, there's problems in the back alleys with, like you said, trash containers.
00:02:58.320So if you have, say, a single family home, like you said, one trash can and two parking spots, and maybe you can park in front of you if you have a driveway and a garage.
00:03:08.980But now this is going to be a problem with additional parking.
00:03:12.160If you are in center block, mid-block is where we are going to see most of the problems.
00:03:15.960If you have a corner or on a busy thoroughway by close to a transit station, I understand this density is needed in the right places.
00:03:24.300But mid-block and middle of established communities, that's where people are having a problem.
00:03:29.880Because not only with the parking, not only with the crowded trash containers, but like you had mentioned, Rachel, the infrastructure.
00:03:37.680Can we handle that many more toilets flushing?1.00
00:03:42.840So, yeah, there's some big issues here to consider.
00:03:45.760Why doesn't the city use city-owned land to build some new houses instead of having people who have really invested their entire livelihood into their home?
00:03:53.740I mean, you think about it, homes costing half a million dollars.
00:03:56.100People spend lifetimes paying off mortgages, and their investment is being ripped away from them.
00:04:00.180They don't know what's going to happen to the neighborhood they live in.
00:04:02.700Why doesn't the city use their own resources?
00:04:04.440Yeah, it's their biggest investment probably in their life.
00:04:08.020The uncertainty has created chaos in the market as well.
00:05:04.020When we're talking about questioning the motives, I mean, another thing that's been raised is it almost seems like this could be a cash grab for city property taxes.
00:05:10.980If you think about it, if you live somewhere, you're one house, you're paying property taxes on that one property.
00:06:59.820We've had multiple presenters, experts, from the chief economists from Calgary Real Estate Board, saying that this will not make homes less affordable.
00:07:09.020It's been proven in New Zealand and in Vancouver, anywhere where density, the length of density has been done, it has not lowered the prices of homes at all.
00:07:18.260So now we're not hearing that narrative because it doesn't carry any water.
00:07:22.980It's more about building more supplies.
00:07:24.780So, yeah, that's kind of my take on it.
00:07:29.680How likely is it that this policy continues to go through at this point?
00:07:32.600I mean, I feel fairly confident in saying Calgary residents, by and large, don't want this.
00:07:36.200It's a small percentage of people who support these policies.
00:07:38.940But the homeowners who have spent their lives, as we mentioned, investing in their properties, don't want this.
00:07:43.060So what are the chances that we can actually reverse this and get back to some common sense?
00:07:47.500So what we're going to be having is a few more, several more days of debate.
00:07:52.560And then we will debate amongst ourselves or several more days of public hearings.
00:07:58.100And then that's when the councils will debate and put amendments forward.
00:08:01.120The first thing I would like to do is put it back on the floor to bring it to a plebiscite, to refer it back to administration and say this is 70, 80 percent of the population does not want this.
00:08:10.960Let's put it on the ballot and let's come back and at least we're working on something that people is more tenable, that more people will support.
00:08:20.600It failed last time by one vote to take it to a plebiscite.
00:08:24.120So the odds are they might not pass this time.
00:08:30.100But again, Rachel, there's been so many people speaking against this.
00:08:33.320And so there's a few councillors that are really listening and have done polls in their own warts.
00:08:38.060So we need people to possibly vote with the public when it comes time.
00:08:44.460And again, not to go on too long, but there will be some amendments that some councillors will put forward to maybe try to water this down.
00:08:52.500Instead of maybe four, eight, twelve units, they might make some concessions.
00:08:55.920But in my opinion, it's going to be, yeah, I can't tell how people are going to vote, but it's going to come down to one or two councillors to see which way this goes.
00:09:09.140And if this continues to go forward, I mean, obviously there's going to be some damage done in the time since, but we're looking at a municipal election next year.
00:09:15.240Is it possible that a new city council next year could reverse this policy if it is passed?
00:09:28.740There's a whole bunch of things you can do.
00:09:30.120So one way or another, this will be under ballot next election.
00:09:34.780Councilman McLean, I know you have to head out to continue going and listening to these presenters talk about why this isn't a good thing for the city.
00:09:39.800Thank you so much for taking the time to join us today.