The vast majority of candidates vying to be Calgary’s subsequent mayor are vowing to repeal citywide rezoning, as one other neighbourhood explores restrictive covenants as an possibility to dam improvement spurred by the coverage.
A restrictive covenant is a legally binding settlement on a property title that limits how a property is used or developed, even after it’s bought to a brand new proprietor.
Restrictive covenants are often utilized by municipalities, builders, and landowners to make sure land is developed in a way that maintains or enhances the worth of neighbouring properties, in accordance with Alberta Municipalities.
Former metropolis councillor Jeromy Farkas, operating for mayor a second time, unveiled his housing platform Wednesday.
The 25-point plan contains the creation of a renter help workplace, the streamlined approval for family-oriented housing, safety for park area and prioritizes transit-oriented improvement.
The primary coverage level is to “repeal and replace blanket rezoning,” with a extra focused neighborhood technique that “supports gentle density” whereas constructing a extra reasonably priced houses.
“It’s very clear that this blanket rezoning, all-size-fits-all approach hasn’t worked. It hasn’t been able to build the homes at the scale or the speed or the price point that’s needed,” Farkas advised World Information.
“We think that we can get more homes built more cost effectively and faster with that targeted approach.”
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Farkas turns into the newest mayoral candidate to vow scrapping the citywide rezoning coverage together with Communities First candidate and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp and former metropolis councillor Jeff Davison.
“We have to rebuild trust with the public and we’ve got to repeal that bylaw,” Davison advised World Information. “We’ve got to work with all stakeholders to say, ‘What’s the plan? What do we want as a housing initiative going forward for Calgary and what works for Calgarians?’”
Calgary metropolis council voted in favour of a bylaw to vary the town’s default residential zoning final yr, which amended the land-use bylaw to permit a wide range of housing sorts together with single-detached, semi-detached, duplexes and rowhouses on a single property.
The transfer adopted a report public listening to at metropolis corridor during which nearly all of audio system opposed the coverage change.
Consultants recommend it’s these pissed off Calgarians that candidates in opposition to citywide rezoning are attempting to faucet into.
“Those folks are motivated, they’re going to donate, they’re going to volunteer, they are going to come out and vote, and it may be that in some places, this is an issue that really gets voters out,” mentioned Lori Williams, an affiliate professor of coverage research at Mount-Royal College.
“It’s also tricky when you’re a mayoral candidate, because you’ve got to appeal to people throughout the city.”
That frustration is coming to a head within the southwest neighborhood of Lakeview, the place a gaggle of residents is pushing to have neighbours signal restrictive covenants on their properties.
In line with Keith Marlowe with the Lakeview Restrictive Covenant Initiative, the trouble was spurred by metropolis council’s resolution and three latest developments within the space.
“I think that’s what is getting people’s backs up. The community was very strong that they didn’t want upzoning and that was seemingly ignored for whatever reason by city council,” Marlowe mentioned.
Marlowe mentioned the restrictive covenant would stay on a property’s title for 75 years.
“We’re all voluntarily agreeing to put certain restrictions on our own ability to develop our property in the hopes that it helps our neighbours as well,” he mentioned.
When requested about Lakeview’s push for restrictive covenants on Tuesday, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek mentioned property homeowners can do what they need with their very own properties.
“Anytime there’s an individual that’s interested in doing something with their private property, it’s something that’s up to that individual,” Gondek mentioned.
“Individuals are able to do what they choose with their properties as long as it abides with any given bylaw and within the rules of the law.”
In line with the town, citywide rezoning has “significantly increased the diversity and supply of housing options in Calgary.”
Metropolis knowledge reveals 271 functions have been submitted for brand spanking new houses in established communities within the first quarter of 2025, a 59-per cent enhance over the identical time interval final yr.
Thirty-one per cent of these functions have been rowhouses and townhomes, a 163-per cent enhance from the identical quarter in 2024.
A metropolis briefing be aware into the matter additionally suggests citywide rezoning enabled practically half or 45 per cent of all new low-density housing improvement permits in established neighbourhoods.
Calgary’s subsequent municipal election is on Oct. 20.
