Leong: Proposed residential rezoning is about offering housing choices

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If you're wondering what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith thinks about Calgary's blanket redistribution issue, she gave us some advice on her regular radio show last weekend.

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Its main meat has to do with the federal government's involvement in civic affairs by expanding the area for cities to receive funding for housing. That's one of the reasons a proposed law would prohibit municipalities and universities from signing agreements with Ottawa without the province's consent.

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He even expressed sympathy for civic officials who had to comply with federal conditions in exchange for housing.

To be fair, the idea of ​​slowing suburban growth and diversifying housing stock within a city's footprint is not new. The feds seem to have accelerated cities' smart growth goals.

Leaving the discussion of intergovernmental relations for another day, let's focus on Smith's thoughts about housing itself.

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People should be able to choose where they want to live, he said.

He said he prefers mixed-use areas because of ease of access to services, but said it would be unfair to impose this on everyone.

But if we shift this discussion to just older residential neighborhoods, which is what Calgary's redistricting debate is all about, what we have now is basically a complete lack of housing choice.

The vast majority of housing in low-density areas of many North American cities, including Calgary, consists of single-family and sometimes semi-detached homes.

Because decades ago, the leaders of the time decided it was a great way to build cities to support a car-based lifestyle.

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As others have pointed out, this runs counter to the population-driven, fiscally sustainable growth models that cities have followed for centuries.

One practical side effect these days is that if someone is interested in the space that a single-family home provides, but cares little about yard work or gardening, the next best choice may be an apartment-style home. very tight, height setting.

There isn't much in between—a missing medium. For anyone in the situation, the choice of accommodation is unfairly made for them.

Calgary is already doing a great job of creating better suburban communities that offer single-family homes, semi-detached homes and row houses, none of which are particularly tall or particularly dense.

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It's not in danger of stalling, as the city council has already approved more greenfield development than what city bureaucrats have proposed.

But given the financial perils of unlimited expansion, cities ultimately faced the financial unsustainability of post-World War II suburban growth.

While we still need to grow on the fringes, it would make sense to allow older neighborhoods to develop naturally and gently over time, providing housing opportunities that don't have to constantly expand civic resources to meet ever-growing city limits.

Rezoning is not about changing our cities overnight, as political rhetoric from both parties suggests, but about allowing them to develop slowly, naturally.

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To borrow from the Prime Minister, it's about giving people more choice in the type and location of their housing.

The following bears repeating: Calgary's proposed rezoning has restrictions on building height and minimum suite sizes. There are no apartment buildings at all. Parks must be untouched. There are still development controls that are particularly strict for townships, according to city documents.

Nothing happens until the homeowner chooses to build something to replace what's already there, or sells to someone who wants to do the same. Nothing is imposed here.

Changing the blanket district by allowing more low-density housing to be replaced by less low-density housing is nowhere near the dramatic change described by Calgary itself.

Frankly, there would be less controversy if the city laid out its plan more precisely and realistically.

Now, with about a week to go before a public hearing on the rezoning, Calgary officials are waging a public battle of their own making.

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