North Hill Area Plan heads to council mired in controversy and 'misinformation'
It's a plan that would shape redevelopment in nine inner-city communities, and it's drawing up support and opposition from across Calgary.
The North Hill Communities Local Area Plan will go to council for consideration on Monday.
The document is part of city administration's attempt to streamline planning and redevelopment.
It would, according to ward 9 councillor Gian-Carlo Carra, be sort of a blueprint to help shape building decisions in the future.
Carra believes Monday's vote is long overdue: just like the document.
"I'm supporting a plan that drives generational reinvestment and balances preservation with change over time," Carra told CTV News.
But there's plenty of opposition.
Some Calgarians are convinced the proposal could put single family detached homes and older neighbourhoods in jeopardy. Renfrew Resident Megan Waldie believes, if passed, the plan could open the door to developers and density in areas that aren't suited to it.
She's also concerned a yes on Monday could lead to a blanket yes when it comes to future plans.
"While it doesn't rezone anything right now, it is taking away some of the power and potential community members have in terms of killing any kind of land re-designation," Waldie said.
Carra disagrees.
He says a lot of the opposition talking points surrounding density are "a result of misinformation."
"When individual propositions come forward, we're still going to have conversations about them," he said. "But now, out conversations will be informed by this larger and more thoughtful process."
The plan won't guarantee development.
The president of the Highland Park Community Association says she thinks it'll only help with order.
"Our community has been without any kind of overarching guidance or vision to guide the redevelopment," Jeanne Kimber said. "I've lived in this community since 1985, and it has been changing regardless. The North Hill Communities Local Area Plan does not mean suddenly everything is going to be bulldozed down, because the change will just keep on happening incrementally. At least the plan will help direct where some of that redevelopment pressure goes and where the higher density goes."
The LAP has been in the planning stages since 2018. There's been a public hearing and public engagement.
Council also made amendments to the plan in April.
But some opponents say the time between the revisions being made public and Monday's vote isn't enough. They want another chance to be heard.
"People who have invested a lot of money in character and community in the space want a say," council candidate Terry Wong said. "And that's all we're asking for."
Councillors believe Monday's decision will be a tight one. Some are even predicting a 7-7 tie.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.