Notice of a "Proposed Land Use Change" in your Community is exactly the time to get involved.  City planning disingenuously suggests to "not worry" because you can have input later on when  a development permit is initiated.  Don't buy it! Once a land use change is approved community members have ZERO ability to influence the outcome, to prevent overdevelopment or to prevent your neighbourhood from becoming 8 unit apartment blocks.  Fight back!

Hey Folks don't give up! Make sure you get involved in local development. Continue to write to the city - please scroll down for an easy to use contact list - write and express your concerns! Thank you

Regarding Proposed Eight Unit Development on Corner of 27 Street and 23 Ave S.W. NEW City of Calgary Reference # DP2024-02586

LET THE CITY KNOW YOUR CONCERNS! Please write or call to provide your comments directly to the involved parties -  scroll to bottom for contact list.  It is never too late...!

It really is important to write or call the city planning group and tell them why you are opposed (contact information below). If we do not speak up we will be surrounded by apartment style multiplexes!

I want to bring to your attention an important issue regarding the above noted development in the neighbourhood of Killarney Calgary . Sunset Homes, Amaya Architectural Design, and investors including Rajat Sharma- wants to add an additional four rental units to the existing approved four unit townhouse development. This will result in total of eight units on that one lot and a potential for up to sixteen vehicles with most parking on the street. 

If approved, this will impact the surrounding home and the neighbourhood negatively for a number of reasons including:      

• This type of development is not in keeping with the character of the neighbourhood. It is also not in line with the long term planning goals of the community as set  out in the Killarney Glengarry Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP)
• The proposed eight units on one lot represents an 800% increase of the land use and is simply bad planning that serves no one well in an area designed for family living. This type of development is often pitched as “affordable housing” for public relations purposes but when complete will be getting full market price. 
• Cumulative effects: city planners and developers consider projects like this by themselves... that is, they do not consider the context or the effects of stacking multiple properties like this on one block or in a neighbourhood.  Imagine the effects of living with an apartment-like 8 plex on either side and/ or across the street from  your single family or attached home. 
• These unit when completed resemble apartment buildings more than homes and are simply out of character. Architecturally these type of buildings look out of place.
• Parking: the unit provides for only four parking spaces – congestion on the street is an inevitable outcome of stacking eight families on one lot with a potential for up to sixteen additional vehicles with most parked on the street. 
• Short term Air BnB type rentals: many of these units are expected to be short term rentals. It's not appropriate that residential zones  be turned into rental business zones which bring a  host of issues relating to traffic, noisy parties, security and safety of the community
• Whether by design or not, in effect this development proposal is an example of a “bait and switch” enriching developers and tacitly endorsed by the City of Calgary council and planning group at the expense of neighbours and communities. It works like this:
  •  2021. In order to build a town home, the developer sought and obtained a land use change. The land use change was approved  on the basis of building ONLY a four unit townhouse with NO rental suites proposed. (Reference LOC2021-0074).  A development permit was then issued to permit the build (reference DP2022-01864)
  • April 2024   City of Calgary receives a revised application to add four rental suites to the property.  A feature that was explicitly OFF the table for the purposes of gaining a land use change at the outset. 
  • Consequence - if revised permit is approved an eight plex will be built adding unwanted density to our neighbourhood. Equally important is  public engagement was short circuited as the public were not able to know what the real plan was or to effectively be involved or to have opportunity to discuss, comment, or to shape the outcome of the project which is now fundamentally different than was described at the outset.  

As a community we need to ensure that democratic principles are upheld. Being informed about, and knowing what developments are planned in our community, and being able to effectively participate is important.  Developers should NOT be rewarded for using the system to their advantage. 

Likewise it is important that the city of Calgary get feedback and pressure from citizens. The city should uphold democratic processes and work to facilitate fair outcomes. A simple way to avoid bait and switch is to ensure that all material details of any development are known up front and to not allow changes down the road that are not in keeping with the original proposal.  

Overall, a lowered standard of living for the residents of this neighbourhood will be the outcome if the development gets approved. 

Please help put pressure on the city to make the right decision in this case which is NOT to approve the addition of four additional suites to the proposed four unit row house. 

The time frame for approval of this new permit could be 4-6 months beginning at time the application was filed (about mid-April 2024). 

What you can do: 

1.  Write or call the contacts listed below and provide your comments.

2. Let your neighbours and others in the community know what is happening and request that they too contact provide comments.  

3.  find out about developments in your neighbourhood here: https://developmentmap.calgary.ca/

Contacts to provide comments to:

City of Calgary planning and development:

o   Shallu.Sharma@calgary.ca; 403.312.2846 

o   Debra.Hamilton@calgary.ca;

o    Mary.Saunders@calgary.ca;

o    Scott.Lockwood@calgary.ca

Investor Rajat Sharma 780 695 3874 (this person's only interest is making as much money off the lot as possible). 

Ward 8 councilor Courtney Wallcott: https://www.calgary.ca/council/dyncrm-councillors-contact.html

 Amaya Architectural Designs
 (403) 618-2091
 cesar@amayadesign.ca
 amayadesign.ca

Sunset Homes (the developer)  2136 33 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 1Z6 (403) 607-6166 https://www.sunsethomes.ca/contact/

Killarney Glengarry Community Association:

o   development@kgca.ca & vp@kgca.ca

I’m happy to discuss this matter or provide further information. Thanks for your support!

Michael McLaughlin

557 582 5622

mytriumph@hotmail.com