Calgary Aldermen seek 'enough' time amid lobbying

A landmark city planning document that has drawn intense lobbying from developers and others should be delayed at least three months, several aldermen will argue next week.

Plan It Calgary, the city's vision for development over the next several decades, has already seen some delays over concerns officials weren't doing enough to consult the public.

Developers complained about the plan, which they contended would rob people of the chance to live in single-family homes in suburban neighbourhoods.

It's slated to be up for final approval in June, but a group of four aldermen will ask city council next week to delay that approval until September.

"It's just a matter of making sure we have enough time to look at it," said Ald. Ric McIver, who is proposing the motion along with Ald. Andre Chabot, Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart and Ald. Joe Connelly.

"We're not saying anything positive or negative. We're just saying this is such an important document that it needs the care and caution due to it."

That didn't fly with Ald. Druh Farrell, who said the time has come to finally make a decision on something the city has been working on for a couple years.

"There have been several delays already, and I don't think a new one has any merit," she said.

Plan It Calgary is being touted as the template for future development in a city that many associate with urban sprawl.

It calls for a denser city built more around transit than roads as a way to accommodate growth.

Groups who have been on opposite sides of the lobbying effort also differed Monday on the value of a delay.

Michael Flynn, executive director of the Urban Development Institute, which represents developers, said he favoured stalling the project.

"I don't think there have been enough opportunities in general to see the latest draft" of Plan It, he said.

Salima Stanley-Bhanji, director of Vibrant Communities Calgary, said a delay would be "disappointing,"but added that if the true intent is to let the public learn more, she'd be open to the group of four's proposal.