Growth debate back to council in the fall
After three full days and more than 100 speakers lauding and critiquing Calgary's long-range growth blueprint, council proposed more than 70 amendments to the complex plan but won't debate them until the fall.

Councillors have concerns over whether river crossings at edworthy Park and Sandy Beach should be included in Plan it Calgary, as well as a costly airport access tunnel.

But the biggest questions they've asked city staff to consider over the summer are development industry worries that the plan's anti-sprawl measures are too harsh.

" i think it's fair to say we'll continue the discussion with the land industry," Mayor Dave Bronconnier said late thursday.

The biggest question is how tough the density targets should be in the multi-decade growth plan. Developers told the public hearing they're already building "smart growth" suburbs but they shouldn't be forced to go further.

Industry executives dominated the public hearing Thursday, compared to the dozens of urban-studies students, community association directors and ordinary citizens who spoke in favour of Plan It earlier this week.

The CEO of Carma Developers, the city's largest suburb-maker, touted the walkability of McKenzie Towne in the southeast, noting that a forthcoming subdivision near the south Calgary hospital will feature apartments overtop of retail outlets.

Genstar Development's general manager Marcello Chiacchia spoke of the newly opened Walden community in the deep southeast, where 60 per cent of new homes will be condo-or townhouse-style, about 10 units per acre.

A mixture of public demand and existing city policies have prompted those increased densities in Calgary's newest suburbs, he said later in an interview.

The semi-detached units have outsold the single-family houses there--because they're more affordable--but that is bound to fluctuate, he said.

But each developer and home builder who spoke at the Plan It Calgary public hearing Thursday urged aldermen not to adopt the targets.

The contentious targets included one that would raise minimum suburban density to 11 units per acre, up from the current seven -- a measure that would only affect new, unplanned communities that wouldn't likely rise for another two decades.

They urged softer or more flexible targets, if any at all, to ensure the city doesn't effectively force builders to develop condos they can't sell, or restrict much-desired, stand-alone houses.

"It's my customer that will lead the change, not a government-imposed policy," said Jay Westman of Jayman MasterBuilt.

"I don't think the buyers are there yet to bring those social changes," said Greg Brown, an urban planner who has worked on major suburbs, as well as redevelopment projects in the Beltline and Currie Barracks.

Brown said Calgary's new master development plan can encourage more pedestrian-friendly communities and sustainable higher-density projects, but it was risky to push it with firm goals.

But city policy is designed to bring about the best outcomes for the city, and it's reasonable to expect council to do what it can to push for more communities like Walden, or Garrison Woods, Ald. Brian Pincott said.

"If this is something you're already doing, why do you think it's an unattainable target?" he asked Brown.

Ald. John Mar said the city should be able to adjust its targets based on what reality brings, since city staff and developers aren't able to predict what Calgary will look like in the next 60 years.

"Certainly nobody is, and that's something we need to have some flexibility on," the inner-city alderman said.

"We've heard that from some citizens and we've heard this from industry, so I expect that will definitely be one of the amendments that will be made."

jmarkusoff@theherald. canwest.com