The end of front garages in Calgary
Plans to outlaw front garages and boost trees will cost homeowners 19
By Michael Platt ,Calgary Sun
First posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 07:27 PM MDT
Updated: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 07:33 PM MDT
An idyllic scene lifted straight from Calgary’s century-old inner city — but a city hall fantasy, forcing every future neighbourhood to echo that past, is about to become a nightmare for new home developers.
It’s called the Residential Street Design Policy, and if passed this week by city hall’s Planning Commission, it could mean the end of front garages while boosting the price of new homes by $3,000.
That, at least, is the fear of Calgary’s home development lobby, who say this latest example of city hall meddling will drive buyers out of the Calgary market, as surely as it wipes driveways off the map.
“We’re not supportive at all — the $3,000 is the first problem, and as you know, those costs will get passed on to the homeowner,” said Michael Flynn, executive director of Calgary’s Urban Development Institute.
“Calgary is already starting to experience affordability issues, and the city seems to think this will have people scrambling to walk up and down the sidewalks.”
As social engineering goes, it’s some charming meddling, there’s no denying that.
The new policy, if passed, will all but outlaw the style of streetscape currently seen in new Calgary communities, where a single sidewalk runs adjacent to the street.
Instead, for an estimated $3,000 extra per home, neighbourhood developers will be required to put sidewalks on both sides of the street, along with one tree per ten metres, compared to 15 metres now.
It makes for a new neighbourhoods that mimic the communities like Kensington and Elbow Park — but it also assumes that’s what Calgary buyers want.
“It’s not just sidewalks — it’s trees, and housing types, because there seems to be a war on homes with front garages, and that’s the effect of this policy,” said Flynn.
“Front drive garages account for well over 70% of consumer preference, so this flies in the face of marketability.”
The double sidewalk, extra tree model, currently used on between 30 and 40% of streets built in Calgary — generally main roads and boulevards — will be required on 80% of new residential roads.
The current single-sidewalk design, now featured on up to 70% of new residential roads, allows for front garages, but it will be all but banned under the new policy.
Called the “Type C Standard,” it will be reduced to less than 20% of new streets, and then only where lot sizes and lack of back lanes make the design the only choice.
In the report to the Calgary Planning Commission, there are no qualms that this is a policy aimed at eradicating ugly, in order to make new parts of Calgary look just like the inner city.
“Recent (since 1995) sustainable policy initiatives in the City encourage and support a transportation network ... and development that make the most efficient use of land,” it reads.
“This has led to narrower residential lots and more front driveway housing product. These, in conjunction with low quality residential street design standards, yield a functional but austere street design that is prevalent in today’s suburbs as compared to older communities.”
Any policy approved by the planning commission must also be passed by city council — and already, there is backlash among aldermen.
Ald. Brian Pincott says he supports pedestrian-friendly communities, but the policy needs to go beyond sidewalks.
“There’s no doubt we have to make neighbourhoods pedestrian friendly, and that means sidewalks on both sides and trees,” he said.
“But it also means narrower roads — if we aren’t looking at the comprehensive package, we’re just adding cost. It doesn’t have to be like that.”
Ald. Shane Keating says the customer’s dollar should determine what streets look like, not city policy.
“I’m opposed to a cookie-cutter plan for the entire city,” said Keating.
“Double sidewalks are fine, trees are fine, but you can’t make the entire city look like 70-year-old streets in the downtown core.”
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