Changes to Calgary's Land Use Bylaw

Effective June 1st, Calgary's 28 year old land use bylaw 2P80 will be replaced with bylaw 1P2007. Here is a summary of the changes.

In single detached dwelling districts, will require a redesignation to add the ‘s’ modifier and add secondary suite as a discretionary use.

• Modifier districts include R-1s, RC1s and R-C1Ls districts.
• A listed discretionary use in the R-2 and R-C2 districts.
• Will not legalize existing illegal suites. A secondary suite requires an off-street parking stall, separate direct access from grade and an outdoor private amenity space of at least 7.5 square metres.
• A secondary suite is limited to a maximum of 70 square metres in area (must be small).
• A parcel width of 15.0 metres is required for a secondary suite in the R-2, R-C2 and R-C1s districts.
• A parcel width between 11.0 and 13.0 metres, depending on the form, is required for a secondary suite in the R-1s district.

Developed Area Districts

• R-C1L (R-C1Ls) (RR-1)
– 24 metre wide parcels.
– Secondary Suites accommodated through redesignation to R-C1Ls.
• R-C1 (R-C1s) (R-1)
– 12 metre wide parcels.
– Secondary Suites accommodated through redesignation to R-C1s.

• R-C1N (RS-1 & R-1A)
– Min 7.5 metre wide parcels.
– Max 11.0 metre wide parcels; 14.0 metres for corner parcels.
• R-C2 (R-2 & RS-2)
– Allows semi-detached dwellings to be developed on a 13 metre wide parcel.
– Min 7.5 metre wide parcels for single detached dwellings.
– Secondary suites are a discretionary use on a 15 metre wide parcel.

Developing Area Districts

• R-1(R-1s) district (R-1)
– 11 metre maximum building height can be increased to 12 metres when the parcel is 15 metres or wider.
– Secondary Suites accommodated through redesignation to R-1s.
• R-1N district (RS-1 & R-1A)
– Narrow parcel single detached district (7.5 metres minimum).
– Min 7.5 metre wide parcels.
– Max 11.6 metre wide parcels; 14.0 metre for corner parcels.
– 11 metre maximum building height when parcel width is 10 metres or greater.

• R-2 district (R-2 & R-2A)
– Allows semi-detached dwellings on a 13 metre wide parcel.
– Secondary suites are a discretionary use on an 11 or 13 metre wide parcel, depending on form.
– Min 7.5 metre wide parcels for single detached dwellings.
• R-2M district (R-2A)
– Semi-detached dwellings, duplexes and rowhouses are permitted uses.
– Rowhouses can occur on 5 metre wide parcels as a permitted use.

Citywide Districts

• R-MH (R-MH)
– Manufactured Homes on individual parcels or in a
Manufactured Home park.

• R-CH
– Small single detached dwellings, semi-detached or triplexes, called ‘cottage buildings’, developed in a ‘cluster’ on a minimum 22 metre wide laned parcel.
– Opportunity for more affordable housing.
– Opportunity for higher density ground oriented detached development.
– Provides market alternatives to multi-residential development.

Developed Area Multi-Residential Districts

• M-CG (R-2A, RM-1, RM-2 & RM-3)

– 12 metre max. building height, density modifier up to a maximum of 111 uph.
– Contextual, grade-oriented district.

• M-C1 (RM-4)

– 14 metre max. building height, density modifier up to a maximum of 148 uph.
– Contextual, low profile district.

• M-C2 (RM-5)
– 16 metre max. building height, maximum FAR of 2.5.
– Contextual medium profile district.
– Maximum uph set by modifier.

Developing Area
Multi-Residential districts

• M-G (RM-1)

– 12 metre building height; minimum 35 uph to a maximum of 80 uph, set by modifier.
– At grade housing district.

• M-1 (RM-4)
– 14 metre building height; minimum 50 uph to a maximum of 148 uph, set by modifier.
– Low profile district.

• M-2 (RM-5)
– 16 metre building height; maximum FAR of 3.0.
– Minimum 60 uph.
– Medium profile district.

Citywide Multi-Residential Districts

• M-H1 / M-H2 / M-H3 (RM-6 & RM-7)
– High density, low/medium/high rise districts.
– Maximum building height ranges from 26 metres to a limit set by modifier.
– FAR ranges from 4.0 to 11.0.
– Allows commercial uses, with limits.

• M-X1 / M-X2 (all new districts)
– Low and medium profile with support commercial.
– Allow commercial uses at grade; maximum 10% of building.
– M-X1, 50 – 148 uph, M-X2, minimum 60 uph and maximum 3.0 FAR

Neighbourhood Commercial Districts

• Require small scale development on small parcels
• Generally located in a low density residential context
• C-N1 (C-1 & C-1A) requires a storefront building
• C-N2 (C-1 & C-1A) provides for limited automotive uses
• Both provide for opportunities for residential development on upper floors
• Use areas limited to 300 square metres, except for convenience food stores - allowed 465 square metres
• 1.2 hectare site maximum

Community Commercial Districts

• C-C1 (C-1A, C-2 & C-3)

– Mid-scale commercial developments
– Located within a community or along a commercial street, maximum 3.2 hectares.
– 1,400 m2 use area maximum for retail

• C-C2 (C-1A, C-2 & C-3)

– Mid sized to large commercial developments on the boundary of several communities
– Comprehensively designed a buildings located on mid sized parcels, maximum 12 hectares
– 6,000 m2 use area maximum for retail

Regional Commercial Districts

• C-R1 Stand alone ‘big box’ development (C-3, I-2)
• C-R2 Regional enclosed malls on large parcels (C-5)
• C-R3 Comprehensively planned ‘power centres’ (C-5)
• C-O Office development (C-3)

Commercial districts

C-COR 1 Storefronts with buildings required to be close to the pedestrian sidewalk and containing small commercial uses (C-1, C-2, C-1A & C-3)
C-COR 2 Limited automotive uses, mid-scale uses (C-1,C-1A, C-2 & C-3)
C-COR 3 On major roads with automobile access, large retail uses (C-3, C-6 & I-2)

Transition to new districts

• All parcels in the City of Calgary have been transitioned to a new land use district.
• Some direct control bylaws have been retained.
• Principle of transition: Every parcel has been transitioned to the closest matching district, with some limited exceptions.