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Wildwood Community Planning Information – Phase 2

April 3, 2022 /

This information is from the Westbrook Communities Local Area Planning Project team:

Good morning to our Community Association partners,

We wanted to connect with you today as we’ve been receiving inquiries about the Westbrook Communities local area planning process. You’ve been included on this note as either a Community Association in the Westbrook Communities plan area or an adjacent Community Association.

It’s great to see everyone’s interest and participation in this dialogue about the Westbrook Communities. We recognize that talking about growth and redevelopment is complex, but these are important conversations that we need to have, so thank you for your interest and involvement. We want to provide some additional information about the project and the engagement taking place currently based on things we’ve been hearing in this phase.

Where we’re at today – Phase 2: EXPLORE

The City recently shared initial draft concepts (outlining where moderate to large scale growth COULD occur) for consideration and discussion with the community (online and via mailed engagement booklets). We want to be clear that these are initial ideas and concepts for consideration and discussion. Nothing has been decided and these concepts will be refined based on input. We’ve been hearing a lot of great and insightful feedback about these concepts that will be compiled, reviewed, considered and used to refine these concepts.

We strongly encourage you to get involved and provide your feedback online at Calgary.ca/Westbrook or by completing an engagement booklet that you received in the mail and/or can pick up at a local My Idea Station. Please submit all community by end of day Monday, April 4.

Wondering how the three focus areas for growth were determined?

Input shared through previous engagement, Westbrook Communities’ Core Values (created through the first phase of engagement), and existing policy and land use (zoning) in the area were key considerations as proposed focus areas for growth were determined. Keep in mind that these potential focus areas for growth are an initial starting point for discussion. For example, many areas may only be appropriate for 4 storey buildings, or maybe less, while other areas are already zoned or have existing policy direction for large buildings – including surrounding Westbrook Station.

The growth areas will be refined based on input collected in this phase, and a revised and more detailed concept will be shared in the next phase, with additional opportunities for input.

Where are we in the Westbrook Communities Local Area Planning process?

We are currently in the second phase of engagement, which is focused on exploring and discussing where and how growth could happen in the area. The feedback collected in this phase will be compiled, reviewed, considered and used to refine these concepts.

When will revised concepts be shared?

Revised concept maps will be shared in the next phase of engagement, anticipated for June 2022. In the next phase of engagement, we will also be discussing investment priorities for the area.

We want and need your input.

We understand that community redevelopment is complex, and these conversations are not ones that everyone wants to have, but growth is happening in your communities and will happen with or without a local area plan in place. We need you to provide input and direction on how that looks. We want to have these discussions with you. We need to work together.

Rest assured, nothing has been determined, nothing has been finalized. We are mid-way through the process and there are still opportunities to provide input to influence the plan.

GET INVOLVED

Provide your feedback:

Did you miss a one of the 4 Virtual Q&A Sessions with the project team?

  • Click HERE to view the presentation from our sessions on March 10, March 28, March 29 and March 30, 2022. The sessions were scheduled to not conflict with the CBE Spring Break (March 19 – 27).

Looking for more about how we got to where we are today?

COMMON QUESTIONS WE’VE RECEIVED SO FAR IN THIS PHASE

If the plan is adopted (passed) by City Council, will this mean that all the properties will be rezoned, and people can build whatever they want?

No. The local area plan is a policy document and only guides the process for rezoning. Individual landowners will still have to apply to rezone their land in order to develop something that is not allowed by the current zoning. If a land use rezoning (re-designation) application were submitted by a landowner to The City (now or if/when the local area plan is approved by Council), the land use rezoning process will remain the same.

Are the concepts presented set in stone? Is this a done deal?

No. These are concepts only and are developed to facilitate discussion and so that we could solicit feedback. The concepts will be refined based on feedback from the public and other stakeholder and refined draft concepts will be shared in the next phase (anticipated for June 2022).

How will public feedback be used? How can we see how our feedback results in changes to the plan?

In the next phase, we will present draft maps showing urban form (use) and scale (size of buildings). These maps will be influenced by the feedback we hear this phase, and we will highlight key changes that are based on public feedback.

This engagement seems focused around just 4+ storey buildings, what about smaller scale buildings, such as semi-detached dwellings and rowhouses? Are we going to discuss them?

We recognize that small scale buildings – those 3 storeys and under, is an important topic, and we want to discuss that topic with the public during our next phase of engagement.

Why is everything highlighted around park spaces for development?

Input shared through previous engagement, Westbrook Communities’ Core Values (created through the first phase of engagement), and existing policy and land use (zoning) in the area were key considerations as proposed focus area for growth were determined.

PLEASE NOTE: Development within existing parks and green spaces was not proposed for consideration as part of the initial concept for discussion that is currently open for input. It is the private lands surrounding parks (of approximately an acre or more) that were proposed for discussion.

I live in an adjacent community but am not part of the plan area. Can I still provide feedback?

Yes, absolutely. Anyone who lives, works, visits or is interested in the future of this area is encouraged to get involved.

It looks as if some communities have more proposed areas for consideration than others, are some communities being unfairly targeted?

No. All the themes were applied consistently across all communities (taking things such as limitations around development on slopes into consideration). Some communities may have more areas identified for consideration, but that is simply because they may have more areas that meet the criteria for the theme (transit stations, parks, corridors). However, this does not mean that ultimately, they will have more areas for this type of growth as these concepts will be revised.

How will input be used?

Input provided by citizens and stakeholders helps the project team understand perspectives, opinions and concerns throughout all phases of the project. Input collected in each phase of the project helps influence and inform the concepts and policies that are created and refined throughout the process. Throughout the project, the project team shares what was heard, highlights the key themes raised, and provides responses for how key themes will be addressed and considered.

Public input is an important part of local area planning, but is one of many areas of consideration. Other areas include: existing policy, economic viability, professional expertise and technical feasibility, which all factor into the ultimate decision-making process and concept development.

How are people being made aware of the project and opportunities to get involved?

Our engagement program has been designed to try and make as many people aware as possible and to cater to different participation interests and intensity that stakeholders are willing to commit to a project.

This includes having a variety of communications and engagement tactics to build awareness and for people to get involved. For example: large format road signs, YouTube digital ads, Spotify ads, Geotargeted social ads (NextDoor, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), engagement booklets mailed to area residents, My Idea Engagement Stations (where engagement booklets can be picked up and dropped off), Community Association newsletter content, Community Association & Councillor content toolkits (for CAs and areas Councillors to help spread the word), email subscribe/updates so people can stay connected to the project, online engagement at calgary.ca/Westbrook, virtual public sessions, Westbrook Communities Working Group Sessions, Development Industry sessions, Community Associations sessions.

Westbrook Communities Local Area Planning Project

Community Planning | Planning & Development

The City of Calgary | P.O. Box 2100, Station M 
Calgary, AB T2P 2M5

E |  Westbrook.Plan@calgary.ca

W | calgary.ca/Westbrook 

Join the conversation on social media #WestbrookPlanYYC

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