City Explores Allowing Secondary Suites in Four Inner-City Wards

City Council has requested administration to report back about possible changes to the Land Use Bylaw to allow secondary suites in R1 areas located in Wards 7, 8, 9 and 11. The changes would eliminate the need for single family home owners to apply for a Land Use Redesignation, which typically takes six months before City Council reviews the application during a regular public hearing.

Secondary suites include those within a house, such as a basement suite, as well as those separate from a house, such as an above-garage suite or a garden suite.

These proposed Land Use Bylaw amendments will likely be brought to the Calgary Planning Commission in March 2015. Then, a City Council public hearing is expected to take place in late spring before a decision is made.

“We want the public to be informed about the proposed changes and what they might mean,” says Lesley Kalmakoff, City planner with Planning Development & Assessment. “That’s why we’re holding four information sessions in February and March for anyone to attend. We’ll also go over the requirements to apply and construct a legal and safe secondary suite.”

For more information, visit calgary.ca/secondarysuites or calgary.ca/engage.