Key Changes – DRAFT Westbrook Communities Local Area Plan (Aug 2022 version)
Updates to the Draft Westbrook Communities Local Area Plan (Aug 2022) have been made based on
input provided by community associations, working group members, industry representatives and
community members in the previous phase of engagement (Phase 3), as well as other inputs such as City
policies and technical feasibility.
Phase 3, REFINE, ran from June 6-30, 2022. In this phase of engagement there were three topic areas
open for input:
Topic 1: Small-Scale Homes
Input was collected to inform development direction (policy) for small-scale homes.
Topic 2: Draft Urban Form & Building Scale Maps
Draft Urban Form and Building Scale Maps (outlining where and how growth and change could
happen in the area) were shared and open for input.
Topic 3: Investment Priorities
Potential investment priorities /priority projects linked to each Core Value from the Plan were
shared. Feedback on these priorities and/or suggestions for other priorities was collected.
Key changes made to the Draft Westbrook Communities Local Area Plan following the third phase of
engagement are outlined below
Topic 1: Small-Scale Homes
Limited-scale Policies
Based on public feedback, existing policies and bylaws, Council direction, and other considerations,
development direction (policy) has been drafted to provide additional direction on the development of
small-scale homes in the area.
These policies can be found in Section 2.2.1.6 (page 23) of the Westbrook Communities Local Area Plan
(the Plan).
• The Plan supports single- and semi-detached dwellings throughout the Westbrook Communities.
• The Plan also supports three-or-more-unit development (i.e. rowhouses and townhouses) on
parcels with lanes that are within transit station areas, adjacent to main streets, on corner
parcels and adjacent to parks that are greater than 1.0 acres in size.
Through engagement, a key area of concern raised was mid-block homes that included three or moreunits. With that feedback in mind:
• The Plan does not support mid-block development greater than a semi-detached homes, unless
the other criteria above is met.
• The Plan also supports three or more-unit development where it has a similar building envelope
to one-or-two-unit dwellings (i.e. similar lot coverage (~45%) and building height (~10m)).
Main Streets & Transit Station Areas
We heard it was unclear where the policy for three-or-more-unit developments did or did not apply
connected to Main Streets and Transit Station Areas.
To help clarify where this policy applies, additional and more detailed policy has been drafted:
• For Main Streets, the policy applies to developments on the Main Street directly or separated by
a lane from it.
• For Transit Station Areas, the policy applies to ‘Core’ and ‘Transition Zones’ within or
surrounding Transit Station Areas (outlined on the Transit Station Area Maps: figures 2-9 in
section 2.5.2, pages 49-60).
• Transition Zones for most Transit Station Areas have been expanded and include additional
policies to clarify that public realm policies within Transit Station Area apply to larger-scale
development. The low-modified scale modifier around 45 street station, specifically in Glendale,
has been pulled back from Georgia Street and Glenmount Drive.
Topic 2: The Urban Form and Building Scale Maps
Neighbourhood Connector Areas
We heard that while some locally-focused commercial spaces are desirable, there were concerns about
certain corridors and park areas where the ‘Neighbourhood Connector’ Urban Form Category was
applied. With this in mind, on Map 3: Urban Form (page 16) we made the following changes:
• The ‘Neighbourhood Connector’ category has been removed from many neighbourhood parks
(Wildwood CA site, Graham Park, Vincent Massey/St. Michaels/Westgate School, Glenbrook
Elementary, etc) and some corridors (30 Avenue SW, Richmond Road SW east of 29 Street SW)
as well as along the Douglas Fir Trail interface in Spruce Cliff.
• Some corridors, such as 26 Street SW and 33 Street SW remain shown as Neighbourhood
Connectors, as these corridors were more supported as allowing local commercial spaces.
Low-Modified Scale adjacent to Parks
We heard that some park areas with adjacent low-modified scale (4 storeys) were still a concern to
stakeholders. We made the following change to Map 4: Building Scale (page 17):
• The low-modified scale (4 storeys) was pulled back from around the Wildwood CA site, Graham
Park and the east side of St. Michaels School/Rosscarrock CA site.
Westbrook Mall
We heard the policy direct for the Westbrook Mall was too complex. We made the following changes to
Map 3: Urban Form (page 16)
• Rather than dictating the location and orientation of roads and open spaces, more outcomefocused policies have been included in the document.
• The urban form and scale categories around the Westbrook Station have been simplified.
• A comprehensive site planning modifier has also been added to the mall site to clarify that this
site should go through a comprehensive site planning exercise.
Viscount Bennett Site
We heard the vision for the Viscount Bennett Site was unclear. We made the following changes to Map
3: Urban Form (page 16) and Map 4: Building Scale (page 17):
• To clarify the intention around the Viscount Bennett Site, which is a surplus site for sale, urban
form and scale categories have been removed from the site (the comprehensive planning site
modifier still applies). This is to more clearly indicate that the site is to be redeveloped in the
future, but the urban form categories and scale modifiers will be determined through an
application and plan amendment process.
No Building Scale
• Several areas have been given a no-building scale modifier on Map 4: Building Scale. In addition
to the Viscount Bennett Site and the HMCS Tecumseh site (under federal jurisdiction), these
areas are predominantly areas that comprise road rights of way, and so no building scale would
apply to them.
Topic 3: Investment Priorities
Appendix A: Investment Priorities
Based on public feedback, technical advisory committee review and other feedback:
• An Implementation Options table, which details potential future improvements for the
Westbrook Communities, is included in Appendix A (page 91). These investment priorities are
organized based on the Core Values for the area, which area outlined in the Plan. Many
improvements suggested by Community Associations have been included in the list.
Climate Policies
The City of Calgary’s declaration of a Climate Emergency in 2021 has led to a greater focus on climaterelated policies and implementation options.
• Policies around zero-carbon neighbourhoods and climate adaptation have been included in
Chapter 3, Section 3.2.8 (pages 81-85)
• Additional built form policies around net-zero homes and buildings, zero carbon energy
transition, built infrastructure, natural infrastructure and water use have been added to builtform policies in Section 2.4.2 (pages 42-44).
Miscellaneous
Flanking Lots
Based on their previous experience with development proposals, community residents and industry
representatives both expressed a desire for greater clarity when higher-scale development is applied
only on a portion of a block (typically on parcels fronting onto the perpendicular street). Two such
situations arise in Westbrook- along 12 Avenue SW between 26A Street SW and 29 Street SW, and along
26 Avenue SW between Crowchild Trail SW and 37 Street SW.
• Policies have been included in the Map Interpretation, Section 4.2 (page 86) that clarify the
building scale in these areas applies 65 metres from the perpendicular street (four typical lots).
If proposed development seeks to extend beyond this range, an amendment to the Plan will be
required.