INFILL DEVELOPMENT Elective Course January 14, 2017 Derek Pomreinke Tammy Henry Nazim Virani
Agenda 9:05 What is infill? 9:20 How is it regulated? 9:45 How do developers view infill? Break 10:30 Applications & context 11:30 Discussion 11:55 Course evaluation
WHAT IS INFILL?
Planning jargon infill permitted DENSITY use Discretionary Contextual designation
Infill For today s discussion, infill is the demolition of an existing building and redevelopment of the property.
Infill In many cases, the new structure can be built under the existing land use designation. Other times, the landowner might want to change the land use to something different. Current development R-C2 maximum M-CG maximum
Infill
Calgary is a growing city 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2012 In 60 years, Calgary grew 10x in both population and area Most of Calgary s communities experienced very little change since they were originally built at the city s edge Over the past 10-15 years, redevelopment pressure has increased as growth has continued
Community life cycle 120% 100% New Suburb Population Over Time Developed Community Major Redevelopment? Infill? Decline? 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 0 10 20 30 40 50
Why does it happen? Increasing land value As a city grows, its land becomes more valuable Communities that were once suburbs eventually become innercity Community life cycle New suburban communities have new houses and lots of families After a generation or two, the buildings may need to be renovated or replaced
Urban transect All communities are somewhere on this spectrum.
Housing forms
Block by block This block has all of its original homes from the mid- 50s. Most are in great condition.
Block by block On this block, some infill has occurred as some bungalows have been redeveloped as semi-detached houses or small apartment buildings.
Block by block The block is now almost entirely redeveloped, with different building types and a new mix of units.
Urban transect Over time, rising land values will cause most communities to infill and redevelop. This is how inner city areas become more urban.
Pros and cons of infill Allows community wealth to grow as land values rise (high resale value) Rejuvenates housing stock when renovations are too costly (modern housing) Increases unit density and supports amenities (affordability) Land value increases for nearby properties (higher property taxes) Changing street character (different architecture) Can be disruptive (quality of life)
The City Why does The City let it happen? More housing closer to employment allows for less travel Every infill unit is one less that needs to be built at the edge of the city The City is generally supportive of the actions of landowners who wish to develop their property
The City The role of the municipal government is to act on the will of the majority while preserving the rights of the minority. The government is prohibited from taking action on the basis of impact to property values. We can only consider sound planning principles.
It s like traffic
HOW IS INFILL REGULATED?
Hierarchy of Plans South Saskatchewan Regional Plan Watershed health & ecosystem mgmt Municipal Development Plan 50% of growth to existing areas Area Redevelopment Plan Where change should occur
Municipal Development Plan 1. Prosperous economy 2. Compact city 3. Great communities 4. Good urban design 5. Connecting the city 6. Greening the city 7. Managing growth & change
MDP Typologies for growth and change in Calgary Activity Centres Main Streets Inner City Established Areas
2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034 2036 2038 MDP 2,000,000 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 +10% Future Greenfield Planned Greenfield with ASP Urban Corridor Neighbourhood Corridor Community Activity Centre Major Activity Centre Centre City Inner City Established Area 0
Established Areas Infill is supported at a modest scale, centred around Neighbourhood Activity Centres In most of these areas, replacement will occur rather than redevelopment
Inner City Infill has been occurring and will continue, simply because of land prices It s important to maintain stable neighbourhoods Redevelopment should be expected overall, with higher-density forms closer to transit and retail
Area Redevelopment Plan Local Area Plans define strategies and desired future land use and density Estimates desired investment for improvements to transit, utilities, etc. Urban design context, sensitive integration, built form, public realm Early and meaningful involvement of the local community
ARP
Land Use Bylaw Every land use district is different Like LEGO blocks many will work, but the trick is to find the right one that permits development What does policy say is appropriate? What will enable the applicant to build what they want?
Other documents Community Design Briefs Low-Density Residential Housing Guidelines Good Neighbour Practices
Thoughts on Infill Development Sarina Homes January 14, 2016
WHO WE ARE
SARINA HOMES
MARKET ANALYSIS What is selling in the market? What are new market trends? What are our customers saying? What are visitors to our show homes asking for?
SHAPING MDP and City vision GROWTH Smart growth targets
LAND Location, location, SELECTION location Sarina focuses on Calgary s Established Communities
The Process: DEVELOPMENT PLANNING Land Use DP BP Construction Completion
LAND USE AMENDMENT
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT
BUILDING PERMIT
CONSTRUCTION (Build a beautiful building!)
PROJECT COMPLETION
FINAL TAKE AWAY
A partnership between: THANK YOU! (QUESTIONS?)
BREAK
APPLICATIONS
Applications The City is required by the Municipal Government Act to accept all applications in good faith and consider their merits objectively If the application conforms to the land use and is a permitted use, it must be approved If a different zoning is proposed, or if the use is discretionary, planners will review the ARP and other policy documents for guidance
Application process Land Use Amendment Council Decision (Public Hearing) Development Permit Application Permitted Use Discretionary Use Planning Review Approval Approval/Refusal
Land use DEVELOPING AREAS Not built out Often no context to be sensitive to everything s new DEVELOPED AREAS Largely built-out Has a built context New development should be sensitive to that context
Contextual districts Developing Area Key Low Density Residential Districts R-1 R-2 R-G Developed Area Key Low Density Residential Districts R-C1 R-C2 R-CG Key Multi Density Residential Districts M-1 M-2 M-G Contextual Key Multi Residential Districts M-C1 M-C2 M-CG
Contextual uses For R-C2 district
Contextual uses Contextual dwelling A permitted-use contextual dwelling is required to meet stricter regulations that are influenced by nearby development If the application meets those standards, the permit must be granted Discretionary dwelling A discretionary-use dwelling does not have to meet the same strict regulations Even if it does, there s no guarantee it will be approved The permit decision can be appealed No relaxations can be granted
Contextual dwelling rules What types of bylaw rules affect infill on this parcel?
Contextual building envelope The limits of where the building can be placed No building will ever be built to the full envelope Step-backs, roof sloping requirements, parcel coverage, depth limits
Contextual building depth The average depth of the two adjacent buildings, plus up to 4.5 metres OR 65% of the parcel
Contextual front setback The average front setback of the two adjacent parcels, less up to 1.5 metres
Contextual height The average height of the two adjacent parcels, plus up to 1.5 metres, to a height of 8.6 to 10.0 metres.
Contextual roofs Roofs must be sloped by 1/3, or about 18 If it isn t, the height is reduced by 1.5 metres
Privacy 2 nd storey windows facing the neighbour s backyard must be frosted/obscured and start at 1.5 m above the floor
Privacy Balconies can be no taller than 6 feet and must have a 2- metre screen when facing a neighbour.
Contextual dwellings The regulations do not say that new buildings should be identical to the context They promote respectful design, while still enabling innovation in style Attempts to soften the impact of having new, larger houses beside old, smaller houses Reduces overlooking and strives for privacy Allows for quicker approval of conforming applications
Discretionary dwellings Used if a relaxation is needed (e.g. parking) Applicant has the right to apply for this type of development permit, but The community has less certainty about what the outcome will be, and The developer has less certainty about their time frame (because the permit can be appealed) We try to steer applicants in the direction of contextual dwellings whenever possible
Discretionary guidelines Apply to discretionary single-detached, semidetached, and duplexes in the MDP s Inner City typology Best practices and urban design guidelines for infill development and communities undergoing transition
Discretionary guidelines Non-statutory, compared to contextual regulations that are enshrined in the Land Use Bylaw Full of should statements and recommendations Unenforceable
Monitoring We re constantly keeping track of how well these bylaws and regulations are working Are we getting the types of developments we re looking for? What changes can we make?
On-going work Partnering with the industry to identify how best to prevent and account for property damage during construction How best to limit impacts to existing homes, while still constructing sellable properties? Working with residents and community associations to identify areas for fast-tracking infills
Other documents Bylaws affecting property development and nuisances Comprehensive guide to the planning system for residents and community members Everything a builder needs to know about safe construction sites
Where can you find out more about Planning and the Development Process? The City of Calgary website www.calgary.ca Planning and Development - www.calgary.ca/pda/ Call 311 Planning Call Centre 403.268.5311 Partners in Planning PIP - http://www.calgary.ca/pda/pd/pages/partners-in-planning.aspx Federation of Calgary Communities - https://calgarycommunities.com/ Your local Community Association
A partnership between: THANK YOU