Council pauses high-density housing plan near transit stations
Some councillors push back against proposed 400-metre rezoning circles around LRT and bus lines, calling it 'blanket rezoning 2.0'.
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Calgary City Council has put a proposed high-density housing framework on hold after members raised concerns that rezoning all land within 400 metres of transit stations would amount to citywide blanket rezoning.
The Calgary Plan, a master policy document, proposed the highest housing density within a 400-metre radius of the primary transit network—the LRT line plus the MAX yellow and teal bus lines. Ward 11 Councillor Rob Ward flagged that the circles would cover entire communities like Chinook Park, Calvin Grove, Eagle Ridge, Quarry Park, and Riverbend.
"These are 400-metre circles all around the primary transit network," Ward said. "If we look at communities like Chinook Park, Calvin Grove, Eagle Ridge, Quarry Park, Riverbend, they're completely covered."
Ward 12 Councillor Mike Jamieson characterized the approach as "blanket rezoning 2.0" in council remarks shared on social media. Mayor Jeromy Farkas disputed the characterization, saying council is not suggesting the entire city be subject to rezoning.
"I don't think anybody on council or in city administration is suggesting that we just have a 600-metre radius around every bus stop and it just blankets the entire city. That's not the direction we're going," Farkas said.
City administration argued the Calgary Plan is too high-level to address community character—those details are handled through more specific policies like land use areas and zoning. The pushback proved decisive: council voted to halt the plan and work with the planning department on revisions.
"We have a lot to talk about, so I hope they've set a lot of time aside," Ward said. An updated plan is set to return to council in early 2027.