What is the West Elbow Local Area Plan?
The West Elbow Communities Local Area Plan (the Plan) is the result of nearly two years of engagement with participants including residents, business owners, community associations, youth, seniors, development industry representatives, and dedicated and diverse working groups. Feedback provided by participants throughout the process helped shape and refine the Plan that was brought forward to Council. On May 7, 2025, Council approved Three Readings to the West Elbow Communities Local Area Plan (Bylaw 42P2025 and 43P2025).
With the approval of the Plan, there is now direction on future development, investment and community improvements that residents, landowners, builders/developers, planners and Councillors can commonly refer to when new development and investment ideas are proposed.
The Plan aims to support the area as it evolves by:
Supporting and respecting historic places and spaces
Enhance parks, open spaces, and natural areas
Improving mobility in and around the area
Increase housing choices for people
Providing more daily needs and amenities within walking distance
Identifying mitigation measures that address hazards caused by a changing climate
What are Heritage Guidelines?
The Heritage Guidelines will help ensure new development respects the historic character of existing homes and positively contributes to the ongoing historic nature of these areas. When the Guidelines are in place, any plans to build or renovate homes within the boundaries must meet the Heritage Guidelines.
The intent is that the Heritage Guidelines will address general characteristics of buildings rather than enforcing strict architectural rules. Although the design of new development needs to be sensitive to and respect existing heritage assets, the intent of the Heritage Guidelines is not to require new development to have a historic appearance or to prevent redevelopment. Instead, the Heritage Guidelines are written to encourage modern development that is highly contextual and echoes the past context established by existing heritage assets.
For Scarboro, please refer to the following guidelines…
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What are heritage assets?
Heritage assets are privately owned structures, typically constructed before 1945, that significantly retain their original form, scale, massing, window/door pattern and architectural details or materials.
What communities are involved?
Concentrations of heritage assets have been identified in 11 communities in the West Elbow Local Area Plan: Bankview, Cliff Bungalow, Elbow Park, Lower Mount Royal, Mission, Roxboro, Rideau Park, Scarboro, South Calgary, Sunalta, and Upper Mount Royal.
How are Heritage Guideline Areas applied?
Calgary’s Land Use Bylaw can make certain uses discretionary in specific areas of the city. New development in the identified Heritage Guideline Areas will be made discretionary to allow the Heritage Guidelines to be applied to planning applications proposing new development and significant exterior renovations. The Heritage Guidelines for West Elbow Communities will only apply within the defined Heritage Guideline Areas.
What is the difference between discretionary and permitted uses?
The Calgary's Land Use Bylaw lists what types of use and developments are allowed for new developments in a location.
Some uses and development types are automatically allowed for a property, and these are called permitted uses. If the proposal meets all of the Land Use Bylaw rules, development permits for permitted uses have guaranteed approval by The City.
The Land Use Bylaw also lists discretionary uses for a property. Even though there are restrictions on the type of use and development allowed, development permits for things in the discretionary uses list might be approved by The City at its discretion. The discretion is often based on guidelines or other special conditions.
How will the West Elbow Communities Heritage Guidelines be implemented?
Any plans to build or renovate homes within the Heritage Guideline Area boundaries must meet the Heritage Guidelines. Development plans will be approved at the discretion of The City to ensure the Heritage Guidelines have been adhered to. The current development permit approvals process doesn't require the same level of scrutiny and approval.
How will the Scarboro Community Association be enforcing the West Elbow Communities Heritage Guidelines?
The SCA Planning Committee plans to engage with all developers and provide them with a copy of the Heritage guidelines and the Anderson Caveat. It will also encourage them to be compliant.
Questions or concerns.
If you have questions or concerns about the West Elbow Local Area Plan, please email the Planning Committee at planning@scarborocommunity.com.
