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Better Idea: Calgary will be a city of sustainable, walkable, livable, complete communities
- Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
- 5 Comments
Policy Overview
Today, Naheed Nenshi released another Better Idea, his policy on building sustainable, walkable, livable, complete communities in Calgary.
Naheed will be a mayor who leads the City towards long-term sustainability. He will put policies in place to bring young families into existing communities and create vital, liveable, new communities. That’s how this Better Idea will lead to a Better Calgary.
Overview Video
Read the full policy – including Naheed’s plan
Download the full-text backgrounder of this Better Idea in PDF:
Better Idea #7 – Calgary will be a city of sustainable, walkable, livable, complete communities (PDF)
Media Release
A $2 billion problem, $10,000 at a time
Calgary, AB: A recent study has revealed Calgarians are on the hook to pay $10,000 more, just for sewer and water infrastructure, for every new house on the fringes of the city than we will ever get back in property taxes.
City Council’s last-minute backroom deal to gut Plan-It Calgary is directly tied to this problem, and will cost Calgarians over $2 billion in excess taxes. All three aldermen currently running for mayor voted for this tax increase.
“Calgarians have been tricked into thinking that support for the city’s growth equals support for the current development model,” says Mayoral Candidate Naheed Nenshi. “Let’s be clear, the vast majority of Calgarians pay significantly higher taxes to subsidize those buying new homes on the fringe.”
“I think Calgarians should ask our current Council members how committing to $2 Billion in costs without revenue support is good for Calgarians. I also want to be clear, I am for development – just smart development that doesn’t unfairly burden taxpayers. We can do smart growth; we’ve done it in the past. Garrison Woods is smart growth.”
Nenshi today released a detailed plan to create sustainable, walkable, livable, complete communities. Nenshi’s plan is to establish a proper framework for the development of vibrant new communities and to revitalize existing communities and downtown.
August 13, 2010 at 1:19 am, Rob said:
Hello Naheed,
I agree that in a vacuum lower density means higher costs. However, my concern is that higher density will ultimately drive up prices for single family detached homes with backyards. This in turn could result in a growing 'boomburb' phenomenon where places that are more favorable to typical suburban development such as Airdire and Cochrane grow to such great size that their commuter populations gridlock Calgary's roads and transit stations. What measures could be put in place to ensure that commuters from surrounding cities/towns pay for Calgary's infrastructure that they use everyday?
September 06, 2010 at 8:14 pm, Barbara Hill said:
I to believe in sustainability – it might be interesting to take a page form Paul Harris' campaign in Red Deer. In the interests of sustainability, he has chosen not to have any campaign signs … reduces garbage and contributes to the elimination of visual pollution – well worth considering!!!
September 08, 2010 at 5:12 am, why no answer? said:
It is closing in on almost 1 month, why has there been no response whatsoever to the first comment/question?
September 22, 2010 at 6:18 pm, We Should Know Naheed Nenshi « GORDON MCDOWELL said:
[...] engage in discussion than you think. Will not use developers as political football. If developers building livable communities fail, Nenshi will look bad. Need developers at table, but they can’t dictate [...]
September 24, 2010 at 5:57 pm, Ewen said:
I'd like to see a citation for that $10K estimate.