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Stories Tagged - City of Calgary
News
April 21, 2016 | Shelley Boettcher
Not your parents' composting
Local organizations bring it from niche to mainstream
Once considered a niche market, composting in Calgary has gone mainstream.
From grass clippings to chicken bones and leftover produce to dryer lint, urban composting has rapidly evolved over the past several years thanks to new curbside pickup capabilities, improved technology and world-class recycling centres, say local sustainability experts.
Since 2015, Hop Compost has diverted more than 900,000 kilograms of waste from local landfills thanks to a new "clean-tech" process called HotRot.
Founder and CEO Kevin Davies said the company turns waste into high-quality organic compost via a process that seals and computerizes the compost process, using live data to optimize microbe activity every 60 seconds.
Once considered a niche market, composting in Calgary has gone mainstream.
From grass clippings to chicken bones and leftover produce to dryer lint, urban composting has rapidly evolved over the past several years thanks to new curbside pickup capabilities, improved technology and world-class recycling centres, say local sustainability experts.
Since 2015, Hop Compost has diverted more than 900,000 kilograms of waste from local landfills thanks to a new "clean-tech" process called HotRot.
Founder and CEO Kevin Davies said the company turns waste into high-quality organic compost via a process that seals and computerizes the compost process, using live data to optimize microbe activity every 60 seconds.
News
April 01, 2016 | Jamie Zachary
5 things about spring renos
Tips heading into patio season
Spring has sprung, meaning the handyman in your family is likely itching to tackle that outdoor project that's been nagging at him or her for months.
With patio season in sight, here are five tips from the City of Calgary's Planning and Development department before tackling your spring reno project:
Backyard decks
Before you start, the City suggests determining whether you're building a pergola or roof structure that is attached to your house. If it's an extension to the house, it's considered an addition, in which case you will need to apply for a building permit. For uncovered decks that are not located on the same facade as a basement walkout entry, the maximum height is 1.5 metres in a developed area. In both the developed and developing areas, the height of a deck cannot exceed 0.3 metres above the main floor level of a house.
Spring has sprung, meaning the handyman in your family is likely itching to tackle that outdoor project that's been nagging at him or her for months.
With patio season in sight, here are five tips from the City of Calgary's Planning and Development department before tackling your spring reno project:
Backyard decks
Before you start, the City suggests determining whether you're building a pergola or roof structure that is attached to your house. If it's an extension to the house, it's considered an addition, in which case you will need to apply for a building permit. For uncovered decks that are not located on the same facade as a basement walkout entry, the maximum height is 1.5 metres in a developed area. In both the developed and developing areas, the height of a deck cannot exceed 0.3 metres above the main floor level of a house.
News
April 01, 2016 | CREBNow
City launches 'engagement portal'
Move comes after SWBRT confrontations
The City of Calgary has launched a new online tool to give citizens and stakeholders an opportunity to have a dialogue on City projects.
This comes less than a month since the City ceased face-to-face consultations following allegations that staff members were verbally and physically assaulted during community consultations for the Calgary Southwest BRT.
"This is a new way for Calgarians to learn about and provide input on City projects," said Cindy Pickett, director of customer service and communications for the City.
The City of Calgary has launched a new online tool to give citizens and stakeholders an opportunity to have a dialogue on City projects.
This comes less than a month since the City ceased face-to-face consultations following allegations that staff members were verbally and physically assaulted during community consultations for the Calgary Southwest BRT.
"This is a new way for Calgarians to learn about and provide input on City projects," said Cindy Pickett, director of customer service and communications for the City.
News
March 31, 2016 | Joel Schlesinger
Little house on the alley
Laneway homes could soon turn Calgary's back alleys into thriving mini-communities
Paul and Jill Robert have big plans for the little home they're building on their back lane.
Only the dwelling isn't for them. The Roberts already live in the wartime house in the northwest neighbourhood of West Hillhurst on the same lot where Paul, a professor at the Alberta College of Art and Design, grew up.
Instead, the diminutive back-lane house is for Jill's parents who are selling their home in Edmonton and moving to Calgary to be closer to family.
Paul and Jill Robert have big plans for the little home they're building on their back lane.
Only the dwelling isn't for them. The Roberts already live in the wartime house in the northwest neighbourhood of West Hillhurst on the same lot where Paul, a professor at the Alberta College of Art and Design, grew up.
Instead, the diminutive back-lane house is for Jill's parents who are selling their home in Edmonton and moving to Calgary to be closer to family.
News
March 24, 2016 | CREBNow
City to hold property tax sale
Properties in arrears up for grabs
The City of Calgary is hoping the prospect of having their home offered up to the highest bidder is enough to encourage a few Calgarians to catch up on their taxes.
Each year properties with more than three years outstanding tax arrears are offered for sale by the City of Calgary. Owners are notified a year in advance of the sale in hopes the owners will make an effort to catch up on any outstanding balance.
Currently, the list of properties stands at four pages, with properties deleted from the list as the outstanding taxes are paid.
The City of Calgary is hoping the prospect of having their home offered up to the highest bidder is enough to encourage a few Calgarians to catch up on their taxes.
Each year properties with more than three years outstanding tax arrears are offered for sale by the City of Calgary. Owners are notified a year in advance of the sale in hopes the owners will make an effort to catch up on any outstanding balance.
Currently, the list of properties stands at four pages, with properties deleted from the list as the outstanding taxes are paid.
News
March 24, 2016 | Donna Balzer
What is your garden style?
Not everything is timeless when it comes to outdoor design
Do you have a high-end ultra-modern home with striking features that looks like it came out of a recent copy of Architectural Digest?
What about your yard? Does it look like it came from a Home and Garden magazine circa 1985?
This jarring contrast of cottage-style garden with modern home seems hard to understand until you think of the process. Homeowners do not design homes – builders and architects do. Yet homeowners are the ones often design their own gardens.
News
March 18, 2016 | Cody Stuart
'A livelier neighbourhood'
Highland Park reimagining could invigorate northwest community
The former Highland Golf Course in northwest Calgary could be host to a new kind of activity in the form of a major redevelopment.
Developer Maple Projects Inc. recently shared plans for its "reimagining" of the 21-hectare site – which would include up to 2,100 housing units as well as a commercial development along Centre Street N. – at an open house which drew, among others, members of the local community association, who believe the development could provide a boost to the area.
"Absolutely, it can be a huge benefit for the community,"
"Absolutely, it can be a huge benefit for the community," said Paul Engler, chair of the development committee for the Highland Park Community Association. "We are looking very much forward to it. We are working with the developer to come up with something that's awesome for them, for our future neighbours and for our existing neighbours."
The former Highland Golf Course in northwest Calgary could be host to a new kind of activity in the form of a major redevelopment.
Developer Maple Projects Inc. recently shared plans for its "reimagining" of the 21-hectare site – which would include up to 2,100 housing units as well as a commercial development along Centre Street N. – at an open house which drew, among others, members of the local community association, who believe the development could provide a boost to the area.
"Absolutely, it can be a huge benefit for the community,"
"Absolutely, it can be a huge benefit for the community," said Paul Engler, chair of the development committee for the Highland Park Community Association. "We are looking very much forward to it. We are working with the developer to come up with something that's awesome for them, for our future neighbours and for our existing neighbours."
News
Feb. 26, 2016 | Lindsay Holden
Lucky number three
Inner-city homeowners look up, not out
Good things come in threes – or so goes the superstition.
Calgary's homebuilding industry seems to have taken this to heart, with three-storey infill homes emerging as a solution to what experts say is growing demand for "vertical" detached living options in inner-city communities.
"It is very cost effective to build up versus build out," said Ron Butler, president of New West Luxury Estate Homes, which builds about 10 infills per year. "And building out is not an option given the limits of the lot."
The City of Calgary currently limits the amount of land a home can occupy in a given lot, ranging from 40 to 50 per cent, depending on its zoning and size. Three-story homes provide a solution to providing additional living space where that ratio is already being tested, said Butler.
Good things come in threes – or so goes the superstition.
Calgary's homebuilding industry seems to have taken this to heart, with three-storey infill homes emerging as a solution to what experts say is growing demand for "vertical" detached living options in inner-city communities.
"It is very cost effective to build up versus build out," said Ron Butler, president of New West Luxury Estate Homes, which builds about 10 infills per year. "And building out is not an option given the limits of the lot."
The City of Calgary currently limits the amount of land a home can occupy in a given lot, ranging from 40 to 50 per cent, depending on its zoning and size. Three-story homes provide a solution to providing additional living space where that ratio is already being tested, said Butler.
News
Jan. 12, 2016 | Cailynn Klingbeil
Local facelift
Several major projects in Calgary expected to capture headlines in 2016
Calgary is expected to look a lot different by the end of this year thanks to the opening of several highly anticipated developments that promise to reshape the local landscape, say officials.
"It was a good year in 2015, and the projects continue to come in for 2016," said Kevin Griffiths, director of inspections and permit service at the City of Calgary.
The National Music Centre, a new international terminal at the Calgary International Airport and the new central library are just a handful of the projects that could see their doors open in 2016.
While acknowledging downtown office construction projects have slowed, Griffiths said the pace for other commercial projects have increased. He singled out the Residence Inn by Marriott and SilverBirch Conference Centre, planned for the former site of the Alberta Boot Company on 10th Avenue S.W.
Calgary is expected to look a lot different by the end of this year thanks to the opening of several highly anticipated developments that promise to reshape the local landscape, say officials.
"It was a good year in 2015, and the projects continue to come in for 2016," said Kevin Griffiths, director of inspections and permit service at the City of Calgary.
The National Music Centre, a new international terminal at the Calgary International Airport and the new central library are just a handful of the projects that could see their doors open in 2016.
While acknowledging downtown office construction projects have slowed, Griffiths said the pace for other commercial projects have increased. He singled out the Residence Inn by Marriott and SilverBirch Conference Centre, planned for the former site of the Alberta Boot Company on 10th Avenue S.W.
