Land Use Bylaw1P2007

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PART 11: CENTRE CITY DISTRICTS

51P2008

Division 1: General Rules for Centre City Multi-Residential High Rise Land Use Districts

Projections Into Setback Areas

1099 1 Unless otherwise referenced in this section, buildings must not be located in any setback area.
2 Portions of a building located above the surface of the ground may project into a setback area only in accordance with the rules contained in this section.
3 Portions of a building below the surface of the ground may extend without any limits into a setback area.
4 Wheelchair ramps may project without any limits into a setback area.
5 Eaves may project a maximum of 0.6 metres, and window wells may project a maximum of 0.8 metres, into any setback area.
40P2015
6 Landings not exceeding 2.5 square metres, ramps other than wheelchair ramps and unenclosed stairs may project into any setback area.
7 Signs may be located in any setback area, and where so located must be in accordance with Part 3, Division 5.

General Landscaped Area Rules

1100 1 Landscaped areas must be provided in accordance with a landscape plan approved by a Development Authority.
2 A landscape plan for the entire development must be submitted as part of each development permit application, where changes are proposed to the building or parcel and must show at least the following:
a the existing and proposed topography;
b the existing vegetation and indicate whether it is to be retained or removed;
c the layout of berms, open space systems, pedestrian circulation, retaining walls, screening, slope of the land, soft surfaced landscaped areas and hard surfaced landscaped areas;
d the types, species, sizes and numbers of plant material and the types of hard surfaced landscaped areas;
e details of the irrigation system; and
f for landscaped areas with the Enhanced Landscaping Option, the following additional information must be provided:
i Latin and common names for all plant materials;
ii a plan that shows both the planting material size at time of planting and at time of maturity;
iii elevation plans for all landscaped areas showing plant material maturity; and
iv a report submitted by the applicant indicating how the landscape plan achieves the following:
A variation of planting materials, hard surface materials and decorative structures;
B provision of year-round visual interest;
C emphasis of entranceways and pedestrian pathways;
D location of planting materials and activity areas according to sunlight exposure and microclimate conditions;
E separation between public and private spaces; and
F provision of spaces for different purposes, including activity, seating, screening and buffering;
g for landscaped areas with the Low Water Landscaping Option details of the low water irrigation system, including extent of water delivery; and
h for landscaped areas with a building below, the following additional information must be provided:
i the location of underlying slabs and abutting walls;
ii cross-sections detailing the waterproofing membranes, protection board, insulation and drainage layer;
iii depths of the growing medium for each planting area;
iv the mature height and spread of all trees and shrubs; and
v the means of irrigating the planting areas.
3 The landscaped areas shown on the landscape plan approved by the Development Authority must be maintained on the parcel for so long as the development exists.
4 All soft surfaced landscaped areas must be irrigated by an underground irrigation system, unless otherwise provided by a low water irrigation system.
5 Unless otherwise referenced in subsections (6) and (7), all areas of a parcel, except for those portions specifically required for motor vehicle access, motor vehicle parking stalls, loading stalls, garbage facilities, or any purpose allowed by the Development Authority, must be a landscaped area.
6 All setback areas adjacent to a street or another parcel, except for those portions specifically required for motor vehicle access, must be a landscaped area.
7 All setback areas adjacent to a lane, except for those portions specifically required for motor vehicle access, motor vehicle parking stalls, loading stalls or garbage facilities must be a landscaped area.
8 Amenity space must be included in the calculation of a landscaped area where such amenity space:
a is provided outdoors at grade; and
b is a hard surfaced landscaped area or soft surfaced landscaped area.

Specific Rules for Landscaped Areas

1101 1 Any part of the parcel used for motor vehicle access, motor vehicle parking stalls, loading stalls and garbage or recycling facilities must not be included in the calculation of a landscaped area.
7P2011
2 The maximum hard surfaced landscaped area is 50.0 per cent of the required landscaped area.
3 For landscaped areas above grade, a minimum of 30.0 per cent of the area must be covered with soft surfaced landscaping.
4 Where a landscaped area above grade is fragmented into isolated spaces, a minimum of 30.0 per cent of each space must be covered with soft surfaced landscaping.
5 Only landscaping provided at grade or between grade and 25 metres above grade may be counted towards the required landscaped area.
7P2011
6 At least 25 per cent of the required landscaped area must be provided at grade.

Planting Requirements

1102 1 All plant materials must be of a species capable of healthy growth in Calgary and must conform to the standards of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association.
2 A minimum of 1.0 trees and 2.0 shrubs must be planted for every 45.0 square metres of landscaped area provided.
2.1 Landscaped areas may include Urban Agriculture.
33P2019
3 A minimum of 25.0 per cent of all trees provided must be coniferous.
4 Unless otherwise referenced in section 1104, deciduous trees must have a minimum calliper of 50 millimetres and at least 50.0 per cent of the provided deciduous trees must have a minimum calliper of 75 millimetres at the time of planting.
5 Unless otherwise referenced in section 1104, coniferous trees must have a minimum height of 2.0 metres and at least of 50.0 per cent of the provided coniferous trees must be a minimum of 3.0 metres in height at the time of planting.
6 Shrubs must be a minimum height or spread of 0.6 metres at the time of planting.
7 For landscaped areas with a building below, planting areas must have the following minimum soil depths:
a 1.2 metres for trees;
b 0.6 metres for shrubs; and
c 0.3 metres for all other planting areas.
8 The soil depths referenced in subsection (7) must cover an area equal to the mature spread of the planting material.

Landscaped Area Reductions — Multi-Residential Development

1103 The minimum landscaped area for Multi-Residential Development may be reduced by the two options as referenced in sections 1104 and 1105 individually or in combination, to a total available reduction of 6.0 per cent of the area of a parcel.

Enhanced Landscaping Option

1104 For the Enhanced Landscaping Option, the required landscaped area may be reduced by 3.0 per cent of the area of the parcel where:
1 1.0 trees and 2.0 shrubs are planted for every 25.0 square metres of landscaped area provided;
2 deciduous trees have a minimum calliper of 65 millimetres and at least of 50.0 per cent of the provided deciduous trees must have a minimum calliper of 85 millimetres at the time of planting; and
3 coniferous trees have a minimum height of 3.0 metres and at least 50.0 per cent of the provided coniferous trees must have a minimum height of 4.0 metres at the time of planting.

Low Water Landscaping Option

1105 For the Low Water Landscaping Option, the required landscaped area may be reduced by 3.0 per cent of the area of the parcel where:
a a low water irrigation system is provided;
b the delivery of the irrigated water is confined to trees and shrubs;
c trees and shrubs with similar water requirements are grouped together;
d a maximum of 30.0 per cent of the required landscaped area is planted with sod and the remainder is covered with plantings, mulch or hard surfaces;
e a minimum of 30.0 per cent of required trees are selected from the list in Table 5: Low Water Trees; and
f a minimum of 30.0 per cent of required shrubs are selected from the list in Table 6: Low Water Shrubs.
Table 5: Low Water Trees
10P2009
Table 6: Low Water Shrubs

Amenity Space

1106 1 A patio may be located in a setback area between a multi-residential building and a property line shared with a street.
2 Amenity space may be provided as common amenity space, private amenity space or a combination of both.
3 The required minimum amenity space is 5.0 square metres per unit.
4 When the private amenity space provided is 5.0 square metres or less per unit, that specific area will be included to satisfy the amenity space requirement.
5 When the private amenity space exceeds 5.0 square metres per unit, only 5.0 square metres per unit must be included to satisfy the amenity space requirement.
6 Where a patio is located within 4.0 metres of a lane or another parcel, it must be screened.
7 Private amenity space must:
a be in the form of a balcony, deck or patio; and
b have no minimum dimensions of less than 2.0 metres.
8 Common amenity space:
a may be provided as common amenity space —indoors and as common amenity space — outdoors;
b must be accessible from all the units;
c must have a contiguous area of not less than 50.0 square metres with no dimension less than 6.0 metres;
d must not be located in a required setback area; and
e may be located at or above grade.
9 A maximum of 50.0 per cent of the required amenity space may be provided as common amenity space —indoors.
10 common amenity space — outdoors:
a must provide a balcony, deck or patio and at least one of the following as permanent features:
i a barbeque; or
ii seating; and
b must be used in the calculation of the required landscaped area when located below 25.0 metres above grade.

Motor Vehicle Parking Stall Requirements

1107 1 Where a building contains three or more units with shared entrance facilities in a Multi-Residential Development, the minimum motor vehicle parking stall requirement:
a for each Dwelling Unit or Live Work Unit is 0.75 stalls for resident parking;
b for each Dwelling Unit is 0.1 visitor parking stalls per unit; and
c for each Live Work Unit is 0.5 visitor parking stalls per unit.
2 Where a building contains three or more units with no shared entrance facilities in a Multi-Residential Development, the minimum motor vehicle parking stall requirement:
a for each Dwelling Unit or Live Work Unit is 1.0 stalls for resident parking;
b for each Dwelling Unit is 0.15 visitor parking stalls per unit; and
c for each Live Work Unit is 0.5 visitor parking stalls per unit.
3 Where a building is a Single Detached Dwelling, a Semi-detached Dwelling or a Duplex Dwelling in a Multi-Residential Development, the minimum motor vehicle parking stall requirement:
a for each Dwelling Unit or Live Work Unit is 1.0 stalls for resident parking;
b for each Dwelling Unit is 0.15 visitor parking stalls per unit;and
c for each Live Work Unit is 0.5 visitor parking stalls per unit.
4 deleted
48P2020
5 deleted
48P2020
6 deleted
48P2020
6.1 deleted
48P2020

Bicycle Parking Stall Requirement

1108 1 The minimum number of bicycle parking stalls — class 1 for:
a each Dwelling Unit and Live Work Unit is:
i no requirement where the number of units is less than 20; and
ii 0.5 stalls per unit where the total number of units equals or exceeds 20; and
b all other uses is the minimum requirement referenced in Part 4.
2 The minimum number of bicycle parking stalls — class 2 for:
a each Dwelling Unit and Live Work Unit is:
i 2.0 stalls for developments of 20 units or less; and
ii 0.1 stalls per unit for developments of more than 20 units; and
b all other uses is 5.0 per cent of the number of motor vehicle parking stalls.

Exclusive Use of Bicycle Parking Stalls

1109 Bicycle parking stalls — class 1 provided for Dwelling Units and Live Work Units are for the exclusive use of residents.

Accessory Residential Buildings

1110 1 An Accessory Residential Building:
a may have an amenity space in the form of a deck or a patio;
b must not be located in a required setback area; and
c must not be located between a building containing Dwelling Units and a street.
2 The maximum gross floor area of an Accessory Residential Building is:
a 75.0 square metres when approved as storage, garbage containers and recycling facilities; and
27P2011
b 100.0 square metres when approved and used as a private garage.
3 The maximum height for an Accessory Residential Building when approved as a private garage is 5.0 metres measured from grade.

Objects Prohibited or Restricted

1111 1 deleted
34P2022
2 deleted
34P2022
3 deleted
34P2022
4 A large vehicle must not remain on a parcel except while engaged in loading or unloading.
5 A satellite dish antenna greater than 1.0 metre in diameter must not:
a be located in an actual front setback area or in an actual side setback area of a corner parcel; and
b be illuminated.
6 Subsection (5) does not apply to a satellite dish greater than 1.0 metre in diameter when the applicant demonstrates:
a compliance with subsection (5) would prevent signal reception; and
b the satellite dish will be located and screened to the satisfaction of the Development Authority.

Driveway Length and Parking Areas

1112 1 A driveway must not have direct access to a major street unless:
a there is no practical alternative method of vehicular access to the parcel; and
b a turning space is provided on the parcel to allow all vehicles exiting to face the major street.
2 A driveway connecting to a street must:
a be a minimum of 6.0 metres in length, when measured along the intended direction of travel for vehicles from the back of the public sidewalk or curb; and
b be a minimum of 3.0 metres in width.
3 A driveway connecting to a lane must:
a be a minimum of 0.60 metres in length, when measured along the intended direction of travel for vehicles; and
b be located between the property line shared with a lane and the vehicular entrance of the private garage.
4 deleted
34P2022

Vehicle Access

1113 1 Unless otherwise referenced in subsection (2), where the parcel shares a rear or side property line with a lane, all vehicle access to the parcel must be from the lane.
2 Where a parcel shares a rear or side property line with a lane but access from the lane is not physically feasible due to elevation differences between the parcel and the lane, all vehicle access must be from a street.

Uses At Grade

1114 1 An exterior access facing a street must be provided for each individual use or unit located on the floor closest to grade facing a street, which must be connected to the public sidewalk by an individual walkway.
2 For laned parcels, the area between a building and a street must:
a be a landscaped area;
b not provide motor vehicle access, parkade access, garbage or loading access; and
c not contain motor vehicle parking stalls, loading stalls, garbage facilities or parkade and building venting.

Garbage

1115 Garbage containers and waste material must be stored, prior to collection, inside the main residential building.
44P2022

Recycling Facilities

1116 Recycling facilities must be provided for every Multi-Residential Development.

Mechanical Screening

1117 Mechanical systems or equipment located outside of a building shall be positioned, camouflaged or screened from view of a public space, or from view of a parcel designated as a residential district, located within 30.0 metres of the equipment, using a line of sight of 1.7 metres above grade.
27P2021

Visibility Setback

1118 Within a corner visibility triangle, buildings, fences, finished grade of a parcel and vegetation must not be located between 0.75 metres and 4.60 metres above the lowest elevation of the street.

Retaining Walls

1119 1 A retaining wall must be less than 1.2 metres in height when measured from the lowest grade at any point adjacent to the retaining wall to the highest grade retained by the retaining wall.
16P2018
2 A minimum horizontal separation of 1.0 metres must be maintained between retaining walls on a parcel.

Fences

1120 The height of a fence above grade at any point along a fence line must not exceed:
a 1.2 metres for that portion of the fence extending beyond the foremost portion of all buildings on the parcel;
b 2.0 metres for that portion of the fence that does not extend beyond the foremost portion of all buildings on the parcel; and
c 2.5 metres to the highest point of a gateway provided that the gateway does not exceed more than 2.5 metres in length.

Single detached, Semi-Detached, Duplex Dwellings and Secondary Suites

34P2010, 24P2014
1120.1 Any of the following uses must comply with the rules of the R-CG District that apply to such development:
a Accessory Residential Building that is not combined with a Multi-Residential Development;
b Backyard Suite;
c Duplex Dwelling;
d Secondary Suite;
e Semi-detached Dwelling; or
f Single Detached Dwelling.

Parcel Access

1121 All developments must comply with the Controlled Streets Bylaw.

DISCLAIMER: This version of Bylaw 1P2007 MUST NOT be relied upon; it is not an official version of the bylaw and may contain errors. The City of Calgary accepts no responsibility to persons relying solely on this information. Consult the Office of the City Clerk for an official version of the bylaw, if required. Please note that web pages are updated periodically.