Monday, December 14, 2009

Household Food Production, Neighbours, Vibrant Streets VS Detached Garages/Back Lanes

Household Food Production, Neighbours, Vibrant Streets VS Detached Garages/Back Lanes

The relevant Land Use Bylaw section are s 341 (6) & (8) and the Infill Guidelines, which absolutely oppose front access in relation to rear garages.

The negative impact of this bylaw on arable greenspace, neighbourhoods & vibrant communities is HUGE.

Why?

1. Removes arable Greenspace from land inventory. Significantly reduces available space for backyard gardens. Casts shadows on gardens. Paves potential gowing space, more ashphalt.

2. Neighbourhoods & Vibrant Communities: Shifts energy from our front streets to back alleys. Less interaction with neighbours/community. Creates opportunity for crime in back alleys. Separates neighbours, often completely obscuring them from sight, especially Infills with 2 detached garages.

3. Cost: Think of all the back alleys that have been paved at a tremendous cost to taxpayers. The additional expense of a detached garage vs an attached garage.

4. This bylaw clashes heavily with imagineCalgary, The Melbourne Principles, PlanIt, Food Policy/Local Food Systems/Household Food Security and the new thinking in 21st Century urbanism.

Reconceptualizing our building bylaws is part of dynamic, progressive, sensible, inspired and acceptable urban growth.

The present vision completely discounts the contribution of local/household agriculture.

The CFPC suggests the integrity of a backyard, with all the beneficial associated uses, be prioritized as paramount in our planning bylaws and policy.

Paul Hughes
Chair
Calgary Food Policy Council


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