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The stage is set for a repeat of the marathon public hearing on blanket rezoning, with hundreds of Calgarians ready to make their voices heard starting Monday. <\/p>\n
Two years after the longest public hearing<\/a> in the city’s history, where more than 700 people shared their thoughts, council will once again hear arguments for and against the controversial policy. <\/p>\n As of Friday, more than 300 people have signed up to speak, and there are more than 2,300 written submissions, making the agenda some 6,800 pages long. <\/p>\n Coun. DJ Kelly said his team’s preliminary estimate found the vast majority of written submissions are in favour of repeal, according to<\/a> a post on social media. <\/p>\n The majority of councillors would also like to see previous zoning rules brought back. In December, the newly elected council voted 13-2 to start the process of repealing blanket rezoning. <\/p>\n Councillors are preparing for 12-hour days, and the hearing could end up stretching into a second week. The 2024 hearing ended up costing the city about $1.3 million. <\/p>\n How did we get here?<\/p>\n Blanket rezoning allows for multi-unit homes like rowhouses, duplexes and fourplexes to be built more easily in established neighbourhoods previously zoned for only single-family homes or semi-detached homes. <\/p>\n The goal was to expedite building and increase supply to ease the housing crunch facing the city. <\/p>\n The previous council greenlit the idea as part of its housing strategy adopted in 2023, though it quickly faced pushback from some councillors and residents alike. <\/p>\n Months later, in April 2024, a days-long public hearing unfolded, attracting hundreds of Calgarians.<\/p>\n Opponents argued the change would crowd streets with more vehicles, put an added strain on infrastructure and change the character of neighbourhoods. <\/p>\n Those in favour argued it would cut red tape and help boost the number of available units, without continuing the city’s outward sprawl. <\/p>\n Council passed the bylaw<\/a> in May 2024 in a 9-6 vote. <\/p>\n Since then, it has remained a divisive policy, and the idea of repeal was a much-repeated campaign promise during the fall municipal election. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774265229_689_default.jpg\")
Blanket rezoning is back on the agenda at Calgary city hall. Councillors will once again hear from hundreds of Calgarians with thoughts on the policy, a redo of the city’s longest-ever public hearing two years ago. (CBC News)<\/p>\n