On June 10, 2025, City Council approved amendments to the Land Use Bylaw that exempt rowhouses from development permits in new communities. These amendments support the faster delivery of housing in developing communities and enable a wider range of housing options.
“Our teams have been working tirelessly to get back to basics; reducing complexities, implementing stable policy and providing predictability,” says Teresa Goldstein, Director of Community Planning. “This is another example of making it easier to get more housing built, faster.”
This work is a part of citywide rezoning recommendations and supports Home is Here: The City’s Housing Strategy. This change responds to Council’s direction through amendments to the Land Use Bylaw to allow rowhouses in developing communities to proceed directly to the building permit stage when they meet all of the rules within the Bylaw. This is one of 12 citywide rezoning recommendations approved by Council.
“Removing the requirement for a development permit will eliminate a significant barrier to constructing rowhouses in new, developing communities,” says Brian Hahn, Chief Executive Officer, BILD Calgary Region. “This change is expected to increase housing diversity in developing areas and enhance affordability.”
This change applies only to developing communities. Developing communities are areas of the city that are still under development or being planned for future development. These communities have active development agreements that ensure City of Calgary Development Standards are met, including infrastructure capacity and drainage. Lands in these communities have already been designated for permitted use rowhouses. Rowhouses in established communities will continue to be a discretionary use and require a development permit.
The changes will take effect on Sept. 15, 2025, allowing for intake and system changes as well as training for new processes. The City will provide updated information in the future on the application process and will provide examples and further explanation of how to apply the exemption rules.
For details on citywide rezoning motions and amendments, refer to Calgary.ca/rezoningforhousing
For more information on the application process visit: https://www.calgary.ca/development/proposed-approved-developments.html
