Residents in the Springbank Hill area have sent a demand letter to the City of Calgary over a proposed multi-family development with one clear request: Delay a vote until after the election.

Those same residents held a rally earlier this summer, voicing their opposition to the 42-unit luxury townhouse development located at 30 Elveden Drive SW.

Now their concern is that a land use redesignation item is coming to a Sept. 9 Public Hearing Meeting of city council, and they don’t have a ward representative.

Former Ward 6 councillor, Richard Pootmans, resigned in November last year, and the ward duties have been split between Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott and Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp.

The demand letter is asking for city administration to postpone the land use item until after the Oct. 20 municipal election so that Ward 6 will have representation at that meeting. A demand letter is a formal letter that demands a person or legal entity perform some sort of obligation before the issuing party takes them to court.

“I think ultimately, what it comes down to is that residents here feel like our voices have gone unheard, and that the city council is depriving us of our democratic rights,” said Sara Austin, one of the residents opposed to the development.

“At this point, we feel like this is the only avenue we have left to avail ourselves of finding a remedy with the city. We really hope the city, the mayor and city councillors, will heed our call and resolve this amicably by Tuesday. But, if not, we’re prepared to take further action.”

That action remains unknown. The demand letter simply states that if the Tuesday, Sept. 2 a noon demand deadline isn’t met, the clients would be “seeking the assistance of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta.”

Similar court action was threatened by a group of businesses on Stephen Avenue who sought an injunction on planned construction work that was to take place this summer.

The sides eventually came to a compromise on that work.

Changes have been made to the density: City docs

According to the documents from the July 24 Calgary Planning Commission meeting, administration received 81 letters of opposition on the initial change from R-G zoning to M-G (Multi-Residential – At Grade) that included 92 units. The project has been cut down to 42 units, the documents show.

Still, the Springbank Hill Community Association opposed the land use change, citing increased density and traffic in the area, compatibility the neighbourhood character, and a negative impact on existing infrastructure. They also noted that it doesn’t comply with the applicable Area Structure Plan (ASP) policies.

According to the ASP, that development was designated as standard suburban, which allowed for 7 to 17 units per hectare. With the citywide rezoning decision last year, it opened it up to low density, or up to 37 units per hectare. The site is 1.16 hectares and could accommodate 42.92 units.

An analysis of the adjacent area density was not done, city admin said in the CPC meeting.

This proposal would also require an amendment to the Springbank Hill Area Structure Plan to allow for multi-family developments.

“By constantly allowing small parcels to supersede precedent of the ASP, a comprehensive development is no longer adhered, and a fractured fragmented pattern emerges leading to, [sic] and concerns raised in terms of traffic, and other infrastructure,” read the community association submission.

During the CPC meeting on July 24, Commissioner Nathan Hawryluk asked about regular requests for changes to the ASP in this area, or if the city was going to just update the ASP itself.

City admin said they’d not heard of any plans to update it.

The community association also expressed concern that such a weighty matter was being considered before an “unofficial” pre-election period and without ward representation.

“This puts the community in an extreme disadvantage to an applicant, who will have access to all council during an election period,” their letter read.

Austin said that representation is key.

“It’s a very simple ask; just pause until we have elected representatives who not only hears our concerns, but who has a vote that they can cast on their behalf, and is protecting our democratic rights,” she told LWC.

LWC sought the City of Calgary’s response early on Thursday, and they acknowledged the request, but did not provide a response by the time this story was published. Once a response is received, it will be added to the story.

Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp was also contacted early for a response to the story, however, she said she could not respond until the city’s legal department provided advice.