RAMSAY LAND USE REDESIGNATION | 703 23 AVE SE (APPROVED)
Site location shown with conceptual future building layout and envelope, indicating the potential for a mixed-use building with a commercial use on the ground floor (facing the sidewalk to the north) and a residential use behind it (facing the lane). This is not indicative of a future development proposal but rather what layout be possible under what this application is proposing.
This application was approved by Calgary City Council on April 12, 2021.
On behalf of the landowner, ground cubed planning has submitted an application for the Land Use Redesignation of 703 23 Avenue SE in the community of Ramsay. Located in close proximity to Spiller Road, the site has historically been home to a variety of commercial and residential uses. This application will help to facilitate the adaptive reuse of the existing building on site, contributing to the eclectic character of 23 Avenue SE.
Development on the site is currently governed by a Direct Control District (37D2008) that restricts the use of the property to a Convenience Food Store and Dwelling Unit only. The existing Direct Control District has proved to be too restrictive with respect to market demands. As a result, we are seeking a new Direct Control District for the parcel to allow for additional uses that are complementary to the residential streetscape and to the unique character of Ramsay. The new Direct Control District will allow for modest additional residential development in the near future if demand arises.
We originally submitted this application for a new Direct Control District using the Multi-Residential – Contextual Grade-Oriented (M-CG) District as a “base.” However, based on feedback from The City of Calgary’s planning review, we have revised our application to seek the use of the Mixed Use - 1 (MU-1) District as a base. The MU-1 District allows for, but does not require, a mixed-use building and will allow for the potential for a future building to incorporate residential uses only. Although our intent and vision for any future redevelopment of the site would be for a mixed-use building, this flexibility is desirable given the uncertainty of future market conditions. The landowner’s intent remains to utilize the existing building for a commercial use, while allowing the potential for a residential use to create a live/work scenario. However, we are considering both shorter-term and longer-term goals with this application.