The following letter was sent to Councillor Sean Chu on behalf of the Highland Park Community Association regarding the Highland Park Development in the former Highland Park golf course lands. Click here to download a PDF copy of the letter.
January 25, 2021
Councillor Sean Chu
City of Calgary
By Email to Sean.Chu@calgary.ca and to Ward04@calgary.ca
Councillor Chu:
RE: Highland Park Development Limited
We have learned that the owner of the former golf course lands in Highland Park is now suing the City. From this we surmise that "negotiations" between the City and Highland Park Development Limited have failed. We are extremely disappointed that the City has not resolved this matter after all this time.
We were informed of the lawsuit through unofficial sources, but no communication was provided to Highland Park from you or your office to the Community Association nor directly to residents. I remind you that Highland Park is the community in which these former golf course lands are situated and we are the most affected community. Therefore, we should have been the first to be informed by your office as soon as possible after the claim was filed.
We are very disappointed that we were not kept up-to-date on this matter. Your last, brief update was to residents and members attending our annual general meeting in September. Our monthly newsletter, to which you submit an article every month, would have been one venue for communicating the status of negotiations between the City and Highland Park Development Limited. Our Community Association would also have insured that any communication about this matter was emailed to our distribution list and posted on our Facebook and web pages. We ask that you respond with further details about the state of the negotiations, how or why the negotiations broke down, and what is expected to happen now as a result. We also expect to receive from your office future updates whenever there is a significant development pertaining to the Highland Park valley.
On a related matter, the draft Guidebook for Great Communities and the North Hill Communities Local Area Plan (NHC LAP) will be going to the Standing Policy Committee on Planning and Urban Development (SPC PUD) on February 3. It is expected that the recommendation will be made that both documents be referred to Council in March for public hearing and approval. With specific regard to the NHC LAP, the Highland Park valley is considered a “Comprehensive Planning Site”. Basically, this reflects its current ambiguous status – the valley is neither a designated park nor developed land. I have also requested the Planning Department lead on the NHC LAP to amend some of the maps and images in the plan to more clearly depict this differentiated status, to help users better understand the situation. We would appreciate your support of our request.
In addition, the NHC LAP refers in general terms to future amendments as a means of keeping the document “evergreen”. However, there is no definite refresh cycle specified. As soon as the valley’s ambiguous state is clarified, then the NHC LAP needs to be amended immediately. We also require your support to push for more regular and predictable updating requirements be incorporated into the NHC LAP
I also put forward the idea that the current approved land use designations on those lands allowing for various forms of multi-family residential should be rescinded by Council. The fact that Highland Park Development Limited PA has filed legal claim against the City indicates that the owner has no expectation of developing the valley lands. It is unlikely that any other developer would be willing to try, especially considering that the Confederation Park Regional Drainage Study stressed the need for stormwater management measures in the valley. This is in addition to the caveats that exist on the land titles. What all this means is that the current land use designations are unachievable and therefore irrelevant.
We require your ongoing support to ensure that the lawsuit and the future of the Highland Park valley is resolved in an expedient and satisfactory manner, and further, that the NHC LAP be amended immediately afterwards to reflect its changed state.
Yours truly,
D. Jeanne Kimber
President, Highland Park Community Association
Email President@highlandparkcommunity.ca