Lakeview residents discuss ‘restrictive covenants’ to block rezoning

Residents in Lakeview are organizing to protect their community from blanket rezoning. Hannah Lepine reports.

A southwest Calgary community is hosting information sessions to discuss “restrictive covenants” as a way to push back against blanket rezoning.

The Lakeview community members are concerned the new zoning will have significant impacts on its neighborhood, including loss of green space, overshadow existing homes, overcrowd streets and lead to traffic safety concerns.

As a result, some are considering taking legal action to protect their property, including beginning the process of putting together restrictive covenants on properties.

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A restrictive covenant is a restriction that homeowners can add to their land titles to prevent the use of a land change, to preserve it, unless legally agreed upon by all parties involved to make a change.

In May, city council voted 9-6 to revise the city’s land-use bylaw, changing the default residential zoning district to residential grade-oriented infill (R-CG). This intends to allow for more densification in established communities.

The group of concerned residents in Lakeview have partnered with a law firm to draft restrictive covenant documents.

The southeast community of Lake Bonavista had also explored the possibility of restrictive covenants.

In September, homeowners had retained lawyer Curtis Marble, a partner at Carbert Waite LLP, to draft the documents for residents, which cost $500 to add to their land title.

The information sessions in Lakeview will take place at the Lakeview Community Association at 7 p.m.

The association says the sessions are only to provide residents with the resources they need.

“Decisions on how to proceed are entirely up to individual homeowners. The Lakeview Community Association does not endorse or oppose the use of restrictive covenants. Each landowner must determine what is best for their property and circumstances.”