Like many of the newly elected council members, I took part in my first public hearing at Calgary City Hall recently. I was looking forward to seeing fresh perspectives on residential development — especially given how central the issue was during the recent campaign.

Unfortunately, what I witnessed felt like more of the same.

I was there to advocate for my retired uncle, who has lived in Ramsay for more than 35 years. The proposed row house on the corner lot next to him required a land-use amendment and, therefore, a public hearing.

I was surprised by how easy it is for city planners to recommend one-off amendments without any real engagement. It sounds like they get feedback from the community association and work closely with applicants on how to secure approval, rather than work through the concerns of the neighbours most affected.

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