$52M debate rages on at Calgary city council

Mayor Naheed Nenshi's proposal to spend $52 millionin each ofthenext two years to repair flood damages won't be unanimously backed by city council.

• Flood-ravaged Alberta continues to rebuild a month later
• Spend $52M tax surplus on flood rebuilding, Nenshi advocates

Council has to decide what to do withtax room vacated by the provincewhen it lowered the education tax last spring.

Nenshi wants to use the money for flood damages not covered by the federal and provincial governments.

He wants any unused portion ofthefund to go towards flood protection efforts.

However, some aldermen say the move is unnecessary. They're calling for a property tax reduction as the city has $300 million in reserve funds it can tap for flood costs.

Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart says Calgarians should get that money back so they can use it as they wish.

More than half of the 10,000 Calgarians who took part in a city consultation on the $52 million in tax room said council should use the money to cut taxes, but that consultation happened before last month's flood.

The topic is expected to come up for debate at council later this week.

Stadium shopping, secondary suites

Council had to wade through more than 2,100 pages as they tried to catch up onissues put off since floodwaters hit the city June 20.

The mayor and alderman met in the northeast for a makeshift council meeting, as repairs continue atthe flood-damaged City Hall building.

Councilspent the majority of the afternoon debating an emergency rezoning bylaw thatwould allow for secondary suites. Many aldermanthought the topic timelyas someresidents left homeless by the floods continue to search for a place to live in Calgary's tight rental market.

The motion was defeated because of a lack of information.

Council plans todiscussthe redevelopment of a northwest strip mall Tuesday as the citylooks at a new area redevelopment plan for the Stadium Shopping Centre.

If approved, it would clear the way for much greater density on the site.

Butresidents of University Heights fearproposedprojects like a high-rise hotel and more office and retail spacewill lead to traffic jams in their community.

The developer says it still has not drawn up specific proposals, but dozens of people have indicated they want to speak against the redevelopment plan.

"I often talk about derelict strip malls, and what is possible on those sites where you can still have your Mac's Store and your pizza shopbut perhaps have something else: places for seniors to live, places for young people to live and so on," saidNenshi."It feels like this one went a little bit off the rails."