Judge says Calgary blanket rezoning challengers ‘off-target’ [Video]

Calgary’s controversial citywide rezoning changes have been upheld by a judge.

The decision, by Justice Michael Lema, was released on Wednesday.

This past spring at city hall was dominated by Calgary’s longest-ever public hearing on proposed citywide rezoning.

Over a span of about 100 hours, 736 people spoke to council on the issue.

Nearly 70 per cent of the people who spoke were against blanket rezoning, city officials said.

Regardless, the land-use amendment passed by a 9-6 vote after the three-week public hearing.

The application for judicial review cited challenges based on “a perceived lack of authority for the city to enact (the changes), a shortfall in procedural fairness and an allegedly closed-minded councillor.”

The judge’s decision states applicants “were off-target with each challenge.”

“The city’s implicit decision that it had the necessary authority under the (Municipal Government Act) was both reasonable and correct. The applicants received the required-by-the-MGA and …