Below are a few frequently asked questions from Residents:
GENERAL
If a streetlight is not operating in your community, please call the City of Calgary at 3-1-1 and they will send someone to check on the problem.
FENCES
Side yard fences may be a minimum of 1.2 meters (4 feet) in height to a maximum of 1.8 meters (6 feet). If the height of the side-yard fence differs from that of the rear fence, a gradually stepped design is required to integrate the two heights. Fencing height is set out by municipal bylaws.
There may be materials specified in the Architectural Guidelines for a particular community, thus these guidelines should be referenced first. The basic rule of thumb regarding the aesthetic of your fence is that it ought to coordinate with other fences within the area in design and colour. What this really means, is you should discuss your plans with your neighbours.
All fences backing onto open space or roads are constructed within the homeowner’s lot. Maintenance of these fences falls to the property owner for both sides of the fence. Maintenance of all other fences located on the perimeter of a lot is the responsibility of each property owner for their own side of the fence.
PARKS, PATHWAYS AND STREETS
Depending on the stage of development in your area, this could fall to either the developer for maintenance or to the municipality. Typically 2 years after construction is substantially complete in an area, the municipality will do a walk through and sign off on the future maintenance of items constructed by the developer. This process applies to pathways, walkways, parks and other public spaces. Up until the time when the municipality takes over it is the responsibility of the developer to clear pathways and to maintain parks and green spaces.
Please refer to the City of Calgary for any road snow removal questions. You can find more details here: https://www.calgary.ca/roads/maintenance.html
Please click on the RSHOA MAINTENANCE MAP for a look at the areas of maintenance responsibility.
The streets of any new subdivision in the City of Calgary are designed to be in compliance with an approved Stormwater Management Plan to handle severe rainstorms. Ponding areas are designed and constructed to temporarily hold back runoff so that areas downstream do not receive large quantities of stormwater/snowmelt all at once.
To assist the underground pipe system during a rainstorm, temporary stormwater storage sites called “Trap Lows” are designed into the streets, lanes and even parks to accommodate a high volume of water. These pending areas eventually drain down slowly (up to 24 hours) and are designed so that the detained water does not enter any buildings. The ponding may encroach into the lot or driveway and remain there for a while. Do not panic if you see water rising in your street, or even in your driveway, during a fast rainfall. Predetermined grading plans are followed at the time of construction to ensure the water will flow towards the Trap Low and slowly drain into catch basins once the rain subsides. There is an easement registered on any lot that will have temporary ponding on it. This easement is registered in favour of the City/Town/Municipality and legally permits the ponding to occur on the lot.
Should you have concerns that there may be a blockage preventing the ponding to drain slowly into the catch basins, as stated above, report your concern to The City of Calgary by dialing 311.
STORM PONDS
Please do not swim or skate on ponds in your community unless a sign indicates you may do so. These ponds are for rainwater and snow melt, thus the movement of water through the pond causes ice to remain thin and the water unsafe for swimming.
Calgary’s storm-drainage system has over 150 storage ponds. These ponds hold water that exceeds the capacity of the underground storm-drainage pipes. About half of these are wet ponds, which hold water all the time.
Storm ponds are designed to a certain depth to prevent anaerobic conditions, such as those that may promote odours. Storm ponds usually consist of a forebay that allows silt in the incoming water to settle and be treated naturally within the pond. There are also areas where water is retained and in high water events the water is released slowly underground. Ultimately, run off from storm ponds will end up in our river system. Storm ponds also do not stay stagnant. There may be small areas around the perimeter of the ponds that appear stagnant, however there is movement (although not usually significant) within the pond during a rainfall event.
Please refer to the STORM POND document for more information about Storm Ponds. Further information on storm ponds can be found at the City of Calgary website at www.calgary.ca.