As the June 23 public hearing on Calgary's long-range Plan It blueprint draws closer, the development industry is ratcheting up pressure on city politicians, urging them to block the plan. (Here's Fast Forward's April story on the plan, along with city council members' comments.)

The local chapter of the Canadian Home Builders' Association and the Urban Development Institute recently issued an "industry call to action." It is, they say, an effort to protect "choice, affordability and mobility options for all Calgarians." (Here's a link to the PDF of the document.)

The document includes sample letters to council members that businesses can use to voice their displeasure with Plan It. Here's a sampling from one of the letters:

I am concerned with the affect [sic] Plan It will have on transportation and mobility. I support an improved transit system, but it must not come at the expense of our ability to get around by vehicle. Personal freedom and choice of transportation options is essential.  Plan It’s priority for spending on public transit and not roads will mean busier streets, more traffic jams and more frustrated Calgarians.  

...

Developing a long range plan for the future of our city is an excellent idea, but imposing a plan that forces people to significantly change their daily lives to align with a plan they may not support will never work. It is simply not good policy, and certainly not good business.  

It's true that Calgarians have transportation choice. One choice, to be exact: the car. The development industry, it seems, is wholeheartedly committed to protecting that choice.

It's going to be a lively public hearing on the 23rd, I'm sure. Calgarians have until 10 a.m. on June 11 to submit comments on the plan for the hearing.

Council will vote on the plan after the hearing.