D'Arcy Okotoks architectural guidelines: sizes, setbacks, garages

D'Arcy, Anthem's community on the north side of Okotoks, sorts houses into four size tiers: a large front drive lot needs at least 1,400 sq ft as a bungalow and 1,800 sq ft as a two storey, and a laned lot at least 1,000 and 1,200 sq ft (Anthem, D'Arcy guidelines, February 2023, p. 15). Front drive houses sit at least 6.0 m (19 ft 8 in) back from the front property line. The booklet's cover says February 2023; the file was created in November 2023 and named for that month.

How big does a D'Arcy house have to be?

Of the three Anthem booklets we read (Pine Creek, Glacier Ridge and D'Arcy), only D'Arcy has a "large front drive" tier. That tier is where most of the size pressure sits.

D'Arcy's minimum house sizes by lot type, from page 15:

Note: Anthem's guideline minimums in square feet, as printed; metric is our conversion. The booklet doesn't define large and small front drive lots, so ask Anthem which tier your lot is in.

The small front drive tier matches what Anthem asks in Pine Creek for a front attached garage. The large tier and the laned duplex numbers are D'Arcy's own. A laned duplex here needs 1,400 sq ft as a two storey; Pine Creek's R-GM duplex needs 1,300.

How far back do D'Arcy houses sit?

Further back than Glacier Ridge's 4.5 m, on front drive lots. The setbacks apply on top of the Town of Okotoks zoning bylaw. Measurements are from the foundation and leave out stairs, cantilevers, landings and decks unless the booklet says otherwise.

D'Arcy's guideline setbacks, February 2023:

Note: page 15 of the February 2023 booklet. The rear and laned front numbers are written as "encouraged", not required; the front drive number is required.

The booklet says front setbacks are measured from the back of the sidewalk or curb, whichever is closer, which reads differently from "from the front property line" a line earlier. On a lot where the sidewalk sits inside the boulevard, those two lines aren't the same place. Ask Anthem which one they check before you fix the house's position on the plot plan.

What do D'Arcy's garage and entry rules require?

These are the clauses Anthem shares with its other communities, so we keep them short (Anthem, February 2023, p. 17):

• Front entry at least 6 ft wide from the foundation to the garage wall, on every lot type.
• Front drive garage at least 20 ft wide with a 16 ft door, and at least 12 in from each side of the door to the foundation edge.
• On a triple garage, the single bay sits at least 2 ft behind the double portion.
• Doors 7 ft or 8 ft high; no more than 18 in from the door top to the soffit without added detailing.
• Duplexes with front garages need a 2 ft jog between units.
• Laned lots get a gravel parking pad of at least 20 by 20 ft at the rear.

Two small differences from Pine Creek: D'Arcy lets front steps be wood or pre-cast concrete, and its entry rule covers all front entries, not just R-G lots. The City of Calgary stall sizes in our garage size guide are a useful check on depth, but Okotoks has its own bylaw.

What makes a D'Arcy exterior different?

The colour rule. Every home uses either a rich siding colour or an earth tone, and an earth tone means the full height of the garage is clad in stone (p. 21). That's a material cost decision you make when you pick the siding, so price it before the colour board goes in.

D'Arcy's material list also covers:

• Full wall shakes in cedar, fibre cement or vinyl; vinyl only in a rough sawn profile (p. 19).
• Fibre cement in horizontal lap or vertical profiles (p. 20).
• Asphalt shingles, plus flat roofing systems on flat roofs (p. 20).
• Stucco as a main cladding, reviewed case by case (p. 20).

Lots backing onto the golf course can only build black chain-link fence (Anthem, February 2023, p. 6).

Which D'Arcy lots have extra requirements?

The area-specific pages list them by phase, block and lot (Anthem, February 2023, pp. 25 to 26):

Note: requirements as listed in the February 2023 booklet. Phases released after it may have their own pages, so ask Anthem for your phase's list.

How are D'Arcy plans approved?

Through Anthem first, then the Town. The builder submits construction-ready plans and a metric plot plan in Anthem's Lot Sales System. Anthem holds a $10,000 deposit per lot (cash or letter of credit, capped at $50,000 per builder) before it releases the approved drawings and grade slip, and the builder then applies to the Town of Okotoks for the building permit (Anthem, February 2023, pp. 23 to 24). Changes after approval cost $75 each, and inspections after the second cost $150.

Walking a D'Arcy plan at full size

The decisions that are hard to make on paper in D'Arcy are front-of-house ones: whether 6 ft of entry beside a 20 ft garage feels generous, and how much stone a full-height garage face puts in front of the living room window. At 1to1 Plans Calgary, the plan is lit at full size on a walkable LED floor, and the elevations go up on a wall-size screen behind it, so the stone and the front door are in view while you stand in the entry.

Changes are made on the spot, and the session is recorded for you to share. Builders use it to settle a model with a buyer before submission (for builders). Each session is quoted for the plan, and the quote is free (pricing). Send a PDF or DWG three days ahead and book a session. Budgeting first? See what a custom home costs in Calgary.