HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-17-097 - Tall Building Urban Design GuidelinesREPORT TO:Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee
DATE OF MEETING:December 4, 2017
SUBMITTED BY:Alain Pinard, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200 x7319
PREPARED BY:Dayna Edwards,Senior Planner 519-741-2200 x7324
Adam Clark, Urban Design Specialistx7027
WARD(S) INVOLVED:All Wards
DATE OF REPORT:November 10, 2017
REPORT NO.:CSD-17-097
SUBJECT:Tall Building Urban Design Guidelines
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RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Tall BuildingUrban Design Guidelines, attachedas Appendix A to
report CSD-17-097, be approved; and
THAT the Tall Building Design Guidelines be added into the City’s Urban Design
Manual and Tall BuildingStatement of Expectations be removed fromthe City’s
Urban Design Manual, upon approval.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Kitchener has many existing tall buildings across the city, with many more to
come, as interest in this form of intensification is greaterthan ever. The Tall Building
Study was initiated in 2014 to develop design guidance for the development of tall
buildings,achieve compatibility and foster a positive relationship between new high-rise
buildings and surrounding neighbourhoods.
The Tall Building Urban Design Guidelines represents the final phase of our three
phased study. Conducting the study in three phases allowed for necessary, Kitchener
specific research, modelling,andanalysis, as well asextensive public and stakeholder
engagement.As a result, staff were able todevelop guidelines that are specific to
Kitchener’s unique context, represent good urban design standards, and provide
flexibility for tall building developments of all shapes and sizes.
Statement of Urban Design
Tall Buildings Urban
Design Guidelines
Expectations Study
End of 2017
2014 -2016 2016 - 2017
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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The Statement of Expectations (approved by Council in October 2016) functions as a
qualitative, educational document, introducing stakeholders and the community to what
have been identified as the key urban and built form considerations of tall building
design. These Expectations have been used to guide tall building development over the
past year. As part of the recommendation to approvethe Statement of Expectations,
Council asked staff to complete the Tall Building Study and deliver a comprehensive set
of Tall Building Guidelines prior to the end of 2017.
REPORT
Kitchener’s Tall Building Guidelines
Tall buildings are aprominent andpermanent part of the urban environment, and have
significant impacts on the quality of the urban environment and on the value of
surrounding areas.
Tall buildings are complex,represent significant investments andcome in all shapes
and sizes; there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution for tall building design.At the onset of
the Tall Buildings Study, staff examinedother cities’ practices andconcluded that
Kitchener’sguidelines shouldnot represent a static approach to tall building design,and
should respond to the specific conditions of the Kitchener context.
Therefore, the Kitchener Tall Building Guidelines represent a ‘made in Kitchener’
approach. They are guidelines that have notreplicatedother cities’ practices; staff have
undertakenan extensive analysis of our urban environmentand existing tall building
fabric.This, along withan extensivepublic and stakeholder consultation process has
resulted inguidelines that are flexible, scalable, and responsive to all different types of
tall buildings, while respecting Kitchener’s community standards for tall building
development.
Unlike other approaches seen elsewhere, Kitchener’s tall building guidelines are flexible
(based on site context, building type, shape, placement, orientationand height) and do
not put arbitrary limitson building typologies. As a result we expect to see a variety of
building types, sizes and a more diverse unit mixes and tenures as these guidelines are
applied to tall buildings in Kitchener.
How Were the Tall Building Guidelines Created?
The Tall Building Guidelines were developed throughextensive study, testing,
contextual analysis and public and stakeholder engagement, representinga holistic
approach to how tall buildingsin Kitchenershould be designed. The guidelines also
consider how tall buildings can be designed relative to one another, to ensure the urban
environment between tall buildings is comfortable, attractive and safe.
A
s part of our study, staff analyzed over 200 tall buildings, including both existing and
proposed buildings in Kitchener, as well as tall buildings from other, comparablecities.
Tall buildings and their respective sites were measured and the information was used to
test and develop a number of guidelines.
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The Tall Building Guidelines were also developed utilizing the feedback, comments and
priorities identified by the public and local stakeholders at a June 2016 engagement
session and through the City’s on-line engagement platform, ‘Engage Kitchener’.Draft
guidelines were presented to stakeholdersin May 2017, which was followed by one-on-
one stakeholder interviews with interested parties.
What is a Tall Building and Where Will the Guidelines Apply?
All tall buildings within the City of Kitchener should be designed and developed to a high
standard of urban design; therefore the Tall Building Guidelines will apply to tall
buildings city-wide. A ‘tall building’ in Kitchener is defined as nine (9) stories or greater,
which is consistent with the definition of high-rise in the City’s Official Plan.
How is the DocumentStructured?
The document has been crafted to act as a tool for thedevelopment industry to use
during initial stages of tall building design. The objective is to provide a thorough, yet
practical document that provides targets around the City’s expectations for tall building
design.
Guidance on the principles of tall building design has been provided with respect to the
following considerations:
Built Form Considerations:
o Ground Floor & Base Design,
o Tower Separation Distance,
o Overlook,
o Tower Orientation & Placement,
o Tower Floor Plate,
o Tower Relative Height,
o Tower and Top Design;
Public & Private Open Spaces;
Public Realm (Streetscape);
Mid-Block Connections;
Views & Skyline;
Scale & Transition;
Heritage;
Sustainability;
Bird Friendly Design
Microclimate; and
Skyview.
Next Steps
Once the Tall Building Guidelines are approved, they will become part of the City’s
Urban Design Manual, which will act as a reference document for landowners and
developers proposing tall buildings within the city of Kitchener. By clarifying
expectations, identifying key considerations andproviding design guidance, the design
guidelines aims to shorten review times for planning applications, avoid appeals, and
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ensure that urban design policies with the Official Plan and the Urban Design Manual
are implemented.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Priority 3 – Safe and Thriving Neighbourhoods
Strategy 3.3 - Manage growth, curb urban sprawl, and foster more mixed-use
development, ensuring new development is integrated with the diversity and character
of the surroundingcommunity.
Strategic Priority 4 – Sustainable Environment and Infrastructure
Business Plan #26 – Urban Design Manual Update. The Tall Buildings Study is an
interim update to the Urban Design Manual.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The Tall Building Guidelines were prepared ‘in house’. No additional capital or operating
budget commitments are required.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
The Tall Buildings Study engagement utilized the primary themes of “INFORM”
“CONSULT” and “COLLABORATE” fromthe City’s Community Engagement Strategy.
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in
advance of the council meeting. Notice of this meeting and the completion of the Tall
Building Guidelines were sent out to the projectdistribution email list.
CONSULT/COLLABORATE – The Tall Buildings Statement of Expectations was
prepared utilizing feedback from the June2016 open house and workshop which
attracted over 80 citizens and stakeholders. In addition to the open house and
workshop, the Tall Buildings Study was featured on ‘Engage Kitchener’ for
approximately 2 months to receive additional public feedback.
In May 2017, staff held a Stakeholder Information Session to present an early draft of
the proposed guidelines. The session was followed by one-on-one stakeholder
interviews with 13 stakeholder groups. A draft was posted online in August for further
comment and an updatedversion was shared in October 2017.
Staff received and addressed 99 written comments from stakeholders. An overview of
the comments received is included in Appendix B. A summary of public comments
received in June 2016 have been summarized in the Feedback Report available online:
https://www.kitchener.ca/en/resourcesGeneral/Documents/CSD_PLAN_Tall-Buildings-
Feedback-Report.pdf)
Throughout the process staffengaged more than 400 people, received more than 300
comments and heldmore than 20 meetings.
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Summary of Public/Stakeholder Comments
The majority of the comments received on the draft Tall Building Guidelines, were
format or editorial suggestions, or feedback on individual guidelines proposed. Staff
reviewed all comments received and responded to questions and concerns in individual
stakeholder meetings. Staff feel that the final set of guidelines represents a balanced
approach thatrepresent both stakeholder and the city’s interests.
All of the comments and feedback received throughout the process have been
summarized in the Feedback Report (see link above) and in the Stakeholder Feedback
Reportattached as Appendix B. The comments and feedback assisted in the creation of
the final draft of the Tall Building Guidelines.
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CONCLUSION:
Kitchener is growing. It is the largest city in Waterloo Region, in an area that has one of
the most robust economies in Canada. It is a key centre of the emerging Toronto-
Waterloo innovation corridor, bringing investment and talentto the downtown and
surrounding areas of the city. The future regional connections made possible by the
incoming LRT, and the megaregional connections coming via increased commuter rail
service to Toronto are creating significant incentive for compact, urban growth. This
growth is increasingly taking the form of tall building development.
After an extensive study and public and stakeholder engagement and consultation, Tall
Building Urban Design Guidelineshavebeen created to guide the future of tall building
development in Kitchener.
Tall Buildings Design Guidelines are the blueprint for the future to help guide the
development of tall buildings and contribute to creating places in the city that are
vibrant, liveable and identifiable.
REVIEWED BY: Janine Oosterveld, Manager of Site Development & Customer Service
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO (Community Services)
Appendix A – Tall Building Urban Design Guidelines
Appendix B – Stakeholder Feedback Report
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