HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2008-04-07 S
SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES
APRIL 7, 2008
CITY OF KITCHENER
A special meeting of City Council was held at 2:37 p.m. this date, chaired by Mayor C. Zehr with all
members present. Councillor J. Gazzola was in attendance for part of the meeting.
Notice of this special meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk
pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code.
Moved by Councillor C. Weylie
Seconded by Councillor K. Galloway
"That an in-camera meeting of City Council be held this date to consider a litigation / potential
litigation matter which is also subject to solicitor-client privilege."
Carried.
It is noted that this special Council meeting was a strategic planning session which is part of a series
of meetings which have been held to allow discussion of various strategic initiatives and directions
being taken by the City.
Mr. Alain Pinard, Manager, Long Range and Policy Planning, advised that the strategic session will
deal with the Kitchener Growth Management Strategy. He explained that Council will be provided
with background information, information on the Growth Management Strategy project and there will
be several focus questions to facilitate comments and feedback from Council which will assist staff in
moving forward.
Councillor J. Gazzola entered the meeting.
Mr. Pinard gave a presentation and outlined what growth management is and the six key elements
which form the focus for the Growth Management Strategy. These key elements are:
· take action so that growth adds value;
· co-ordination of growth related activities;
· alignment with Corporate priorities;
· linking land use planning with infrastructure;
· maximizing existing infrastructure; and,
· more housing and transportation choices.
Mr. Pinard advised that in essence the Strategy will deal with a move away from low density,
automobile dependent suburban development with segregated land uses. He explained that the
reasons for undertaking this project was threefold; it is being mandated by Provincial legislation
through Places to Grow Act, community feedback through the Healthy Kitchener survey and the fact
that it makes sense. Mr. Pinard advised that the Places to Grow Act prescribes specific actions that
municipalities must undertake such as, by the year 2015, 400/0 of all development must take place
within the designated built boundary.
Council was asked the following question, what is the most significant growth related issue in your
ward right now and what is the most significant growth related issue facing the City for the future?
The following comments were provided by members of Council:
· traffic and natural area preservation;
· King Street intensification area;
· lack of services provided at the front end of a new subdivision;
· growing too fast with insufficient services to accommodate the current population;
· the need to educate the public on benefits of intensification;
· pressure to move the country line;
· providing park and civic lands with intensification;
· brownfield sites not being developed; and,
· transportation especially on Regional roads.
Mr. Pinard provided an overview of the project description and expectations advising that a task force
has been established with a community advisory group and a technical working group. The scope of
work for the project has been staged in four phases being: background study / current benchmarks;
development of growth options; preferred growth concepts; and, growth management strategy. In
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regard to the project's expectations, Mr. Pinard advised that it should be more than a new policy
framework and the strategy should recommend actions outside of land use planning, prioritization of
greenfield development and evolution of staging of development. Councillor B. Vrbanovic raised a
concern that the focus for future development may move too far from greenfield development and
how does the City deal with that in order to ensure a balance. Mr. Pinard advised there would still be
greenfield development but the type of development may differ such as minimum densities.
Councillor Vrbanovic also raised a concern that these changes in development which may cause less
greenfield development could have a negative impact with respect to house prices due to a supply
and demand situation being created. Mr. Pinard advised that the task force is aware of that possible
situation but have not yet investigated how to deal with the possible outcome. Councillor G. Lorentz
asked if the City will align its growth strategy with the neighbouring cities. Mr. Pinard advised that
there are different issues facing each of the three cities within the Region but as Kitchener's strategy
is developed, there will be a need to be aware of the strategies being developed in Waterloo and
Cambridge.
Council was asked the following question, what Corporate activities outside of planning do you think
would benefit from or needs to be addressed in the Kitchener Growth Management Strategy? The
following comments were provided:
· traffic and transportation;
· emergency services;
· parks and community centres in conjunction with Regional services;
· economics of the initiative to ensure mitigation of negative impacts; and,
· growth should pay for itself.
Mr. Pinard then reviewed the relationship that the City's Growth Management Strategy will have with
Regional and Corporate initiatives and he reviewed the proposed Public Engagement process.
Mr. Brandon Sloan, Senior Planner, advised that the task force has been working on a background
study for the Growth Management Strategy which will include historical growth, past and current
growth, growth management themes, framework from the Province, Region and City and the current
urban status. He further advised that from the facts being gathered, growth is inevitable, that the City
will continue to grow and, it is estimated that 98,000 more people will live within the City and 37,000-
40,000 new jobs will be created by 2031. Mr. Sloan also explained that the Places to Grow objective
is for: intensification; use of existing infrastructure; identifying intensification areas and policies; that a
minimum of 400/0 intensification by 2015 across the Region; minimum of 200 persons in jobs per
hectare in urban growth centres by 2031; and, a minimum 50 persons in jobs per hectare for
greenfield development. He added that the emphasis will be on design to ensure that the City meets
its targets.
In answer to questions regarding the current housing inventory levels, Mr. Sloan advised there is
currently a total of 9,935 inventoried housing units which is the lowest level since the year 2000.
Mayor C. Zehr raised a concern regarding availability issues for developments in light of the Places to
Grow targets. Mr. Sloan advised that the intensification levels targeted in the Places to Grow will be a
minimum of 400/0 by 2015 meaning that 400/0 of all development by that time must take place in the
identified built area. He added that the built or intensification area is generally the current city
boundaries with the exception of identified greenfield areas located in the southwest quadrant and
smaller areas along the Grand River to the north. He added that considering the fact that currently
570/0 of all new development is single family dwelling within the identified built area, meeting those
targets should not be a problem for Kitchener.
Mr. Sloan then reviewed the areas within the built area that could see further intensification. These
include the urban growth centre being the Downtown, mixed use corridors such as Belmont Village,
mix used nodes such as the Ottawa / River area, primary nodes such as Fairview Park Mall district,
neighbourhood mixed use centres such as found at Homer Watson and Bleams and comprehensive
development areas such as Glasgow / Strange Street and 1 Adam Street.
Council was then asked the following question, how do you see these intensification areas growing in
the future and are there other candidate locations? The following comments were made:
· how does job creation factor in;
· need to add in potential transit areas;
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· office location and the past debate of corporate centres;
· encourage incentives such as brownfield development; and,
· any commercial area as potential intensification areas.
Mr. Sloan then reviewed the land budget advising that early findings show the intensification inventory
represents 45,000 new persons. In regard to greenfield inventory, early findings are showing 45,000-
65,000 new persons. These findings indicate capacity that is close to or above projections and
depending on growth scenarios should provide greenfield development for the next 17-20 years and
intensification areas for 20+ years. Mr. Sloan advised that in order to be more definitive regarding the
capacity for growth more refining and investigation is required.
Council was then asked the following question, what is important to consider when adding, designing
and developing new greenfield lands? The following comments were provided:
· completed communities up front such as parks and community centres;
· integrated road plan and parking;
· services;
· integrated areas - live, shop, work;
· environmental development - LEED;
· need to work with the Region in regard to traffic and roads;
· issue with Waterloo and Cambridge running out of development areas;
· supply and demand for housing;
· the Development Charges By-law may need to be reviewed more frequently; and,
· transportation choices and transit corridors for the future.
Mr. Sloan then reviewed future growth areas and the issue related to proper growth management.
He advised that in order to achieve objectives, unit mix will have to change in new greenfield
subdivisions and eventually there will be less availability of certain dwelling types such as single
detached dwellings as Kitchener becomes a mature city meaning built out to its boundaries.
Council was then asked the following question, what can we do to prepare the community including
residents and the development industry? The following comments were provided:
· educate the public and development industry on the benefits of higher densities; and
· housing in the intensification area will need to accommodate families.
Mr. Pinard advised that it is estimated development areas within the City of Waterloo would be built
out over the next five years and in the City of Cambridge over the next 12-15 years. Council was
asked the following question, should Kitchener continue to handle the larger share of both greenfield
land intensification growth in the Region? The following comments were provided:
· the City needs to proceed with caution so that it does not end up with a disproportionate
amount of greenfield and / or intensification development in comparison with the rest of the
Region;
· important to continue with a mixed type of housing within the city; and,
· Kitchener is the largest municipality therefore must playa leading role.
Council was asked what can be done to gain acceptance from the community of a high quality
intensification development in advance of a specific application and Council agreed that the issue is
one of education in order to provide the appropriate information to the public.
Council was asked the following question, given the vision for Kitchener is for well-managed growth,
what does that look like? The following comments were provided:
· need to ensure such amenities such as bike lanes, trails and sidewalks;
· based on the past development, the City has been doing well but can always make
improvements;
· transit needs to be better;
· attitudinal change within the community; and,
· put pedestrians first when planning development.
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CITY OF KITCHENER
Mr. Sloan concluded the presentation briefly looking at what other municipalities are doing in regard
to the Places to Grow and the next steps for the project.
On motion, the meeting adjourned at 5:31 p.m.
MAYOR
CLERK