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Home My WebLink AboutDTS-09-075 - Neighbourhood Design Initiative ImplementationJ I~TL,~~R Devefopmeni & techr~iral5ervices REPORT T0: Development and Technical Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: May 11, 2009 SUBMITTED BY: Alain Pinard, Interim Director of Planning PREPARED BY: Brandon Sloan, Senior Planner (519-741-2648) Heather Holbrook, Planner (Urban Design) (519-741-2324) WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: April 24, 2009 REPORT NO.: DTS-09-075 SUBJECT: NEIGHBOURHOOD DESIGN INITIATIVE IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATION: For information. BACKGROUND: In April 2007, Council approved the Neighbourhood Design Initiative (NDI) as outlined in Report DTS-07-065. The NDI resulted in revisions to the Community and Neighbourhood Design Guidelines in the City's Urban Design Manual along with adding a new Design Brief for Suburban Development and Neighbourhood Mixed Use Centres. The project helped revise the process for designing new subdivisions and neighbourhoods. The Council resolution included proceeding with several related initiatives (such as the Parks Master Plan) to help implement the NDI. The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an update on the implementation. REPORT: The planning and designing of new neighbourhoods in Kitchener continues to improve. The City of Kitchener and the development industry have taken a significant stride forward by implementing a comprehensive approach to subdivision planning that is intended to consider all aspects of a new subdivision before the plan is even created or approved. When looking at planning new subdivisions, more than ever, there is a high emphasis on designing for transit-oriented development and walkable neighbourhoods. Early results of implementing the NDI include: The submission of Neighbourhood Concept Plans. - These Plans are prepared before a subdivision is applied for and include identification of the transit route, primary and secondary gateways (entrances), priority streets, the `5-minute walkshed', connectivity within the neighbourhood and to adjacent locations, park types and location and land use orientation including mixed use and higher densities near transit. 8-1 • The preparation of Master Plans: - These include Streetscape Plans, Priority Lot Plans, Building Elevation Plans, Park Plans, Pedestrian and Cyclist Connectivity Plans • Developer-initiated Design Guidelines & Implementation: - This includes a developer in Grand River South approaching the City and working through the preparation and implementation of their own design guidelines for design items such as decorative streetlights, street signs, entry features, corner lots, building design and park entry feature. • New parks are now being designed and are to be built earlier in the subdivision process (in many instances the park is to be constructed within one year of the first building permit). There are also many examples in the planning stages where parks have increased frontage and better distribution to increase resident accessibility. • New subdivision conditions allow for improved coordination amongst departments and developer/consultants. • Introduction of different forms of housing, such as street-facing, rear-garage townhouses. • Identification in subdivision reports of what design elements are included and new infrastructure required so that financial implications of developing new areas can be considered. There are still several challenges that remain in order to continually improve the design of new neighbourhoods. For example, more consideration is needed earlier in the development process of potential heritage resources and how best to consider these resources in a new development. Also, there continues to be difficulties with planning school locations and walkability thereto, pedestrian connectivity across major streets (including at roundabouts), and achieving complete communities. A future challenge may be to achieve higher densities of residents and jobs within new greenfield subdivisions; however having the NDI in place gives Kitchener a tool to overcome this challenge and an advantage over many other municipalities to make this transition. The Council resolution approving the NDI included numerous recommendations to proceed with updating and preparing several action items to support the implementation of the new guidelines. This, along with other implementation items from the Planning Division, includes initiatives such as updating the technical Subdivision Manual, preparation of an updated Parks Master Plan and a preparing a Street Tree Inventory. The chart in Appendix "A" provides an update on the status of the implementation items for this project. The development industry is responding with excellent planning and design guidelines for new developments. The bar is being raised in a positive way and "community building" is coming back to the forefront. Examples of some of the design initiatives for new subdivisions between the development industry and the City are provided in Appendix "B". FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no Operating or Capital Budget financial requests as part of this report. COMMUNICATIONS: N/A 8-2 CONCLUSION: The City has taken a major step forward in updating its subdivision process. The focus now is on creating walkable, transit-supportive, mixed use communities with neighbourhood focal points, active parks and vibrant urban places. Given that most development applications that were submitted since the NDI was approved are still in the planning phases, true results cannot be observed as of yet. However, there is a higher degree of confidence that the City and development industry can work together to create new exciting neighbourhoods to live, work and play in. There are still practical challenges and more great leaps to take, but we know that Kitchener is eager and ready to take them. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff vvillmer, Interim General Manager Development and Technical Services Department Attarhmpntc• Appendix A: Neighbourhood Design Initiative Implementation Chart Appendix B: New Neighbourhood Design examples in Kitchener 8-3 APPENDIX A Neighbourhood Design Initiative: Implementation # Item Actions Status 1 Discuss approach -mentorlassist development planners with new -assistance with new subdivision and implementation subdivision/neighbourhood planning applications with development -seek feedback on an ongoing basis regarding -informal discussions ongoing planners implementation -informal individual discussions to further knowledge 2 Official Plan -prepare the amendment and forward to Region COMPLETE Amendment 3 Staff "wrap-up" -workshop session May 2007 COMPLETE session -seek feedback on next steps 4 Subdivision Tour -tour new subdivisions in other cities (Markham, COMPLETE etc) 5 Presentation to -present to Planning and Works committee COMPLETE Regional Committee 6 Update Subdivision -staff procedures manual updated as part of pre- -meeting held June 27th, 2007 Procedures Manual submission procedural changes -February 2009 pre-submission procedures updated -pre-submission session (standard dates, times, locations), submission, what to review, new types of plans, DTS Report analysis -include the details ofthe protocols identified in #7 7 Planning Division plan -as part of new procedures and new plans, -underway review confirm approach to what conditionslplans Planning Division ought to be involved in and how -Establish circulation and review process for -Streetscape plans circulated and Streetscape Plans reviewed similar to Site Plan Review Committee -Establish circulation and review process for -Building Elevation for priority lots Building Elevation/ Priority lot plans reviewed by planning and/or urban design planner: preference for builderto supply a range of elevations for consideration. Timing: 5 days ofthe 10 day Building Permit process for planners to select preferred elevations -Establish circulation and review process for Park -planners to be consulted prior to Parks Design Plans clearance -noti Indust of the above procedures -ongoing and on an as-needed basis 8 Update Application -review whether the development applications -meeting held June 27th, 2007 Form forms should be updated to reflect new -forms have been recently updated to requirements reflect pre-submission standards -outstanding; not required but may be considered as a future undertaking 8-4 9 New pre-submission -provide standard checklistfor record of pre- -COMPLETE minutes template submission 10 Notice to Advisory -once approved documents on website, send -COMPLETE Committees email to Advisory Committee chairs identifying what happened, now approved, link to the final documents, thanks and that follow up will be needed w/some groups 11 Advisory Committee -meet with some of the affected Advisory -requires action follow up Committees for the CommunitylNeighbourhood Design sections as part of the Manual update -follow up with PublicArt group -meet with Pedestrian Charter Steering Committee for further discussion 12 Communication: -post information on the project on the website -COMPLETE Website Info with the report, appendices and background info documents 13 Communication: -print the colour hard copy version of the final -COMPLETE Final Brochure Design Brochure for distribution and availability -available online 14 Communication: -article in Your Kitchener to inform people of -COMPLETE Your Kitchener approval of NDI and 9 PDO's 15 Communication: -presentation at October 2007 OPPI Annual -COMPLETE OPPI Conference -prepare OPPI Journal article for release just prior to conference 16 Communication: -coordinate with University of Waterloo to set up -COMPLETE Academic an info session on project -ongoing participation in UW exercises -either lectures or joint sessions with studentslUW/cities 17 Communication: -presentldiscuss the project at conferences, etc to -COMPLETE Conferencesl get the word out (TDM Summit, OPPI Conference) Seminars 18 Communication: -discuss the project and guidelines at each of the -further action required Development Industry main local consultants' offices 19 Coordination of -send letter to affected divisionsl departments re: -COMPLETE Recommendations implementation of DTS Report recommendations with others 20 Update Community -prepare as part of general Urban Design Manual -to be initiated and Neighbourhood -requires consultation Design sections (Recommendation A) 21 Urban Design Awards -add `Neighbourhood Design' as a new category -required by 2010 (Recommendation B) to the Urban Design Awards Program -report to be tabled at a DTS meeting -work with development review staff to establish later in 2009 criteria -requires report for Council approval 8-5 New Neighbourhood Design Examples in Kitchener APPENDIX B ' T~ f° L L ~'f~~~ ~T ,~ ~ ~ M u a ~~~ ,~ ~~ _ ~r . ~~~~~~! ~r~~E~ ~~ ~ n 1 1 ,1 ~n i ~ r~ TTh! ~'1 Ck~ L~'..l.T~~..~'y.~~ plJ:~.p 1 ~ r V 1 al'O ~ ~ 1 inli ri Ya srd" .~ ~ 01 rer ~. ~ ~F~~j,a. Design Briefsl Guidelines submitted and reviewed for new subdivisions Planning Reports incorporate supporting design plans and studies r..,_,,r.. _ _ ..'~... , ~ ~..~ k' ~° ~ fir' ~ ~ . ~` . ~, ~ . „~ . .. C ;~ ~:. 1 C; { p"'' d , ~ N , Comprehensive Neighbourhood Concept Plans fi~ . + X . _ y I "' ` Y ~ * I A ~ Yw ~ ~ '~ .s r. j __ ~ . ~ ti ~I~ ~• I 8 i -~ ~i~ d IJ4.T~9 fl .. y, a ~ ~ •a. tl. } + ~ e ~..,~ y~ i~ ~ T ~ i ~~I.~,ry * i b T F ~ ~Ww+ a ~f O-4-- to ^F- a, rt ~ f * 1 ! k ~ 4~ r . i d ~ h ._<~. a iI~-~~~hs ri~•~Yrl ~~ ~ ~.- ~, ,I ,~ a ~ rflf ~ Y ~ /1 k 6 1~ k i~ ~~ 1 ^ ~rNre~i O ~a xr~r i r .. w ~ e f i _ 1 yIy 4 ' ' -' _4 .1 ~~ a,F ~gk~ I ~; `- p ~ ~ ,+ 1 , ,S. ' 0 F'.r. y ~ I ~ ~ gg " ! ~~ _ `~ r __ .. ~a ...... ..,. ., i .. 'Y JI5.G L! 4l~GI LJ~U~ ~ ' ~ ~F 8 Streetscape and Connectivity Plans ~~hl. FbW~slao~! ` de ~ °FeeF .ev... ,lid . ~~ k,q ~. ~STl~~l ~J:o ~. h ~~ ~_ I F p 101` !E d S' !~ aiin)~ ~ 6I d- `~ ~ ~ tad 17®'M ...~,~ ~~~__~ - .~~.. y -' ~,,.. P~ n~ ,t~ t f a ~. I M J ,1~~, a ~4 F ! ~~~~ Priority lotting 8-6