City of St. Thomas New Official Plan

Transcription

1 City of St. Thomas New Official Plan Sustainable & Healthy Community Workshop Ann Joyner and Paddy Kennedy Dillon Consulting Limited

2 Work Shop Outline Introduction Presentation Exercise 1 (individual) Exercise 2 (individual) Exercise 3 (group) Wrap Up

3 Purpose of Workshop Learn from each other Explore ideas Engage in discussion and debate Develop policy directions for new Official Plan

4 Broader Consultation Program Consultation Activities Staff workshop Focus groups Public workshop Consultation Report to Council summarizing the feedback and directions Report to make policy directions for Official Plan

5 New Official Plan Project What is an Official Plan? Prepared under the authority of the Planning Act Usually includes 1. Strategic Policies 2. Land Use Policies 3. Other Policies Official Plan Other Municipal Plans, Strategies & Programs

6 Typical Components of an Official Plan Strategic Policies Vision Growth Management Policies Land Use Policies Transportation Policies Infrastructure Policies Residential Policies Housing Policies Industrial Policies Commercial Policies Environment Policies Rural & Ag Policies Downtown Policies Parks, Recreation & Open Space Policies Arts, Culture & Heritage Other Policies Implementation & Process Policies Hazards Arts, Culture & Heritage Accessibility

7 Exercise 1: Defining Sustainability Write down the words/phrases which come to mind when you hear the word sustainability

8 Why Sustainability? Not a new concept For a long time there has been a growing perception that we are having a negative impact on our environment both globally and locally There is broad support trying new ways of doing things

9 Why Sustainability? The trend is to find creative ways to a more balanced, collaborative approach to growth and development Citizens & NGOs Businesses Governments & Institutions

10 What Does Sustainability Mean? Bruntland Commission (Our Common Future): "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Economy Community Environment Balance Green Financial Preservation Long-Term Protection People Visionary Smart Growth Healthy Safety & Security Affordability

11 What Does Sustainability Mean?

12 Exercise 2: Examples of Sustainability Write down the places and spaces which you think best exemplify notion of a healthy and sustainable community (St. Thomas or elsewhere)

13 What are Communities Doing? Some examples of what other places are doing to promote sustainability within following context: Natural Environmental Built Environment Transportation Energy & Infrastructure Energy & Infrastructure Food Social and Cultural Economic and Finance

14 Environmental Sustainability Natural Heritage Protect and enhance significant natural features such as woodlots, valleylands, wetlands, creeks and streams Protect natural corridors and link natural areas Dalewood Reservoir (St. Thomas) Meadowvale Road (Mississauga)

15 Environmental Sustainability Natural Heritage Integrate elements of the natural environment into site design IBM Software Facility (Markham)

16 Environmental Sustainability Protect habitats and support biodiversity Butterfly Garden (City of Toronto)

17 Environmental Sustainability Minimize the impacts of development and maximize water infiltration Green Roofs Permeable Pavers Rain Barrels Tree Box Filter Hamilton Airport Employment Growth District (City of Hamilton)

18 Natural Environment Sustainability Key Municipal Tools Official Plan Subwatershed studies Source water protection studies/plans Tree conservation/cutting by laws Urban design guidelines Parks and recreation master plans Secondary plans

19 Built Environment Sustainability Promote mixed use development Compact, high density development in strategic locations Eco-Tech Village (Town of Milton) Cornell (Town of Markham)

20 Built Environment Sustainability Target areas for regeneration and intensification Tablot West (St. Thomas)

21 Built Environment Sustainability Atlas Landfill Remediation project (Welland) Brownfield Community Improvement Plan (Welland)

22 Built Environment Sustainability Sustainable Development Guidelines (City of Pickering)

23 Built Environment Sustainability Key Municipal Tools Official Plan Urban design guidelines Community Improvement Plans (Brownfield/Downtown) Streetscape master plans Secondary plans Sustainable development site guidelines

24 Sustainable Transportation Promote transit and active transportation: Walkable Communities Street Design & Green Corridors Pedestrian Safety and Comfort Accessibility Automobile Infrastructure and Parking Cycling Infrastructure Public Transit Accessibility

25 Sustainable Transportation Key Municipal Tools Transportation Master Plan Transit Plan Bike Master Plan Official Plan Secondary plans Traffic calming studies

26 Energy Sustainability Energy conservation and efficiency Outdoor lighting Efficient buildings & appliances Renewable Power Generation for Buildings LED Street Lights (City of Welland) Doug Tarry Homes (St. Thomas)

27 Energy Sustainability Green Building Materials & Infrastructure Heat Island Reduction Daylight/Building Orientation Water Conservation and Efficiency (Residential) Comprehensive Waste Management

28 Energy Sustainability Key Municipal Tools Building code Green building guidelines Water conservation programs Secondary plans

29 Food Systems Sustainability Access to healthy food Food security Food Desert Map (Toronto) Talbot Street (St. Thomas)

30 Food Systems Sustainability Preserve prime agricultural lands Support local food initiatives (community gardens, farmers markets) Provide opportunities for access to healthy food sources Horton Farmers Market Fresh Food Stands (North York) Sunshine Garden (Toronto)

31 Food Systems Sustainability Key Municipal Tools Regional Commercial Systems Studies Food strategies Official plan Zoning by law

32 Social & Cultural Sustainability Protect, preserve and enhance cultural heritage resources Railway Station (St. Thomas)

33 Social & Cultural Sustainability Protect, preserve and enhance cultural heritage resources

34 Social & Cultural Sustainability Provide a framework which allows arts and culture to thrive Stratford Festival Theatre (Stratford) IlluminAcqua (Welland)

35 Social and Cultural Sustainability Key Municipal Tools Arts, Culture and Heritage Master Plan Heritage Preservation plans/by-laws Official Plan Parks and Recreation Master Plan Downtown CIPs

36 Financial & Economic Sustainability Promote economic diversity by: Direct Actions Economic development initiatives (promotions, marketing campaigns, facilitating land transactions) Process-based incentives Flexible zoning and land use policies

37 Financial & Economic Sustainability Promote economic diversification through strategic investments in quality of life enhancements in: Public spaces Parks, trails and recreational areas Streetscapes Arts and culture Cultural heritage Major institutions (education and health)

38 Financial & Economic Sustainability Paying for sustainability, sources of revenue Traditional Sources Property tax revenue DCs Transfer payments Grants User fees Public-private partnerships Ease of Implementation Easy Easy Easy Somewhat Challenging Very Challenging Very Challenging

39 Financial & Economic Sustainability Key Municipal Tools Integrated Community Sustainability Plan Capital budgets Development charges study Council strategic plan Official plan

40 Implementing Sustainability? Concept can be operationalized through a variety of plans, programs and actions, by a variety of people, at a variety of scales

41 Implementing Sustainability? Sustainable development initiatives and programs require monitoring and implementation programs Major challenge implemented through variety of programs, people and initiatives

42 Implementing Sustainability? Key Municipal Tools (Monitoring) Annual sustainability report card Periodic audits on specific programs and initiatives Committees Dedicated municipal office

43 Exercise 3: Planning a Healthy and Sustainable St. Thomas Group Planning Exercises

44 Exercise 1: Community Garden Guidelines Your group will prepare a set of guidelines for developing new community gardens in St. Thomas. Your guidelines would be used by the City to promote and administer a community garden program. Key questions your group should consider are as follows: What types of activities should be encouraged in community gardens? Ideally, where should new community gardens be located (e.g. parks, vacant lands, neighbourhoods, anywhere?) What type of consultation program should be administered to approve a community garden? What types of requirements should be in place for approving a community garden (if any)? How do your guidelines fit within the context of sustainability?

45 Exercise 2: Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy Your group has been asked to prepare a strategy for supporting arts and culture and preserving heritage in St. Thomas. Some key questions you should consider in your strategy are: What types of arts and cultural activities are to be included in the strategy? Where should new arts and cultural activities be located? Where should public art be located? Should the city promote a theme for its public art? What features, structures, locations should be preserved? What types of incentives can be provided to property owners to promote heritage preservation? How is does your strategy fit within in the context of sustainability

46 Exercise 3: Sustainable Neighbourhood Design Your group has been asked to prepare a set of guidelines for developing a sustainable neighbourhood concept plan. Your guidelines would be used to plan future neighbourhoods in St. Thomas. Some key questions you should consider are: What type of street pattern is the neighbourhood laid out on (grid or curvilinear)? What type of infrastructure is in place to support walking and cycling? What type of greenspace is in the neighbourhood (natural or manicured?) What type of housing units are in the neighbourhood? Are they all of the same (apartments, townhomes, singles, semis, etc)? How tall are the buildings? Are they all the same height? How do your guidelines promote energy conservation? Are their other land use activities in the neighbourhood (commercial? educational? Parks? offices?) How do your guidelines fit within the context of sustainability?

47 Exercise 4: Transit Oriented Development Guidelines Your group has been asked to prepare a set of guidelines for new development to help support the City s transit system. Some key questions you should consider are: What types of land use policies need to be in place to support the long term viability of transit? Where should we encourage higher density housing? How will we encourage higher density housing and address NIMBY issues? Are there specialized forms of transit we should consider for lower density neighbourhood? Are there accessibility measures that should be considered when planning and designing bus stops? How can improve the design of bus shelters? How can we better link the transit system with new development (e.g. how far should the bus stop be from the entrance of a near by building? How can we minimize barriers?)

48 Exercise 5: Long Term Vision Your group has been asked to prepare a long term vision for the City. The vision is to be used to develop a number of strategic plans and programs and will help guide decision makers. In developing the 20 year vision for St. Thomas, you should consider the following questions: Who is living in St. Thomas 20 years from now? Why are people coming to St. Thomas? What are the qualities of the community that make it a great place to live (20 years into the future)? What type of employers will be attracted to St. Thomas 20 years from now? What type of new infrastructure is needed to support economic growth? Are there new types of infrastructure that should be in considered (e.g. energy, communications)? How do people get around in the City? Where do people shop for their daily needs?