Council Workshop on Neighbourhoods Thursday, October 4 th, :00 to 4:00 p.m. Burlington Performing Arts Centre

Transcription

1 Council Workshop on Neighbourhoods Thursday, October 4 th, :00 to 4:00 p.m. Burlington Performing Arts Centre

2 Agenda Introductions Warm-Up Exercise Presentation Exercise Neighbourhood Planning Break (2:35 pm approx) Exercise The Mapping Challenge Wrap up/next Steps

3 Workshop Outcomes Start corporate discussion about neighbourhourhood planning and how the Official Plan can support this. Inform Staff Directions Report: will summarize discussion and present a work plan for developing a neighbourhood planning framework within the context of the Official Plan Review.

4 Warm Up Please come up with your own definition of neighbourhood planning.

5 Why has this Council Workshop been scheduled? Today is about starting a conversation about change change that builds on our current approach to city building while responding to our transforming city.

6 Neighbourhood Planning Rationale Given Burlington s stage of growth, time to rethink to Respond to changing demographics (i.e. aging population, increase in low-income and newcomer population, young families, etc.) Conformity to Provincial policy (Community Infrastructure/ Complete Communities) Conformity Region of Halton (Community Infrastructure Guidelines). Alignment with Strategic Plan (Vibrant Neighbourhoods and Prosperity) Staff directions - Indian Point and Roseland

7 Complete Communities meet people s needs for daily living throughout an entire lifetime by providing convenient access to an appropriate mix of jobs, local services, a full range of housing, and community infrastructure including affordable housing, schools, recreations, and open space for their residents. enable convenient access to public transportation and options for safe, nonmotorized travel.

8 Adding the Supports: Community Infrastructure Refers to lands, buildings, and structures that support the quality of life for people and communities by providing public services for: health education recreation socio-cultural activities security and safety affordable housing

9 Local Context Official Plan establishes urban structure. Categorizes land into urban and rural. Defines areas and provides policy direction for residential, employment, mixed use, commercial and open spaces. Layers on network system of transportation network, bike lanes. Is neighbourhoods another layer?

10 Strategic Plan Alignment Vibrant Neighbourhoods Enhanced public spaces Complete neighbourhoods Redeveloped aging retail areas into mixed use people spaces Walking and cycling friendly neighbourhoods Community safety and accessibility Prosperity Lifestyle opportunities Housing opportunities Mixed Use residential/commercial places

11 What we heard the public say about neighbourhoods Key elements that make a neighbourhood to me are People/ Community Safe, green, parks Affordable/inclusive Live/work/play Walking/taking transit Top elements that make a neighbourhood vibrant are Walkable/ cyclable streets Attractive Public spaces Accessible & Reliable transit Cultural facilities Trees Local shopping /amenities Accessibility and we re listening.

12 What is a neighbourhood? a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, or suburb. - wikipedia a district or community within a town or city. - oxford dictionary the people living near one another or a section lived in by neighbors and usually having distinguishing characteristics. - websters dictionary Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition. Neighbourhood is generally defined spatially as a specific geographic area and functionally as a set of social networks which face-to-face social interactions occur the personal settings and situations where residents seek to realise common values -The Aspen Institute

13 Neighbourhoods - key themes Specific geographically localized areas Distinct; having distinguishing characteristics Consists of people and social networks Context where face-to-face social interactions occur Context where residents may share some common goals/interests

14 Some ways to define neighbourhoods Social relationships Environmental and physical features Political structures Availability/limitations of data Walkabililty History Distinguishing characteristic (e.g. ethnic composition)

15 Neighbourhood Planning Framework Defined A conceptual structure that supports a common, over-arching approach for planning neighbourhoods.

16 Purpose of neighbourhood planning (NP) framework Managing change (e.g. intensification/severances) within neighbourhoods Analyzing community needs and gaps: land use, personal service amenities, etc. Coordinating community infrastructure Defining area character

17 Some common features of a NP Framework 1. Defines neighbourhoods and criteria for mapping 2. Delineates neighbourhoods (boundaries, mapping) 3. Provides some policy guidance for future planning

18 What could an NP framework do? Inform policy studies, OP reviews, zoning by-law updates, development projects, and area character studies and guidelines Identify neighbourhood profiles and priorities Make strategic use of scarce resources inform Council budget decisions Assist City departments with their long and short range planning (re: land, buildings, structures) and public service delivery considerations

19 What could an NP framework do? Enable collaborative planning that links land use, design, community services, and infrastructure planning Integrate social, economic, physical development, and land planning issues at a local neighbourhood level Engage citizens to build on local knowledge Empower and organize community

20 Range of NP Frameworks Toronto Seattle Burlington Vancouver Saskatoon Toronto Seattle Portland Houston Nanaimo Kingston Vancouver Guelph Mississauga Oakville Ottawa Vancouver Hamilton Increase in time & resources Data-oriented approach Neighbourhoods defined largely based on census tracts for data purposes Staff maintain and monitor database/ neighbourhood profiles May be Corporate or planning initiative Area/design-based approaches Planning focuses on specific neighbourhoods Some policy in OP May result in a range of planning tools: e.g. design guidelines, community improvement plans Typically planning initiative City-wide neighbourhood planning program Planning considers all neighbourhoods (although priority areas may be identified) Typically long range Results in neighbourhood plans Typically planning initiative, but may be corporate as well (e.g. a new team may be created)

21 Kingston Neighbourhood Profiles Framework Defined and named neighbourhoods Developed neighbourhood profiles using census data Official Plan includes neighbourhood policies Resources Low level engagement Corporately-developed framework Planning maintains data Benefits Data informs policy/planning work Improved coordination of service delivery Community empowerment/organization Reliable source of data for City, City s partnering organizations, & community

22 Benefits Clear long range priorities for pilot neighbourhoods Increased collaboration with community and between departments Addressed priorities in City s Strategic Plan and Official Plan Community empowerment/organization Ottawa Neighbourhood Planning Initiative (NPI) Better Neighbourhoods Program Framework 2 pilot projects (2 to 3 years each) as part of the Neighbourhood Planning Initiative Defined neighbourhood boundaries early Developed Neighbourhoods Connections Office/ Better Neighbourhoods Program Resources Significant staff resourcing: - High level of engagement (staff attended 200+ meetings over 2 years) - Monitoring program - Neighbourhood Connections Office: ongoing implementation Significant community involvement: 44 community representatives

23 Ottawa s Neighbourhood Planning Topics Area history and character Built form Local Economy Community safety and services Community facilities Green Infrastructure: Parks & Open space, Trees, Environment, Public Art, Urban agriculture Diversity Heritage Retail Employment Transportation/Traffic/Transportation Demand Management

24 Elements of a NP Framework Corporate Vision Official Plan (mapping & policy) Data base (neighbourhood profiles) Interdepartmental collaboration (alignment) Neighbourhood involvement (engagement & empowerment)

25 Process Map Corporate Discussion: Future Neighbourhood Planning Framework Directions Report: Receive Council direction on the work plan Corporate Initiative? Planning Dept Other Depts Implement work plan on neighbourhoods Other NPF work Other studies, initiatives, master plans, etc. OP Review

26 Exercise No. 1: Neighbourhood Planning Discussion 1. Current Approach: Different departments are already doing work associated with neighbourhoods. What are the key features of the City s current approaches to neighbourhood planning that we would want to build on if we were to develop a neighbourhood planning framework? (e.g. population to service delivery/facility ratios; neighbourhood meetings) 2. Future Approach: Thinking to 2031, how would a future effective neighbourhood planning approach be different from what we have today? (e.g. neighbourhood profiles; mapping and policy; area-specific action plans) 3. How do we get there: What needs to happen in order for a made-in- Burlington approach to succeed? (e.g. additional funding and HR resources)

27 Exercise No. 2: The Mapping Challenge Step 1: Develop your definition of neighbourhood. Step 2: Based on your definition, identify criteria for mapping neighbourhoods. Step 3: Given your definition and criteria, please map the test case neighbourhood you have been given

28 Re-cap

29 Next Steps Staff will review the workshop discussion Directions report CDC discussion

30 Thank you for your participation