september 2005urban planning carleton university 1 official plan for an urban area what is an...

September 2005 Urban Planning Carleton University

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Official Plan for An Urban Area

•What is an Official Plan?•The Process for Developing an Official Plan•Special considerations•Ottawa Example


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Official Plans

• According to provincial government, local governments would develop "official plan" as a policy document for community development

• Official plans are to be approved by the provincial government and are tools for:– Planning public facilities and infrastructure– Drafting zoning by-laws– Control of land subdivisions


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Official Plan – cont’d

Contents of official plan are:– Goals and objectives– Policies and principles of land use planning– Environmental issues– Infrastructure and transportation– Measures and procedures to attain the objectives of the

plan– Measures and procedures for informing and obtaining

the views of the public– Phasing and stages


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Process for Official Plan Development

1. Preparation2. Circulation to interested parties (individuals or

agencies)3. Modifications and changes according to

recommendations4. Notice sent to the public to announce open

meeting(s)5. Get public feedback and modify accordingly6. Adoption of the official plan by council7. Approval by provincial government


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Introduction to Official Plan:Introduction to Official Plan:OttawaOttawa

(formerly the Regional Municipality of (formerly the Regional Municipality of Ottawa- Carleton RMOC)Ottawa- Carleton RMOC)

From City of Ottawa Sources


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Introduction to Official Plan: Ottawa

“The Planning Act requires all regional municipalities in Ontario to adopt Official Plans and to keep them up-to-date. The Planning Act also identifies matters of provincial interest which are further defined by the provincial policy statement. All plans must have regard for the policies in this statement.”


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Introduction to Official Plan: Ottawa – cont’d

Prior to the formation of a single tier city, the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton had the responsibility to develop the Official Plan.

“The Regional Official Plan contains council’s objectives and policies for managing growth in Ottawa-Carleton to the year 2021.”


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Introduction to Official Plan: Ottawa – cont’d

The Official Plan document consists of many sections. These include:

– Regional Development Strategy– Community and the Built Environment– Economic Activity– Natural Environment– Regional open space and cultural heritage– Agricultural Resource Areas– Mineral Aggregate Resources– Transportation– Environmental services– Development constraints

Schedules include:- Glossary- Official Plan Monitoring Program


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New Official Plan for the City of Ottawa

• Change from the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (including local municipalities) to the new City of Ottawa.

• In April/May 2001, worked started on the preparation of a new high level Official Plan for the city of Ottawa.

• A “Smart Growth” summit was held in June 2001 in support of the preparation of a new Official Plan.


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Smart Growth

“Smart growth, also called Smart development, … capitalizes on the economic benefits of growth to enhance the quality of life while anticipating and avoiding the unintended effects on the community, such as environmental pollution and urban sprawl.”


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Smart Growth – cont’d

“Many North American cities concede that uncontrolled growth in the past has translated into substantial costs today in the form of unattractive downtown areas under-utilized services, environmental loss, inefficient sprawl, single-use communities and endless stretches of congested roads. Smart growth calls for renewed recognition of the interrelationships among the economy, the natural environment and the community.”


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City Official PlanCity Official Plan(Regional Official Plan)(Regional Official Plan)

Covering Urban Area and Related Rural Area


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What are the Goals of the Official Plan?

(See City of Ottawa Official Plan Website www.ottawa2020.com)

1. Safety, public health, balanced communities

2. Maintenance of desirable characteristics and integrity of established communities

3. Employment; economic activity

4. Maintain Greenbelt

5. Range of housing types

Main Urban area

KanataOrleans

South Urban community


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Goals of the Official Plan - cont’d

6. Enhance central area as the region’s focus for economic, cultural & political activities

7. Open space & natural environment to bolster the economic, social & environmental health of the region

8. Ecosystems (natural systems)

9. Conserve agricultural resources

10. Protect mineral resources for long-term use


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Goals of the Official Plan - cont’d

11. Heritage resources (preserve & enhance)

12. Protect people from natural ad human-made hazards

13. Provide infrastructure effectively and affordably

14. A “balanced” transportation system – for all users; minimize economic, social & environmental impacts.


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Development Concepts for the Ottawa-Carleton Region Considered in Early 1970s


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Following In-filling, Multinucleated Urban Structure is Likely to be Common

Place

Ottawa

Jobs & housing balance

Kanata

“This is an extremely remarkable development … It is really critical in managing growth and dealing with gridlock” (Mayor of Kanata)


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Achieving Liveable CitiesAchieving Liveable Cities

With Shrinking Resources


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Achieving Liveable Cities with Shrinking Resources

• Conserve key strategic resources of land, air, water, energy and financial capital

• Environmentally, socially & economically sustainable in the long run


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Attributes of Liveable Cities:

• High quality of urban life, clean & healthy places; high degree of personal safety & security

• Wide choice of housing & sustainable travel options

• Efficient operations; deliver municipal services at fair and reasonable prices


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A Process of Change to Achieve A Process of Change to Achieve Liveable CitiesLiveable Cities

Source: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) (1998)


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PRINCIPLE YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW

1.Urban Development

Low density, single use, unrestricted urban sprawl with inefficient use of resources.

Some town centres, infill and redevelopment, but continued sprawl and inefficiencies.

Efficient, compact, mixed use form with pedestrian, cycle and transit friendly design, and increased personal safety.

2. Municipal Infrastructure

Urban sprawl without regard to underutilized infrastructure.

Little or no change. Full use of infrastructure through compact development, infill and redevelopment.

3. Integrated Planning

Land use and transportation decisions often made independently.

Some integration between land use and transportation planning.

Fully integrated land use, transportation, environmental and financial planning within the municipality.

4. Coordinated Planning

Each municipality in the urban area followed own course

Some regional coordination of land use and transportation planning (where authority exists or cooperative mechanisms are in place).

Fully coordinated land use, transportation, environmental and financial planning across the urban area, through new cooperative mechanisms or governance structures.


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PRINCIPLE YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW

5.a) Development Pricing

Suburban infrastructure and services subsidized by property taxes in central areas.

Suburban infrastructure & services still subsidized, but with some full cost charges on raw land development.

All development charges based on lifecycle costs. Rehabilitated infrastructure in central areas.

5.b) Transport Pricing

Unrestricted road expansion paid from public budgets and auto dependence

Limited road expansion, maintenance backlog, declining transit funding, & increased auto dependence.

Transport increasingly treated as a utility, with user charges dedicated to quality system delivery, offering choice and affordability.

6. Air Emissions

Unrestricted growth in auto travel, smog gases & greenhouse gases.

Attempts to control smog through better technology.

Healthy air quality and less greenhouse gas emissions through new technology and less need for auto use.

7. Consultation

Policies, decisions & actions with little public input or understanding of long term consequences.

Increasing public consultation at the official planning stage and increased understanding.

Extensive consultation with public and developers throughout the entire process, with costs and benefits widely communicated and understood.


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Interesting Information Available

• Toronto

www.city.toronto.on.ca

• Vancouver

http://vancouver.ca/

• Singapore

www.sg/

http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/

http://vancouver.ca/

http://www.sg/


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DEVELOPMENT OF THE OFFICIAL PLAN

Ottawa Example


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Role of the Official Plan (Source: www.ottawa2020.com)

• The official plan is a growth management tool.

• It contains City Council’s policies for managing the physical developemnt of Ottawa.

• Official plan – directs the physical developemnt of the city

• It is supported by: - the transportation master plan - the environmental management plan - infrastructure master plan


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Growth Management (as defined by the City of Ottawa)

• “Growth management is about: - anticipating change, and - providing the basis for responding to that

change”.• “It is about setting priorities, maintaining

options and enhancing options and enhancing the high quality of life in the city”.


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Challenges

Ottawa in 2020• Population growth from 800,000 to 1.2 million (50%

growth) - 400,000 more residents (6 times the size of Kanata) - 190,000 new homes - 200,000 more cars and trucks - 100,000 more residents across the river in gatineau


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Challenges (Contined)

Ottawa in 2020 (Continued)• More demand for stores, schools, ice rinks, parks,

public transit, bridges.• More potential for ecosystem degradation and

water pollution.According to the City of Ottawa, “our challenge is to

develop plans, policies, by-laws, programmes and alliances that respond flexibly to change, and speak to all of our vision, not just a part of it”.


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Time Frame & Flexibility

• City of Ottawa’s “Official Plan contains policies for managing growth to the year 2020”.

• The plan is based on the possibility that “the population of Ottawa could reach 1.2 million by 2020”.

• The philosophical thrust of the plan “


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Official Plan Vision (City of Ottawa)

• Uniquely Ottawa

- Proudly the Nation’s Capital

- Maintaining a Vibrant Downtown

- Enjoying Our Built Heritage

- Having a Distinctive Rural Area

- Shaped by the Rivers and Canal


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• Liveable Communities - Promoting Communities of Distinctive

Character - Developing Attractive and Well

Designed Communities - Fostering Opportunities for Economic

Activity - Communities designed for Walking and

Cycling - Requiring Compact Mixed Development


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• Liveable Communities (Continued) - Making available a Variety of Housing

Choices - Transit, Road and Greenspace Linked

Communities - Creating and Sustaining Healthy

Communities - Conditions that make for Safe and

Secure Communities


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• A Green City - The Splendour of a Green City

- Recognizing and Building a Greenspace Network

- Focussing on Development in Harmony with the Environment

- Action to Protect Groundwater and Surface Water

- Lifestyle Supportive of Clean Air, Water and Earth

september 2005urban planning carleton university 1 official plan for an urban area what is an...

Documents

regional official plan

new high level official

new city of ottawa

ottawathe planning act

ottawa contdprior

regional municipalities

city of ottawachange

matters of provincial