Urban Design Guidelines
Update: Workshop #2 is March 31
The second workshop on Urban Design Guidelines for Residential Intensification and New Communities takes place Wednesday, March 31, in the Press Lounge at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, 53 Yonge St. Participants can choose to attend one of these two sessions:
- 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Session 1)
- 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Session 2)
Questions? Contact Sonya Bolton, Senior Policy Planner, at 613-546-4291, ext. 3237 or sbolton@cityofkingston.ca.
The City Planning and Development department is developing Urban Design Guidelines for Low and Medium Density Residential Intensification and Urban Design Guidelines for New Communities with Brook McIlroy Planning & Urban Design / Pace Architects (BMI/Pace). The guidelines are targeted for completion in June.
Two public open house workshops were held by the City and facilitated by Brook McIlroy Planning + Urban Design Inc./Pace Architects in February of 2010 to discuss Residential Intensification and New Communities. The report on this workshop is now available for download at right. The report outlines the Key Directions (below and on p. 21 of the report at right) that will be used to inform a set of Guiding Principles for urban design in Residential Intensification and New Communities:
RESIDENTIAL INTENSIFICATION
- Respect for existing context.
- Appropriateness of massing and proportions.
- Diversification of housing types.
- Mix of uses where appropriate.
- Creation of second units in existing houses.
- Ensuring affordability.
- Provision of adequate parking facilities.
- Improvement of services and utilities.
- Provision of nearby amenities.
- Improvement of cycling facilities and transit services.
NEW COMMUNITIES
- Appropriateness of massing and proportions.
- Diversification of housing types.
- Mix of uses where appropriate.
- Consideration for alternative servicing methods (rear laneways).
- Provision of sidewalks on both sides of the street.
- Ensuring accessibility.
- Provision of cycling facilities and transit services.
- Incorporation of pedestrian trails and connections.
- Incorporation of traffic calming measures.
- Creation of connected roadway network.
- Provision of nearby amenities.
A number of future community consultations and a design workshops are planned.
LOW AND MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL INTENSIFICATION
The Urban Design Guidelines for Low and Medium Density Residential Intensification will identify the elements and controls which best allow the integration of new development patterns and structures and will assist property owners in appropriately planning renovations and new construction. The controls will include: building setbacks, step-backs and massing; the use of visual angular planes and building podiums; and street edge design elements.
NEW COMMUNITIES
The Urban Design Guidelines for New Communities will address the design of roads and buildings, the location of parks and open spaces, and appropriate land-use organizations. These guidelines will also address how greenfield and large brownfield sites should be developed to create new complete communities.
