GO Hub and Transit Stations Study Planning and Economic Development - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

GO Hub and Transit Stations Study Planning and Economic Development Committee June 27, 2018 St. Catharines GO Transit Station Secondary Plan Official Plan Amendment (OPA 19)

Why a secondary plan? • Municipalities are leveraging transit investment to drive growth • Provincial investment presents a unique opportunity to proactively plan land uses, transportation networks and infrastructure around the GO station • The Province’s Growth Plan directs municipalities to plan for intensification around GO stations • Transit stations and surrounding lands serve an important function within the regional transportation system Evolving transit hub in Kitchener (GO rail and LRT station) • A secondary plan is the best mechanism to proactively plan for change and enables the City to set its priorities for change Slide 2

Provincial policy context Provincial Policy Statement (2014) Promotes the creation of complete healthy  communities Growth Plan (2017) Prioritize intensification and higher densities to  make efficient use of land and infrastructure and support transit viability Slide 3

Amendment Process St. Catharines GO Transit Station Secondary Plan Slide 4

Public engagement highlights Engagement Methods Online Survey  Paid Facebook ad  Personalized postcards  Downtown posters  Facebook & Twitter  Email notifications  By the numbers  850 online survey respondents  600 public sign-up for emails  367 public sign-in for events Slide 5

St. Catharines GO Transit Station Secondary Plan Slide 6

What we heard Protect existing stable residential neighbourhoods Existing land use permissions for low density land uses are unchanged  Traffic Management Study to identify best practices to discourage traffic infiltration/parking  Maintain and utilize the existing VIA Station  Policy outlines desired role and function of the existing VIA Station heritage building Transition building heights to reduce impact on existing neighbourhoods Provisions which guide design and landscape elements to buffer new development  Ensure existing employment can continue to operate Existing employment permissions are retained  Clarified employment conversion process  Improve access and circulation to the Station and within the Secondary Plan Area  Identified planned improvements to the active transportation network Proposed new public road access from Ridley Road to the GO Station  Prioritized improvements to St. Paul Street West and Louth Street  Slide 7

Amendment modifications Example • Modifications are shown in Appendix 1 of Report PDS 28-2018 • Region staff have proposed 97 modifications to the OPA 19 • All modifications are technical in nature and do not change the intent of the policy • City and Region staff have reviewed and agreed upon all modifications Slide 8

Next steps Slide 9

Supplementary Secondary Plan Schedules • Schedule E6/7 GO Transit Station Secondary Plan (GTSSP) • Schedule E6/7 (Land Use Designations) • Schedule E6/7 - A (Building Heights) • Schedule E6/7 - B (New Road Connections and Improvements) • Schedule E6/7 - C (Public Realm and Active Transportation Plan)