Municipality of Clarington Neighbourhood Character Study Public Workshop –September 12, 2019 www.clarington.net/NCS
Agenda 1. Introduction 2. Where We’ve Been 3. Overview of Purpose and Objectives for Tonight’s Workshop 4. Recap of May Workshop and Feedback Received 5. Neighbourhood Features- Feedback and Options to Address 6. Lot Features- Feedback and Options to Address 7. Housing Features- Feedback and Options to Address 8. Breakout Activity 9. Concluding Remarks www.clarington.net/NCS
Study Purpose • To better understand the effects on established residential neighbourhood character by new development Address concerns with new lots, new • dwellings and additions to existing dwellings that are not compatible with existing character Consider whether changes to the • Municipality’s Zoning By-law 84-63 is needed to balance new development and intensification within existing neighbourhoods www.clarington.net/NCS
Study Area • Focused on three established residential areas • Mainly zoned “Urban Residential Type One (R1)” Current regulations do not account • for existing neighbourhood character when dealing with heights, setbacks, massing, attached garages and lot coverage www.clarington.net/NCS
Study Process www.clarington.net/NCS
Neighbourhood Character NEIGHBOURHOOD RELATED • Neighbourhood Character Street Trees is often defined as the Sidewalks Streetscape collective qualities and Lotting pattern/street pattern characteristics that Road widths distinguish a particular Other features (e.g. parks) area or neighbourhood. • Neighbourhood character is often perceived by NEIGHBOURHOOD LOT HOUSING CHARACTER residents based on RELATED RELATED values, and is therefore Lot coverage subjective. Architectural style Fencing Building materials, Trees and landscaping colours & textures A combination of physical • Garages Building height Setbacks features and Size of homes (floor area) Porches & decks characteristics can help Roofline pitch/pattern Driveways & walkways define the character of the area. www.clarington.net/NCS
WHERE WE’VE BEEN www.clarington.net/NCS
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
Observed Built Conditions STUDY AREA 1: ELGIN NEIGHBOURHOOD • Original compact, walkable grid pattern persists from 1870s • Close proximity to historic Downtown Bowmanville • The majority of homes were constructed between 1945 and 2000 (5% built prior to 1900) • 66% were constructed in the post WWII period as modern bungalows and smaller workers’ cottages • Vernacular architectural styles of Gothic Revival, Italianate, Craftsman, Four Square and Bungalow Primarily one to two-storey single-detached dwellings • • 5% of dwellings have cultural heritage value • Treed boulevards not consistently present (present along Scugog and Fourth Street) 10 Prospect Street www.clarington.net/NCS
Observed Built Conditions STUDY AREA 2: CENTRAL NEIGHBOURHOOD • Mixture of original compact grid pattern and modified street patterns as a result of subsequent development Immediately north of historic Downtown Bowmanville • • The majority of homes were constructed prior to 1944 and maintain larger lot sizes and frontages Designated Beech Avenue Heritage Conservation District • • Vernacular architectural styles of Classical Revival, Second Empire, Italianate, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, Craftsman, Four Square and Bungalow, as well as Industrial Homes on Carlisle. • Primarily one and a half to two-storey single-detached dwellings • 74% of dwellings have cultural heritage value Distinctive landscape of treed boulevards and other landscape • features, grass lined verges 8 Beech Avenue www.clarington.net/NCS
Observed Built Conditions STUDY AREA 3: MEMORIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD • Original compact, walkable grid pattern persists from 1870s • Immediately south of historic Downtown Bowmanville • Age of construction varies due to infill and other development activities • Development prior to 1914 consists of narrower lots and smaller yards, while later development consists of wider and larger lots • Vernacular architectural styles of Gothic Revival Cottages, some early log home designs, Italianate, Victory, Craftsman and Bungalow. • Primarily one to two-storey single-detached dwellings • 28% of dwellings have cultural heritage value Treed boulevards not consistently present • 71 Brown Street www.clarington.net/NCS
What we heard The Study Areas are changing in different ways. Each Area is unique and is • balancing changing lifestyle, preferences and complementary design considerations • The Study Areas are seen as desirable places to live due to their proximity to Downtown Bowmanville and surrounding transportation networks There are a growing number of seniors looking to have ground-level living • There are a growing number of young professionals and young families seeking • affordable housing • A large proportion of changes are coming from new homes being constructed on large lots that have been severed Homes with in-house apartment units and separate front doors for each unit can • visually overwhelm the street • Change must respect the existing character of the established neighbourhoods and their elements • Control of change should be about avoiding adverse impacts instead of minimizing them Regulations should better address elements that define character • www.clarington.net/NCS
WALKING TOUR FEEDBACK
Neighbourhood Features www.clarington.net/NCS
Lot & Housing Features www.clarington.net/NCS
Top 5 Ranked Features www.clarington.net/NCS
Feedback Received and Options to Address Change www.clarington.net/NCS
Based on the current zoning by-law, the following can be built: • Rebuilt homes and infills often viewed as over-built within the Study Areas This often means that they • are too tall, cover too much of the lot, do not fit the existing character, and are not appropriately setback from the neighbouring homes www.clarington.net/NCS
Participants received graphic worksheets grouping neighbourhood character elements into three categories 1. NEIGHBOURHOOD FEATURES 3. HOUSING FEATURES Heritage • • Dwelling Height • Trees Garages • • Parking • Accessory Buildings & Structures Apartment in House • 2. LOT FEATURES • Lot Area & Frontage Lot Coverage • • Landscaped Open Space & Driveways Setback & Corner Lots • • Projections www.clarington.net/NCS
Neighbourhood Features // Heritage FEEDBACK What We Heard: Consider expanding Beech Avenue HCD to include Centre Street and Lovers Lane. • • Veterans Ave should be considered for heritage designation. • Consider using heritage controls and protect areas and homes surrounding heritage properties. • Style of older homes should be preserved. Avoid over-restriction due to blanket policies. • www.clarington.net/NCS
Neighbourhood Features // Heritage RECOMMENDATION Carlisle Ave. Lovers Lane Recommendations: Area 1 a 1: Conduct a heritage study along Veterans Avenue. Area a 2: Conduct a heritage study to expand the Beech Avenue HCD to include Lovers Lane, Centre Street, Alexander Blvd, Liberty Place and Carlisle Avenue. Area a 3: Continue to consider individual properties with heritage value for listing. **Note: Heritage is not a zoning-related feature. Controlled through other planning tools. www.clarington.net/NCS
Neighbourhood Features // Trees FEEDBACK + RECOMMENDATION What We Heard: Create a tree protection by-law requiring replacement of removed trees. • • The character of the area is impacted by the removal of trees. Mature trees should be preserved -- they add beauty to streetscapes. • • Caution that property owner’s right to manage tree-related issues that are impacting their personal enjoyment may be taken away through a protection by-law. Recommendations: 1. Complete a street tree inventory for each area. 2. Consider the adoption of a pilot project for a tree protection by-law for all of the Study Areas that uses a minimum tree diameter and tree species list to identify desired trees for preservation on private and public land. **Note: Tree By-law is not a zoning-related feature. www.clarington.net/NCS
Neighbourhood Features // Parking FEEDBACK + RECOMMENDATION What We Heard: On-street parking is not an issue, only see it on weekends or during festivals. • • On-street parking becoming an issue with more renters. Would like to see no on-street overnight parking. • • An issue with people parking on the lawn. • Concession street is dangerous when cars parked on both sides of the street. Recommendations: 1. Review existing parking by-law and consider extending on-street parking restriction to the hours of 12a.m. and 7a.m, year-round. 2. Require that within a front or exterior side yard, parking only be permitted on a driveway with a minimum length of 5.7m in order to prevent any portion of a vehicle from blocking a sidewalk. **Note: Recommendation #1 is not a zoning-related feature. www.clarington.net/NCS
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