Monthly Archives: June 2013

Proposed New Zoning Bylaw ……”The Friends of Walker’s Creek” Community meeting …

Published June 22, 2013 | By Ben
Bruce Bellows, Ellen Savoia and Kevin Blozowski, the three principal City Planning Staff members responsible for the development of the Proposed new Zoning Bylaw, met with Members of the “Friends of Walker’s Creek” on Wednesday June 19th. This was the final meeting of these leaders with the public before reviewing the many suggestions, recommendations and concerns  resulting from a number of “Open House” public meetings, written submissions, meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, The Downtown Business Association, Real Estate Companies, various City Committees including the Mayor’s Development Review Task Force and more.  It is obvious in reviewing the 150 page document, also available on the City website, that a tremendous amount of work has been done to consolidate, harmonize and respond to the very many special regulations presently affecting various Wards, districts and  situations that currently exist. Now it is the City Staff’s responsibility to review, consider and revise the initial document before again presenting it to the public for comment in the autumn. They anticipate City Council dealing with the final version and adopting it prior to the New Year. With “The Garden City Plan’ as the major guide, the new Zoning Byalw will reflect and drive the future planning of the City and its many unique requirements. 
The initial expectation of the Wednesday evening’s meeting was a focus on Grantham Ward as a primarily residential area. As the City Staff presented a Power Point review of the new Bylaw, it was soon apparent that many items affecting other areas of the City will also affect Grantham Ward. Consolidation of many regulations means that planning will be more consistent across the City, that new regulations from the Provincial Government, the Region, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, imposed since the former Bylaw was adopted, had to be incorporated, that concerns experienced in the past could and will be remediated with the new Zoning Bylaw. 
There are many instances where situations exist that will not conform with the new Bylaw, but what exists at the time the Zoning Bylaw is adopted, will be accepted … “Grandfathered” … until such time as there may be major redevelopment, at which point the regulations of the New Zoning Bylaw will be implemented and enforced. An example of this is where a school is built in a residential area, the school property will be identified as “Institutional”, however a provision of this regulation will state that when the school is no longer required and the land is offered for development, the new development must reflect the neighbourhood, namely “Residential”. When  existing retail shopping centres, such as the Pen Center or the Smart Center, seek to redevelop, or when new centers are developed, the new Bylaw will require fewer parking spaces to better reflect the normal need for parking. The space taken from parking will then be used for landscaping providing fewer acres of just asphalt, adding trees and such for shade and better water retention and certainly a better appearance and safer walkways for shoppers.  Walker’s Creek drains from the Walmart parking area at Bunting and Welland. After a heavy rainstorm, the Creek rises dramatically and an oil sheen can be seen on the water flowing to the Lake. With additional landscape absorbing more of this water, this pollution will hopefully be reduced significantly. 
Discussion included parking on residential streets, where the new Zoning bylaw will permit small business use, with one additional employee, in private homes or where permit driven additonal accommodation, such as  a basement apartment, will see increased population, without additional dedicated parking spaces on the private property.  Concerns expressed were in regards to increased No Parking restrictions requested by residents, inadequate parking remaining for visitors to other homes and potential danger to children playing or crossing streets. The matter of restricted sight lines for neighbours adjacent to homes where large RV vehicles or large boats are parked in driveways, was also raised. There is an inherent danger when backing out of a driveway and not being able to clearly see traffic on the street onto which the backing vehicle seeks to enter. The large vehicles and boats also create a vision barrier, especially when parked for long periods of time,  and, in some peoples’ opinion. detracts from the residential appearance of the neighbourhood. Both of these concerns had been brought to the attention of the City Planning Staff and they will be considering solutions.
Given the ‘landlocked’ nature of the City of St. Catharines, it is understandable that ‘infill’ development and additional considerations be given to appropriate accommodation for an increased population. With height limits on new buildings in force to maintain a neighbourhood appearance, consideration of town houses with separate upper and lower homes is mentioned. Multi family dwellings, such as  apartment buildings or condos, will be more acceptable on arterial roads … with possible retail space on the lower levels to support a ‘walkable’ community. With a realignment of the Downtown region, the intention to support the appropriate services for residents, along with promoted accommodation,  the future of an active City core will be enhanced. 
As in such a sweeping adjustment of this primary set of regulations, implementation will be a ‘learning curve’ for the City and the population.   “Friends of Walker’s Creek” are very pleased to hear that Parks, green spaces and parkettes are considered secure as part of the Garden City Plan and the new Zoning Bylaw. Approved uses of agricultural land is considerate, progressive and appropriate to the history and attractiveness of our area. Enforcement of the new Bylaw will be an ongoing concern as St. Catharines opeates on a ‘complaint’ based response. The expense of additional staff to see to enforcement is considered a serious hurdle that is yet unresolved. While inspections and permits will help control construction and development, enforcement of signage, building without a permit, as has happened with some student housing and additional accommodation in private homes, will be a challenge. 
Attention to details in the autumn will assure that the new Zoning Bylaw is respectful of the vision of the folks who call St. Catharines ‘Home”!! 
“The Friends of Walker’s Creek” are most appreciative of the listening received, the openness to discussion and the informed responses by the three City Panning Staff members. 

New Zoning Bylaw… Yea or Nay??

Published June 17, 2013 | By Ben

The end of June sees the first round of consultations with the Citizens of St. Catharines. Over the summer, the City Planning Team will be reviewing the suggestions, recommendations and proposals received in the series of Open House meetings. While much attention has been focused on the Downtown area of late, Grantham Ward,  a very residential area, will be affected by the changes being proposed. 

With the adoption of the “Garden City Plan” by the Regional Government, this extensive work on the Zoning Bylaw seeks to eliminate the many variables of regulations in different Wards of the City and to simplify, consolidate and remove contradicting regulations that presently exist. This sounds like a very positive progression for our City, until one recognizes that St. Catharines is also made of distinct neighbourhoods, districts and communities including commercail, manufacturing and residential. 

How will the proposed Zoning Bylaw affect Grantham Ward with its limited commercial and manufacturing and its intensive residential nature? Do the same regulations properly support Grantham Ward if the same rules for Glenridge or Merritton are applied universally?  With a significant density of Seniors making their homes in facilities and private homes in Grantham Ward, will the proposed changes adequately respond to their unique needs?  Will the proposed regulations regarding Student Housing adversely affct the sense of neighbourhoods that make up Grantham Ward? 

It is proposed that adding additional living space, potential rentals, in a single family home by creating an apartment in the basement of the hosue, has a very positive component in that any such construction must be by Building permit, be subject to inspections as created and meet all fire and construction regulations. This solves the concern than many such existing accommodations which have been created without inspections and permits, may be hazardous for the tenants who are without proper exit plans or abilities … but it has the possibility of making trouble as the same regulations do NOT require additional parking spaces as part of the plan. Imagine four such homes on your street, with the tenants’ cars parked on the street during a snow storm … will plowing of the snow be even more restricted … will the sense of neighbours be changed as occasional tenants become a significant part of the street? 

On the same topic, easing the regulations for “Home Based Businesses” is also being proposed. So small businesses … accountants, hairdressers, small wood work shops, consulting firms … may appear in many more homes … and with small signs on the front lawn to identify the business, does a residential street become more of a commercial area, possibly detracting from the gentle convivial neighbourhood that presently exists. And again, without mandated additional parking, clients of these businesses will also become users of the streets for their cars with added danger to children playing, or the inability of visitors to find a place near a home.

At present there is but one area of the City that prohibits the parking of large recreational vehicles, boats and such in private driveways, the proposed bylaw would see general permission in all parts of the city for the parking of these large blockages to neighbour’s views, creating problems as neighbours back out of their driveways without a sight line for oncoming traffic.  Having an opinion, one way of the other, can be only actively considered if your point of view is heard and noted. 

Grantham Ward is well served with Parks and “Parkettes” … small parks for just relaxing. The proposed bylaw suggests that a number of Parketts be re-zoned for building lots. As the density of population increases due to Government regulations, the loss of open space where kids and parents  can play, where gentle summer evenings can be enjoyed, where a number of tress can be planted to create a mini-forest … the loss of such open spaces seems to be contrary to community life for the nearby residents. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19TH, 7:00 PM, GRANTHAM LION’S CLUB

The “Friends of Walker’s Creek”  will be holding a Community meeting with the City Planning Group to discuss the proposed zoning Bylaw and hear the Planning Team’s explanations of these and other suggestions and recommendations. 

This is your opportunity to make your thoughts, suggestions, opinions known and to clarify what will be happening with the Zoning Plan which will influence life in Grantham Ward for many years to come.

Silence is the least wise option!! 

Like us on Facebook

Gallery

DSC_1034.JPG Generic-treeplanting.jpg Fish_in_creek.jpg IMG_1351.JPG

Tags

Meeting

Design, Hosting and Maintenance by DigitalGarage.ca

Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.