city of waterloo development trends and approval processes royal astronomical society of canada (...
TRANSCRIPT
City of WaterlooDevelopment Trends and Approval Processes
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC)
Kitchener Waterloo Centre
Ryan Mounsey,BES,MUDS,MCIP,RPPDevelopment Planner/Urban Designer
Chair Site Plan Review Committee
January 14 2010
• Provide context of current development trends – Waterloo is changing
• Information on Waterloo planning process and tools related to lighting
• Review specific projects and lighting plans as examples– Intensification
– Master planned projects
– The Urban Design Manual
– The Sign By-law
• Talk about next steps together and questions
Tonight
• City has made major design reforms within last two years for new development:– City design policies, March 2009– City design guidelines, the Urban Design Manual (UDM), September 2009 with lighting
guidelines and standards – this is new for Waterloo approved in September 2009. – Outdoor site lighting is regulated through site plan process for new development subject to
Urban Design Manual. Available on line at: www.waterloo.ca/udm.
• Any lighting associated with signage subject to sign by-law: controls lighting times and sign size/location but not illumination levels. This is not associated with site plan process.
• New public roadway lighting subject to City and Regional approval through subdivision process or road reconstruction projects. Separate process involving Waterloo North Hydro.
• I am here to talk about site plan process and sign by-law – two separate processes under different legislation and to talk about information sharing and collaboration with RASC.
Important Lighting Comments
CONTEXT•Growing towards outer edge:
– limited land supply (greenfield areas)– Direction to intensify to make better use of
land and accommodate long term growth– Height and Density Policy Study approved
resulting in Nodes and Corridors land use mode with new tools (official plan policies, zoning)
•Planning Act Reforms – provincial legislation with new authority. City passed new design policies and guidelines in 2009 to enable. •The Urban Design Manual geared towards site plan development to promote compatible intensification approved 2009
• Intensification Projects– Adaptive re-use– Infill development– Redevelopment – Tall Buildings
DEVELOPMENT TRENDS
• Master Planned Development– Large scale development, phased– Includes master plan design
guidelines to guide development– Guidelines for building design,
circulation and usually lighting– Guidelines usually prepared for
official plan/zoning amendment applications, large site plan development
DEVELOPMENT TRENDS cont…
CIGI CampusBarrelYards
RIM North CampusThe Boardwalk (INCC)
CIGI Campus Master Plan – under construction
Multi phased project: Phase I: 65,000 sqft. 220,000 sqft project streetscape improvements (Father David Bauer Drive)
• Master plan guidelines– Approved by Council– Set direction for
applications and development approvals
• Lighting guidelines (s.11):– Lighting by specialists– For areas to be lit– To LEED standard– Hierarchy of levels– Cut off, non visible
reflective and some architectural detailing
CIGI Campus Master Plan
Guidelines for: phasing, sustainable design, circulation, public spaces, floodplain, building design, safety and security, signage
Graphics: Turner Fleischer Architects Incorporated
BARRELYARDS – OPA/ZC approved, under review
Multi phased development with central park space 1300 residential units 160 hotel suites 8-25 storeys streetscape enhancements
Lighting:
Quadro H2 by Selux (parking)
Full cut off wallpacks
Recessed wall lights (stairs)
Recessed pot lights
Some directional luminaires and bollards
BARRELYARDS – lighting plan
average: 1 footcandle range: 0.1-2.7 footcandles
RIM North Campus – 4 buildings under construction
The Boardwalk – under construction
Central Transit Route
TransitArea
Internal Street
SWMfacility
Gateway Monument
Mixed Use 2-storey buildings
Entertainment Zone
CITY OF WATERLOO(547,178 sf)
CITY OF KITCHENER(533,000 sf)
Green Space
LandfillAccess
Future Road
Access
north
Office
* Built
*
**
* *
*
• Cross boarder development (3 governments)• 88 acres, 1 km frontage (equivalent to 700 homes) • 1,000,000 sf commercial development:
– Special policies, zoning and master plan guidelines with lighting guidelines
– Anchor tenants in rear toward landfill: larger building with larger signage
– Office block at north end for transition• Site Plan Approvals:
– Subject to master site plan approvals for coordination and detailed site plan approvals with lighting plans.
– Subject to master design guidelines and City UDM. – Lighting being coordinated between cities and
established on master site lighting plan too. • Signage: Master ‘sign’ plan under review and will
address lighting (new phases). New approach. • Some tenants have introduced reduced corporate
standards for sign lighting – not part of site plan approval or sign by-law.
The Boardwalk – under construction
The Boardwalk – comprehensive lighting plan
Average 2 footcandle with some transition full cut of parking and street lighting full cut off building lighting with some architectural fixturesPylon signage permitted (maximum 4 for site, 2 in Waterloo).
The Boardwalk – entrance and parking area lighting (full cut off)
The Boardwalk – building lighting
Basic site and building lighting compliance screen subject to setback requirements: Owners in discussion with tenant time restrictions in place
Site Plan Process – site development approvals
• Governed under Planning Act• For commercial, industrial,
residential (townhouses and apts) and most institutional projects
• A 4-8 month process• Development subject City design
guidelines and standards (UDM): – Part 2 General design guidelines– Part 3 Supplemental guidelines
(includes lighting)– Part 4: Site Plan Review
Guidelines with Performance Standards (lighting)
• UDM Approved September 2009 – just over 1 year old!
• UDM subject to future updates – opportunity for discussion
• Lighting not to spill over on abutting properties: 0.1 footcandles
• Lighting to be evenly distributed:– Average 1 footcandle for residential– Average 2 footcandles for commercial
• Lighting to be full cut off fixtures:– particularly abutting residential– parking lot lighting– some flexibility for architectural fixtures
• White lighting to be provided for safety
• Encourage pedestrian scale lighting, LED and architectural detailing
• Does not affect subdivisions, signage
Lighting Guidelines and Site Plan Standards (site plan)
Typical lighting plan
Architectural lighting: character and interest
• Sign by-law falls under Municipal Act – different legislation than Planning Act.
• By-law regulates height, size, location and type of signage based on zone categories (zoning). Fairly restrictive compared to other cities: generally less signage and smaller sizes.
• General provisions (existing): – All signs permitted to be illuminated by internal lights unless specifically prohibited. – no beam or flashing illumination. – Accessory signage permitted subject to regs.– Directional signage permitted subject to regs.
• Some time restrictions in specific zones:– Fasia signs in MXR, MXC,MXE Zones: illumination shall cease between 11:00 pm and 7:00
am.
• Sign by-law under review: investigating illumination opportunities with information from Canadian Sign Association.
Sign By-law – signage approvals
SUMMARY
• City is running out of vacant land and transforming into a more urban city through intensification. Better planning and will help accommodate longer term growth. In 2010, City had 121,700 population. We are no longer a small city.
• Very fortunate City. We expect future growth and are incorporating new tools to manage growth. The Urban Design Manual is an excellent example for new development.
• With growth comes increases in background lighting, like traffic. The UDM has established performance standards for outdoor lighting through site plan process and is night sky friendly.
• Now reviewing sign by-law for lighting opportunities. Different legislation and process.
• Consultation with Urban Design Manual updates with RASC?
• Sign By-law updates and discussion with RASC?
• What are the key lighting issues?
• Are you familiar with site plan process (site development) and sign by-law?
• Opportunity for future meetings/updates with RASC?
• Like most cities, Waterloo is growing. What other measures could be considered?
• Other?
Next Steps and Questions