Stand Up Bridletowne

A resident association supporting the sensible and responsible redevelopment of neighbourhoods

www.standupbridletowne.org

Contact us: sub@h12.ca

Area Revitalization Study

Community Input – What do we need/want

We believe in responsible, sensible and reasonable development and redevelopment which will:

1. improve the entire area and the residents’ quality of life, and,

2. maintain and improve the value of the community.

Background: The Warden and Finch area was created and developed into a community with Bridlewood Mall as its nucleus/focus. Any redevelopment must revitalize this focus.

What do we need/want in the area?

1. Live, Work and Play

1. Office Building(s) – to include full service medical facility (doctors, labs, x-ray, dental, etc), child care facilities, libraries, senior citizens’ activities, financial institutions, personal service shops, restaurants and retail stores. These buildings will provide new jobs for the area’s growing population.

Toronto Official Plan, Chapter 2, Page 2-5, Policy

2. “Growth will be directed to:

f) facilitate social interaction, public safety and cultural and economic activity.”

Ontario - - Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Chapter 2.1 Context - P. 12

“Communities will need to grow at transit-supportive densities, with transit-oriented street configurations. Compact urban form and intensification efforts go hand-in-hand with more transit: not only do they support each other, they are all necessary. This correlation is fundamental to where and how we grow. Communities will also need to provide a mix of jobs and housing to create opportunities for people to work close to where they live. ….. Therefore, it is important to ensure an adequate supply of land for employment areas and other employment uses.”

Ontario - - Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Chapter 2.2 Policies for Where and How to Grow, 2.2.2 Managing Growth, P. 14

1. Population and employment growth will be accommodated by -

4. reducing dependence on the automobile through the development of mixed-use, transit-supportive, pedestrian-friendly urban environments.

5. providing convenient access to intra- and inter-city transit.

6. ensuring the availability of sufficient land for employment to accommodate forecasted growth to support the GGH’s economic competitiveness.

7. planning and investing for a balance of jobs and housing in communities across the GGH to reduce the need for long distance commuting and to increase the modal share for transit, walking and cycling.

2. More commercial retail space (greater variety of stores). Very little commercial space is available in area.

c) Parking should be adequate for a suburban setting such as ours, for retail shoppers, residents and visitors. It is not a downtown transit supported location, therefore parking needs are greater than the official allotment.

4. Locate and screen service areas, ramps and garbage storage to minimize the impact on adjacent streets and residences.

4. Provide/develop appropriate setbacks to allow for wide sidewalks with trees and benches. The setbacks should provide an attractive, comfortable, inviting and safe pedestrian environment.

4. Provide/develop architectural styles which enhance the existing neighbourhood.

Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008, Page 5

In Mixed Use Areas, development proposals are evaluated against criteria, to ensure that the new development will:

a) “create a balance of high quality commercial, residential, institutional and open space uses that reduces automobile dependency and meets the needs of the local community.”

2. Community Character and Heritage – Density, height, etc.

1. Any part of the property that will be severed should have densities after severance, no higher than the average of the surrounding existing buildings in the area. Buildings should be tiered downwards towards the street(s) with the highest elevation in the centre of the property to be redeveloped in order to make the perimeter pedestrian friendly and inviting rather than a barrier. No tall steel and glass structures which are cold and unwelcoming

2. New development and redevelopment must have architectural styles which will enhance existing surrounding neighbourhoods, e.g. install good lighting with architectural lamps which include banner hardware, building styles which have arches, etc., and, unique paving throughout the new and existing development.

Toronto Official Plan, Chapter 2, Page 2-22, Policy

1. “Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods are considered to be physically stable areas. Development within Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods will be consistent with this objective and will respect and reinforce the existing physical character of buildings, streetscapes and open space patterns in these areas.”

Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008, Page 5 & 6:

c) “locate and mass new buildings to provide a transition between areas of different development intensity and scale, as necessary to achieve the objectives of this Plan, through means such as providing appropriate setbacks and/or a stepping down of heights, particularly towards lower scale Neighbourhoods.”

d) “locate and mass new buildings so as to adequately limit shadow impacts on adjacent Neighbourhoods, particularly during the spring and fall equinoxes.”

e) “locate and mass new buildings to frame the edges of streets and parks with good proportion and maintain sunlight and comfortable wind conditions for pedestrians on adjacent streets, parks and open spaces.”

3. Green buildings: not just in energy efficiency, but also in proportions (dimensions) and colour (trees, grass areas – no glass towers ! ! in line with tower revitalization concept)

4. More green (trees, grass) – Expand the heritage cemetery (Christie's Cemetery – Bylaw 24333, passed Scarborough council Oct. 5/94) by creating a park adjacent to it and stretching to Warden Avenue.

5. Green roofs on potential podiums and buildings – i.e., Park setting with grass, flower beds, trees, benches, and/or rooftop gardens, etc.

Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008, Page 6:

j) locate and screen service areas, ramps and garbage storage to minimize the impact on adjacent streets and residences.”

11. provide indoor and outdoor recreation space for building residents in every significant multi-unit residential development.”

Ontario - - Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Chapter 4.2.1 Natural Systems, # 3 and 5

3. Social Services and Infrastructure – Schools, health care, hydro, sewers, etc.

1. No Development before all services are in place or committed – schools, sewers, hydro, hospitals, police, transit, etc.

2. Need enhanced transit to connect to a Sheppard subway which should go east to at least Kennedy.

Toronto Official Plan, Chapter 2, Page 2-5, Policy

2. “Growth will be directed to:

b) concentrate jobs and people in areas well served by surface transit and rapid transit stations

Ontario - - Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Chapter 3.2.1 Infrastructure Planning

Chapter 3.2.2 Transportation

Chapter 3.2.3 Moving People

Chapter 3.2.5 Water and Wastewater Systems

Chapter 4.2.1 Natural Systems

3. Ample and safe parking for residents and visitors. Multi-level parking must be above ground with no more than one or two levels underground only if stores are also located on these underground levels for people safety, and must have elevators. Many seniors and multi generational families live in the area.

Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008, Page 6:

f) “provide good site access and circulation and an adequate supply of parking for residents and visitors.

4. Larger full service library

Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008, Page 6:

g) “have access to schools, parks, community centres, libraries and childcare.”

5. “Build a Town”

Toronto Official Plan, Chapter 2, Healthy Neighbourhoods - Page 2-21 & 22, Policy

2. “Development in Mixed Use Areas, Regeneration Areas, and Apartment Neighbourhoods that are adjacent or close to Neighbourhoods will:

a) be compatible with those Neighbourhoods,

b) provide a gradual transition of scale and density as necessary to achieve the objectives of this Plan through the stepping down of buildings towards and setbacks of those Neighbourhoods,

c) maintain adequate light and privacy for residents in those Neighbourhoods, and

d) attenuate resulting traffic and parking impacts on adjacent neighbourhood streets so as not to significantly diminish the residential amenity of those Neighbourhoods.”

6. “Community and Neighbourhood amenities will be enhanced where needed by:

a) improving and expanding existing parks, recreation facilities, libraries, local institutions, local bus and streetcar services, and other community services; and

b) creating new community facilities and local institutions, and adapting existing services to changes to social, health, and recreational needs of the neighbourhood.”

Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008, Page 6:

k) “provide indoor and outdoor recreation space for building residents in every significant multi-unit residential development.”

Ontario - - Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Chapter 2.2 Policies for Where and How to Grow, P. 14, 2.2.2 Managing Growth

1. Population and employment growth will be accommodated by -

4. encouraging cities and towns to develop as complete communities with a diverse mix of land uses, a range and mix of employment and housing types, high quality public open space and easy access to local stores and services.

Chapter 3.2.6 Infrastructure Planning – Community Infrastructure

6. All municipalities will develop and implement through their official plans and other supporting documents, a strategy and policies to phase in and achieve intensification and the intensification target. This strategy and policies will:

   5. recognize urban growth centres, intensification corridors and major transit station areas as a key focus for development to accommodate intensification. Our area does not fit any of these categories.

6. All intensification areas will be planned and designed to –

1. cumulatively attract a significant portion of population and employment growth

2. provide a diverse and compatible mix of land uses, including residential and employment uses, to support vibrant neighbourhoods

3. provide high quality public open spaces with site design and urban design standards that create attractive and vibrant places

f) achieve an appropriate transition of built form to adjacent areas. (See our recommendation in Community Character and Heritage – 2. a) above)

4. Section 37

1. The major portion of the 20% mandate for affordable housing should be dedicated to increasing senior accommodation, whether on site or off-site within the local area study.

2. Community Service expansion (section 37 dollars to stay in our community to provide much needed services, such as healthcare, etc.)

3. Create/provide a Community Hub(s), as per United Way report, which will:

• provide program location(s) for the inter-generational population of the area, i.e. children, youth, adults and seniors, including daycare centres for both children and seniors which would help foster a grandparent program to benefit both seniors and children.

References:

• Ontario Prov. Growth Plan for Greater Golden Horseshoe – Where and How to Grow

• Toronto Official Plan

• Toronto Official Plan Highlights, Staff Report May 22, 2008