Are new developments good or bad for community?
Draft Official Plan prioritizes growth above other values
There is no stopping new housing and development coming to Peterborough, and at a pace that is set to increase.
Of the nearly 50 projects and 7,200 housing units in various stages of planning (as of June 2020), about one-third need zoning amendments to be approved. Ontario’s Growth Plan projects that more than 260 additional housing units will be needed in Peterborough each year.
So, how can our community and council judge if new development proposals are good or bad? How can we help developers propose good projects that are welcomed?
We are seeing opposition and concern to new developments and their impacts (environmental, traffic, process, character and height, etc.). Concerns are inevitable — but the shock, confusion and frustration when unwanted or harmful development suddenly comes to our neighbourhoods, with little information and time to address it, can and should be avoidable.
A shared understanding of what we care about when planning for our future is a good place to start. Knowing the costs and improving processes are also needed.
Our new Official Plan will be our community’s main tool.
It must have a bold vision and clear, strong standards so that growth reflects our community’s values, priorities and creative visions of what’s possible, and expected, in this rapidly changing 21st century.
A draft of the new Official Plan, released by the city for public comment in summer 2019, showed some progress toward reaching this goal.
The extensive public engagement that occurred in 2018 helped bring about a draft plan prioritizing vibrant, mixed-use, safe and walkable neighbourhoods. Growth shifts to the urban core and major corridors, and there is support for affordable housing and natural places.
But, major gaps remain.
The draft Official Plan talks about doing better planning, but it is so far lacking the rigour and clear requirements to make it actually happen.
Reimagine Peterborough and others have been clear with the city about what these gaps are, and we are keen to see these addressed.
Among the problems we noted is the extent of “wiggle room” in the wording throughout the draft plan, leaving many things unclear for prospective developers and our community. It also prioritizes growth above all other community values and objectives.
As a result, developments could be presented as aligning with the new Official Plan, yet at the same time be at odds with the plan’s principles and objectives. This is precisely the situation we find ourselves in today with our circa-1981Official Plan.
We have engaged thousands of residents around the question of “what is good planning?”
Top answers were affordable and safe housing, protecting our local environment, access to parks and trails, a strong economy and jobs, a thriving arts and culture sector, and more active transportation.
City surveys in 2017 saw residents prioritize environmental stewardship first, followed by economic strength, complete communities, vibrancy, and connectivity and mobility. As the plan’s “guiding principles,” these lay out a road map to good, supported development.
Our new Official Plan should outline a road map for growth with as much rigour and balance as possible, along with a trusted and transparent process for consultations and approvals.
The resulting certainty and better alignment with community values will allow more investment and quicker returns for the development sector, less controversy for residents and city hall, and a more livable and healthy community for us all.
The new Official Plan is nearing completion.
When an updated draft is released, let’s hope it shows even greater progress in meeting this moment of urgent needs and opportunities for our community.
Stay tuned!