By Ute Maya-Giambattista – Image by David Riley
The focus on intensification in the Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe has placed an increased demand for infill in established residential neighbourhoods. In the case of the City of Toronto, increased demand for intensification within stable neighbourhoods has resulted in the proposal and construction of a wide range of building typologies varying from small additions to complete reconstructions or infill development including single and semi detached units, townhouses and small apartment buildings less than four storeys in height.
Toronto’s neighbourhoods have each a distinctive neighbourhood character with each one of them experiencing change in quite a different manner. Generally a neighbourhood’s proximity to amenities, services and public transportation has a direct impact on the type and form of infill development occurring in the area. For example: severances of large lots and proposals for large 2 storey single or semi detached dwellings are generally located in Etobicoke, Scarborough and North York while infill development located within Toronto and East York is characterized by denser built forms.
While planning tools play an important role in guiding development within established neighbourhoods, municipalities are now focusing on the study of neighbourhood character features with the goal of formulating development criteria to help new development “fit”: a development criteria for established neighbourhoods focused on respecting and reinforcing the existing physical character of the geographic neighbourhood.
This new focus allows for a highly proactive approach to share with residents neighbourhood development criteria in the form of “How to” manuals and brochures. By explaining what neighbourhood character is, why is it important, and what the area’s distinctive neighbourhood character elements are, it is easier for resident’s to follow the rationale behind the built form regulations characterizing their neighbourhood ultimately complying with them.
Understanding Neighbourhood Character
In studying and conveying what neighbourhood character is, it is important to be able to describe how features of an area come together to give that area its own particular feel. Understanding how these relationships physically appear on the ground is usually the most important aspect in establishing the character of the area. Building type, era and spacing, setbacks and garage location, and the amount and type of vegetation are some of the critical determinants of the area’s character.
What is next?
While it is relatively straightforward to analyze and identify the character elements in neighbourhoods described as having “character” it is the neighbourhoods described as having “no character” that present the biggest urban design challenge in Toronto and many other cities.
What to do with our post-war, bungalow neighbourhoods that have seen little change over decades until recently? What is the neighbourhood character evolution of that neighbourhood going to look like?
An idea, as implemented in California, is to allow for the implementation of a future character vision for neighbourhoods that are in transition or are described as having “little or no character”. In these instances, the appropriate planning strategy may well be to try to improve the character of the area by changing it.
Achieving a measured and consistent change in the development character of an area entails the definition of the new character requires urban design skills and a comprehensive program of community involvement.
Sharing our Experience
Our firm recently completed a neighbourhood study for the City of Brampton. In collaboration with David Riley and Susanne MacDonald, we have compiled our experience into a presentation that was presented at the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) 2015 conference.
Our process, methodology, and findings are summarized in the enclosed power point presentation.
Planning for Mature Neighbourhoods – 2015 Presentations