Intensification Area Urban Design Guidelines - City of Barrie

y site or area specific studies, particularly where higher
buildings are encouraged (i.e. at the Intensification Nodes,
on the waterfront, and on large, consolidated sites). The
minimum and maximum standards should be incorporated
into the City’s Zoning Bylaw.
This tool is recommended for the City of Barrie.
Height and Density Bonusing (Section 37)
Height and Density Bonusing affords additional development
rights in exchange for the construction or installation of
public realm improvements (e.g. transit shelters, public art,
etc) and/or new community facilities (e.g. parks, day-cares,
community centres, etc). Height and Density Bonusing is
a demand driven tool where the demand for development
is sufficient to support an environment where the added
community amenity is covered by the added value of having
additional development rights.
Currently, opportunities for Height and Density Bonusing are
considered through Section 6.8 of the City of Barrie Official
Plan, providing there a need exists for such community
facilities, and the development complies with the Urban
Design Guidelines of the plan. Additionally, buildings within
the Intensification Areas that are condidates for bonusing
should have to comply with the recommendations of these
guidelines.
Providing additional height and density must be done in a
cohesive and carefully considered manner, and should be
considered on a site-by-site basis as it would have to exceed
the existing prescribed zoning.
This tool is for moderate use only.
Cash in Lieu of Parking (Section 40)
Under Section 40 of the Planning Act, the City, and the owner
of a property, may enter into an agreement exempting the
owner from the requirements of providing and maintaining
the parking required through the Zoning Bylaw. In such cases,
the provision of cash in lieu of parking is required, generally at
a rate that equals the cost to supply/maintain each exempted
parking spot.
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This is a tool that is often applied within the downtown core
of a city, where land for off-street parking is limited - however,
under the City’s current Zoning Bylaw, new developments
within the C1 designation are exempt from parking
requirements.
Outside of the Downtown, this is a tool that could be applied
along the Intensification Corridors, and particularly at the
Intensification Nodes (and gateway areas), to accommodate
and encourage taller and higher-density buildings, and to
support the active transportation initiatives outlined in this
document.
The funds obtained through the application of this tool should
be used to provide and maintain municipal parking facilities.
This tool is for moderate use only and is dependent on efficient
transit access between the Intensification Areas.
Cash in Lieu of Parkland (Section 42 and Section 51)
Under Section 42 of the Planning Act, and supported by
the City’s Official Plan (Section 6.4), it is required that a
percentage (2% for residential or institutional, and 5% for all
others) of developable land be conveyed to the City for park or
other public recreational purposes. Under Section 51, and at
the City’s discretion, a cash payment equal to the value of the
land required to be conveyed may be accepted in lieu of this
conveyance.
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Where cash is provided in lieu of parkland, these funds should
be applied to create new parkland, or enhance existing
parkland within walking distance of the development.
Alternatively, for development along the Intensification
Corridors, cash in lieu funds may be allocated to support
the larger open space initiatives outlined in this document,
which would provide benefits at a City-wide scale. One such
example would be the improvement and maintenance of
a trail network through the Lovers Creek Ravine to create a
continuous connection from the Intensification Corridors to
the Downtown. Similarly, trail connections between existing
parks and open spaces could be created and/or enhanced.
This tool is recommended for the City of Barrie.