Intensification Area Urban Design Guidelines - City of Barrie

117 Urban Design Guidelines for Barrie’s Intensification Areas - DRAFT
Site Plan Control – Implemented with Exterior Design Control
(Section 41)
Exterior Design Control is an essential tool in shaping the
character, materiality and design of new buildings, site plans,
and adjacent boulevards (i.e. street trees, furniture, etc.). It
allows the City to implement these Urban Design Guidelines
through a mandatory review and commenting process. Using a
design checklist (included in the Appendix), and the previously
recommended development narrative (see As-of-Right
Zoning), City Staff will be able to review the appropriateness
of a building’s design and determine what amendments, if
any, are needed.
In the City of Barrie Official Plan, a number of Special Policy
Areas require Site Plan Control. It is recommended that all
areas within the Intensification Areas should be designated
for Site Plan Control, to ensure that development is consistent
with these guidelines.
Development Permit System (Section 70)
Based on a predetermined vision for an area, the Development
Permit System streamlines and expedites the planning and
approvals process by combining zoning, site plan, and minor
variance processes into a single application. This allows
the municipality, in consultation with the community, to
implement a variety of planning and urban design objectives,
including:
• A particular architectural design style;
• Heritage preservation;
• Energy conservation;
• Efficient use of land (i.e. compact development);
• Brownfield redevelopment;
• Enhanced streetscape features (i.e. trees, public art, wide
boulevards); and,
• Transit and pedestrian-oriented development.
For developers, the Development Permit System provides
greater certainty about the requirements for development,
and ensures a much faster approval process.
Taking advantage of the appeal of an expedited approvals
process, the City may wish to apply the Development Permit
System at the Intensification Nodes in order to attract
developers and direct the initial build-out of the Intensification
Corridors to these key areas as recommended throughout this
document. Additional studies are encouraged to build on the
recommendations of these guidelines, and to determine a
specific vision for each Intensification Node.
Similarly, the City may wish to initiate a Development Permit
System to assist in the revitalization of specific Downtown
areas.
Subject to further study, this tool is recommended for the City
of Barrie
Community Improvement Plans (Section 28)
A Community Improvement Plan affords a municipality the
power to acquire, hold, clear, lease and sell land in designated
areas and to provide grant or loan incentives for landowners
and developers to undertake sustainable activities.
There are currently a number of CIPs existing within the City of
Barrie, and in the Intensification Areas, including:
• The ‘Next Wave’ Downtown Community Improvement Plan,
focused on the Historic Downtown; and,
DRAFT
• The Allandale Centre Community Improvement Plan; and,
• The Georgian College Neighbourhood Community
Improvement Plan.
Loan and grant packages are available for commercial
and residential projects that increase the functionality of
existing building, promote the development of vacant and
underutilized sites, and improve or restore exterior building
façades and signage.
It is recommended that opportunities be explored to
incorporate Community Improvement Plans along the
Intensification Corridors, or segments of the Intensification
Corridors, where feasible.
Funding for necessary infrastructure improvements to
support intensification within the Community Improvement
Plan areas should be investigated using Tax Increment
Equivalent Financing Programs.