The GCL strongly agrees with the goal of increasing intensity in downtown Guelph, both to meet Places to Grow targets and to ensure the health of the city core by getting more people living downtown. The GCL also strongly agrees with the concept of mixed-use development, particularly with street-level commercial frontage.
However, the GCL believes that parts of the proposed Downtown Secondary Plan employ planning principles that are not appropriate for the area and will diminish the unique character of Guelph’s downtown.
Specifically, the proposal to allow up to 18-storey towers in four locations, and up to 15-storey towers in several other locations, needs to be reconsidered.
The Secondary Plan is based on eight core principles. One of these is: “Protect, respect and enhance the downtown’s core assets and heritage resources”
Several very significant changes are required to the current Official Plan and zoning bylaws in order to permit the proposed high-rise developments, including raising the maximum permitted building height from 6 storeys to up to 18 storeys – an increase of 200%.
We believe that the existing Official Plan reflects urban planning best practices for the downtown area. Such substantial changes to the Official Plan and zoning bylaws will both erode the architectural character of the area and set a poor precedent for other developments in the downtown and nearby areas.
Council needs to ensure that any downtown development builds upon the unique character of the city core – to enhance the quality of life in Guelph and increase the attractiveness of the city to prospective high-quality employers.
A second core principle is: “Promote energy-efficient buildings and infrastructure”
Compared to mid-rises, high-rises are thought to use significantly more energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions per dwelling, are less adaptable for re-use, are less recyclable, and have a shorter overall lifespan. Mid-rise developments would be the best way to promote energy efficiency while increasing density downtown.
GCL conducted an informal poll regarding downtown building heights in November 2011 via the GCL Blog (http://guelphcivicleague.blogspot.ca). We asked the question, “What should the maximum number of storeys be for buildings downtown?” Responses were received from 70 blog visitors (only one vote per person is permitted). Of this 70:
– 52% voted for 6 storeys
– 21% voted for 12 storeys
– 7% voted for 15 storeys, and
– 18% voted for 18 storeys.All told, the majority of responses indicated a desire for a mid-rise approach to increasing downtown density, and 73% of responses indicated that downtown buildings should be limited to 12 stories or less. Although this is admittedly a small sample of opinions, it appears to accurately reflect the thoughts of the community as expressed via articles and letters to the editor in local newspapers, and comments to city staff.
What has been the response of city staff to such concerns? Regarding 18-storeys being too high, the staff response as stated in the latest staff report is that, yes, this is a major change and a different direction, that relying solely on low- and mid-rise forms of development could reduce the potential to achieve the 2031 population and employment targets, that tall buildings can contribute positively to street life and the profile of the downtown, and that the image and experience of the Downtown within the historic core will not change dramatically.
Regarding concerns that such high-rise developments will set a precedent, the response was that staff is of the opinion that the proposed height ranges are based on “well-articulated and defensible planning rationale”.
These responses do not indicate that citizen concerns have been taken seriously. Height concerns are dismissed with ‘coulds’, ‘cans’, and that planning rationale is ‘defensible’. The question is, ‘defensible to whom’? It appears that not a single change to the plan has been made based on concerns expressed about building height, though changes have been made based on other concerns expressed by developers.
In fact, the idea of allowing high-rises downtown appears to have come from city staff, working with consultants like Urban Strategies Inc., a Toronto-based outfit that works on many high-rise projects including the Tall Buildings Downtown Project in Toronto. Staff sent out a signal to developers that 18 storeys will likely be permitted, and developers have responded. In fact, next Monday is the meeting where Council is set to approve the 18-storey development at Macdonell and Woolwich!
However, I believe this evening is actually the first chance that Council has had to show whether they really support 18-storeys downtown, or not. Such a decision needs to be made without considering that which developers have already invested based on what might happen.
In conclusion, GCL suggests that the height ranges in the Downtown Secondary Plan be scaled back to better reflect the intentions of the Official Plan for this area, and the apparent desires of most Guelph citizens. Mid-rise developments should be strongly encouraged in the Secondary Plan, and if a small number of taller buildings is necessary, then they should be no more than what currently exists downtown, so about 12 storeys (including any bonusing).
Allowing 18-storey towers downtown would be the most visible legacy of this Council. In fact, it would be a legacy seen from miles away! Eighteen storeys may be the fastest and easiest route to downtown intensification. But when has ‘fastest and easiest’ ever been the wisest path forward? DS