URBAN AUDIT

GROWTH CENTRE TOWERS FORECASTpdf

The Towers Forecast quantifiably models the extent of future growth following the current trends of build-as-usual practices. 

The Towers Forecast's projection permits an urban audit to be undertaken... assessing the sustainability, desirability, infrastructures, demographics, built form and public realm considerations of future development. 

Such an audit is required by Provincial Policy, Toronto's Official Plan, and City Planning's proposed Development Permit System.

I have a general concern about planning and growth management for the Yonge Eglinton Growth Centre (YEGC) with regard to the exercise of Good Planning, Best Practice and Area Visioning.

This area is undergoing a protracted development spiral, long known to be outpacing planning. Meanwhile, the current planning for the YEGS does not comply with the urban policy framework for managing growth, nor does it exercise the “excellence in planning and influential policy” called for in the mission statement of City Planning (Planning).

In my opinion, these conditions will only be fully satisfied when this significant 'Growth Centre' is consolidated into one planning jurisdiction, with its own office located within the YEGC. This would bring to an end the present divisions, involving the straddling between two far-distant Planning offices and likewise two Community Councils, whose cumulative effect(s) thwart the preparation of the good area-planning that is required to achieve a comprehensive, beneficial, future outcome for the YEGC.

However, the request that I bring before PGM is of a much simpler nature, which relates to the urban policy framework for planning and growth management and Planning's mission statement.

REQUEST FOR DIRECTION

That PGM appoint a planner to undertake an assessment of YEGC's hard and soft infrastructure and services. The results of this inquiry will build the foundations for more effective strategic thinking.

The inquiry is to look at three conditions: what currently exists, what currently is planned, and what will be required to service the projected Towers Forecast. The initiative is to include circulations to departments and agencies, loosely paralleling the current circulation of development proposals for their comments.

This exercise is envisioned as a first stage inquiry, whose report in brief is intended to:

• describe the extent and capacities of the existing systems and conditions
• ascertain capabilities to support the future demands of the Towers Forecast
• identify additional works required to achieve a 'Complete Community' outcome
• inform planning of critical conditions, tipping-points and potential limits-to-growth

Upon reporting this information, the direction of further initiative(s) will be determined.

BACKGROUND: URBAN POLICY FRAMEWORK

The urban policies of both the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto call for development

and population forecasting to be integral information required to manage intensification –

• The Provincial Policy Statement 2014 (PPS) Policy 1.0: Building Strong Healthy Communities requires wisely managing change supporting the principles of sustainable growth, and producing strong, livable, healthy and resilient communities.
• Growth Plan for the Golden Horseshoe (GP) Policy 1.2.2: Guiding Principles directs planning to “build compact, vibrant and complete communities” whose infrastructural framework meets
  
  “people’s needs for daily living throughout an entire lifetime by providing convenient access to an appropriate mix of jobs, local services, a full range of housing, and community infrastructure including affordable housing, schools, recreation and open space for their residents. Convenient access to public transportation and options for safe, non-motorized travel is also provided”.
• The Official Plan (OP) Policy 5.2.1.4a (in Secondary Plans - Policies for Local Growth) states:
  
  "City-building objectives for Secondary Planning areas will identify or indicate overall capacity for development in the area, including population"
• The Development Permit System (DPS) is a contemporary area-planning tool currently under consideration. Planning has set out in the DPS what it considers today to be Best Practice in Good Planning that will be applied in area-planning including: area-based analysis, visioning, consultation, and rules for development. Of particular note, are the background studies it requires, in order to appropriately inform the planning process including:
  
  “built form, parks and open space, transportation, heritage, infrastructure, community facilities/housing, natural environment, area character analysis, etc.”

BACKGROUND: TOWERS FORECAST

The Towers Forecast for the YEGC provides a metric model of the anticipated intensity of growth that is likely to occur over the next fifteen years. It is based upon current Build-As-Usual practices.

Overall, sixty-one towers are projected, involving an additional 23,000 people. This population will double the intensity of demands placed upon the local urban floor plate, which has an area of less than one square kilometre.

Five of these towers are currently under construction. Seven towers are approved but not started. Thirteen more are in the assessment stream. Eleven potential sites have identified development intentions. Twenty-five further soft sites have been identified by applying Build-As-Usual criterion.

The Towers Forecast was submitted on its completion to Jennifer Keesmaat, Chief Planner, on December 30, 2013. It was copied to both North York and the Toronto East York district planning offices, as each office administers different jurisdictions within the YEGC. 

IN CONCLUSION

I appreciate your timely attention to this matter, as much of the YEGC's success is reliant upon informing development ambitions while still in the initial state of flux, before they become crystalline plans and so... planning-resistant. 

41% of the Towers Forecast already consists of crystallized plans.