City of Burlington Moving Forward with Area-Specific Planning Process for Major Transit Station Areas

*ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTE: There are upcoming virtual public information sessions in October for the City’s Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) Area-Specific Planning Project 2021-2022: Aldershot GO Station (Oct 13th) Burlington GO (Oct 19th) Appleby GO (Oct 26th) and all three combined (Nov 2). Click here for the project webpage and to register and sign-up for email updates and meeting details when they are available.Residents across the City of Burlington will be receiving information in their mailboxes sometime this week about the next steps of our Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA) Area-Specific Planning process. To view a copy of the mailer, please click here: MTSA Area-Specific Planning Mailer.Public engagement to get feedback on the preliminary precinct plans will begin in October 2021, starting with Public Information Centres to discuss proposed precincts, land uses, building heights/densities and more.To learn about dates and times for engagement opportunities, subscribe to project updates, review background information, or connect with City staff directly, please visit getinvolvedburlington.ca/mtsaPROJECT BACKGROUND:Burlington is in a new phase of city-building, with future growth occurring mainly through intensification within the existing urbane area.To build a vision for growth in the form of complete communities, the City is developing area-specific plans for Burlington's three (3) MTSAs; the area within 500- to 800-metres of each GO station (Aldershot GO, Burlington GO & Appleby GO), representing a 10-minute walk.WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?The plan is to direct growth to strategic areas close to transit, services and amenities. This will allow more people to live, connect, work and play within the existing urban area, while protecting the city's natural heritage and agricultural systems from urban expansion. The focus on transit supportive development will also help the City respond to climate change by providing sustainable options for travel.WHAT IS AN AREA-SPECIFIC PLAN?Area-specific plans contain policies to guide future development within a specific geographic area and are informed by:

• Public input;
• Council decisions;
• Recommendations from City staff and partner agencies;
• Provincial laws, policies and guidelines;
• Physical geography and environmental constraints; and
• A wide range of technical studies.

Area-Specific Plans are implemented through an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) and Zoning Bylaw Amendment (ZBA).MOBILITY HUBS STUDY 2017-19Area-specific planning for Burlington's GO Stations began in 2017 with the Mobility Hubs Study. Due to changes in Provincial policy, the study is re-launching as the MTSA Area-Specific Planning Project, which will build upon the work completed through the former Mobility Hubs Study.What we've heard so far:

• Public space, parks, community facilities, amenities and mobility;
• Housing options and affordability;
• Transit, walking and cycling connections to GO Stations;
• Locating height closer to the railway and GO Stations;
• Appropriate transitions to existing neighbourhoods; and
• Creating vibrant, complete communities.

PROJECT TIMELINE

• 2017 - Study Launch - Collected feedback on what would make the GO Station areas great places to live, work, shop and play. Developed draft land use concepts to explore where and how future residents and jobs could be accommodated.
• 2018 - Release of Draft Precinct Plans - Developed an initial vision for long-term growth, including a proposed mix of land uses, heights, densities and urban design considerations.
• 2019-2020 - Study Pause - Work placed on hold to respond to other critical planning priorities, such as the Scoped Re-examination of the Official Plan and the Interim Control Bylaw Study.
• 2021-2022 - Study Re-Launch - Develop preferred precinct plans, policy, zoning and urban design guidelines that will guide future growth and investment in the MTSAs. This work will bring the project to completion.

Give your feedback to help shape the next phase of planning for Burlington's Major Transit Station Areas -- getinvolvedburlington.ca/mtsaRELATED LINKS:

• Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) Area-Specific Planning Background Report_September 2021
• Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) Area-Specific Planning Project Engagement Plan_September 2021

--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist