Video Update: Progress on Burlington's Downtown Official Plan Policies
Update on Downtown Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlXkiZbcmME
City council recently approved a new concept for the downtown that significantly controls the over-development that was in the adopted official plan from the previous council.
It’s actually better in some cases than our current official plan – with one significant exception.
We have more work to do on the Downtown East side where we have public service assets, parks and significant heritage. I have questions about how we’re going to protect these important elements in the new Official Plan, and staff are looking into them.
Protecting Burlington’s History
The downtown concept proposes 17 storey high-rises where we have a number of heritage buildings – constructed between 1845 and 1878 – that are considered as significant but are not protected by being designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Protecting Burlington’s Public Services and Community Centres
How are we going to protect the Public Service assets that we have in in the downtown and specifically in this area.
We’ve got the Knox Presbyterian Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church. These are are more than churches. They provide a significant community function and operate in many respects like a community centre.
We have the ReachOut Centre for Kids which provides mental health services for families. They do an annual picnic every year.
And, we’ve got the Iron Duke Sea Cadets Corps; an important part of our living in close proximity to the Great Lakes.
Assuring our Medical Centre and Parking Garage
At Caroline, John, Maria and Elizabeth Streets, there’s a current 17-story building that’s been built there. It was approved as a comprehensive block plan with a six to eight storey garage and a six to eight storey Medical Center. These have yet to be built.
We want to make sure that those are still coming,
Highrises Across From 3 Storey Homes
My concern for how the precincts are shown right now is 17 storeys right up to Caroline Street.
I’ve asked staff to ensure that what comes back are policies that reflect six to eight story permissions, which is right across the street from of three-story townhouses and across the street from an established neighborhood of two and a half storey homes.
Protecting our Parkland
One of the other questions I have is how we’re going to protect and preserve the park space that we do have in the downtown, particularly the Lions Club Park.The concept is currently showing the building envelope encroaching into and reducing the park space.
I’ve asked staff to look at this when they come back with policies to make sure that we’re protecting that park.
If you want to know more details about all of that please go to my website, Mariannemeedward.ca. You can always get in touch with your councillor to share your input and also with me at mayor@burlington.ca.