posting
06-18-2008, 11:37 PM
Official Plan Submission to the Kingston Planning Committee from the McBurney Park Neighbourhood Association
June 2008
The following comments are limited to the aspects of the Official Plan that directly affect the residents of the Neighbourhood Association. It is hoped that individuals will make separate comments on local and more general aspects of the Draft Official Plan.
This is a wonderful draft and we compliment the Committee. We particularly like the emphasis on design and compatibility of new development in older areas.
While there is much emphasis on water, there is no apparent mention of swimming and the preservation of beaches and emphasis on the suitability of the water for swimming. (Swimming lessons were once offered on Belle Island) In older areas of the city there is no room for swimming pools, which are well beyond the affordability of many residents here and elsewhere. (Regardless of water quality, it will be difficult to prevent swimming off the pier behind KPH) The potential of Richardson Beach is not reached as an assignation place. These issues may be addressed in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan but a copy is not at hand. Please do not overlook this important aspect of city life.
We are delighted by the inclusion of ‘St. Lawrence Ward’ as a Heritage area. We would like to be consulted prior to the zoning by-law to implement this designation. Further we request that the boundaries of the area be addressed with the Association prior to the zoning by-law. The boundaries, no doubt, made sense when they were drawn, but we find them somewhat arbitrary now. Could they not be changed before the O.P. is final?
Pathways: Please include the path which goes from the butt end of North Street to Doug Fluhrer Park. Please also include Primrose Way.
Collector Streets: The Ordnance York corridor is recognised as a collector street. It is now functioning as an Arterial and the traffic undermines the stability of the area. We respectfully request a re-examination of this corridor so that further traffic calming can be achieved or traffic diverted. Enshrining this as a collector in the Official Plan is not in our best interest.
There are currently two rezoning applications on the periphery of our neighbourhood so standards of compatibility are needed now.
June 2008
The following comments are limited to the aspects of the Official Plan that directly affect the residents of the Neighbourhood Association. It is hoped that individuals will make separate comments on local and more general aspects of the Draft Official Plan.
This is a wonderful draft and we compliment the Committee. We particularly like the emphasis on design and compatibility of new development in older areas.
While there is much emphasis on water, there is no apparent mention of swimming and the preservation of beaches and emphasis on the suitability of the water for swimming. (Swimming lessons were once offered on Belle Island) In older areas of the city there is no room for swimming pools, which are well beyond the affordability of many residents here and elsewhere. (Regardless of water quality, it will be difficult to prevent swimming off the pier behind KPH) The potential of Richardson Beach is not reached as an assignation place. These issues may be addressed in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan but a copy is not at hand. Please do not overlook this important aspect of city life.
We are delighted by the inclusion of ‘St. Lawrence Ward’ as a Heritage area. We would like to be consulted prior to the zoning by-law to implement this designation. Further we request that the boundaries of the area be addressed with the Association prior to the zoning by-law. The boundaries, no doubt, made sense when they were drawn, but we find them somewhat arbitrary now. Could they not be changed before the O.P. is final?
Pathways: Please include the path which goes from the butt end of North Street to Doug Fluhrer Park. Please also include Primrose Way.
Collector Streets: The Ordnance York corridor is recognised as a collector street. It is now functioning as an Arterial and the traffic undermines the stability of the area. We respectfully request a re-examination of this corridor so that further traffic calming can be achieved or traffic diverted. Enshrining this as a collector in the Official Plan is not in our best interest.
There are currently two rezoning applications on the periphery of our neighbourhood so standards of compatibility are needed now.