Gap between plans and outcomes - Aligning growth

NRU
April 13, 2016
By Geordie Gordon

The alignment of residential and job growth with transit infrastructure over the past decade has not been particularly successful, according to planning experts. As a result, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is at a critical juncture. A new approach to integrating land use and transportation planning is essential if the GTHA is to effectively accommodate future growth.

“We all know, that with some notable exceptions, we have generally not, as a region, [integrated land use and transportation planning] very well, whether it’s the TTC stations ... [or] the existing GO network, or the emerging electrified GO network. These are not success stories for our region, and they need to be, going forward,” Urban Land Institute executive director Richard Joy told NRU.

Neptis executive director Marcy Burchfield agrees. In an email to NRU, Burchfield says there is a gap between what planners envision for a community, which would lead to more liveable communities, and the development outcomes that are often the product of political compromise and don’t necessarily reflect good planning and design.

“As Ontario invests billions of dollars into improving transit accessibility in the Toronto region, for example regional express rail, we need to make sure development aligns with infrastructure investments,” she said.

To foster dialogue, ULI has launched Electric Cities, an initiative focused on the intersection of place-making-the way that public and private spaces are planned, designed and managed—mobility and technology. Unveiled at ULI’s second annual Meet the Chiefs Gala April 7 in Toronto, Electric Cities
will emphasize community-based input.

Joy says that 2016 is a critical year for the GTHA, with the co-ordinated review of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and Niagara Escarpment Plan, as well as the review of Metrolinx’s the Big Move. Additionally, both the recent federal and provincial budgets have committed significant funding to transit infrastructure.

“We suddenly have the ingredients for a lot of very positive and focused urban development. Contrast that though to a decade that we’ve just come through... where we’ve done a great job of doing the worst kind of urban development and sprawl,” he said.

Electric Cities represents a “pivot point” for ULI in the GTHA, where ULI plans to become more engaged at the community level, bringing members’ resources to help communities defi ne their vision for the future.

As Burchfield sees it, the Electric Cities initiative could respond to the gap between planners’ visions and development outcomes by facilitating community discussions about the alignment of growth and transit infrastructure investments. Burchfield cites Burlington as an excellent example of a municipality making the transition to growing up, not out. However, as Burchfield points out, this transition may not be
easy.

“Burlington is working hard to engage residents in this transition process, but it won’t be easy. The ULI initiative may be something that Burlington embraces as another resource to support their vision,” she said.

The gala featured a panel discussion among Burlington chief planner Mary Lou Tanner, Waterloo Region planning commissioner Rob Horne, Durham Region planning and economic development commissioner Brian Bridgeman, vivaNext president Mary-Frances Turner and ULI executive vice president Marilee Utter. Moderated by Toronto chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat, panel members were asked about the need to create “winning conditions” for integrating land use planning and transportation planning in the GTHA.