Collector and Arterial Corridors

Along portions of Hume, Hurontario, Huron and First Streets, staff are developing two storey minimum building height requirements. 

The intent of this is to provide a more human scaled relationship between the proportions of the street width and building heights.

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Residential Streetscapes

For the Streetscape subsection of the UDS staff are drafting language to provide visual diversity along residential streetscapes.

The need for this kind of regulation to avoid monotonous streetscapes has previously been identified by the Town.  Many subdivision agreements already require specific design treatments of residences along streets so that they provide diversity that is fitting with the character of Collingwood.

Currently the draft language would require project applicants to implement a selection of techniques to create variation of streetscapes within single-unit detached residential subdivisions. These techniques include the following: Varied Front Setbacks; Varied Garage Placement; Providing Lane Way Access; and Providing Rear Yard Garages.

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Streetscapes

The first subsection of Section Six, Site Layout deals with streetscapes. The intent is to create more human scaled, pedestrian focused, and street oriented developments.

The following is draft language of some regulations in this subsection:


1. All development (including subdivisions) shall be arranged to address streets, excepting lane ways, as window streets, by lining streets with building front facades and public spaces.

2. Buildings shall line streets with retail, office space, or living units, rather than parking lots, garages, or blank walls. Interior uses such as seating areas, employee rooms, offices, waiting areas and lobbies, which have the potential for clear windows, should be located along street-facing walls.

3. Buildings shall not be permitted to face their loading or service areas onto existing or planned parks, civic buildings and spaces, or public right-of-way. Based on design merit and the use of screening as per Section Ten, alternative configurations may be permitted.

4. Screening/noise attenuation fencing shall not be permitted along residential subdivision boundaries nor along collector or arterial streets.

5. Surface parking shall be located behind buildings and accessed from an lane way where practicable.

6. For commercial and mixed use projects, surface parking may be located beside a building provided:


a. It does not take up more than 30% of the lot frontage or 43m which ever is less; and,
b. It is no closer to the street than the front of the building; and,
c. Enhanced parking lot screening as per Section Ten is provided; and,
d. The parking area is bounded by buildings on at least two sides.

7. Buildings shall be oriented parallel to the street centre line and create a 90 degree grid pattern with other adjacent buildings.

8. Building masses on one site shall relate to those on neighbouring sites to create a coherent streetwall by extending the street grid lines and building setback lines to define building envelopes as much as is practicable.

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Site Layout Purpose

This is the working draft language of the purpose for the Site Layout Section of the Urban Design Standards:

The site layout standards are intended to facilitate designs that support year round use with contextually appropriate and highly livable developments through the successful integration of uses, transportation facilities, landscape, and buildings as much as practicable.

The arrangement of site features affects how they interact, the spaces that are created, and how livable the sites and their neighbourhoods are for residents.
The intent is to create sites that function well and also create streetscapes and public spaces that are human scaled and defined by buildings and active uses.

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Section Six: Site Layout

Section Six of the working draft of the Urban Design Standards is Site Layout; with the following subsections:

• Crime Prevention and Security
  
• Streetscape
  
• Structures Fronting an Lane Way
  
• Collector and Arterial Corridors
  
• Project Identification Signs
  
• Relationship of Uses
  
• Context of the Site
  
• Outdoor Uses - Patios & Dining
  
• Outdoor Uses - Display & Retail
  
• Outdoor Uses - Industrial Display
  
• Outdoor Uses - Public Amenity Space
  
• Landscape & Open Space
  
• Building Service Uses
  
• Amenities
  
• Vending Machines
  
• Utilities
  
• Lighting
  
• Trash and Recycling
  
• Stormwater Management Facilities
  

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Priority Sites

Based on their prominent location such as at intersections, or street ends, and transitions such as bridgeheads, some sites have an inherently heightened potential to add to the visual and functional form of the community through their orientation and the design of development on these sites.

The following are being considered priority lots for the purposes of developing specific provisions for the Urban Design Standards:

• Lots located at the terminus of a street;
  
• Lots located at the intersections of collector and arterial streets;
  
• Lots located at bridgeheads of bridges over xxxx m in length;
  
• Lots created as central/focal points of a larger arrangement of lots based on the pattern of the entire group;
  
• Lots with a physical prominence over others due to topography; and,
  
• Lots whose proposed development is a use of a civic nature, including: library; town hall; school; hospital; community centre; municipal offices; municipal recreational facilities; parks; community gardens; house of worship; and, other similar uses.
  

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