The Need for New Neighbourhood Design Options
Over the last decade, the term "sustainability" has figured prominently in city planning discussions across Canada, and elsewhere. Conventional development practices are being challenged due to outcomes of low-density development and auto dependency. There is a need to review existing City of Saskatoon neighbourhood design standards and recommend new standards that are consistent with the City’s desire to encourage sustainable growth, establish sustainable neighbourhood design and facilitate diversity of design. In order to accomplish these goals, the New Neighbourhood Design project was started in February 2006 and is based on the Neighbourhood Design Options Study (2004), which was received and endorsed by City Council in November 2004.
Project Goals
The goal is not to eliminate current development options, but to add more flexibility and choice, guided by principles of sustainable growth and a more rigorous evaluation and monitoring of outcomes.
The project examined the effects of providing more flexible development standards and the relative cost/benefits of moving towards land development standards that have more choice built into them. This project also develop an evaluation tool (Sustainable Development Workbook), to be filled out by developers or builders and can be used by City administration to more effectively gauge and measure the effects of new large-scale residential and commercial/industrial development proposals.
In order to recommend new standards, existing City policies and technical standards affecting physical neighbourhood design need to be reviewed and updated. These include City policy documents such as, the City’s Official Community Plan, Subdivision Bylaw, and Roadway, Water and Sewer Design Standards.
Project Deliverables
Over time current standards would be updated and expanded to provide greater choice and flexibility in neighbourhood design. These updates and expansions would be guided by sustainable growth policies and be included in the City’s Official Community Plan. Ultimately, the desire is to achieve greater efficiency and choice, while maintaining affordability.
The report was approved in summer 2009.
Click here, for the New Neighbourhood Design and Development Standards Manual.