A made-in-sa国际传媒 way to preserve the visual appeal of sa国际传媒sa国际传媒 oldest neighborhood while also densifying the area has been well-received by city council.听
Proposed new building regulations have been devised for the historic Abbott Street area south of downtown, where the first homes were built in 1904.听
A key aim is to ensure new construction or an addition is 鈥減hysically and visually compatible with, subordinate to, and distinguishable from the historic (house)鈥, a report to council states.听
Effort should be taken to maintain the character-defining streetscape by preserving the original form, scale and massing of the existing home, the report states. Additions and infill buildings up to three storeys should ideally be constructed in the rear of the property rather than the front or side yards, using building materials that complement but not necessarily mimic the existing building.听
All vehicle access to redeveloped properties should be from the back alleys, to preserve a pedestrian-friendly streetscape. As well, care should be taken to preserve as many existing trees as possible, and new walls, solid gates, and hedges would not be permitted.听
The 30-pages contained in the proposed development guidelines outline a redevelopment approach that will comply with a directive from the NDP government that all sa国际传媒 municipalities allow for much greater residential density in established neighbourhoods than has been typically permitted in the past, city staff say.听
鈥淭hese guidelines will be among the first in sa国际传媒 to be updated following implementation of the provincesa国际传媒 new housing legislation,鈥 municipal planner Robert Miles told councillors at Mondaysa国际传媒 meeting.听
鈥淭o be clear, it is not the intent of these development guidelines to stop all development in these neighbourhoods. Rather, these guidelines aim to shape how the neighbourhoods will evolve and change over time as new housing opportunities come forward in a way that is well-integrated with the existing built environment and the distinctive qualities of the area,鈥 he said.听
The Abbott Street and Marshall Street heritage areas have 360 properties within a total area of 36 ha. Many architectural styles are reflected in the neighbourhoods, creating an eclectic streetscape that reflects the different tastes and budgets of people who鈥檝e lived in the area.听
Government officials have reviewed the proposed regulations and told city staff the guidelines conform to Victoriasa国际传媒 edict that municipalities allow substantial numbers of new homes to be built in existing neighbourhoods, councillors heard.听
Most building proposals would be reviewed and approved or rejected by municipal planners but if the project requires variances or has other layers of complexity a council decision would be likely. And as is currently the case, a redevelopment plan will likely need to be reviewed by a heritage consultant, at the expense of the property owner.听
The new guidelines must still be presented at a public hearing in the spring where interested members of the community, including groups that advocate for the retention of historic buildings and area residents, can provide their input. At Mondaysa国际传媒 meeting, no councillors took objection to any of the guidelines, and the plan was unanimously moved toward a public hearing likely to be held in April.听
Efforts to preserve the appeal of the old neighbourhoods have often been contentious in the past, with some saying not enough is done to protect the old homes while others decrying what they say is the citysa国际传媒 meddling with their rights as property owners.听
鈥淚 know this is a sensitive matter and comes before council regularly, so I appreciate the care and attention thatsa国际传媒 been put into making this report come out the way it has,鈥 acting mayor Luke Stack told staff.听
听