We
are very pleased that one of our residents has followed the RIENS
process and has written this articulate explanation. This planning
process affects all of us so please read the article and follow the
links.
The RIENS (Residential Intensification in Existing Neighbourhoods Study) has now been endorsed by the City at the Kitchener CIty Council meeting on Monday, March 20th. If you have not been following the progress of this initiative you should as it has a direct impact on our neighbourhoods.
We are all aware that due to the Places to Grow legislation
it is becoming more and more important that we intensify our inner
cities rather than expanding into the countryside. We also know that
the LRT construction and the changes to areas surrounding LRT are making
it more and more attractive to live in the core. Our Mount Hope –
Breithaupt Park neighbourhood is highly desirable on both fronts. More
and more people now want to live in our neighbourhood not only because
of the wonderful look and feel of heritage houses but because we are now
within walking distance of a newly evolving downtown with bars,
restaurants, cultural events and employment opportunities. In the
coming years we can expect that single family dwellings will be torn
down and replaced by multi-family homes, that newcomers to the
neighbourhoods will buy properties and build additions and that
developers will buy up vacant properties and build larger homes than
currently exist in the neighbourhood.
The
City of Kitchener has been extremely proactive in anticipating that
this flight to the core may have an impact on existing neighbourhoods
and decided to hire an outside consultant to work with City staff to
ensure that the influx did not have an adverse impact on our
neighbourhood (as well as the Vanier neighbourhood which is also
adjacent to the LRT line). And thus, the RIENS project was borne.
Although City Council has endorsed the RIENS recommendations and will
implement these recommendations it will take up to 12 or 18 months to
have the recommendations implemented by the Planning Department.
It
should be noted that some members of Council felt that the initial
recommendations of the project were too restrictive and there should be
some leeway on the planning guidelines. They were particularly
concerned about the front yard setback (distance from the street in line
with other houses on the street) and the height of new builds or
additions (currently the height allowed is 10.5 m versus the recommended
8.5 m – this is essentially the difference of a 2 storey with a peak
roof versus a 3 storey with a peaked roof). The height restriction was
one of the most debated points during the process (e.g. how does the new
building or addition impact the adjacent neighbours?). Ultimately,
Council approved the 8.5 metre restriction where there are bungalows on
the adjacent two properties. Otherwise the 10.5 metre restriction
applies — so if the two houses adjacent to the property are two storey
homes, 10.5 metres would be the rule.
The
other point of contention throughout the process was the look and feel
of new development and does it fit into the character of the
streetscape? is this a neighbourhood with front porches, is this a
street with two story brick houses, is this a street with bungalows or 1
½ story houses and should the new build or addition mimic the existing
houses on the street?
As
a residents in Mt. Hope/Breithaupt we need to monitor the Committee of
Adjustment notices in the newspaper so that we can keep track of the
development plans in our neighbourhoods. In future, it won’t be as
important to subscribe to the paper to get this information as the City
will require the developer to post a notice on the actual property. If
you feel proposed development does not meet the neighbourhood character
you can raise your concerns with the developer (the proposed development
does not fit into the look and feel of the neighbourhood) or appeal to
the Committee of Adjustment as is the current procedure.
Here is the entire report to Council by the Planning Department which outlines all the recommendations ….
