STAFF REPORT

November 15, 1999

To: Planning and Transportation Committee

From: Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject: Urban Planning and Development Services: Strategic Priorities for City-wide Civic Improvements Projects.

Purpose:

To describe in detail the process of establishing priorities and the criteria used to select locations for civic improvement initiatives by Urban Planning and Development Services throughout the entire City of Toronto and outline strategiesfor the implementation of such initiatives.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The financial implications from approving specific initiatives related to Urban Planning and Development Services civic improvement projects will be identified during 2000-2004 capital program review.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) Council support the continuing development of a well-designed system of public spaces in the City, including streetscapes, based on the adoption of the strategic priorities for Urban Planning and Development Services civic improvement projects outlined in this report;

(2) Council's funding for civic improvement initiatives, as described in this report, continue to be included in the Urban Planning and Development Services capital budget; and

(3) This report be forwarded to the Policy and Finance Committee for consideration.

Background:

At its meetings of March 2, 3, and 4, 1999, the Toronto City Council adopted report No.3 of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee Clause No 1. as amended: "The capital program for the remaining urban design projects outlined on Appendix B be deferred for consideration in the 2000-2004 Capital Budget pending a comprehensive report from the Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, in consultation with the appropriate program areas. The report will outline strategic priorities for streetscaping projects across the entire City, including criteria that define where City funding for beautification projects should be 100 percent, 50 percent or other amounts and defining community relationships on such projects."

This report responds to that request.

Comments:

Historical overview

The design and administration of enhancements to the pedestrian and cycling realm, including streetscapes, were generally traditionally handled by urban design staff in Urban Planning and Development Services in most of the former municipalities. Public Art was handled by Urban Design in the former City of Toronto. Works and Emergency Services, in most cases, carried out detailed design and construction of these projects. The involvement of the Urban Planning and Development Services staff helped ensure the strategic planning of capital improvements, setting priorities, and proper public consultation in these processes. Examples of this include Yonge Street Streetscape, Jane Finch Streetscape and Sheppard Avenue West Streetscape in the North District; the Streetscape Manual and St. George Streetscape in the South; the Lakeshore Boulevard Streetscape Design Committee in the West; and the Ellesmere Median Streetscape in the East.

Policy Objectives and Coordination

Civic improvement projects enhance the liveability of the City, its appeal, safety, marketability and image. They present an important implementation vehicle to achieve Official Plan and community improvement policies.

Long-range capital project plans developed by Urban Planning and Development Services are closely linked to major planning initiatives, such as the Waterfront Initiative, official plan policies and current development issues. Community planners, who collaborate closely with urban design staff, play an important role in community outreach and consultation. Community improvement plans identify major proposals for changing public infrastructure, as well as funding requirements for such work.

The role of Urban Planning and Development Services is complementary to programs within the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, or Works and Emergency Services Departments which cover other improvements to the public infrastructure, ranging from new and/or improved parks, focus on heritage, initiatives in Business Improvement Areas and general ongoing reconstruction projects.

Within Urban Planning and Development Services, the City Planning Division has traditionally carried out a coordinating role and has provided an essential link between the policy framework and community initiatives in the implementation of pedestrian-related physical improvements to the public realm of the City.

Community involvement

Civic improvement projects are conceived in the community. They are the result of public input into Community Improvement Plans, the work of local interest groups and neighbourhood initiatives. City staff synthesise this input and incorporate it into a long-range work plan for implementation. Similarly, official plan policies, which guide the shaping of the City, reflect the goals and aspirations of Council.

Some projects of higher complexity require significant planning in advance, which is undertaken jointly with Works and Emergency Services. Throughout the process of preparing Urban Planning and Development Services civic improvement plan, both the public and the elected representatives are consulted in a number of ways. Once the projects become part of the annually approved capital budget, additional community input is sought through open houses and information sessions held jointly with the Works and Emergency Services or Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, prior to the start of construction.

Setting Priorities

Strategic priorities for Urban Planning and Development Services civic improvement projects are based on the analysis of physical city structure, planning and community initiatives and a long range plan for enhancement of City's public realm. Descriptions of the three major themes which civic improvements evolve around, as well as a comprehensive listing of specific locations where such improvements may occur, is included in the Appendix A.

The following general principles should continue to guide the setting of strategic priorities for civic improvement projects in the city:

(1) Enhance the quality of urban design within the public realm;

(2) Reflect strategic opportunities for improvements in both content and timing;

(3) Result in a coordinated approach involving a number of departments such as Works and Emergency Services; Economic Development, Culture and Tourism;

(4) Result in a budget category specifically dedicated to civic improvements;

(5) Provide the added value through urban design intervention; and

(6) Improve safety and environmental sustainability.

Implementation strategies and funding models

Traditionally, civic improvement projects are implemented on a multi-disciplinary basis. Funding for core activities is included in functional Departments' budgets, while incremental funding to meet urban design standards has been provided through Urban Planning and Development Services Capital Budget. Most of these projects reflect civic or community needs and are funded 100% by the City. The criteria for these projects were described previously in this report.

Following the recent corporate restructuring, the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department assumed a coordinating role in all areas where Business Improvement Associations exist, as well as in the Employment Revitalization Areas. Main streets are universally praised as one of the reasons that Toronto is so 'liveable' and their survival and intensification is extremely important. Collaboration between the City and the Business Improvement Areas, where financial and design support was provided to help stimulate the well being of commercial strips along the City's main streets, is another example of project cost efficiency and effectiveness. In difficult economic times, these types of projects have served as boosters for the economic revitalisation of certain areas in need of improvement. Each project is funded on a 50/50 cost-shared basis between the City and the Business Improvement Area. The Urban Planning and Development Services Department will be holding additional discussions with the Economic Development Division regarding the coordination of the two programs.

Business Improvement Areas prove that the positive community spirit and vitality of the area is in part a result of these combined public and private partnerships.

Cost sharing with the private sector occurs over time and in increments related to specific development sites. It is coordinated by Urban Planning and Development Services through the development approval process. When private developers construct a new building, they contribute to the beautification of that stretch of street by rebuilding the sidewalk to the City's standard streetscape design. That work would, therefore, not be part of the City's costs when the street gets re-constructed. Over a period of time this 'quilt' of improved sections grows into a harmonized and consistently upgraded public space at no cost to the City. Urban Planning and Development Services Capital Budget is used to fill the gaps between these privately funded sidewalk improvements.

The addition of outside funds to the capital budget provides a major boost to City initiatives making many improvement projects possible. Private donations, which have proven to be very beneficial to the city in the past, are being pursued through new sponsorship programs. Over the years, a number of provincial and federal programs were used to co-fund improvements to the public realm. For example, in the former City of Toronto the Canada Ontario Infrastructure Work program implemented in 1995, resulted in a series of successful projects ranging from $150,000 to $3 million, for a total of $10 million.

Accordingly, consistent with these strategic priorities, it is critical to maintain funding for streetscape and public art improvements. Directing funds for civic improvement projects into the Urban Planning and Development Services capital budget ensures design consistency and coordination between the operating Departments by professional architects and landscape architects who traditionally perform the coordinator's role, impacting design, construction and budget. A percentage of the overall City's capital budget should also be set aside for ongoing streetscape improvements to the public realm.

Conclusions:

The civic improvement capital program of Urban Planning and Development Services, which complements other departments' initiatives, has a direct impact on the quality of urban design of public spaces in the City. It influences the City's safety and liveability.

Teaming up between departments as well as with the private sector fosters projects that help create a more vibrant downtown or neighbourhood and attract growth to a specific area. Civic pride, increased tourism and overall economic prosperity are the tangible results.

Staff of Works and Emergency Services and Economic Development, Culture and Tourism have been consulted in preparation of this report.

Contact:

Alka Lukatela Robert Glover

Program Coordinator, Civic Improvement Director, Urban Design

Tel: 416-392-1131 Tel: 416-392-1126

Fax: 416-392-1744 Fax: 416-392-1744

Email: alukatel@toronto.ca Email: rglover@toronto.ca

Reviewed by:

Paul J. Bedford James Ridge

Executive Director and Chief Planner Acting Commissioner of

City Planning Division Urban Planning and Development Services

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List of Attachments:

Appendix A: Building the New City: Places, Routes, Districts

Urban Design, Strategic Priorities for Civic Improvements