Pinecrest and Queensview Stations Secondary Plan Study and the Draft Official Plan

The purpose of a secondary plan is to adapt land use planning policies provided by an Official Plan to address a local context. As a result, the new Official Plan(link is external) sets the stage for the Pinecrest and Queensview Stations Secondary Plan Study and any subsequent policy direction that may be required in order to achieve the study objectives.

The following provides a brief summary of new Official Plan policies that are most relevant to the Pinecrest and Queensview Stations study area. Stakeholders and study participants are encouraged to review the new Official Plan in detail in order to help identify any gaps and opportunities to improve outcomes in the study area.

Transect areas

The study area is predominantly located within the Inner Urban Transect Area, which can be found on Schedule B2. This area surrounds the downtown core and is characterized by its mix of urban and suburban built form. The Inner Urban area is intended to become more urbanized while prioritizing active transportation and public transit. Intensification provides important opportunities for creating 15-minute neighbourhoods and expanding housing choices.

A small portion of the study area, west of Greenbank Rd and south of Iris St, is in the Outer Urban Transect Area (see Schedule B3). This area will generally see a more gradual urbanization, with policies that recognize its dominant suburban pattern but adds flexibility in terms of dwelling types and support for active transportation and public transit.

Hubs

Hubs generally replace the former Mixed-Use Centre designations and tend to be located at important destinations on the rapid transit network. They are the focus for density and urban development, which may include major employment and high-rise residential, and are intended introduce land use flexibility in order to contribute to 15-mintue neighbourhoods.

In Hubs in the Inner Urban Transect Area, buildings within 400 metres walking distance of a rapid transit station shall have a minimum height of three storeys and a maximum height of forty storeys – unless otherwise specified in a secondary plan. In other words, the Hub policies establish baseline building heights around O-Train stations and this study will determine where and by how much those minimum and maximum heights should be adjusted.

The new Official Plan designates lands around Pinecrest and Queensview Stations as a Hub (see Schedule B2). This Hub replaces the urban employment area around Queensview Drive and extends west of Pinecrest Rd along Dumaurier Ave and south of Highway 417 to Iris St and Baxter Rd.

Protected Major Transit Station Area

Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs) are a discretionary tool that municipalities may use in order to establish transit-supportive densities within a designated area that surrounds a rapid transit station area. The new Official Plan designates lands within the Hub surrounding Pinecrest and Queensview Stations as a PMTSA (see Schedule C1).

The new Offical Plan includes policies that require a minimum density target of 200 people/jobs per gross hectare in the Pinecrest-Queensview PMTSA, as well as inclusionary zoning policies that will require the provision of affordable housing as part of new developments.

Corridors

The new Official Plan includes designations for Mainstreet Corridors and Minor Corridors. Mainstreet Corridors include the former Traditional and Arterial Mainstreets, while Minor Corridors are new designations. Mainstreet Corridors are intended to allow for more intensive mixed-use development to support mainstreet environments, while Minor Corridors are generally intended to be low-rise and introduce flexibility in terms of land uses (such as small retail spaces) to support 15-minute neighbourhoods.

Greenbank Rd and Carling Ave are Mainstreet Corridors in the study areaand Minor Corridors are proposed for Pinecrest Rd, Queensview Dr, and parts of Dumaurier Ave and Iris St (see Schedule B2).

Neighbourhood overlays

The new Official Plan includes a built form Overlay which provides additional direction (over and above Transect policies) to guide the changing character of neighbourhoods.. Those designated as Evolving Neighbourhood are expected to see more rapid change in urbanization and may see subsequent zoning changes to allow a more urban built form.

Schedules B2 and B3 identify the Hub and built form Overlay in the study area. The vast majority of the study area is designated as an Evolving Neighbourhood.