Building Sustainable Communities The East Clayton Sustainability - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Building Sustainable Communities The East Clayton Sustainability Initiative

Canada USA

Surrey Vancouver

Surrey in the Georgia Basin

Presentation Overview

• Context
• The basis of the plan – 7 principles
• Why a new approach and how did it happen?
• The design process
• The Neighbourhood Plan
• Lot sizes and housing forms
• East Clayton under construction
• Challenges
• Lessons learned

East Clayton in Surrey

• Sustainable

neighbourhood plan approved in 2003

• 500 acres
• Surrey/Langley

Border

• Future

population: 13,000 – 15,000

• Walkable

neighbourhoods

• Interconnected

streets & higher density

• Employment

areas, shopping areas & varied residential in the same community

• Environmental

preservation

• Natural drainage

East Clayton

The Principles of Sustainable Development Applied to East Clayton

• Worked with City Council to educate and build

buy-in

• Basis of the neighbourhood plan
• Used widely by “Smartgrowth” and other

planning, advocacy groups

FIVE MINUTE WALKING DISTANCE TO FIVE MINUTE WALKING DISTANCE TO TRANSIT AND SHOPS TRANSIT AND SHOPS

Research suggests that North Americans will leave the Research suggests that North Americans will leave the car at home if they can walk to the store or transit in car at home if they can walk to the store or transit in five minutes or less. five minutes or less. If we are serious about reducing auto dependence we If we are serious about reducing auto dependence we must design neighbourhoods with this in mind. must design neighbourhoods with this in mind.

AN INTERCONNECTED STREET SYSTEM AN INTERCONNECTED STREET SYSTEM

Interconnected street systems insure that all trips, Interconnected street systems insure that all trips, whether in a car, on a bike, or on foot, are by the shortest whether in a car, on a bike, or on foot, are by the shortest possible route. possible route.

SOME CAR STORAGE AND SERVICES SOME CAR STORAGE AND SERVICES HANDLED AT THE REAR OF THE HANDLED AT THE REAR OF THE DWELLINGS ON THE LANE DWELLINGS ON THE LANE – – NARROWER NARROWER STREETS WITH TREES STREETS WITH TREES

Rear lanes allow porches and trees out front, driveways Rear lanes allow porches and trees out front, driveways

• ut back, and detached homes for all who want them.
• ut back, and detached homes for all who want them.

DIFFERENT DWELLING TYPES IN THE DIFFERENT DWELLING TYPES IN THE SAME NEIGHBOURHOOD AND EVEN ON SAME NEIGHBOURHOOD AND EVEN ON THE SAME STREET THE SAME STREET

Different family types and incomes can be accommodated Different family types and incomes can be accommodated in neighbourhoods that retain a “single family district” in neighbourhoods that retain a “single family district” feel. feel.

LIGHTER GREENER, CHEAPER, SMARTER LIGHTER GREENER, CHEAPER, SMARTER INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE

For every dollar spent on pavement we produce a dollar’s For every dollar spent on pavement we produce a dollar’s worth of damage to the environment. To help save the worth of damage to the environment. To help save the environment we should spend less on infrastructure, not environment we should spend less on infrastructure, not more. more.

NATURAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WHERE NATURAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WHERE SURFACE DRAINAGE INFILTRATES BACK SURFACE DRAINAGE INFILTRATES BACK INTO THE SOIL INTO THE SOIL

Until now, communities have been engineered to keep Until now, communities have been engineered to keep water from returning to the soil. There are simple ways to water from returning to the soil. There are simple ways to correct this expensive mistake. correct this expensive mistake.

Potential Benefits

• Transportation choices
• Sound storm water management
• Reduced vehicle trips
• Environmental protection
• Energy savings
• Potential for lower servicing costs

The East Clayton Charrette: An Integrated Planning Process

• Design Brief
• Integrated planning - the charrette

process

• Partnership approach
• Citizen Advisory Committee
• Workshops

Stakeholders

• Academics
• Facilitator
• Property owner

reps

• Development

industry reps

• Utility companies
• Realtors
• Landscape

architects

• Environmental

agency reps

• Engineers
• Architects
• Planners
• Arborists

East Clayton: A Sustainable Neighbourhood

How does East Clayton Differ from a Conventional Neighbourhood Development? THEORY vs REALITY

• Grid network of streets
• Mix of housing in close

proximity - but only between blocks but not within blocks

• Narrower streets and tree

canopies

• Network of greenways,

natural areas and parks

• Rear lanes serving a majority
• f single family lots – 60%

Infiltration design for storm water management On-site detention through retention of topsoil, exfiltration pits and exfiltration swale systems New small lot zones with provision for secondary suites and coach houses Live/work areas – fear of the unknown Business park as part of the neighbourhood design – not built (resistance) Shopping areas within walking distance of all residences (timing)

Encouraging innovation, diversity and affordability

RF - 12 (type I) RF - 12 (type II) RF - 12 (type I) RF - 9 (type I)

The City’s new Residential Zones open a wide range

• f options to developers

and builders

House Sizes: 144.0 - 225.0 sq.m. (1550) (2420) Lot Depths: 22.0 - 28.0 m (72) (90) Lot Widths: 6.0 - 13.4 m (20) (44)

RF-12 (Types I and II) RF-12C RF-9 (Types I - II - III) RF-9C RF-SD (Fee-Simple) RM-23 (Row Housing Fee Simple)

Lot Sizes and Density

Without lane

Low Density

• 6-10 units/acre
• Detached single-

family or duplex with or without coach houses

• May have lanes

With lane

Lot Sizes and Density

Medium Density

• 10-15 units/acre
• Detached or semi-detached

single-family with or without coach houses

• Narrow-deep lots, wide-shallow

lots or semi-detached homes on narrow/deep lots

• Lanes required

Medium-High Density

• 15-25 units/acre
• Rowhouses, townhouses,

stacked townhouses, semi-detached homes, duplexes and single family homes with coach houses

Lot Sizes and Density

High Density

• 22-45 units/acre
• Townhouses, stacked

townhouses, rowhouses, garden apartments

Special Residential

• 10-15 units/acre
• Mix of single-family on

small lots, townhouses

• Option of retail or service

commercial as part of unit

Mixed-Use Commercial/Residential

• Residential above ground

floor commercial

Local Road Cross-Sections

ACCESS TO ATTACHED GARAGE FROM REAR LANE. GARAGE DRIVEWAY IN ADDITION TO REAR LANE FRONT ATTACHED GARAGE. REAR LANE NOT USED (IN RF–12C and RF-9C SITES REAR LANE MAY BE USED TO ACCESS A PARKING FOR SECONDARY UNIT)

Special Residential (Live/Work)

Recognizes the growing trend to work from home To encourage small scale, low impact

businesses integrated into the residential community

Supports the sustainable planning principle of

providing opportunities for basic services within a walkable distance from homes

East Clayton NCP : Provides a transition

between residential and business park uses

Characteristics of Special Residential

• Option to use up to 30% of the floor area of a dwelling,

including the floor areas of a basement & garage can be used for small scale business/commercial purposes (barber shops, beauty parlours, shoe/clothing repairs, dress-making, deli, bakery, professional offices, artist’s studio/shop, etc.)

• Reduced front yard setback of 3.5 m/12 ft for street
• rientation
• On-street parking required; No requirement for additional

parking on the lot for business use

• No restrictions on storage/display of goods on the premises

for business purposes

• Vehicles for the business use cannot be parked at the front
• f the dwelling
• Small signs are permitted (Controlled by building schemes)
• No restriction on employees

Three Special Residential Zones Three zones are proposed to allow flexibility and diversity to respond to market:

• Special Single Family Residential (9) Zone

(RF-9S) - Detached houses

• Special Multiple Residential 15 Zone (RM-

15S) - Townhouses

• Special Multiple Residential 23 Zone (RM-

23S) - Row Houses

RF – 9S Single Family Zone

RM – 15S Townhouse Zone

RM – 23S Rowhouse Zone

Consumer Awareness

• Vast media coverage
• Award-winning

neighbourhood design

• Clayton Village

marketed as “sustainable”, “truly pedestrian-friendly” and as providing different dwelling types

• High awareness of

sustainable East Clayton among lower mainland population

Informing East Clayton Residents

• Enhanced

website about sustainability and East Clayton

36

• Community

newsletter

• Meetings with Clayton

Community Association

Challenges in Implementing the Plan

Development industry concerns

– Concern with marketability/profitability

• Natural drainage systems
• Mix of housing types/lot types and sizes
• Rear lanes
• Cost of alternative standards – drainage
• Work/Live areas – untried concept in a suburban setting
• Business park area – timing
• Increased risk compared to conventional

City staff concerns

• Concern that alternative drainage standards won’t work
• Need to design for back-up systems until alternative systems

proven empirically

• Unknown maintenance and operational requirements
• Time and resources to monitor performance
• “Cherry-picking” the plan (to the market)

Utility Company concerns

• Concern with placing services in rear lanes or in narrow streets

More Challenges

• Development industry specialization - dwelling

unit mix difficult to attain at the micro level

• Suburban location – transit not available at outset
• Soil conditions – clay has low permeability acting

against effective on-site drainage management

• Fragmented land ownership - implementation of

some sustainability elements difficult to coordinate across small development applications

Lessons Learned

• Manage expectations
• Set reasonable targets and be patient
• New ideas need a champion
• Foster buy-in
• Incremental changes easier to sell than a

quantum leap, several small bites are easier to swallow than one big bite

• Share the risk
• Allocate adequate resources
• Strong project coordination and management
• Charrette process

Recommendations for Success

• Charrette Approach – involvement of a wide array of

stakeholders at the outset

• Third Party Assistance – assisted with mediating

differences of opinion

• Financial assistance and technical expertise provided by

many third parties in resolving issues

• Regular open dialogue with stakeholders
• Development industry involvement
• Implement with minimal risk
• Documentation and evaluation of experience
• Homebuyer education
• Community stewardship