Planning For The Future – University Heights (Agassiz And Montcalm)

Jun 15, 2018

Watch the community discussion on development in Agassiz And Montcalm here.

I’d like to thank residents for coming forward and expressing their desire to develop a long term plan for the community of University Heights. As a result of these discussions, and taking into consideration the significant changes starting to occur in the neighbhourhood, I’ve brought forward a motion to work towards developing a secondary plan or planned development overlay district. See motion below. I expect this motion will be considered by the Standing Policy Committee of Property and Development, Heritage and Downtown Development on June 25, 2018.

Please see a brief overview on Local area plans, which lead to secondary plans and plan development overlays. For more details please see Local Area Plans.

Local area plans (LAPs) establish a framework that directs how an area of land is to be developed and used. This framework consists of a vision, land use concepts, policy statements and a strategy for realizing the vision of how an area shall be developed and used.

The primary function of a local area plan is to pro-actively manage change in the built environment. Local area plans direct how land in an area may be used, where buildings of various types, sizes and shapes may be located and how infrastructure can be extended into, and through, the local area. Local area plans vary by scale and level of detail. A local area plan may apply to a variety of areas, such as:

a neighbourhood or a group of neighbourhoods,
a former industrial area,
the downtown area,
a major road and the adjacent properties, or
an area expected to undergo significant change.

A local area plan should be concise and provide clear direction to the public, the development industry and the City of Winnipeg with respect to land use planning and development, while promoting creativity and innovation.

MOTION:

WHEREAS University Crescent has evolved into a major regional street experiencing over 18,700 vehicular trips per day.

AND WHEREAS University Crescent receives more vehicular traffic than many streets in the downtown area, including Donald Street (15,200 vehicular trips per day between Portage and Broadway), Smith Street (17,500 vehicular trips per day between Portage and Broadway), and St. Mary Avenue (16,800 vehicular trips per day between Donald Street and Main Street).
AND WHEREAS University Crescent has the characteristics of a mixed use corridor:
- it includes a mix of uses such as the University of Manitoba, higher density multi-family dwellings, commercial uses and single family dwellings; and
- it is the main route connecting the Agassiz and Montcalm neighbourhoods.
AND WHEREAS the Agassiz and Montcalm neighbourhoods fall under Areas of Stability – Recent Communities policy area in the Complete Communities Direction Strategy (CCDS) which support context sensitive infill development.
AND WHEREAS there is an increasing demand for higher density residential development within close proximity to the University of Manitoba, including along University Crescent.
AND WHEREAS University Crescent is identified in the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies as a potential location for a protected bicycle lane.
AND WHEREAS through a meaningful public consultation process, secondary plans and PDOs provide a clear direction to the community, residents and developers on future public and private investments in the community in a way that is respectful of the needs of the community and builds community buy-in on a shared vision for the neighbourhoods.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Winnipeg Public Service be directed to undertake a planning study for the Agassiz and Montcalm neighbourhoods to investigate the potential creation of a secondary plan or planned development overlay district.