North King's Town Secondary Plan

The City of Kingston is proposing amendments to the Official Plan, Kingston Zoning By-Law 2022-62 and former City of Kingston Zoning By-Law 8499 to implement the recommendations of the North King’s Town (NKT) project. The proposed amendments include, but are not limited to, the addition of a new specific policy area in the Official Plan to guide future development within areas identified for infill and mixed-use intensification in the North King’s Town area and associated zoning regulations, redesignation and rezoning of properties located on Montreal Street generally between James Street and Ragland Road to Main Street Commercial, and amendments to implement planning-related transportation and cultural heritage recommendations including a proposed expansion to the boundary of the St. Lawrence Ward Heritage Character Area.

The purpose of this Community Meeting is to seek feedback from the public and members of Planning Committee on the proposed amendments before a formal application for an Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment is filed by the City.

Key Map: The proposed intensification areas, lands to be redesignated, and lands to be added to the St. Lawrence Ward Heritage Character Area are shown in the attached key map.

Address of Property: Various Properties within the North King’s Town Area (location in DASH is shown as City Hall, 216 Ontario St.)

Name of Applicant: City of Kingston

City File Number: D01-011-2024

Community Meeting

Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024

Time: 6:00 p.m. *

Location: This will be a hybrid meeting. Attendees can participate in-person at Council Chambers, City Hall, 216 Ontario Street, or virtually. Details around how to view and participate in the meeting are available on the City’s website at www.cityofkingston.ca/PlanningCommittee

*All Community Meetings are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. The Planning Committee will deal with them in the order in which they appear on the agenda.

Additional information about the proposal can be viewed by accessing the Development and Services Hub (DASH) at https://www.cityofkingston.ca/DASH. Enquiries may be made by contacting Niall Oddie, Senior Planner, by email noddie@cityofkingston.ca, or by phone 613-546-4291, ext. 3259.

Public Consultation

Anyone may attend the Community Meeting and make a verbal statement, and/or submit comments in writing, either in support of or in opposition of the proposal. The Planning Committee will receive a community meeting report with details related to the proposal, which will be available to the public on the City of Kingston’s website at www.cityofkingston.ca/PlanningCommittee on November 29, 2024. No recommendations are being made at this time.

A formal application for an Official Plan Amendment or Zoning By-law Amendment has not yet been filed by the City. If you wish to receive future notices regarding the proposed amendments once a formal application is filed, please make a written request to:

Niall Oddie, Senior Planner

City of Kingston, Planning Services

216 Ontario Street

Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3

Email: noddie@cityofkingston.ca

If you have received this notice and you are the owner of land that contains seven or more residential units, please post this notice in a location that is visible to all of the residents.

If you are a person with a disability, and need City of Kingston information provided in another format, please contact customer service at 613-546-0000 or contactus@cityofkingston.ca.

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NOTICE OF COLLECTION Personal information collected as a result of this public meeting is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the Planning Act, and all other relevant legislation, and will be used to assist in making a decision on this matter. All personal information (as defined by MFIPPA), including (but not limited to) names, addresses, opinions and comments collected will be made available for public disclosure to members of the public, at the meeting, through requests, and through the website of The Corporation of the City of Kingston. Questions regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of this personal information may be directed to the Director of Planning Services, 216 Ontario Street, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2Z3.

Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 2:30pm – Kingston Community Health Centre, 263 Weller Avenue

City of Kingston staff are seeking your feedback on the draft materials associated with the Land Use Plan, Cultural Heritage Study, Transportation Plan and Servicing Study for the North King’s Town (NKT) Secondary Plan. The project team will consider the comments and feedback received through this consultation in the preparation of the final materials, anticipated to be presented to the Planning Committee later this summer. Feedback may be submitted using the Comment Sheets, or by e-mail until May 2 at 4 p.m. to nktplan@cityofkingston.ca.

View the presentation boards from the open house.

Land Use Plan

Proposed Land Use

The NKT Secondary Plan is contemplating a range of land use designations to reflect and support the existing uses in the area and support the inclusion of additional housing opportunities. It is important to highlight the proposed Urban Village designation, which celebrates the eclectic mix of uses that have evolved within NKT overtime. Residential, commercial and compatible industrial uses are proposed to be permitted within the Urban Village designation to facilitate compact, mixed-use development. A wide range of residential uses would be permitted, with mid-rise buildings (4 to 6 storeys) and high-rise buildings (above 6 storeys) focused within Intensification Areas identified within the Urban Village designation. Most of the planned growth in NKT is proposed to be located within the Urban Village designation along Montreal Street, Rideau Street and Cataraqui Street. As part of this designation, required ground-floor commercial uses have been identified within key nodes of redevelopment to ensure an active pedestrian realm and to provide current and future residents with increased opportunities for access to various commercial uses.

The proposed Main Street Commercial designation is intended to recognize the existing mix of residential and commercial uses along Montreal Street and encourages small-scale, ground-oriented commercial uses. Residential uses will continue to be permitted within this area. This area intends to create flexibility for property owners to establish commercial uses that would help support the surrounding residential community. The draft Cultural Heritage Study identifies this area as traditionally having a much higher concentration of commercial uses, functioning as a main street for the area, hence the name.

Intensification Areas & Building Heights

Beginning in June 2023, staff facilitated a number of engagement opportunities through the project re-initiation which included two Open Houses/Workshops, a Neighbourhood Changes Survey and interviews with members of the development community and interested property owners. The information gathered during these consultations have helped shape the proposed Intensification Areas and the associated Building Heights map. Staff recognize the need for redevelopment opportunities to be located on larger vacant properties and brownfield lands. The maximum building heights for residential development within the Urban Village areas are proposed to be predominantly mid-rise, with high-rise proposed to be limited to key redevelopment nodes (e.g., Montreal Street/ John Counter Boulevard and Montreal Street / Rideau Street / Railway Street). The few Intensification Areas within existing low-rise residential neighbourhoods are generally limited to 4 storeys, which represents a modest increase in height that is intended to be mitigated by zoning regulations such as, but not limited to, increased setbacks, minimum landscaped open space requirements, and driveway locations.

Cultural Heritage

Study Background

An initial draft of the Cultural Heritage Study was presented to members of the public in 2019 for feedback and comment. Since that time, staff have worked with the consulting team to refine the previous approach and the list of available conservation strategies and policy tools to inform the Secondary Plan. Since the initial draft was shared in 2019, there also have been updates to ensure consistency with the current Provincial policy framework. The updated draft Cultural Heritage Study highlights the specific tools that are used for heritage resource conservation. Four of these have been identified as the most readily used tools for heritage conservation for North King’s Town:

1. Heritage Property Designation
2. Cultural Heritage Landscape Designation
3. Heritage Conservation District Designation
4. Zoning and Minor Variances

Sub-Areas

The initial draft of the Cultural Heritage Study identified 8 Sub-Areas as part of the review framework for the purpose of the NKT Secondary Plan. Since that draft was shared in 2019, there have been some minor changes to the sub-areas, specifically around providing further detail on their unique characteristics and cultural heritage resources. For context, the term “Sub-Area” is being used to describe a number of properties containing buildings, landscapes and areas of archaeological potential that, collectively, have an identifiable material and associative character, or sense of place, and may contain cultural heritage resources. Boundaries for the Sub-Areas have been determined through careful analysis. Criteria for assessing area character, and distinguishing one area from another, include:

• History
• Topography
• Land Uses; and
• Public meanings and values for place (as expressed in the public consultation process for the secondary plan).

Outer Station Strategy

The most significant change from the initial draft of the Cultural Heritage Study is the proposed approach for the Outer Station property, located at 810 Montreal Street. Updates to the Cultural Heritage Study were made to recognize the importance of the Outer Station to the history of NKT and to the broader community, as was reiterated through the most recent public consultation sessions held in June 2023. The Outer Station property has been identified as an Intensification Area for mixed-use (eastern portion) and employment uses (western portion). For context, the property is currently a brownfield site, which is related to its historical rail use. Given the history of the site, the Cultural Heritage Study has prepared a series of recommendations to ensure the cultural heritage value of the site is conserved and appropriately integrated into any future redevelopment of the lands.

Heritage Properties

There have been a few changes to this map since the initial draft of the Cultural Heritage Study was shared with the public. The main changes revolve around the extension of the Waaban Crossing, removal of properties exterior to the NKT boundary area, and updating the map to reflect any new properties added since the initial mapping was prepared (e.g., the Bailey Broom Factory Part IV designation and heritage easement at 305/323 Rideau St). The draft Cultural Heritage Study has identified the properties recommended for heritage evaluation (in yellow on the Heritage Properties map) as having either tangible or intangible heritage attributes that warrant further consideration for heritage protection by the City of Kingston. These properties currently do not have heritage protection but are recommended for further evaluation and potential designation in the future.

Transportation Plan

A transportation plan is being developed for North King’s Town (NKT) to reflect the vision of a walkable, pedestrian-oriented, and multi-modal network, with minimal emphasis on motor vehicles. The themes of the plan being developed include:

• Prioritizing pedestrian connections to planned frequent transit service, community destinations, and the waterfront.
• Aligning planned commercial areas with the prioritization of future pedestrian realm improvements and amenities.
• Prioritizing the creation of off-road connections in the Old Industrial Area and neighbourhood bikeways in the grid network to the south to support north-south and east-west cycling connections.
• Aligning frequent transit service with planned intensification and City-wide connections.
• Supporting and connecting future residential intensification areas, commercial areas, and employment lands.
• Improving connectivity and continuity of the overall transportation network, including consideration for improving access to the Old Industrial Area.
• Improving road safety and increasing comfort for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Prioritizing available future road allowance width along congested corridors for the prioritization of frequent, reliable and competitive transit.
• Recognizing that trade-offs will be required to achieve the recommendations and priorities, particularly along corridors with constrained right-of-way.

Transportation Plan Updates

Modelling Findings:

Traffic modelling was conducted to forecast where there may be delays or congestion for drivers and transit in the future. The results indicate that New Road #1, a potential future north/south road through the northern part of NKT, could alleviate traffic on certain routes, but may also increase congestion on others.

Pedestrian and Cycling Networks:

Proposed networks focus on filling gaps, reducing barriers, and enhancing connections to transit, intensification areas and commercial destinations. Proposed pedestrian crossings, sidewalk improvements, and designated cycling routes are integral to the plan.

Transit and Road Networks:

Frequent transit corridors are identified, with future considerations for additional routes. Minor road improvements and potential speed limit reductions are proposed to support the transportation plan.

Next steps include refining recommendations, developing concepts, evaluating site access impacts, and identifying recommendation priorities.

Servicing Study

Background

The purpose of the Servicing Study is to review the existing utilities within NKT to assess whether the potential future growth can be accommodated by the water, wastewater, electric and gas networks. The Servicing Study is also intended to determine, at a high level, what infrastructure improvements or investments may be required to accommodate the potential future growth.

The Stormwater Management chapter was developed with different objectives to develop strategies that could be implemented through development applications, such as using Low Impact Development (LID) features to help slow, filter and infiltrate runoff and embracing innovative stormwater technologies.

It is anticipated that the implementation of NKT will require a Holding Overlay within the Zoning By-law related to servicing. Future development applications will be required to submit a servicing report to ensure the availability of serving. The Holding Overlay would need to be removed prior to obtaining building permits. Further, the implementing zoning may also establish maximum density provisions to ensure servicing capacity. In addition, development applications will continue to be required to submit stormwater management reports demonstrating compliance with municipal requirements. These recommendations will be considered when drafting the final secondary plan policies

A secondary plan provides a detailed policy framework to guide development in a specific geographical area of the city. The North King’s Town area is comprised of the inner harbour and old industrial areas and is generally bordered by John Counter Boulevard and the CN rail line to the north, the Great Cataraqui River to the east, Colborne and Bay Streets to the south and Division Street to the west.

Tap or click to view in high resolution

Phase 1 of the project involved a community visioning exercise and preliminary market analysis to guide the Secondary Plan. The community visioning exercise component involved the creation of a long-term vision statement, planning principles, and design directions for the secondary plan. It involved extensive consultation throughout a large portion of 2016 and included numerous community engagement events. The preliminary market analysis was intended to support the development of a realistic, balanced, and achievable vision for North King's Town by reviewing local economic factors and broader development market trends. The Visioning Report & Preliminary Market Analysis for the North King's Town Secondary Plan was approved by Council on June 6, 2017.

We are currently in the second phase of the project which includes the preparation of the following five technical studies. Work on this phase is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2024.

Land Use

The land use study for North King’s Town will identify areas for growth and change, including intensification and infill development. It will involve the development of draft secondary plan policies for residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use areas within North King's Town and provide guidance on appropriate built form for these areas. The draft land use plan will provide a framework to lead the other technical studies.

Transportation

The transportation plan will explore transportation options for all modes of travel in and through North King’s Town that support the broad objectives of the North King’s Town visioning report. The plan will also explore alternatives to the proposed Wellington Street Extension.

As part of the work for the North King's Town transportation plan, a strategic corridor analysis was completed that looked at the need for the proposed Wellington Street Extension and outlined the additional operational review and analysis that will be needed to complete the transportation work for the North King's Town Secondary Plan. The North King's Town Strategic Corridor Analysis was presented to Council on May 21, 2019 and determined that the southern portion of the Wellington Street Extension (Rideau Street to Bay Street) was not required but that the northern portion of the Wellington Street Extension (Rideau Street to John Counter Boulevard) does provide benefit to the existing road network. The North King's Town Strategic Corridor Analysis (2019) report and executive summary are available below:

• Executive Summary
• Strategic Corridor Analysis

Servicing

The servicing plan will examine existing infrastructure in North King’s Town, including water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, electrical, and natural gas, and identify areas where improvements are needed to support future development proposed by the land use plan. The servicing plan will incorporate green infrastructure and low-impact development (LID) as part of the development of future stormwater infrastructure.

Cultural Heritage Study

The cultural heritage resources study for North King’s Town will identify areas of heritage resource potential (both built heritage resources and intangible heritage aspects) and will provide a strategy and recommendations for further conservation work.

As part of the background research for the cultural heritage resources study, a historic chronology of North King's Town has been prepared to illustrate the timeline of past events.

A draft of the Cultural Heritage Study was completed in April 2019. Community members were invited to review the document and offer comments until May 22, 2019. The draft study is available upon request.

Finance and Implementation

The financial and implementation plan for North King’s Town will identify incentives, public investments, and other strategies to implement the recommendations of the other technical studies that form part of the secondary plan.

The purpose of this survey was to collect information from members of the public on what changes had occurred within the North King’s Town (NKT) study area in recent years, to better understand what attributes of the area the community values and what are considered to be opportunities for improvement. The survey was posted on Get Involved Kingston and was available between May 29 and June 19, 2023. Responses have been summarized by general theme and the information collected in this survey will be used by the project team to refine the secondary plan deliverables.

Question 1: Phase 1 focused on the existing conditions for North King's Town and established a vision to guide future growth. As study process has been on hold for a couple of years, what has changed within the study area since 2019 that should be taken into account?

Land Use

• There have been a number of new commercial businesses open, such as Pizza Monster, Tula Café, Broom Factory, Daughters General, which have been positively received by the community.
• Perception that major development applications are being progressed based on outdated planning policies and regulations.
• Development has not occurred on larger, vacant properties within the study area and instead proposed for naturalized areas.

Social

• Increase in visible homelessness and concentration of encampments, which was viewed by some respondents as negatively impacting perception of safety within the community.
• Increase in community services, such as the Integrated Care Hub and proposed expansion of St Vincent de Paul.
• Gentrification appears to be occurring with recent redevelopments and increased number of short-term rentals. There appears to be a widening income-gap within the study area.
• There appears to be more people within the study area, with an increase in young families and individuals wishing to age-in-place.

Recreation

• Recent improvements have been made to several of the well-used recreation and open space areas within the study area, including the K&P Trail and Doug Fluhrer, Belle and McBurney / Skeleton Parks.

Transportation

• There are perceptions and/or observations that the opening of the Waaban Crossing has impacted traffic patterns within the community, while also improving connectivity.
• Traffic appears to have increased along Montreal Street, especially near the intersection of Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard, perhaps as a result of the Waaban Crossing.

Heritage

• The Outer Station has continued to deteriorate and no restoration or commemoration works have been initiated.
• Heritage buildings, such as the Broom Factory and several private dwellings, have been conserved.

Environment

• Evidence of climate change has continued in recent years, furthering the need to balance new development with the protection of the natural environment.

Question 2: Have there been any residential, commercial or industrial uses established since 2019 within North King's Town are you are excited about?

Land Use

• New commercial uses (Pizza Monster, Tula / Broom Factory, Elm Café, Daughters General) are valued additions to the community.
• New employment opportunities, such as Li-Cycle, operating within the Old Industrial Area.

Built Form

• Development at Division and Adelaide was constructed using innovative construction techniques, such as a 3D ‘concrete printer’, which should be encouraged in more developments in the future.
• Several smaller-scale residential developments have occurred in recent years that should be considered as examples of appropriate infill development such as:
  1. semi-detached dwellings at Division and Adelaide Streets;
  2. semi-detached dwellings at Cowdy and Adelaide Streets;
  3. stacked townhouses at Division and Pine Streets; and
  4. planning application for townhouse development on Cataraqui Street.

Social

• The Integrated Care Hub was generally recognized as an important facility providing valuable community services.
• Community Notice Boards within the parks and open space provide a good way to engage within the community.

Recreation

• Events and programming within Belle, Douglas Fluhrer and McBurney/Skeleton Parks are supported by the community, especially the Skeleton Park Arts Festival.
• Improvements to the K&P Trail and splash pad / playground improvements to McBurney/Skeleton Park are valued.

Transportation

• Opening of the Waaban Crossing has improved connectivity within the community for vehicles and active transportation.
• Cancellation of the Wellington Street Extension (south) through Douglas Fluhrer Park.
• There have been several improvements to the active transportation network in recent years, which are valued.

Heritage

• Redevelopment and preservation of heritage buildings (such as Broom Factory, 9 North Street and Woolen Mill) should be celebrated and replicated elsewhere in the community.

Question 3: What are your three favourite things about living, working or visiting North King's Town?

Land Use

• Several existing, smaller-scale commercial businesses are operating within the residential areas which provide services and amenity to surrounding residents.
• New commercial uses have been established in recent years, such as Pizza Monster, Tula Café/ Broom Factory, and Daughters General Store, and continued commercial uses at the Woolen Mill.

Built Form

• Human-scale development, with a variety of housing types integrated into the existing neighbourhoods, including smaller low-rise multi-unit apartment buildings.
• Variety of architectural styles make the area interesting to walk through.
• There is a general lack of high-rise development within the study area, which contributes to the human-scale of the neighbourhood.

Social

• Diverse background of people within neighbourhood, including a high concentration of creative people.
• There is a strong sense of community, with friendly people.

Location

• Proximity to downtown means access to activities and events which are accessible by active transportation.
• Close to Great Cataraqui River and public open space along the waterfront.
• Road network offers easy access to Highway 401 and rest of the municipality for shopping.

Recreation

• K&P Trail and Douglas Fluhrer, Belle and McBurney Parks were all noted as valued and well used open spaces.
• Public events, such as Skeleton Park Arts Festival, are valued with some residents desiring more of such events and programming in public spaces.

Transportation

• Good level of transit service through most of the study area with quick access to transfer points.
• No significant parking pressures or constraints.
• K&P Trail offers good cycling connections through neighbourhood.
• Extensive sidewalk network offers good connections to attractions downtown, which are within walking distance of the southern portion of the study area.
• The southern portion of the Wellington Street Extension was not constructed through Douglas Fluhrer Park.

Heritage

• Adaptive reuse of former industrial buildings (Broom Factory, Woolen Mill, 9 North Street, etc.) contributes to the interesting character of the neighbourhood.
• Heritage buildings have generally been well preserved, further contributing to the interesting character of the neighbourhood.

Environment

• Nature and biodiversity along the shoreline, with ‘unmanicured’ public spaces, which provide habitat for turtles and birds.

Question 4: What are three things that could be improved within North King’s Town?

Land Use

• Additional commercial opportunities should be provided to support surrounding neighbourhood. Generally smaller-scale commercial spaces are preferred, however there was also desire for a larger format grocery store.
• Development should be prioritized on vacant, brownfield and City-owned lands, before any tree-covered lands.
• Mixed-use developments with residential over ground floor commercial are generally supported, but industrial uses should be separate.
• Additional housing is required in general, not just affordable housing units.
• Increase in density will create more units and allow community to grow.

Built Form

• Preference for low-rise development within residential areas, especially infill housing that is similar in scale to surrounding development.
• General support for mid-rise development up to 6 storeys along Montreal Street.
• Less support for towers, but general support for increased density in certain areas.

Social

• More affordable / supportive housing and associated support services is required, including funding from the City and City-initiated developments.
• Opportunities and spaces for indigenous ceremonies and gardens should be provided.
• More family-friendly programming is required in parks and open spaces.
• City needs to work with Integrated Care Hub to lessen the impacts of the facility on the surrounding neighbourhood including finding a permanent location and exterior property standards.
• Additional opportunities for health care / medical uses are required.

Recreation

• Additional community garden spaces should be provided.
• Additional indoor facilities are required as Artillery Park is not adequate for entire study area.
• Belle, Doug Fluhrer and McBurney / Skeleton Parks are all valued by the community, but would benefit from additional programming opportunities.
• General maintenance and operations of existing parks could be increased, such as walking surfaces, garbage receptacles, graffiti removal, drinking fountains, etc.
• Belle Park would benefit from an off-leash dog park and lights for night-time use.

Transportation

• Strong desire for improvements to active transportation networks and infrastructure, such as bike lanes, improved sidewalks, additional cross walks, etc.
• K&P Trail is valued and well used, but would benefit from maintenance to remove debris and clean up appearance and better connection to downtown.
• Additional signalized intersections to slow down vehicles and facilitate pedestrian crossings.
• Traffic calming measures are required on Montreal and Rideau Streets.
• Mixed desire for the Wellington Street Extension to be constructed.
• More off-street parking is required for new rental units.
• Intersection of Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard needs to be redesigned to improve traffic flows.

Heritage

• Outer Station requires restoration and commemoration plan.

Environment

• Protection of trees and shoreline to enhance biodiversity.
• Inner Harbour should be protected from planned dredging to promote overall health of Great Cataraqui River and protect drinking water.
• More trees should be planted in city parks and private lands to increase tree canopy and mitigate climate change.

The following summarizes the responses to verbal and written questions received during the virtual and in-person Open House and Workshop events, held on June 12 and 13, 2023, respectfully. There were approximately 40 participants during the virtual Zoom event and approximately 35 participants during the in-person event, which was held at The Broom Factory, 305 Rideau Street. This document also includes responses to questions sent to NKTplan@cityofkingston.ca following the virtual and in-person events.

Virtual Event Questions

Will the final plan go to Planning Committee before it goes to Council?

Yes, the final technical studies will be presented to Planning Committee before being presented to Council for endorsement. It is important to note that the formal Official Plan Amendment process to adopt the North King’s Town Secondary Plan will be initiated after Council endorsement of the technical studies and will require formal public notification and statutory public meeting at Planning Committee before returning to Council for a decision. The formal Official Plan Amendment adoption process will occur later in 2024.

How will this plan ensure high-quality architectural design for new developments within the character areas? The More Homes Built Faster Act has changed a lot of the planning framework since 2017-19, how will this plan account for the changes while protecting high-quality building design?

Secondary Plans can help describe and define the character of the areas in which new development would be situated and urban design guidelines can be included within a secondary plan to provide guidance on each application. The changes to the Site Plan Control with respect to regulating exterior design make implementing these guidelines more difficult. Built form policies and zoning provisions, in terms of building heights, stepbacks and massing, can also help to implement design.

Concerning narrowing of Site Plan Control, has the City explored alternative approaches to design policy, such as Form-Based Codes or Community Development Permits?

At this time, the City has not explored other alternatives as the provincial planning process and legislation continues to evolve. However, the City is exploring how zoning can help ensure good design through tower/podium designs, maximum building heights, stepbacks, setbacks, etc.

What impact has the opening of the Waaban Crossing had on traffic patterns in the study area?

The Waaban Crossing was included in the 2019 modelling and will be carried forward into the revised modelling. The modelling in 2019 showed that the opening of the Waaban Crossing would result in elevated traffic through the study area. Staff are currently conducting traffic counts at intersections in the area and will integrate any additional findings into the work moving forward.

What is the justification for removing the Environmental Protection Area designation on the 30 m "ribbon of life" and replacing this with an Open Space designation?

This mapping change is being proposed to be consistent with Official Plan Amendment Number 82 adopted in conjunction with the recently approved Kingston Zoning By-Law 2022-62. The lands within 30 metres of a waterbody are referred to as ‘riparian areas’. The amendment removed these lands from the mapping associated with the Environmental Protection Area designation, in favour of enhanced text-based policies relating to environmental protection in Sections 3.9 and 6.1 of the Official Plan. The amendment changes the method of protection, from a map-based approach to a text-based approach, but not the extent of protection for these features.

As a dual residential owner in the neighbourhood, will there be a preferred developer? Also, what is the anticipated impact on the unhoused community?

The properties identified on the draft Intensification Areas Map are owned by a wide variety of property owners and have not been identified because a specific developer owns them. The lands were largely identified because of their characteristics such as size, redevelopment potential, proximity to transit routes and active transportation infrastructure and potential to create a node or hub.

The NKT Secondary Plan seeks to create a wide variety of housing options within the study area, primarily by creating opportunities for a significant number of new units of varying sizes, forms and tenures. Housing and Social Services staff are actively involved with housing services and programs in the community and if there are specific questions related to members of the unhoused community, residents are requested to contact housing@cityofkingston.ca.

The City's Official Plan on Schedule 9 shows an existing Heritage Character Area referenced as the St. Lawrence Ward. Is the thought that this area would be recognized and perhaps expanded given how many unprotected properties there are across the secondary plan area?

The character areas identified in the draft Cultural Heritage Study would incorporate the St Lawrence Ward, with a slightly different boundary. The character areas identify concentrations of properties that deserve conservation.

Does the new provincial legislation allow municipalities to have urban design guidelines?

Municipalities are able to develop urban design guidelines, however the recent changes to the Planning Act have impacted their implementation. The intent is to bring some aspects into policy or zoning regulation while leaving other details as guidelines or recommendations. Staff will continue to ensure development applications conform to requirements and provide recommendations for improvements where appropriate.

The slides relating to transportation did not include the current environmental assessment for the cycling/pedestrian route to over John Counter Boulevard and Division Street. Is this not a factor for transportation for NKT?

The John Counter Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge study is a site-specific Environmental Assessment process separate from the work being undertaken as part of the NKT Secondary Plan. A project page for the Pedestrian Bridge is available on Get Involved Kingston where residents can sign up for updates and provide feedback along the way.

Are the City's properties in NKT available to see on a map? Could this map be provided?

Staff can produce a map showing city-owned lands. This map was not included in the presentation deck, but city-owned lands are public information. Residents are requested to reach out to NKTplan@cityofkingston.ca if they are interested in receiving this information.

Will there be any 'green building' design principles incorporated in the new plan?

This is a topic that can be further incorporated into policy development moving forward to encourage future development applications to include. Staff cannot direct what building materials or methods a development must utilize, but can work with applicants to encourage ‘greener’ elements and designs.

Do you agree that your intensification areas clearly show that there is lots of potential for intensification without clearcutting wooded areas?

Many of the proposed intensification areas are vacant or underutilized lands that were previously cleared of vegetation. This is not to say that redevelopment within NKT will not require any tree removals, as portions of some intensification areas have started to re-vegetate due to lack of activity. Tree removals may be required within these areas, especially to comply with requirements to remediate potential contamination. This being said, the City will work with development applications to protect existing vegetation, where possible, and provide replacement trees in areas suitable for their long-term retention.

Two related questions: (1) In the early phase of this project, I believe that Belle Park was not included in the study area. Could you explain the reasoning for now including the park in the study area? (2) Given the extensive and important shoreline in the study area and the massive green space of Belle Park, in what ways can the planning process address the potential for development to enhance or diminish biodiversity in the city? Is it possible to attend explicitly to ecological factors as a key element of development, including mitigation of the effects of climate change.

Belle Park and Belle Island were both initially included in the early work associated with Phase 1 of NKT, but Belle Island was later removed from the study area to reinforce that Belle Island is “Not available for development or other changes that are not in keeping with the Belle Island Accord”. Phase 2 of NKT continues this approach. NKT identifies Belle Park as being part of the Open Space network and is not proposing any development within the park. The open space and natural heritage policies and environmental protection mechanisms would continue to apply to those lands. NKT recognizes that Belle Park has its own master plan endorsed by Council, and would defer to the master plan for any improvements or programming changes. For more information about the Belle Park Master Plan, please contact Engineering@cityofkingston.ca.

As an owner of a property that have been identified as having intensification potential will I be forced to sell my property?

No, residents would not be forced to sell their property. If residents received a notice as a property owner within one of the proposed intensifications areas, they are requested to email NKTplan@cityofkingston.ca to arrange a time to discuss any questions or concerns with staff.

Is the proposed development at 275 Queen St. included within the study area for NKT?

The portion of the property located at 275 Queen Street that abuts Colborne Street was previously located within the NKT study area boundary. The study area boundary has been revised to follow property lines to provide clearer policy direction for development applications and avoid situations where a portion of the property is subject to one set of policies while the balance of the lands is subject to a different set of policies. As the majority of the lands were previously excluded from the study area boundary the decision was made to exclude the entire landholding to minimize policy conflict. As such, the property known as 275 Queen Street is no longer included within NKT.

In Person Questions

Why was there no land acknowledgement before the presentation?

Moving forward, the NKT project team will undertake a land acknowledgement before all future public consultation events.

The presentation material associated with the Cultural Heritage Study did not include content on indigenous ways of knowing, traditions or treaty rights, and mentions of indigenous culture were associated with “intangible heritage”. The ‘character areas’ and neighbourhoods are linked to commercial aspects and not aligned with indigenous principles. Who is providing an indigenous perspective for this project?

The previous project team held Talking Circles with members of the local indigenous community to understand important issues and to gather ideas on how indigenous perspectives could be incorporated into NKT. It was noted that ceremony spaces, regeneration of natural systems, public access to the waterfront and fostering a sense of stewardship were all important elements. It was further noted that access to water and understanding how the landscape has changed over time was also important. Additional indigenous consultation will be held to incorporate indigenous perspectives to the project.

How will the North King’s Town Secondary Plan address the immense unhoused population within the study area?

NKT will be creating opportunities for a wide variety of housing options to be established within the study area, from low rise residential buildings such as single detached dwellings to mid- and high-rise residential buildings. NKT will be encouraging rental and private ownership forms of housing. From a land use perspective, affordable dwelling units are the same as other dwelling units, being a residential use. NKT can review additional incentives to include affordable units within development applications, building on the parking reduction incentive already incorporated into the recently approved Kingston Zoning By-Law Number 2022-62. Staff in Housing and Social Services are actively working with the encampment and unhoused communities and are involved in the delivery of a variety of housing programs and services. Any specific questions relating to the creation of affordable housing units or the encampments should be directed to housing@cityofkingston.ca.

There have been rumors within the neighbourhood that the Integrated Care Hub will be relocating and potentially expanding. What information can the City share on this topic?

The NKT project team does not have any information to share on the operation or future plans of the Integrated Care Hub. The focus of NKT is on broader land use, transportation and servicing issues, rather than the operation of a specific facility. Specific questions relating to the Integrated Care Hub would be best directed to staff in Housing and Social Services at housing@cityofkingston.ca.

Several community members who participated in the policy development of the Williamsville Main Street Study felt that their concerns and feedback was ignored in the final document. Why should residents in North King’s Town trust that the City will listen to their concerns and feedback for this planning study?

The update to the Williamsville Main Street Study incorporated community comments and concerns relating to maximum building heights, location of taller buildings, increased setbacks from Princess Street to enhance the pedestrian realm, increased opportunity for parks and parkettes within Williamsville and revisions to ensure functional ground floor commercial uses. The NKT Open Houses that were organized on June 12 and 13, 2023, are an indication of early consultation with the community on the updated documents. Staff are actively seeking comments and feedback for consideration as the project moves forward.

What will NKT do to ensure the study area is accessible for all users, including those in motorized wheelchairs? Motorized wheelchairs who are not welcome on the sidewalk by pedestrians and sidewalks are not designed for wheelchairs as they often are missing ramps and connections. Wheelchair users are often fined for utilizing on-street bicycle lanes. Where are wheelchair users supposed to go?

The transportation technical study being carried out as part of the NKT Secondary Plan will consider and evaluate recommended improvements for all users, including personal mobility device users. These recommendations will consider pedestrian network improvements such as new or widened sidewalks, walkways, and multi-use pathways, as well as intersection upgrades to improve accessibility.

Persons using mobility devices including motorized wheelchairs and scooters are considered pedestrians under the Highway Traffic Act. If available, the sidewalk or multi-use pathway should be the first choice for persons using a personal mobility device.

The City has identified future plans for a detailed review of our active transportation-related by-laws, including consideration and clarification for where various modes of travel may be permitted in the city. There are no committed timelines for this work at this time, but we have noted and included your feedback for consideration as part of this review.

Has the project team considered hiring an indigenous consultant to ensure the project adequately consults and incorporates indigenous perspectives? The project team has hired consultants for other aspects of the project, it seems appropriate to hire a consultant for this important aspect of the project as well.

The Community Working Group associated with the project has a representative from the local indigenous community, which the project team went to great efforts to ensure was filled. Staff do plan for additional consultations with the local indigenous community and would be interested to receive contacts of individuals who could help facilitate those consultations.

Written Comments from In-Person

The City and local institutions work in tandem to keep “The Swamp” down! There are 2 churches north of Princess and 13 south of Princess. The City has traffic blasting through the commercial corridor on Montreal at Ragland Road. Nothing has been done to improve the neighbourhood.

Places of worship are identified as permitted uses in a variety of zones already in place within the study area. The City is reviewing traffic patterns and mitigation strategies, including active transportation improvements, through the transportation study associated with NKT. The City has received comments on various aspects that the Community would like to see improved within the study area that will be taken into consideration.

Environmental and social equity need to be prioritized in this neighbourhood, as well as accessible, active mobility options for everyone, of all ages and abilities.

With respect to social equity, NKT will be identifying a wide variety of housing options within the study area and providing guidance on where institutional and community facilities can be located. The transportation study will be evaluating various improvements with an emphasis on active transportation and transit options for all ages and abilities. Many of the proposed intensification areas are proposed for former industrial lands and will require remediation, resulting in an improved environmental condition. Further, the redevelopment of previously disturbed sites reduces the pressure on ‘greenfield’ lands and surrounding environmental features.

Email Questions

When was the public consulted on the six and 12 story urban village hub proposed at the intersection of Montreal and Railway? Is the zoning change basically already a done deal? How much of these lands are zoned for six storey vs 12 storey?

The Open Houses held on June 12 and 13, 2023 were part of the consultation process associated with NKT. The events were intended to re-introduce the NKT project to the public and to collect feedback on the updated land use plan, intensification areas, and building heights for further refinement. The materials presented are in ‘draft’ format and are not being recommended for approval and should not be considered as ‘final’. The majority of the lands at the Montreal Street and Rideau Street intersection are proposed to have maximum building heights of 6 storeys, with a limited number of 12 storey towers focused around the intersection to increase density within the node. Comments can be emailed to NKTplan@cityofkingston.ca

Is there a report I can look at from Phase One?

This document was removed from the City’s website as it was prepared prior to current accessibility standards. An electronic copy of the Phase 1 “Visioning Report and Preliminary Market Analysis” can be requested by emailing NKTplan@cityofkingston.ca.

Could you please re-load the digital materials from the Belle Park Master Plan onto the city website (they are currently by request only), and maybe add a link from the NKT project page? I understand this is a separate project, however, these two projects are deeply interconnected.

Similar to the response above, this document was removed from the City’s website as it was prepared prior to current accessibility standards. Please use the ‘Submit Request’ button that appears when trying to open the document to receive a copy of the Belle Park Master Plan. Staff would prefer to keep the two projects separate to avoid confusion; residents are asked to send specific questions or comments relating to Belle Park Master Plan to Engineering@cityofkingston.ca.

Looking at the maps and listening to the discussion about developing "corridors" helped me to articulate something that I have felt about the neighborhood: It feels like a corridor. Outside of the Skeleton Park area, most of NKT feels and functions as a path from the 401 to downtown and I'm concerned that intense development along the current corridors, along with increased traffic from the Waaban Crossing, without some sort of design considerations will only intensify this feeling.

The intensification areas have been proposed to create nodes of development within the study area. The proposed building heights within these nodes are generally a maximum of 6 storeys with a 4 storey street wall, which is intended to create buildings that are more pedestrian-scale in nature. Future NKT work will include consideration of setback requirements along street frontages to ensure sufficient space can be provided for pedestrians, street trees and street furniture to help contribute to placemaking. The requirement for ground floor commercial uses is further intended to create a more vibrant pedestrian experience and to provide services and amenities to residents.

I would like to see in the plan some suggested locations or acknowledgment of a need for one or more "Village Square" type areas. Since this is a long corridor from downtown to Highway 401 / Waaban Crossing, there is a sense, even among residents, that this is a place to pass through. A village square is different from a park or greenspace, it is like a public patio and less like a yard and contributes to connections between people. Perhaps this could be considered at the old train station? I could see a small museum, library branch, and public space combined with a few tall residential developments to raise capital, such as the Distillery District or Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto.

This comment will be taken into consideration as the project team moves into policy development. This comment has been shared with staff in Parks for their awareness.

It was noted during the presentation that the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) designation along the waterfront would be changed to Open Space. The City’s Parkland Dedication By-law states that EPA areas cannot be given as parkland for developments. Does the Parkland Dedication By-Law allow Open Space areas to be accepted as parkland?

The City’s Parkland Dedication By-Law does not accept Environmental Protection Area (EPA) lands as parkland dedication contributions, but would accept lands designated Open Space provided the lands are suitable for recreational purposes. The Parkland Dedication By-Law differentiates between EPA and ‘Buffer Lands’, with the latter being sensitive lands that are not well suited for development but could support low-impact recreational uses such as appropriately designed trails and pathways. Shoreline wetland areas would be considered EPA and not accepted as parkland, whereas more upland areas that are within 30 metres of the high water mark have typically been interpreted to be ‘Buffer Lands’ and accepted as parkland dedication to help fulfill the long-standing municipal goal of enhancing public access to the waterfront.

Is the City planning on doing any traffic counts (vehicles and cyclists) on Montreal Street and the Waaban Crossing? I see a number of cyclists riding on Montreal Street and the Waaban Crossing, using both the multi-use path on the bridge and the on-street bike lanes. The City would be making a disappointing mistake not including cycling lanes on Montreal Street.

Yes, staff are currently conducting traffic counts at intersections in the area and will integrate any additional findings into the work moving forward. On-road cycling lanes are currently in place on Montreal from Ordnance Street north to Highway 401. An additional off-road pathway connection has been identified to connect the K&P trail to the Waaban Crossing and Montreal Street bicycle lanes near the Railway Street and Montreal Street intersection.

The following summarizes the comments received through the Workshop component of the virtual and in-person Open House and Workshop events, held on June 12 and 13, 2023, respectfully. There were approximately 40 participants during the virtual Zoom event and approximately 35 participants during the in-person event, which was held at The Broom Factory, 305 Rideau Street.

What you told us…

Question 1: What do you think about the building forms and heights proposed within the intensification areas? For example, many areas along Montreal and Rideau Streets will be permitted to have a base building up to 6 storeys in height, with a maximum “streetwall” height of 4 storeys. Select locations will be permitted tower-podium style buildings up to 12 storeys in height at specific "nodes".

Supportive comments included:

• The revised approach to the ‘Building Height Map’ and ‘Intensification Areas Map’ provides greater clarity than the previous corridor approach.
• The ‘Intensification Areas Map’ clarifies that a number of underutilized parcels are being contemplated for redevelopment.
• Tall buildings make sense around the Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard intersection given the height and concentration of existing multi-storey buildings in proximity to this intersection.
• The Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard intersection can function as a gateway into NKT.
• Agreement that NKT should be promoting and permitting a variety of building typologies and mix of uses in different parts of the study area.
• General acknowledgement that the Outer Station lands possess significant redevelopment potential.
• New commercial space makes sense in ground floors of larger redevelopments and would help support the broader residential neighbourhoods.

Concerns included:

• Too much density being shown around intersection of Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard.
• Some participants were not supportive of 12 storey building heights, however some were open to tower forms provided they are designed thoughtfully.
• Preference for a 6 storey height maximum, rather than 12 storey towers.
• 12 storey buildings around Belle Park seem too intensive and would overlook the park and the existing low-rise residential areas on the east side of Rideau Street.
• Some concerns related to the public realm, including a lack of green space shown within the intensification blocks.
• Concern that the plan will increase the cost of housing for existing residents.
• Concern that Montreal Street is not wide enough to support building heights of 12 storeys and would result in shadowing and sense of enclosure.
• Concern that the amount of intensification and density would increase traffic on Montreal Street and through existing neighbourhoods.

Constructive feedback and suggestions:

• In contrast to concerns about too much height/density, there were also comments that the height permissions may be too restrictive or inflexible, limiting developers from building taller on these sites in the future. The size and location of many of the intensification areas contemplated for 12 storeys could support additional height without impacting surrounding uses.
• Pedestrian experience would be enhanced through increased building setbacks and stepbacks, rather than widening the road allowance.
• Minimum parking rates should be reduced so that fewer parking spaces are required.
• Above and below grade parking options should be permitted, with greater attention to the screening and design of the parking areas rather than focusing on one specific approach.
• Additional density may be required to offset the expense of underground parking.
• Parking will be required to serve new commercial uses, along with a safe, efficient cycling network.
• New buildings should incorporate green roofs and other green spaces/ features.
• Desire to include/encourage multi-family buildings, co-operative/co-housing models with shared spaces and amenities.
• Attention is required to ensure privacy for existing uses adjacent to new, taller development.
• Pedestrian and cycling connectivity is important and needs to be enhanced along streets but also through development sites. Generally, there needs to be more sidewalks and pathway networks.
• Greenspace should be considered as a method to buffer existing homes from new development.
• One participant voiced concern about their property being identified as a potential Intensification Area and understanding any potential impacts.
• The City needs to improve their development approvals process to ensure buildings can be constructed efficiently, especially considering the scale of development envisioned in NKT.

Question 2: Are there uses other than housing you would like to see within your immediate neighbourhood such as corner stores, groceries, community spaces, or other services? What are some successful examples of where these uses have been or can be located within residential neighbourhoods?

Land use mix and priorities:

• Desire for enhanced gathering places for community functions, arts festivals, etc. The Broom Factory was offered a good example for indoor events but the community requires more outdoor spaces as well. Examples were offered from within the Williamsville area for formal and informal gathering spaces.
• The trend in cities is mixed use, walkable, human scale communities. Things like local corner stores, professional offices, social agencies, daycares, etc. should be included through the study area.
• More convenient, shopping options within short walking distance are needed. The “Store Famous” at Barrie and York Streets was offered as a good example.
• A centralized grocery store within walking distance would be supported by the community.
• Strong commercial-at-grade policies or incentives are needed. Developers want to turn these spaces into residential units if they are unable to make retail work.
• There needs to be a way to better encourage retail and services to happen as there is a lot of potential near major intersections.
• There is significant redevelopment potential associated with Providence Manor for adaptive reuse to include housing options and complementary uses or services, such as libraries or cultural facilities.
• NKT needs to consider how public spaces and open space can be used to help mitigate climate change, such as enhancing tree canopy.
• The public realm needs to be inclusive and contemplate more than just spaces associated with commerce, such as restaurant or café patios.
• Support for adaptive re-use of existing buildings such as schools or the former Beer Store for community use.
• Co-location of health and social services, e.g., doctor’s/medical offices and pharmacies near seniors housing.
• Support for smaller scale retail and neighbourhood commercial uses within in residential area, which needs to be facilitated in the zoning by-law. This would also include additional institutional, commercial and professional service uses within the neighbourhoods, provided they were small scale.
• Determining factor should be size/scale of a proposed non-residential use and whether it’s appropriate for existing parcel fabric, building character, etc. Plazas or strip malls would not be appropriate within residential areas, but single occupancy, small format uses could be.
• There are employment and economic development opportunities for arts and cultural spaces, specifically for music or movie production studios, practice spaces or venues. These uses would need to be appropriately located with affordable rents or rates.
• The Outer Station lands can become a cultural and community hub with inclusive uses, opportunity to grow food, a market, restaurant, etc., similar to Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto. There will also be a requirement to consider the federal heritage designation and the role of Canadian National Railway in this property.
• The plan should seek to incorporate and diversify the use of water beyond typical recreation uses. For example, marine plants, medicinal uses and significance for indigenous populations.

Parks and public space:

• Future development will need to ensure adequate parkland and communal amenities, while considering climate change.
• Depending on the design, small parkettes can provide active transportation crossings.
• Consideration should be given to improving the health and safety of parks and public spaces, such as along the K&P Trail and around Belle Park with proximity to encampments and risks associated with debris and discarded needles.

Housing:

• Build the types of housing that people need, including affordable. The Plan should specifically identify mixed income housing.
• The plan needs to consider a mix of housing types, affordability levels, and tenures. Consider what is the appropriate mix of market and non-market housing.
• Interest in attracting “creative class” people by permitting creative uses.

Transportation:

• Need to improve safety for pedestrians and people with accessibility challenges. Providing intentional, convenient access for non-vehicular modes of transport improves safety overall.
• Bike lanes were recently added to the area of the proposed ‘Main Street’ designation along Montreal Street, which has created a conflict with on-street parking serving the businesses. There is also a speeding issue within this section of Montreal Street, which requires traffic calming, especially at the intersection of Raglan Road and Montreal Street.
• Parking is important for people visiting the area to shop, walk around, see the waterfront, etc. Additional parking opportunities should be explored for visitors, but is less important for future residential uses being established within the study area.
• There is a significant opportunity to expand cycling network in industrial area along the old rail corridors.

Question 3: Considering NKT’s history, and its physical and cultural heritage, are there any specific sites, buildings or other features you believe are especially important to conserve? Do you have any ideas on how such places could be enhanced, celebrated or integrated with new uses?

Outer Station site:

• Significant interest in the Outer Station as a cultural heritage site and there is a strong desire for the structure to remain ‘in-situ’.
• There needs to be more clarity on the federal government’s plan for the site.
• Future development adjacent to the Outer Station needs to be compatible.
• Interest in preserving the old train station trails north of Hickson Avenue for active transportation purposes.

Additional locations:

• Adaptive reuse of The Broom Factory was identified as a good example of conservation and re-use.
• The ‘Brant Lands’ should be better recognized and commemorated, there could be interpretation plaques and acknowledgment of Brant’s contributions.
• The Providence Manor site was discussed, with questions raised about land use designations for the site.
• Suggestion to recognize connections through Belle Park that are used for walking, cycling and meeting places by the community.

Other comments:

• Protection of specific view corridors was discussed, such as views to the river and to heritage buildings. The plan should build upon those views already identified in the Official Plan.
• Former factory sites should be identified and commemorated as they were integral to many people who used to live and work in the area.
• Informal gathering spaces, such as areas for ice skating and tobogganing (e.g., Patrick Street), were acknowledged for their cultural significance.
• Acknowledgement of natural heritage features is also important, not just built heritage features. Protecting and re-naturalizing the shorelines and waterbodies, creates and preserves natural ecological habitats that are an important part of area’s history.
• Future developments should be configured to protect public access to valued features.
• There are a number of two-storey red brick character buildings that should be designated as they are important to the character to the community.
• There should be improvements to accelerate the heritage designation process.
• Consider carrying the ‘old style’ block network and street grid from the southern portion of the study area into the employment lands in the northern portion of the study area.
• It is important to continue the agricultural aspects in the NKT area, with more intensive forms of horticulture and allotment gardens.

Following the Open Houses and Workshops held on June 12 and 13, 2023, the Project Team met with various members of the local development community and property owners within the proposed Intensification Areas to discuss land uses, building heights, density, and opportunities and constraints to redevelopment within the study area. The comments received through those interviews have been summarized in the following themes and will be considered by the Project Team in conjunction with other consultation comments when preparing revised materials.

Proposed Building Height and Density

• 12-16 storey building heights, and potentially up to 20 storeys, is appropriate at intersections of Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard and Montreal Street and Rideau Street due to existing development and limited shadow impacts in this area.

• Height and density shown at the intersection of Montreal Street and Railway Street generally makes sense.
• Building heights up to 12 storeys will be required to financially support redevelopment of Outer Station.
• NKT will need to incorporate flexibility for height and location of towers, especially for Outer Station site due to easements, heritage considerations, servicing and access requirements, etc.
• There are several examples of 8 storey buildings within the study area that do not impact the surrounding properties. A height of at least 8 storeys is appropriate for many of the intensification areas as there would be minimal shadow or overlook impacts on surrounding residential properties.
• Additional height should be considered above 6 and 12 storeys, especially at the intersection of Montreal Street and Rideau Street.
• 3 storey height limits for intensification areas within the Residential designation should be increased to at least 4 storeys. The surrounding context around these sites, combined with the site of the parcel, can support building heights in excess of 3 storeys.
• NKT does not currently have an established streetwall height of 4 storeys, so policies should not require this. The policies should speak to a maximum streetwall height of 4 storeys, but enable lower streetwall heights as well.
• Floor Space Index (FSI) should be brought back as a density limit, without use of height restrictions, as this provides for greater flexibility for development and more variety of built forms across the area. If the City required greater certainty, FSI could be combined with minimum and maximum lot coverage regulations in the zoning by-law to influence building height without over regulation.

Land Use / Intensification Areas Mapping

• Some additional properties were noted as being appropriate for inclusion in the Intensification Areas map, based on potential to redevelop, larger parcel size, limited lot consolidation, etc.
• Landowners want long-term flexibility from this Plan, rather than being constrained by lack of permissions.
• The Intensification Areas map provides clarity on where the Plan intends for redevelopment to occur, but there are redevelopment opportunities that have not been mapped. The Plan needs to include policies to acknowledge potential development applications outside of the identified intensification areas.
• There could be challenges with lot consolidation due to perception of increased property value and constraints of existing lot fabric, especially for lands within intensification areas and designated as Urban Village.
• Public road connections or pathways shown on private land are problematic as it can encumber the land unnecessarily. The Plan should speak to conceptual connections and be flexible on how those connections are implemented.
• More clarity is needed on the future of the Wellington Street Extension. If the southern portion is not being constructed as a roadway, people should know the plan for those lands so that adjacent development can properly address the planned function and include appropriate connections.
• To secure a new large format grocery store or other anchor commercial tenant as part of a redevelopment, the Plan will need to contain policies that permit large, urban format retail at appropriate locations in ground floor of mixed-use buildings. The policies will need to provide certainty upfront, as larger format retail uses need to be designed for up front. The policies need to be very clear to reduce risk or there will be no interest.
• Aside from trying to attract a larger format grocery or anchor store, commercial developments should generally contemplate smaller retail spaces.
• Commercial uses are easier to achieve than residential on contaminated lands, as the requirements for soil remediation are less cumbersome. Increased density on contaminated lands is important to make a project feasible.
• Commercial uses should be permitted within areas of ‘Active Frontage’ but not required. The Plan could implement increased floor-to-ceiling heights in these areas, but not necessarily require a commercial use. The commercial market is difficult, especially post-pandemic, and these spaces could sit vacant for an extended period.

Building Typology and Tenure

• Alternatives to the tower/podium design need to be considered in different parts of the study area. The tower/podium design is more commonly used in condominium developments rather than purpose built rental buildings. A simpler “slab” or larger floorplate rectangular built form is more conducive to purpose-built rental construction.
• Buildings heights of up to 12 storeys should generally work for a “slab” or larger floorplate rectangular built form for purpose-built rental construction.
• Eliminate requirements for excessive stepbacks as they complicate construction, increase construction costs and increase operation and maintenance costs. The simpler the building, the cheaper it is to construct and maintain, which could translate to lower rents or unit costs.
• The 750 square metres tower floor plate needs to be expanded as this size floorplate is not economically viable in the study area. Enlarging the floorplate size will help ensure buildings are constructed and help ensure rents / unit costs are kept to a minimum.
• The tower/podium design increases costs for construction and operation and maintenance, while also reducing energy efficiency.
• Amenity area requirements outlined in the new Kingston Zoning By-Law 2022-62 are too high to be feasible, especially for purpose-built rental buildings. It was suggested that they be reduced to less than 10 square metres / unit.
• Stacked townhouses are a good option to encourage larger units commonly requested by families, as they offer outdoor amenity space and economical construction such as wood frame with no elevators. There appears to be demand for larger units / family options in stacked townhouse form with building heights up to 4 storeys. The City should be considering back-to-back townhomes as well.
• Proposed permissions or zoning regulations should be tied to Ontario Building Code (OBC) requirements, which regulates things like access requirements and construction materials.

Parking

• Underground parking is more common with tower/podium buildings and is often not viable for purpose-built rental buildings. Surface parking will need to be considered by the Plan.
• There may be below grade restrictions imposed on developments as part of the Record of Site Condition (RSC) approval issued by the Province of Ontario, which may prohibit underground parking. The Plan will need to take environmental conditions and restrictions into account.
• Consider allowing parking podiums/above-grade parking structures and surface lots with design requirements and not just underground parking structures.
• Consider reduced parking rates for purpose-built rental buildings, which generally require less parking than condominium buildings.
• Consider allowing the developer to set parking based on demand from market, rather than zoning regulations.
• On-site parking can be tucked away in smaller lots with appropriate screening and landscaping and does not always need to be underground or contained within parking structures. These can be privately owned and operated, which then removes most of the enforcement responsibilities from the City.
• Reduced parking rates should be considered for areas with good transit service, good active transportation infrastructure and close proximity to downtown core. Parking rates of 0.75 spaces / unit or lower should be considered.

Development Feasibility

• Many of the intensification areas are not economically viable in the current market as the rents/ unit prices that could be supported by the market would not provide an acceptable rate of return for the development community. Increasing the project density may not improve this situation in the near-term and financial subsidies may be required to close the gap.
• The City should hire a cost consultant to understand the delta between the current market and point of market viability, then target strategies to close the gap.
• Overall, the Plan is positive, but will require a long implementation timeframe.
• City should explore other funding/grant options to facilitate additional residential units, with fewer restrictions than the current grant offered for affordable units.
• Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) and incentives should be considered beyond the current Brownfield CIP. These expanded CIPs could focus on reducing costs for purpose-built rental housing, which cannot compete with condominium buildings due to longer-term debt loads. Other jurisdictions have experienced success with these types of CIPs facilitating more purpose-built rental buildings in their communities.
• There is much greater risk for the initial few redevelopment projects before the market has been confirmed and financial incentives may be required to overcome the initial risk. Once successful developments have been demonstrated, other intensification areas within NKT will follow.
• City should consider partnering with a ‘developer-for-hire’ model, where the City shares development responsibility for a period of ten years and then gets a portion of the proceeds at that point.
• Construction costs are always shifting with market trends and new technologies. The City should not be formulating recommendations based on construction costs or techniques, but rather focus on what makes sense for building height, density, massing, etc. The City should let the developer focus on how to construct the building.
• Encampments and Integrated Care Hub have large off-site impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood such as market, development potential and feasibility. These off-site impacts need to be addressed before redevelopment is to occur within the neighbourhood.

Every voice that contributes to public engagement helps inform project development. Below is a summary of public consultation and engagement activities that have been completed as parts of Phase 1 and the earlier part of Phase 2. Thank you to everyone who has contributed your time, opinion and expertise so far.

Phase 2 - Technical Studies consultations

Talking Circle & Open House: October 3, 2018

Participants learned more about the North King's Town Secondary Plan and offered ideas about the project.

• Workshop Summary
• Talking Circle Summary

Project update and workshops: June 26, 2018

An update on the project and feedback from participants was provided in two workshops on June 26. Updates and feedback included the revised land use plan, draft heritage character areas, and information about the draft transportation plan (including the problem/opportunity statement, revised evaluation criteria, and a draft inventory of potential network improvements).

• Engagement Summary

Public launch: February 28, 2018

The launch of phase 2 of the North King's Town project, technical studies, took place at three events on February 28 and two drop-in information sessions on March 3 and March 6.

• Engagement Summary

Phase 1 - Visioning consultations

The following is a list of all events from the community visioning exercise and preliminary market analysis for the North King's Town Secondary Plan. This includes links to display materials, presentations, consultation summaries, and draft reports.

Public launch: May 24, 2016

The project launch for North King's Town took place at the Royal Canadian Legion.

• Consultation Summary

Visioning workshop: June 20, 2016

This interactive workshop was held at the Portuguese Cultural Centre.

• Consultation Summary

Community visioning exercise: June 22, 2016

A community visioning exercise for North King's Town was held in Douglas R. Fluhrer Park, along with a free public barbeque and concert. This event was co-hosted by the City and the Skeleton Park Arts Festival.

• Consultation Summary

Community information booth: June 25, 2016

The City had a community information booth about the North King's Town Secondary Plan in McBurney Park as part of the Skeleton Park Arts Festival.

• Consultation Summary

Old Industrial Area Visits: June 10 and July 20, 2016

City staff visited the Old Industrial Area on two occasions to engage with businesses, social service providers, and the residents about the North King's Town project.

• Consultation Summary

Community information booth: July 30, 2016

The City had a community information booth about the North King's Town Secondary Plan downtown as part of the Princess Street Promenade from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Consultation Summary

Pop-up consultation booth: Aug. 4, 2016

The City held two short pop-up consultation sessions about the North King's Town project at Kingston Community Health Centres on Weller Avenue and at the Chat-a-Bit Station on the corner of Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard.

• Consultation Summary

Talking circle: Sept. 19, 2016

The City and the consulting team hosted a talking circle at City Hall for the local indigenous community to provide input into the future of the North King's Town area.

• Consultation Summary

Open house: Sept. 19, 2016

The City and the consulting team presented components of the draft report for public comment.

• Consultation Summary

Open house: Nov. 14, 2016

The City hosted an informal, drop-in open house. There was no formal presentation, but staff and members of the consulting team were available to answer questions and receive comments about the draft report.

• Consultation Summary

Open house: April 19, 2017

The City hosted an informal, drop-in open house (with no formal presentation). Staff were available to answer questions and receive comments about the revised draft report.

• NKT Revised Draft Report
• Summary of Comments & Key Issues
• Consultation Summary