City of Summerside Official Plan 2018 (rev. 2024, effective January 23, 2025) — full text

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Adoption and Approval by Council: This Summerside Official Plan amendments were adopted by a majority of Councillors present at the Council meeting held on the 15* day April, 2019   stiflery, Mayor Basil L. Stewart Robed All Robert Ashley, Chief Administrative Officer Ministerial Approval This Summerside Official Plan amendments are hereby approved. Dated this 26m day of Ara 2019      This document is an office consolidation of this Official Plan It is intended for information and reference purposes only. This document is not the official version. We have tried to ensure these versions are as accurate as possible; however, where accuracy is critical, please consult official sources. If you find any errors or omissions in this consolidation, please contact the City of Summerside by phone at 902-432-1262. Council Approved July 16, 2018 Last amended October 21, 2024, effective January 23, 2025 (OP-39) This Official Plan is effective as of the date signed by the Minister ## Table of Contents | Section 1.. ...7 | Section 1.. ...7 | |--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | INTRODUCTION. .8 | INTRODUCTION. .8 | | | 1.0 Official Plan Status ..8 | | 1.2 | Purpose and Scope ...8 | | | 1.3 Organization ...9 | | | 1.4 Involving the Community. ...10 | | | 1.5 Plans and Initiatives..... ..12 | | | 1.6 Summerside Official Plan ..14 | | | 1.7 Interpretation ..16 | | Section 2... ... 17 | Section 2... ... 17 | | COMMUNITY PROFILE. ..18 | COMMUNITY PROFILE. ..18 | | 2.0 | Community History.. ... 18 | | 2.1 | Population and Development Trends ..21 | | 2.2 | Housing Trends ...31 | | Section 3.. 38 | Section 3.. 38 | | A LIVABLE COMMUNITY ..39 | A LIVABLE COMMUNITY ..39 | | 3.0 | Our Overall Vision.. 39 | | 3.1 | A Livable Community defined (OP - Working Group).. ...40 | | 3.2 | Our Guiding Responsibilities.. 40 | | 3.3 | Our Development Concept.... ...43 | | 3.4 | What is Sustainability?. ... 45 | | 3.5 | What is Functionality ...47 | | 3.6 | What is Diversity?. ...48 | | | 3.7 Development Strategie...... ....50 | | Section 4.. 68 | Section 4.. 68 | | GROWTH MANAGEMENT ...69 | GROWTH MANAGEMENT ...69 | | | 4.0 Rationale 69 | | | 4.1 Development Control. ...74 | | | 4.2 Capital Planning.. ...75 | | | 4.3 Secondary Planning ...75 | | | 4.4 Summerside Region Special Planning Area ....76 | | Section 5. .. 77 | Section 5. .. 77 | | LAND USE | LAND USE | | 5.0 | Land Use Categories ........ ...78 | | |---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|----------| | 5.1 | Residential Development..... | 80 | | 5.2 | Secondary Planning and Comprehensive Development Areas | ...84 | | | 5.3 Location of High Density Housing... | 86 | | 5.4 | Other Residential Considerations | 87 | | 5.5 | Commercial Areas and Zones | ...94 | | 5.6 | Other Development Issues.... | ...113 | | 5.7 | Industrial. | ...116 | | 5.8 | Institutional. | ...121 | | 5.9 | Parks and Recreation.. | ... 124 | | | 5.10 Special Use. | ... 128 | | | 5.11 Agricultural | .. 129 | | | 5.12 Conservation | ... 131 | | | 5.13 Restricted Uses.... | .... 133 | | | 5.14 East-West Connector Street.. | .. 133 | | Section 6... | Section 6... | .....135 | | HERITAGE CONSERVATION & CULTURE | HERITAGE CONSERVATION & CULTURE | 136 | | | 6.0 Conservation of Heritage Buildings | ... 136 | | 6.1 | Culture Summerside Strategy | ... 139 | | Section 7. | Section 7. | ...140 | | INFRASTRUCTURE | INFRASTRUCTURE | ... 141 | | | 7.0 General | .. 141 | | 7.1 | Roads.... | ... 143 | | | 7.2 Water Supply and Distribution.. | 148 | | 7.3 | Sewage Collection | 149 | | 7.4 | Storm Drainage | .. 150 | | Section 8. | Section 8. | ..151 | | ONGOING PLANNING..... | ONGOING PLANNING..... | 152 | | 8.0 | Planning Work Program.. | 152 | | | 8.1 Application of Official Plan and Development Control Bylaw... | . 153 | | 8.2 | City Boundary with Slemon Park | 153 | | 8.3 | Plan Review. | 154 | | Section 9... | Section 9... | | .155 City of Summerside Official Plan 2018 (rev 2024 - effective January 23, 2025)  ## INTRODUCTION ## 1.0 Official Plan Status The City of Summerside was formed on April 1, 1995 by amalgamating the former Town of Summerside, the Communities of St. Eleanors and Wilmot, and part of the Community of Sherbrooke. The Planning Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988 Cap. P-8 requires the City update its official plan every five years. This Official Plan is enabled by the Planning Act and accords with its procedural and substantive requirements, as well as with other applicable policies and regulations of the Province of Prince Edward Island concerning land use, development and the environment. The first City of Summerside Official Plan was completed in 1998. The second Official Plan review was in 2006. The Official Plan applies to all lands within the boundaries of the City of Summerside, and consideration was given to interrelationships between the City and surrounding areas. The original Plan provided the policy framework for a new zoning bylaw to replace the four zoning bylaws of the former communities. This is the third Official Plan review for the City of Summerside (2018). It comprises both Text constituting Schedule "A" and the Future Concept Plan Map, referred to as the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) Schedule "B" at the back of this document. ## 1.2 Purpose and Scope The purposes of the Official Plan are as follows: - = Policy archive: to record results of the City's planning process in formulating policies for land use and development, infrastructure and ongoing planning projects. - = Policy implementation: to provide a policy action guide for drafting and administering the City's Zoning Bylaw CS-40. - = Decision-making: to provide a common reference support document for Council decision-making on zoning, subdivision and other development matters, and to guide City staff in advising Council. - = Communication: to share vision, local knowledge and information, planning principles and values and policy between elected officials, City staff, property owners, citizens and developers on planning for the City's future. The scope of the Official Plan is set by the Provincial Planning Act, and includes: - = a statement of economic, physical, social and environmental objectives; - = a statement of policies for future land use, management and development, expressed with reference to a specified period not exceeding fifteen years; - = proposals for its implementation, administration and the periodic review of the extent to which the objectives are achieved. ## 1.3 Organization The Official Plan is a building block in the City of Summerside's strategic planning approach to management. The Plan includes a strategic vision and long-term development goals which set the framework for its specific policies. More detailed operational objectives are included in the Plan for economic development and growth management strategies. Other objectives are stated throughout the Plan in policy statements and supporting rationales. Official Plan policies generally take one of the following three forms: - Land use and development policies respecting: - = population change and urban growth; - = residential, commercial and industrial development; - = institutional, parkland and special use areas; - = agricultural, urban reserve and conservation areas. 2. Capital infrastructure policies for meeting present and future needs, including: 2. = Roads/ traffic; 3. water supply and distribution; 4. sewage collection; 5. = sewage treatment; 6. = storm drainage. 3. Policies for ongoing planning to implement and elaborate the Official Plan, including: 8. = a development control bylaw for zoning, subdivisions and other developments; 9. = detailed secondary plans for areas in the City requiring special attention, which after adoption by Council will form part of the Official Plan; 10. = an economic development strategy and a strategic parks and greenways plan, which may result in subsequent revisions to the Official Plan and the development control bylaw; 11. = a heritage conservation plan and bylaw, which will complement the development control bylaw. ## 1.4 Involving the Community The Summerside Official Plan review was prepared with guidance of an advisory Official Plan Working Group (OPWG). The Committee was comprised of nine citizens representing broad community interest groups including real estate, developers, social and community wellness. The working group was responsible for collecting and reviewing information, analysing policy needs and options, coordinating public consultation, and recommending a progress report to Planning Board and City Council. City staff assisted the working group with background technical research and information, reports and meeting agendas and minutes. Their work resulted in a technical background document that was presented to City Council in October 2014 and again in January 2015.  Residents, property owners and stakeholders were invited into the process after completion and release of a background report entitled Official Plan Working Group Progress Report. Three community consultations were held at the Summerside Farmers Market and three open houses at City Hall, all on different dates. Consultations were held with several community groups. A RoundTable was widely advertised and held at Credit Union Place in April. After this RoundTable, a draft Official Plan was prepared and released for internal staff and Council review and public review in September 2015 and through 2016 as the draft zoning bylaw was prepared. The most commonly shared themes arising from this multi-pronged public engagement have found a presence or exerted influence in the drafting the of the Official Plan. | Open Houses | Social Media | Town Hall | Popup Table | Public meetings | |---------------------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------------| | Drop-in hours informal process - one on one | - FaceBook City website | facilitated hands-on exercises in small groups at CUP | Farmers Market Credit Union Place | Planning - Boundil |  ## 1.5 Plans and Initiatives A number of plans have been developed in the time between the original 1998 Official Plan and the present plan. In addition, Summerside has developed a number of By-Laws which guide development in the City. The following lists the Plans in place, Plans currently in development and current By-Laws related to planning and development: - = Summerside Heritage Conservation Plan (May 20, 2003) - This Plan and the Heritage Conservation By-law SS-20 were developed with assistance from a Heritage Advisory Board (HAB). The City Heritage Plan and Bylaw provides policies and regulations designed to recognize, protect and promote Summerside's rich heritage resources. The bylaw also provides a property tax incentive program for heritage property owners. Council has appointed three citizen representatives to Heritage Planning Board based on their knowledge and passion for heritage conservation. Sixteen [16] historic properties have gone through the public process and, recognized as designated heritage properties. - = Summerside Strategic Plan (December 15, 2004) - Plan to adapt the organization to changing community needs, make best use of human and financial resources and compete effectively for attracting economic growth. The strategic plan provides guiding principles and objectives which help to shape priorities in the Official Plan. - = Summerside Parks and Green Space Plan (January 2013) This Plan which lays out Council policies for: - Reconfiguring and expanding the City's park system over time to effectively and efficiently meet changing community needs across urban and suburban areas. - Guiding Council in the selection of suitably-sized and equipped parks at the right place and at the right time. - Adding more designated conservation areas to protect and enhance valuable natural resources, while providing controlled public access. - Extending and intensifying Summerside's network of greenways, trails and boardwalks, with interconnections to recreational facilities, parks and conservation areas. - . Promoting City green partnerships with the public and private sectors. - = Summerside East-West Connector Street Plan (August 22, 2008) - This Plan was developed in response to The Summerside Official Plan 1998 which first identified the need for an east-west connector street. Preparation of a connector plan was included as a priority under the Strategic Plan 2004. With development of the first phase of the Connector in 2024, the relevant guiding policies from the Plan are integrated into this Official Plan and the Plan is repealed. - = Summerside By-Laws are the operational guides resulting from the development of planning initiatives in the City. The following by-laws are in place to guide development: - Subdivision & Site Development By-Law SS-19 (May 8, 2008) (as amended), - Zoning Bylaw CS-40 (2024), - Building By-Law CS-31 (April 24, 2015) (as amended). - Heritage By-Law SS-20 (March 2004) (as amended), - = Summerside Active Transportation Plan (Draft April 2012) A plan to develop a Green transportation public infrastructure incorporating energy generated by the Summerside Wind Farm and the development of a bicycle transport infrastructure linking all of the City to an integrated comprehensive bicycle network. The plan ties in with the proposed Wind Energy Farm to utilize green generated energy for the operation of the public transit system. - = Summerside ICSP- Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (May 2008) The purpose of the ICSP planning is to advance environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability. It is intended to create a vision for a sustainable future and to move toward that sustainable future. ## 1.6 Summerside Official Plan The Official Plan 2018 is designed to be a dynamic management document and is subject to continuing review and adaptation to meet changing circumstances. Council may pass resolutions to amend the Plan at any time on a specific needs basis. Also, the ongoing planning mentioned above will result in feedback to the Official Plan. The Summerside Official Plan facilitates future land use and development at a high level. More specific plans for the development of the community are undertaken as part of the processes to prepare Secondary Plans and Capital Plans. All other statutory plans prepared by, or on behalf of, the City of Summerside must be consistent with the general policy guidance provided in this Plan. The Official Plan will be used by City Council, staff, land developers, builders, business owners, local citizens and many others seeking to learn about the community's planned direction. By understanding the vision, goals, objectives and policies of the Plan, businesses can plan for the future, developers will see the potential of their plans, citizens will understand how their community will grow and appointed committees and elected officials will have guidance in the decision making process. The Plan provides the basis for Summerside's regulations and policies that guide its physical development. The Plan establishes priorities for public action and direction for private decisions, while providing a flexible framework that can be updated, revised and improved over time in order to stay relevant to the issues that Summerside must confront as well as the ambitions it chooses to pursue. The Plan will be used to: - = Establish the vision for what Summerside can achieve and aspires to achieve over the next 15 years; - = Implement the recommendations of the report from the Mayor's Task Force on Attainable Housing and subsequent initiatives the City committed to in 2023 under Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), to increase housing density and streamline review and approvals of development applications. - = Consolidate and coordinate policies that relate to growth and development for all municipal departments; - = Guide decision-making and evaluation of land use and bylaw amendments; subdivision; and development applications with respect to heritage designations and parks and green space plan; - = Coordinate capital investment with the identified priorities in the Plan; and - = Identify short to long-term strategic actions to help monitor the Plan's implementation. The policies and actions contained within the Official Plan have implications for the capital and operating budgets of the various departments and therefore are subject to the same budgetary constraints as any other long range plan. The number and type of actions implemented in any given year will be determined by budget considerations in addition to the priorities set forth in Section 8 - Ongoing Planning. The Plan is divided into different Sections covering several themes that, when combined provide the general direction for the long-term development of the City. Each section includes Goals, Objectives and Policies that set broad directions and are used to build specific actions with the Implementation section. Each section of the Official Plan contains the following sections: 1. Introduction: A summary of each theme and how it related to the City's sustainable future. 2. Goals and Objectives: These describe the broad public purposes toward which policies and programs are directed. They express the broad desired results of the Plan. 3. Policies: Policies are more specific. Policies are intended to carry out goals. They can be referred to as general rules and help bring predictability to the decisionmaking process. ## 1.7 Interpretation The goals, objectives and policies provide direction for decision makers regarding particular course of actions to pursue. They are also intended to guide decisions regarding the review and approval of development proposal and consistency of applications to amend the City's Zoning Bylaw CS-40. Amendments to any of the City's other Statutory Plans, Bylaws, subdivision and certain development applications are subject to review of their consistency with the Plan. Consistency is relative and not an absolute. It is not anticipated that every proposal and project will implement every Plan policy. Projects and proposals that implement one or more policies and that are not in conflict with the overall goals of the Plan will be judged to be consistent. Projects and proposals that are in conflict with the overall goals of the Plan and contradict key policies will be judged to be inconsistent. The Plan has been written to be free of internal conflict, meaning that as a general rule, implementing one policy should not preclude the implementation of another. However, situations that are site and/ or project specific may arise, where specific policies present competing objectives. Judgement will be required to balance the relative benefits and detriments of emphasizing one policy over another. When weighing competing objectives, greater weight should be given to achieving overall policy objectives on an area and City-wide scale, rather than a site-specific scale and decision makers should consider the cumulative impacts they make with a number of similar decisions over time.  ## COMMUNITY PROFILE ## 2.0 Community History The City of Summerside was formed on April 1, 1995 from amalgamating the former Town of Summerside, the Communities of St. Eleanors and Wilmot, and part of the Community of Sherbrooke. As of May 2016, Summerside's population was 14,829 persons, and its total land area is 7,100 acres or 28.73 square kilometres (it is Prince Edward Island's second largest city after Charlottetown, the provincial capital). Summerside is located in Prince County, astride one of the narrowest portions of the Island lying between Summerside: Town incorporated 1877. Seat of Prince County from 1876. Named for Summerside House established by Joseph Green 1840, itself suggested by Major Harry Compton who described the site as the sunny side of the island. Formerly known as Greens Shore Bedeque. Bedeque Bay to the south and Malpeque Bay to the north. The topography is quite low with a ridge running generally east-west through the City with its highest elevation being 39 meters. The former Town of Summerside and Wilmot are largely on the south slope of the ridge, Sherbrooke is on the north slope, and St. Eleanors extends over both slopes. The earliest inhabitants of the area were Mi'kmaq's who camped seasonally along Bedeque Bay. Settler communities started in the eighteenth century and were primarily engaged in agriculture, although fishing was also of importance. St. Eleanors and Sherbrooke were originally Acadian settlements, whereas Summerside and Wilmot had primarily Loyalist beginnings. The area became a major timber exporter during the Napoleonic wars, when Britain's usual supplies were cut off from the Baltic states, and by the 1840's local timber formed the basis of a significant shipbuilding industry, especially in the Town of Summerside because of its superior harbour. Many of the boats were sold in Britain, but others were used by local shipping businesses to export timber and agricultural produce, and to import goods for a growing wholesale and retail trade. In the 1860's, the port of Summerside gained importance because of proximity to new railway lines in New Brunswick, which provided it access to North America's expanding railroad network. Summerside's position as a trading and service centre for the region was further reinforced by connection to a new railroad on the Island itself in 1875, the same year as it was incorporated as a municipality. (Incorporation came much later for the other communities: St. Eleanors in 1956, Wilmot in 1965 and Sherbrooke in 1973) Interconnected railways and steamship lines spurred a growth in commercial travellers and the start of Summerside's tourist industry, resulting in the opening of a number of large hotels in the 1880's. The latter part of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century witnessed construction of numerous schools and churches, as well as the first Summerside electric plant, the Summerside Post Office building (which is now the City Hall), and the final expansion of Holmans department store on Water Street. After some decline in population between 1901 and 1911, Summerside boomed again to reach over 5,000 persons in 1941. Much of this growth was spurred by Summerside's international control over the lucrative ## Historic Summerside     silver fox industry, which enabled it to remain comparatively prosperous through the Depression years until the taste for fur products started to change in the mid-1930's. The legacy of "silver fox money" and earlier economic successes lives on in Summerside's many fine heritage homes. The Second World War saw creation of a large RCAF base near St. Eleanors. After reactivation of the base in 1947, it continued to be one of the economic mainstays of the area until it was finally closed in 1989. Operation of the base, together with post-War expansion of food-processing, construction, retail trades and tourist industries sustained intermittent growth (the early 1980's Recession took its toll in Summerside as elsewhere). The Town of Summerside had already been built up to capacity by the 1960's and much of the new residential growth located in St Eleanor's and Wilmot, facilitated by access from the old No. 1 Highway running along South Drive and Water Street East. Also, commercial development expanded out from the Summerside Downtown eastwards in a strip along Water Street East. The "All-Weather" No. 2 arterial highway was built in the 1960's through St. Eleanors and Sherbrooke, and in some places now forms the City boundaries. Only limited development has been allowed along the new highway, but it provides valuable access to a growing commercial centre on north Granville Street. Although the railway is closed (the right-of-way is now used for the Confederation Trail), it influenced the location of Summerside's two main industrial areas near Greenwood Drive and Harvard Street respectively. The closure of CFB Summerside did cause some immediate economic losses, but these have already been reversed by a number of developments. A $38 million National GST Processing centre (now called Summerside Tax Centre) was built in Summerside employing about 600 full-time staff. The base property, itself, has been converted into a growing industrial/aerospace park and residential community, under management of the Slemon Park Corporation (only part of the former base is located within the City boundaries). The East Prince area has become the major centre of the Island's large potato processing industry and Summerside's port facilities have been modernized to handle vessels up to 5,000 tons. A 21-acre waterfront site adjacent to the older downtown area has been land-filled and comprehensively developed with retail, offices, a hotel, tourist shops, cultural venue, Holland College campus and an adjoining marina. ## 2.1 Population and Development Trends This section describes assumptions about development and population trends underlying the Official Plan, as well as Council's specific objectives and policies in these areas. Like many PEl municipalities, Summerside is facing changes in the demographics of our community. This will have an influence on the way land is used to respond to the needs and desires of a changing population. The proportion of the population over the age of 65 will continue to increase, which will impact neighbourhoods with opportunities for aging-in-place and 'adult lifestyle' housing that is lower maintenance. Because life expectancy has drastically increased in recent decades, providing a range of housing options from independent living to nursing homes for the aging will be a housing necessity. The de-institutionization of special needs populations means that the elderly and other special needs groups prefer to live in their own homes. Summerside is welcoming more newcomers as more people move to the area in response to labour needs and employment opportunities. Ethnic diversity is expected to rise due to response to employment opportunities. The official plan population findings are backed up by a study completed in 2011 for the City Economic Development Office (EDO) and within the recent City Parks & Green Space Plan 2012. The population is forecast to increase over the next ten years to 15,739 residents (+325) and in twenty years to16,299 (+885) (Figure 5). The slower rate of population growth for the City has both positive and negative implications. On the positive side, the slow population growth will protect the quality of life that many residents have chosen and enjoy and may limit any expensive municipal infrastructure and development expansions. On the negative side, slow population growth will limit demand for additional commercial/retail space as much of the local market is serviced by existing businesses.  ## Summerside - census demographics  The data presented in this section is derived from Census Canada data on-line. It is presented from the time of amalgamation into the City of Summerside in 1996. The latest available Census data in 2016 was used. An analysis of this data presents several Council objectives and policies at the end of the chapter. | City of Summerside - census demographic data | City of Summerside - census demographic data | City of Summerside - census demographic data | City of Summerside - census demographic data | City of Summerside - census demographic data | City of Summerside - census demographic data | |------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------| | Census Year | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | | Population | 14,525 | 14,654 | 14,500 | 14,751 | 14,829 | | Average Household Size | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.2 | | Median Age | 34.2 | 38 | 41.4 | 44.1 | 44.4 | | ages 0 to 14 | 20.9% | 19.2% | 17.7% | | 15.4% | | ages 15 to 64 | 13.4% | 15.4% | 17.3% | | 61.8 | | ages 65+ | 13.4% | 15.4% | 17.3% | | 22.8 | | Total residential dwellings | 5,480 | 5,775 | 5,950 | 6,269 | 6,525 | Statistics Canada - Census data In 2016, Summerside (City) had a population of 14, 829 representing a percentage change of +0.5% from 2011 and an increase of nearly 305 residents since 1996.  | | Males | Females | |----------|---------|-----------| | 85+ | 125 | 285 | | 80-84 | 145 | 230 | | 75-79 | 240 | 355 | | 70-74 | 305 | 340 | | 65-69 | 345 | 395 | | 60-64 | 495 | 565 | | 55-59 | 510 | 550 | | 50-54 | 520 | 630 | | 45-49 | 545 | | | * 40-44* | *425 | | | 35-39 | 405 | 445 | | 30-34 | 355 | 415 | | 25-29 | 350 | 445 | | 20-24 | 395 | 395 | | 15-19 | 475 | 475 | | 10-14 | 465 | 440 | | 5-9 | 370 | 420 | | 0-4 | 405 | 365 |  | | Population % Change | Population % Change | |------|-----------------------|-----------------------| | 1996 | 14525 | 6.50% | | 2001 | 14654 | 0.90% | | 2006 | 14500 | -1.10% | | 2011 | 14751 | 1.70% | | 2016 | 14829 | 0.5% |   However, Population growth has been minimal and too low compared to other PEI municipalities. Summerside has been "conserving" population, rather than growing. Other factors such as increasing median age and an aging population will have an impact in future years. | | | Males Females | |-------|-----|-----------------| | 85+ | 125 | 285 | | 80-84 | 145 | 230 | | 75-79 | 240 | 355 | | 70-74 | 305 | 340 | | 65-69 | 345 | | | 60-64 | 495 | | | 55-59 | 510 | | | 50-54 | 520 | | | 45-49 | 545 | 625 | | 40-44 | 425 | 505 | | 35-39 | 405 | 445 | | 30-34 | 355 | 415 | | 25-29 | 350 | 445 | | 20-24 | 395 | 395 | | 15-19 | 475 | 475 | | 10-14 | 465 | 440 | | 5-9 | 370 | 420 | | 0-4 | 405 | 365 |  | Newcomers to PEI | Newcomers to PEI | |--------------------|--------------------| | | No of clients | | 2008/ 09 | 1125 | | 2009/10 | 1272 | | 2010/11 | 1933 | | 2011/12 | 1362 | | total | 5692 |  ## Projected Population Growth - 2011 to 2030 The table below are estimated population projections for the next 20 years, which show a positive growth forecast for Summerside. - 2016 latest available Census population data - 0.5% annual population growth rate Culture, infant mortality, quality of health care, life expectancy, all affect growth, but for the sake of simplicity this estimate assumes consistent 0.5% annual growth. | YEAR | Population | Accumulative Growth Increase | 2012 - 14,824 2013 - 14,898 2014 - 14,973 | |------------|--------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------| | 2011 | 14751 | -- | 2015 - 15,048 2016 - 15,123 2017 - 15,199 | | 2015 | 15048 | 297 | 2018 - 15,275 2019 - 15,351 2020 - 15,428 | | 2016 Base* | 14829 | | 2021 - 15,505 2022 - 15,582 2023 - 15,660 | | 2020 | 15428 | 677 | 2024 - 15,739 2025 - 15,817 | | 2025 | 15817 | 1066 | 2026 - 15.896 2027 - 15.976 2028 - 16,056 | | 2030 | 16217 | 1466 | 2029 - 16,136 2030 - 16,217 | ## Goals: - Promote a sustainable economic development strategy for the City to support future population growth and to make the best use of local resources, while reducing vulnerability to external economic changes; - Sustain balanced population growth by expanding opportunities for younger working households, while also enhancing and promoting the City's assets as age friendly; - Conserve population among all age groups. ## Policies for Population Change Council's concerns with future population change are to achieve sustainable population growth in the City, including balanced population growth between working-age households and retirees. ## Objective To be a complete community that can support population growth and promote a variety of housing options. Polices The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote a sustainable economy to support population growth. 2. Enhance and promote Summerside as a complete community 3. Promote recreational, training and employment opportunities to retain and attract young working- age persons in the community. ## 2.2 Housing Trends Recent development trends show single detached development is the most common housing form in Summerside. However, there is increased development of semidetached and apartment units in the market. Thus with an increasing aging population, Summerside will continue to promote various forms of housing units across all housing types. | 2011 | Total | % | |-----------------------------|---------|------| | Structural type of dwelling | units | | | | 6270 | 100 | | Single-detached house | 3425 | 54.6 | | Semi-detached house | 650 | 10.4 | | Row house | 475 | 7.6 | | Apartment, less than 5 | 1060 | 16.9 | | Apartment, duplex | 205 | 3.3 | | Moveable dwellings | 445 | |  | Housing Inventory by Census Year | Source: Stats Canada - Census Data | Source: Stats Canada - Census Data | Source: Stats Canada - Census Data | Source: Stats Canada - Census Data | |------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | 2011 | | Single-detached house | 3245 | 3160 | 3249 | 3425 | | Semi-detached house | 415 | 565 | 577 | 650 | | Row house | 310 | 465 | 453 | 475 | | Apartment, less than 5 | 1015 | 955 | 1023 | 1060 | | Apartment, duplex | 250 | 220 | 208 | 205 | | Moveable dwellings | 245 | 420 | 440 | 445 |  | Permits Issued 2010- 14 | 2010 | | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Totals | |------------------------------------------------------|--------|---------------|--------|--------|--------|----------| | Apartment Buildings* (does not include # of units) | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | | Duplex | 1 | | | | | 1 | | Mobile Home | 3 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 35 | | Row house/ Townhouse | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 23 | | Semi-Detached | 16 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 54 | | Single Detached | 19 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 57 | | Stacked* (2012 onwards issued as a row house in LDO) | 3 | 9 | | | | 12 |  ## Summerside (CY) - Historical Completions by Dwelling Type  | 1996 to 2014 | 1996 to 2014 | 1996 to 2014 | | | |----------------|-----------------------|----------------|-----------|-------| | | Single Semi- Detached | Row | Apartment | Total | | 1996 | 30 2 | 28 | 42 | 102 | | 1997 32 | 6 | 16 | | 54 | | 1998 18 | 8 | | | 26 | | 1999 29 | 18 | | | 47 | | 2000 47 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 65 | | 2001 47 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 77 | | 2002 32 | 12 | | | 44 | | 2003 38 | 2 | | 0 | 40 | | 2004 50 | 16 | 8 | 51 | 125 | | 2005 29 | 8 | 39 | | 76 | | 2006 23 | 16 | 18 | 2 | 59 | | 2007 32 | 4 | 22 | | 58 | | 2008 26 | 20 | | 31 | 81 | | 2009 14 | 0 | 8 | | 22 | | 2010 23 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 58 | | 2011 25 | 14 | 8 | 64 | 111 | | 2012 | 17 6 | 23 | 12 | 58 | | 2013 | 8 8 | 16 | 21 | 53 | | 2014 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 52 | 80- ## Project Housing / Population Mix | Housing Type | % Total Households Residing in Different Housing Types | % Total Households Residing in Different Housing Types | |-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | Housing Type | 2006 (2001)* | Projected 20-Year Growth | | Single Detached | 54.6% (57%) | LOW density = 50% MEDIUM density = 4% | | Semi-detached | 9.7% (9%) | LOW density = 4% MEDIUM density = 8% | | Duplexes | 3.5% (4%) | MEDIUM density = 6% | | Row housing | 7.6% (8%) | HIGH density = 6% | | Apartments | 17.2% (15%) | HIGH density = 22% | | Mobile homes | 7.4% (7%) | limited increase | | TOTAL | 100% | 100% | ## Housing Type in PerCent  ## Goal: - Increase residential density across all housing forms and all residential zones. ## Objective To create opportunities to promote all types of housing forms ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote sustainable growth to support residential growth. 2. Promote all types of housing forms. 3. Promote densification by increasing the number of dwelling units permitted on each residential lot. 4. Increase housing options and support housing security. ## Goal: - Promote a sustainable economic development strategy for the City and to make the best use of local resources; Summerside has a diverse employment base and labour force. The land use policies in Section 5 mainly focus on existing commercial and industrial areas. As noted in other sections of the official plan, a 2011 Economic Development Action Plan has been created to guide future economic development. Economic research and analysis of our local economy includes past and future trends. This data resides with the City Economic Development Office (EDO). For example, in 2016 the EDO department authored a report City of Summerside Socio-Economic Projections and Statistical Data Updates. The graphic on the following page illustrates the technical data of the Labor Force by Industry. This report and other specific data can be accessed on the EDO website: www.bigpossibilities.ca   ## City of Summerside Socio-Economic Projections and Statistical Data Updates 2016 Projections and Canadian Business Patterns Analysis АОП 18. 2016 ## 1. 13 Labour Force by Industry ## FIGURE 13: INDICES OF RELATIVE INDUSTRY SHARES: SUMMERSIDE VS CANADA IN 2016|  Source: 2011 National Household Survey, Metro Economics 2016 A comparison of Summerside's employment by industry distribution to that of Canada as a whole reveals that the City's economy is relatively more dependent than most communities on public administration (the CRA facility); manufacturing; accommodation, food, and retail trade (tourism); agriculture; and administrative support. Thus the City's economy is widely diversified. However, because jobs in these industries in the area have not grown much in the last decade and a half, neither has the City's nor the area's population.  ## A LIVABLE COMMUNITY This Section will describe Council's overall Vision - A Livable Community. ## 3.0 Our Overall Vision The distinct benefit of an Official Plan is that it confronts development issues with a longterm perspective. This Plan review identifies the community we envision in the future: - = We want to live in a community that provides housing, jobs, services, health and safety to all of our residents; - = As a community, we enjoy our waterfront, open spaces and small-town feel; - = We want services and shopping close to where we live; - = We want neighbourhoods and parks to be connected and close; - = We are willing to increase density to prevent urban sprawl, provide affordable housing options, and encourage the conservation of agricultural lands; - = We want a broader mix of housing and affordability choices; - = We want a community with a strong economy and opportunities to raise our households in a supportive, safe environment; - = We want to be an age friendly community as a participating partner in the joint initiative between the City and the World Health Organization - WHO; - = We want to be a healthy community and provide opportunities for complete streets for vehicles, bikes and pedestrians; and - = We want a distinct, attractive community offering A Sense of Place and a high quality Public Realm. ## 3.1 A Livable Community defined (OP -- Working Group) ## What does a Livable Community mean? A "Livable Community" is an attractive, accessible community that supports the needs of a diverse population and labour force with quality affordable housing, ample open spaces, convenient transportation alternatives, quality recreational and active living services, a strong economy, healthy environment, and a distinct sense of identity. ## A Livable Community has a Distinct Sense of Place This means that it has an identifiable character and is enjoyable to spend time in. To achieve this, a city usually requires a strong and identifiable centre. That centre creates an identity for the larger community. Such a centre should be active, inspiring and inviting to all people. People should feel welcome and safe. ## A Livable Community Plan Connects land use with housing, transportation, recreation and cultural choices to produce environments for successful living; - = Creates a strong' economic development ready' environment; - = Strives to adapts structures and services to the needs of people of all ages, capacities and abilities; - = Taps into the potential of all age demographics as a valuable resource within communities and; - = Encourages opportunities for people to be healthy, active, secure and productive in their living environments; - = Diverse culture of ages and backgrounds; - = Lively arts and cultural community; ## 3.2 Our Guiding Responsibilities We engaged our citizens at several open houses, the Summerside Farmers Market and at a Roundtable with hands-on participatory engagement exercises. Open houses were also held in 2016 during the draft zoning bylaw review. The comments and input have been summarized into guiding principles and responsibilities: - = Fiscal responsibility - ensure the costs of building and maintaining services and infrastructure are affordable and will not become an undue burden on future generations. An engaged and involved citizenry - the City plays many key roles and makes countless decisions daily regarding managing streets, water supply, parks, etc. While the City makes serious decisions concerning funding community improvements, the many choices that Summerside residents make every day will determine whether Summerside is a great place to live. We will make informed decisions that advance the good of the community as a whole. - = Social responsibility and inclusion - create diverse communities with accessibility to affordable housing, education, health care and public amenities for all citizens. This encompasses the notion of "community." It is the essence of a safe, healthy, accessible and friendly city. Social inclusion recognizes and values diversity and emphasizes individual belonging by increasing social equality and participation of diverse and disadvantaged residents. Walkable neighbourhoods - ensure land use and community design, enhance and support pedestrian-friendly design. Transportation choices - ensures a variety of transportation alternatives are available including walking, cycling, or transit, reducing the number of vehicle trips. ## Priorities - Community health; - Affordable housing - quality housing for all household types, age groups and income levels; - Accessible community - = Environmental responsibility and sustainability - design communities and development to minimize air, water and soil pollution, reduce land consumption and waste, as well as protect natural systems. Living within the means of the local, regional and global ecosystems. Understanding how Summerside contributes and works within the region regarding impacts of water and air, and how our greenspace and natural environment ties together. This is essential for creating a healthy and livable community. Mix compatible land uses close to each other - mixing compatible uses such as housing, retail, business and recreational opportunities creates vibrant and diverse communities, thus providing a high quality "public realm". Preserve natural and agricultural areas - natural landscape features are preserved and enhanced; ## Priorities: - Greenhouse gas emission reduction from sources including the City Wind Farm and other potential renewable green energy resources; - Promote water use reduction; - Efficient land use; - = Cultural responsibility and vitality- communities and development respect and enhance the cultural resources of the community in terms of its traditions, values, heritage, and sense of place, arts, diversity and social history. This is a rich and diverse culture that has thriving traditions, heritage and arts. This cultural environment creates a Sense of Place, ie. Town Centre and is what gives Summerside its purpose. - = Economic Responsibility and Prosperity - Summerside will embrace and value diversity, innovation and equity so that there is a high level of opportunity and quality of life for all residents. The City's skilled labour force will attract businesses that take advantage of educated residents, which will continue to fuel the development of quality employment opportunities. We will embrace creative economic sectors and our City will be enlivened with residents employed in occupations that will enhance our economy, community and the quality of our lives. Economic prosperity refers to an economy that balances local employment with a healthy and vibrant quality of life. It covers a cross-section of employment sectors including industry, aerospace, agriculture, retail and tourism. ## Priorities: - Business retention; - Downtown renewal; - Summerside Economic Living Lab projects; - Foster and cultivating our continued partnership with business ## 3.3 Our Development Concept The following development concept is presented for informational purposes to overview important features of the Official Plan and, because of its summarized nature, should not be used for interpreting Council policies. Thus, the Plan captures the best efforts of residents to consider Summerside's future. It does not aim to detail every potential change in the community, rather it provides a guide for making sustainable community development decisions over the coming decade. ## Goals: - Promote strategic use of the new City of Summerside's combined institutional, financial and natural resources to best serve the needs of all residents, as well as to strengthen the City's ability to control its own future development; - Conserve and enhance the City's traditional social character, heritage buildings and natural environment while ensuring that the City of Summerside can meet the challenges ahead; - Improve the aesthetic and amenity values of the City's built environment for the enjoyment of existing residents, for attracting new residents and businesses, and for reinforcing Summerside's assets as a regional service and tourist centre. The development concept is based on these key urban planning principles: - = Sustainability is a measure of the City's continuing ability to maintain economic growth and a healthy tax base, to share social access to jobs, housing and services, and to exercise responsible environmental stewardship for the benefit of present and future generations. - = Functionality refers to efficient organization and integration of the City's land uses patterns, physical structures and infrastructure to meet changing community needs for housing, commerce, industry, tourism, education, health, government, culture and recreation. - = Functionality is mediated by Diversity in the Plan to bring about more informal and humanistic mixing of urban uses, to broaden individual choices, and to add interesting variety in social contacts and the built environment. ## 3.4 What is Sustainability? "Sustainable development" refers to creating a community that is capable of being sustained far into the future. This means balancing the various demands placed on resources in a manner that enables current and future generations to enjoy an acceptable quality of life and range of opportunities. Sustainable development, when specifically applied to the planning and developing of a community's physical setting, is often referred to as Smart Growth. Smart Growth aims to create integrated communities that are able to meet economic, social and environmental requirements over the long-term. The principle of sustainability features strongly in the City's efforts to conserve population, economic development and resource use for the continuing benefit of the community as a whole. The Plan incorporates a comprehensive growth management strategy which balances market forces with wider public interests to create efficient and attractive urban growth patterns. One important feature of this strategy is an agricultural zone, which will maintain a harmonious and enriching duality between town and country in the City's character. Based on realistic growth projections, sufficient urban areas are allocated for future growth without encouraging sprawl development. ## Sustainable Community    Together, these measures will promote the best use of urban and agricultural lands, orderly phasing of development, cost-effective infrastructure and prudent environmental stewardship. Thus, effective growth management will help sustain Summerside's attractiveness as a place to live and to do business. ## Objective To foster growth strategies that focus on making Summerside a Sustainable community ## Policies | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote higher density development so land and existing infrastructure is used efficiently and non-private automobile transportation options, like public transit, can be supported. - Promote a mix of land uses including residential, commercial and industrial uses. 3. Promote a range of housing types and forms to accommodate a mix of age and income groups. 4. Encourage less emphasis on the automobile - the street pattern is a grid or modified grid, street widths and parking are reduced, and transit, walking and cycling is promoted. 5. Create a pathway/ trail system for use by pedestrians and cyclists for both recreational and transportation or commuting purposes. 6. Create a dispersed network of parks, open spaces and public squares, with linkages to a trail system, to meet a diverse range of recreational needs and facilitate informal social interaction. 7. Promote the preservation and conservation of natural resources, reduced impact on natural areas (storm ponds, drainage courses, tree stands, agricultural land, etc.) and, when feasible, the incorporation of alternative and innovative design solutions to minimize environmental impacts. 8. Reduce the minimization of adverse climatic effects by taking advantage of local conditions and incorporating landscaping and properly orienting buildings. 9. Encourage the creation of unique or interesting outdoor spaces that reinforce community identity and create a sense of place distinct from other communities or other parts of the community. ## 3.5 What is Functionality The principle of functionality features prominently in how the Official Plan organizes residential, commercial and industrial land use into practical, workable patterns across the City. Increasing residential density throughout the City will increase functionality by supporting transit and other community amenities, increasing housing near Holland College, and ensuring existing roads and infrastructure are used efficiently. Housing, including duplexes, fourplexes and smaller multi-unit buildings, which fit into existing residential neighbourhoods and support walkability, local retail and public transit, will be encouraged. Opportunities for medium density row houses and town houses will also be promoted. High density housing and apartments will be focused in areas located near jobs, Holland College, transit routes and community amenities. A functional system of convenient and attractive commercial centres will be promoted across the City, each with clusters of complementary businesses targeted to their respective markets. The Downtown will continue as a central focus for retail commercial space together with business, professional, cultural, entertainment, residential and government buildings. A large part of the growing North Granville commercial area with its convenient access from Highway No.2 is reserved for retail commercial businesses, including large malls, supermarkets, department stores and newer retail innovations, such as smaller versions of big box stores. Functionality Examples of a functional community    Similarly, a functional system of special-purpose industrial areas will be promoted. The Harvard Street and Greenwood Drive areas will continue to be the home of light industries, and the latter will be expanded in size to accommodate growth. Lastly, the St Eleanor's industrial area on Highway No.2 will be reserved for light and heavy industries. ## Objective To create growth strategies that focus on making Summerside a Functional community ## Policies ## | The following are Council's statements of policy Grow as a compact, complete community - Growth and new development will be accommodated through creative solutions that conserve our unique neighbourhoods while allowing for growth and expanding our local businesses. Summerside's long-term sustainability requires redevelopment and infill within developed areas. More compact growth contains costs by capitalizing on the land and infrastructure already in place. Newly developed areas will be diverse, walkable neighbourhoods providing convenient access to open space, community services, retail and employment. Ensure housing affordability and diversity - As development and change occurs, we must strive to contain Summerside's cost of living and promote sustainable economic development that provides sufficient jobs. An affordable community can only exist if we make sure that people who work in Summerside can afford to live here. We will need to monitor the supply of affordable housing options and provide opportunities for all segments of our population. The Plan includes preliminary strategies for improving and expanding infrastructure to serve existing and new development, which are the first step towards preparing a detailed capital plan for the City. ## 3.6 What is Diversity? Summerside has a diverse economic, cultural and demographic profile within Price Edward Island. This creates a vibrant and exciting community in which to live; however, it also results in the need for a wide range of housing options, amenities and services for our citizens. ## Goals: - = A community that promotes affordable and adequate housing for all residents; - A diverse and inclusive community for all; - An accessible and inclusive community for all residents; - = Transparent decision-making with a commitment to community discussion and communication. To create growth strategies that focus on making Summerside a The following are Council's statements of policy Residential neighbourhoods will be open to proposals such as boarding houses, group homes, senior citizens housing, nursing care facilities, bed & breakfast homes, secondary suites and compatible commercial uses. Home based business will also be encouraged. Other housing alternatives will be encouraged to broaden the City's housing mix, including conversions of houses into additional dwellings, accessory dwelling units, multiple housing units, recycling of older residential areas, and adaptive conservation of heritage houses Accommodating ancillary residences in commercial and institutional buildings. The harbourfront near the Downtown will be opened up to include interesting mixes of port industrial activities and tourist commercial uses. Comprehensive development areas (CDAs) will be encouraged for mixing different housing types and densities, for integrating residential/commercial/ recreational uses, and for incorporating innovations such as cluster subdivision layouts and zero lot line housing. More variation will be promoted in building heights in the downtown and high density areas. Ecological diversity will be protected in a number of conservation zones across the City. ## Objective diverse community ## Policies ## 3.7 Development Strategies Council will promote a number of development strategies that are further detailed in this Section. ## Goal: ## Council will promote development strategies to manage growth opportunities ## 3.7.1 Economic Growth Strategy The City's workforce is strongly focused on tertiary service activities rather than on primary resource industries and secondary manufacturing/ construction industries. As noted in the Summerside Economic Development Strategy in 2011, significant tertiary activities are retail trades, City, provincial and federal government, including the GST Centre, health and welfare services and accommodation and food services. In addition, as was the case in 2011, the City is the regional service centre for surrounding Prince County, which is very important for its primary resource industries. Prince County employs 40% of the Province's agricultural labour force and 46% of those are employed in fishing. Slemon Park has become home to a complex of "high tech", secondary manufacturing industries, including aerospace enterprises. The local economy does have a large export base component which crosses primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, including agricultural processing, the Slemon Park industrial complex, the GST centre, and the tourist industry, which all bring in valuable outside income and induce local spending. Looking at opportunities and challenges for the local economy: 1. Summerside's strategic location with respect to the Confederation Bridge, has improved transportation to outside markets, cheaper input materials for local production and more tourist visitors. The east approach to Summerside at the Reads Corner intersection has been upgraded, improving circulation and traffic flow into the City. 2. Local agriculture has been impacted by market dominance by multi-national companies, which has driven prices downward. There is a potential for, the City and the East Prince region to transform these challenges into comparative advantages by applying leadership in agricultural diversification, bio-engineering, improved ecological practices and agricultural training. 3. Senior government "downloading" of responsibilities for economic development, physical infrastructure and government services has placed more demands on City resources. The City has become more economically self-reliant and better able to control its own future. 4. Global integration and the new knowledge-based economy will broaden local business horizons, but will require expanded entrepreneurial, organizational and technological skills among the local work force. The City has responded with increased support for 'Smart' technologies that provide communication access across the Region. Given the above, the Summerside Economic Development Action Plan elaborated in 2011 is relevant to the goals of this official plan: 1. Focus their strategy on long-term sustainability, including: 2. = generating adequate numbers of continuing and rewarding jobs for the local workforce; 3. = sharing economic opportunities across social groups; 4. = maintaining environmentally compatible industries and practices. 2. Promote comprehensive economic development, including: 6. = realistic expansion of traditional industries; 7. = selective diversification into new high-growth economic sectors; 8. = continuing adaptation across all sectors to compete in the global economy; 9. = promotion of a competitive business environment; 10. = public and private cooperation for proactive community economic development. 3. Undertake a strategic planning approach to formulate and implement their economic development strategy, including: 2. = multi-stakeholder participation by business and government; 3. = scanning of changing internal and external economic environments; 4. = focused consensus-building around important development issues; 5. = clear allocation of responsibilities for action; 6. = continuing monitoring, revaluation and redirection of its strategy; 7. = a targeted economic growth strategy should be developed. This would demonstrate how far the City is willing to go to promote growth in each sector; 8. = the City will support developing new strategies for economic growth. As an example, the City SETS (Sport and Event Tourism Summerside) initiative assists sporting bodies along with event organizers in attracting regional, national, and international sporting events to Summerside. Sport Tourism represents over 15,000 visitors to Summerside annually, and is a critical piece of our tourism offering; 9. = we need to develop strategies to promote economic growth in the 'household friendly' and 'youth' categories in order to ensure sustainability into the future; 10. = demographic trends confirm that the seniors' market is growing and will continue to grow without too much intervention on our part. It is the household and youth market that needs our full attention and a specific strategy. 11. = sectoral plans should be developed to show how we will promote economic growth; 12. = as a start, a number of areas of the City should be designated as "Economic Growth Areas" as pilots for new development strategies which can include: - Development regulations; - Development incentives; 15. Monetary incentives (Taxation, Electrical rates, Development costs, Parkland fees, etc.). Similarly, targeted Commercial and Industrial Growth strategies are required to demonstrate the City's commitment to growth in these sectors. As a principle, the City should know the strategic impact of a program from a planning and development perspective. The City should know if the program generated new business or re-distributed the existing businesses in the City as a measure of the program's success and to evaluate the impact on land use patterns in the City. The City, in all cases should be looking for: - = Information on the program's objectives and goals; - Whether the program has met those goals; - = Did it also meet the City's overall strategic needs. ## Objective To foster economic partnership and development ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Continue its lead role in organizing and facilitating a joint government/ business approach to foster an economic development strategy. 2. Keep evolving the Official Plan and development control bylaws to implement the City's economic development strategy. 3. Strengthen partnerships with all business sectors 4. Retain existing business and grow our reputation as Small City: Big Ambitions 5. Develop a vibrant and active downtown 6. Increase entrepreneurship opportunities, and the success and marketing of existing local business and industry 7. Diversify land uses and promote retail businesses and restaurants at the street level in the downtown core 8. Create a consistent look and feel downtown 9. Increase investment and maintain tenancy in the downtown 10. Adopt an economic mechanism that will support downtown business improvement and reinvestment 11. Utilize municipal events to increase traffic and awareness of local shopping opportunities 12. Implement the Summerside Economic Development Action Plan 2011 13. Work with educational organizations to target niche markets and identify future economic development opportunities 14. Promote the downtown to highlight and showcase local businesses 15. Council will work with Downtown Summerside Inc and other economic agencies to manage and promote a Business Improvement Area (BIA) 16. Council will develop wayfinding signage standards specifically for downtown 17. Council will develop a downtown and waterfront urban core area strategy as priority 18. Council will prioritize the downtown area for activity-based retail and supporting commercial activities. 19. Promote City SETS (Sport and Event Tourism Summerside) as an economic development strategy. ## 3.7.2 Neighbourhoods Strategy Neighbourhoods foster the sense of place and belonging. Thus, it is important to provide a variety of uses and convenient amenities within neighbourhoods, including a range of housing types and tenures. Building strong, inclusive neighbourhoods designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, a sense of local pride and opportunities for social interaction, can be achieved by: - Providing a mix of land uses; - : Promoting a mincerives and peatie Exploring new incentives and strategies to provide affordable housing options throughout Summerside; - Encouraging infill and re-development that is designed to be compatible with existing neighbourhoods; and - Promoting residential densification to fully utilize existing roads, infrastructure, and community amenities. ## 3.7.3 Community Public Engagement Strategy The formal municipal decision-making process of Council meetings has become a barrier to open and effective dialogue as many residents are unwilling to speak at a public forum. An effective public forum is vital to allow discussion, feedback and opinions. ## Objective ## Policies ## To develop an effective Community Public Engagement strategy The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Council will develop a communications strategy tailored to the needs of reviewing or changing elements of the Official Plan. 2. Council will use social media to communicate events and provide information 3. Council will utilize on-line engagement tools. An example is PlaceSpeak https://www.placespeak.com 4. Council may conduct an resident surveys or polls to engage public opinions on issues. On-line tools such as SurveyMonkey https://www.surveymonkey.com/ can provide information that is clear and easy to understand and using infographics or other on-line engagement and communication tools can communicate this research data to the public. ## 3.7.4 City Downtown/ Waterfront Urban Core Area Strategy Council will designate a City downtown/ waterfront core area targeting residential densification and infill area to support wide range of core commercial uses, and encourage the continued intensification, development and redevelopment in the core area. ## Objective To develop a combined downtown and waterfront core area strategy ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Encourage the infill of vacant and underutilized properties; 2. Support residential developments for multi-household units and apartment buildings; 3. Promote the mixture of multi-household residential and commercial uses in one building, with the commercial uses on the lower floors fronting on the street, and residential uses on the upper floors or at the back of the buildings; 4. Increase awareness and programs for heritage, culture and public art; 5. Require landscaping, planters and trees as an important part of the downtown aesthetic and public realm; 6. Require buildings on Water Street in the downtown to have pedestrian-oriented, ground floor commercial uses; 7. Normal off-street parking requirements will be waived for commercial land uses as a zoning incentive; 8. Consider reduced parking requirements for all residential uses; 9. Work with key stakeholders, including Downtown Summerside Inc, Holland College, and the Summerside Port Corporation; 10. Pursue multi-use commercial/residential buildings in the historic core; 11. Promote the long-range 30 yeart "vision" of the Summerside Urban Core Plan (2016) which integrates compatible developments between the downtown core and the adjacent waterfront. 12. Encourage the re-use of heritage buildings; 13. Encourage housing options associated with Holland College. ## 3.7.5 Complete Streets Strategy Roadway investments must be balanced with investments in other transportation modes. Bicycles and pedestrians are an important component of the transportation system. Residents will be encouraged to integrate bicycling and walking into their daily activities to promote a healthier lifestyle and improve energy conservation. The Summerside Green Commute Program is a good example to showcase. Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit rider of all ages and abilities are able to move safely along and across a complete street. The City and its residents own the streets and sidewalks so they need to work for everyone not just drivers. By designing for people, not just cars, we can make our streets more safe, attractive and welcoming for all. Thinking in terms of a complete street leads to accommodating cyclists and pedestrians as a routine part of planning, design and construction of the transportation network. Experienced cyclists tend to favour sharing the street with motor vehicles or using bike lanes at the edge of the pavement or curb. Inexperienced cyclists and children tend to feel more secure with some form of buffer between them and the travel lane. In order to create a bicycle friendly community, facilities designed to accommodate users of all skill levels must be provided. Everyone who travels throughout the City becomes pedestrian for some portion of their trip. A functional, safe pedestrian public realm is vital for successful street multimodal design. Pedestrians are generally defined as transit What a complete street may look like person walking, jogging, using wheelchair or mobility aids and people walking dogs or children or infants. Complete Streets Accessible to vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and    ## Objective To develop an Active Transportation Plan (Draft 2012) ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Council will favor a "Complete Streets" approach when developing the active transportation and active living network. 2. Council will designate, as part of the "complete streets" and active transportation plan, safe routes to key designations in the community, specifically schools. 3. Promote Complete Streets design that includes features such as traffic calming, street trees, sidewalks and multi-modal access throughout the City, considering the needs of people of all ages and abilities. ## Objective: Improve Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation 4. Ensure that all new street projects and major reconstruction projects provide appropriate and adequate right-of-way for safe and convenient movement for all users. 5. Expand the use of level of service standards to include bicycle and pedestrian levels of service in the analysis of all new transportation improvement projects. 6. Encourage pedestrian friendly road design. 7. Adopt a City Crosswalk Policy ## 3.7.6 Healthy Community Strategy It is becoming widely recognized that the way we design our community and in particular our neighborhoods can play a significant role in encouraging our residents to make healthier choices, and decrease the risks of chronic illness. A report from the PEI Chief Health Officer in 2014 found that chronic illnesses have become PEl's greatest health threat. Cancer, for example, is the leading cause of premature death. Heart disease, obesity and diabetes are also major health concerns. Through the integration of health and land use planning, we can create heathy built environments, whereby residents can: - = More easily connect with others in their neighborhood; - = Walk and bicycle safely; - = Enjoy the outdoors; - = Find housing options for different life stages; - = Breathe clean air; - = Reduce risk of injury; - = Make healthy eating choices Many of the planning and land use practises that promote healthy living, also leads to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, local economic development, lower infrastructure costs, and more. The benefits of healthy built environment are far reaching and yield positive impacts that go beyond health. Health is affected by many factors, some internal and others external. A community's overall health is affected by the quality of the built environment as well as the services available. The built environment refers to the human-scale, such as roads, neighbourhoods, parks and buildings that define the physical form of a community. ## Healthy Community PEl has commissioned a number of recent Reports including a Wellness Strategy and Chief Health Officer Report & Health Trends   The natural environment refers to resources, such as air, water, soil and vegetation. The built and natural environments that promote health and well-being place fewer demands on the health care system. The ongoing discussion around obesity and its associated illnesses indicate the need to address healthy communities on all fronts. ## Key health issues: - = Encourage increased physical activity through better design of the transportation network; - = Increased food security promoting local food resources such as the Summerside Farmers Market; - = Better understanding of the impacts on health and wellbeing resulting from community development standards; - = Social inclusion and opportunities to engage all members of the community.  In healthy communities, culture, walking and bicycling are normal parts of daily life. Creating an active community environment means taking a look at opportunities to promote culture and safety walk and bicycle. ## Objective Summerside will be a healthy community. Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Encourage more active lifestyles through new development and redevelopment design that support walking and cycling and continue to expand sidewalk and bicycle networks to create safer routes to schools. 2. Continue to work with the development community on the education surrounding the connection between the built environment and public health. 3. Create Walkable Neighbourhoods & Streets. ## 3.7.8 Smart Growth Strategy The demand for Smart Growth housing is expected to increase in the next few decades due to a number of trends. Demographics - Strong impact on the future demand for housing such as an aging population, declining household size, declining fertility rates and cultural and economic diversity. - = Rising fuel prices - Fuel prices will have a significant impact on transportation costs, number of vehicles per household and heating oil for homes. - = Increased health concerns - There are many issues around health and well-being and how it is impacted by the built environment. Fitness, mobility and obesity are all concerns. - = Increased fiscal concerns - Summerside has increased fiscal challenges as they try to manage budgets with providing services. Low density sprawl is more costly to service than areas that are higher densities. - = Desire for community - People living in walkable neighbourhoods are more likely to know their neighbours, participate in the community, trust others and be socially engaged. This can be accommodated by front-porch socializing, main street and corner stores. ## Advantages of Smart Growth ## For Residents: - = Knowledge of what developments may look like from the start; - = An improved public realm; - = Neighborhoods that are walkable, connected and accessible to services; - = More public spaces; - = More housing choices ## For Developers/ Builders/ Businesses: - = Greater flexibility for development: density, height, building types and mixes, parking, lot development standards; - = Potential for limitations on appeals to IRAC; - = Higher densities/ flexibilities yield higher return on investments; - = Smaller street r-o-w's ## For the City: - = City's commitment to the future; - = Control over appearance of community, visual distinction; - = Flexibility for future development; - = Lower infrastructure costs; - = Supports other City initiatives; - = Encouraging improved walking and public transit habits; - = Business flexibility Smart growth may be implemented through Form Based Codes (FBC), a new approach to regulate land use. FBC focuses primarily on the physical form of the public realm. The public realm is a municipality's most defining characteristic and is defined by the streets, buildings and public spaces and how they effectively work together to create vibrant, livable spaces. ## Form Based Code (FBC) compared to Conventional Zoning The Form Based Code approach focuses on the form of the urban environment and its design and allows more flexibility to address changes over time. Conventional zoning focus on land use and often a separating land uses and a hierarchy of land uses. Typically zoning regulations address: - Height and density; - Allowable uses, ie residential, commercial or industrial; - Building setbacks, parking and landscaping. ## Smart Growth    Conventional zoning makes it challenging to mix compatible land uses in the same area. Zoning dictates where people live and work. It is the primary tool that regulates land use. Conventional zoning was initiated back in the industrial age to prevent people from living adjacent to noxious industrial activities. To make an increase of density work well, more focus needs to be placed on urban design and a mix of compatible uses. Formbased zoning is a more effective and streamlined approach to creating neighbourhoods based on Smart growth principles with a focus on urban design rather than separating land uses. Formbased code creates vibrant, active neighbourhoods, where people can walk to shops, and services. ## Form Based Code zoning provides: - = Mixed use development- shops, restaurants and services closer to homes; - = Simplified development; - = Most effective means to create pedestrianscale, mixed use active environments; - = More predictable results, - = Building uses to change over time by adapting to changing markets; - = Uniform and consistent design standards, site layouts, views, conservation of cultural and historic resources; - = More focus on the size, type and placement of buildings, not only on the individual parcel but within its surrounding context, providing a basis for activating the public realm between buildings and space; - = Higher density that is more carefully planned and compatible. Form Based examples    | Conventional zoning | Form-based zoning | |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Key points: - Focus on current use without considering potential future uses of a building or site - Zones are based on a single-use (ie. residential, commercial, industrial) and separating land uses - Focus on allowable land uses | Key Points: - Focus on form of the urban environment and design, and long-term quality of the public realm; - The facing street corridor and zone determine the building type that can be built - Regulations focus on how buildings relate to the street and each other - Mixes land uses such as commercial/ residential within the same building | ## Conventional Zoning  ## Form Based zoning  ## Objective To review a Form Based Code- FBC as recommended in the Summerside Urban Core Plan ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Encourage flexibility in land uses and development standards in the downtown/ waterfront core areas by considering a Downtown Urban Design strategy; 2. Review the zoning boundaries of the Downtown (D) zone to make a strategic combined downtown/ waterfront urban core area zone; 3. Consider the concept of a Town market square, creating a unique public visual experience that marques Summerside. 4. Explore options to establish form based codes in the Connector Districts in the CDA Zone. ## 3.7.9 Environmental Sustainable Development Strategy This section outlines an Environmental Sustainable Development Strategy for Summerside. In 2004 the City of Summerside established its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability by joining in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the National Research Council and Infrastructure Canada in the National Infra Guide Network, a national network of experts offering the best in Canadian expertise and knowledge designed to build capacity and improve environmental sustainability within small and medium sized municipalities. The City received recognition as a leader in this area thus establishing a tradition of environmental stewardship within its jurisdiction. This commitment was not limited to traditional infrastructure - roads and pipes, but included the Island's most advanced Water Treatment Facility and the Summerside Wind Energy Farm, producing energy from renewable, sustainable sources. In addition, the City has extended its waterfront boardwalks to highlight the diversity of habitat along the riparian zone on the Green shore. The boardwalk integrates the natural vegetation of the shoreline, a walking trail, outdoor exercise course and spectacular views capes. As a result, the City assumed stewardship of the riparian zone on the Bay for both its creation and maintenance, even though the City has little jurisdictional power over the management of this zone due to Provincial Regulations. The City views a sense of stewardship as the most important first step in developing a sustainable approach to environmental management. We define sustainability as: ...a series of principles to ensure that development is environmentally, fiscally and, socially responsible in the long term; one that recognizes the enduring connections between development, the natural environment and quality of life. ## Objective ## To implement an Environmental Sustainability Plan ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. A Summerside Environmental Sustainability Plan should define a set of "First Principles" on which the plan is based. 2. Council recognizes the concepts and practices of Stewardship as a First Principle in an Island-wide environmental sustainability plan. 3. The term sustainable be defined so that residents understand what the plan stands for and knows what and where Policy flows from within the Plan 4. The words and concepts need to be heard and seen in a demonstrable way and resources should be allocated to educate and promote these ideas. 5. Council demonstrate their commitment to these First Principles by a formal Policy Commitment. All future decisions should be measured by this commitment to these first principles. 6. One week per year should be declared as Stewardship Week where activities can be organized around environmental themes. This would be an excellent opportunity to partner with all of the Island's Environmental Associations/Organizations to raise and reinforce awareness of the issues. 7. Summerside lobby the Province Department of Environment to be given more latitude when it comes to areas where they have assumed stewardship over environmentally sensitive areas (riparian, conservation and wetlands).  ## GROWTH MANAGEMENT This section of the Official Plan describes Council's rationale, objectives and policies for effective growth management in the City of Summerside. Council's overall growth management strategy is reviewed first and then each of its component methods are described in detail. ## 4.0 Rationale The purposes of growth management policies are to balance market forces with wider public interests to create urban development patterns which are economically efficient, aesthetically attractive and environmentally sound. The City wishes to promote controlled and compact development patterns to avoid strip development along major highways, and leapfrogging over uncompleted subdivisions and other vacant sites. These forms of growth increases costs for providing capital infrastructure, for operating and maintaining utilities, and for road maintenance, snow clearing and school bussing. It is also difficult to coordinate the timely provision of public facilities to keep up with housing growth. Thus, the consequences include inefficient public spending, higher taxes, increased development costs and higher prices for home buyers. These costs are worth avoiding, thus maintaining Summerside as an economically attractive place to live and to operate a business. Effective growth management is vital to the City's plans for succeeding in the highly competitive global economy. Effective management of the City's growth is also very important for protecting valuable agricultural lands and environmental resources. Indeed, ensuring agricultural sustainability is vital for both the East Prince regional economy and the economic base of the City. Most of the undeveloped areas within the City are classified by the Canadian Land Inventory (CLI) as valuable class 2 agricultural lands, and are actively farmed. The small remainder of class 5 lands are not suited for intensive agriculture, but do constitute valuable wetlands and natural drainage areas that should be preserved. It is also recognized that the success of the City's growth management efforts will be closely tied to how well growth is managed in the surrounding East Prince region. Uncontrolled regional growth will not only eat up valuable farmland but will also drain potential growth away from the City. On the other hand, if the City wishes regional growth to be effectively controlled it will have to set a good example by applying sound growth management policies within its own boundaries. Successive Provincial Government reports have strongly advocated containing urban growth within wellplanned and serviced communities, curtailing sprawl development and preserving valuable agricultural lands. In conclusion, it is emphasized that Council's growth management policies are not designed to slow down or deter growth, but rather are designed to promote growth that is beneficial for the whole community and the region. Indeed, effective growth management can itself promote growth by creating a more attractive urban environment for residential and business development. ## Goal: - Promote effective growth management practices within the City to ensure efficient land use, cost-effective infrastructure, a competitive tax base, and protection of agricultural lands and natural resources. ## Objective Achieve effective growth management through best planning practices ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Ensure a sufficient supply of zoned urban lands to satisfy market demands over the next 15 years and beyond. 2. Improve security for private and public investments into land development by making more rational, consistent and transparent decisions on how urban growth is managed. 3. Promote efficient land use patterns by containing growth within those areas most suited for development, including making full use of already serviced areas, by encouraging residential densification, and avoiding exclusionary residential zoning. - Promote cost-effective infrastructure through orderly and managed urban expansion. 5. Promote coordinated phasing of community facility programs with urban expansion to avoid either overburdened or underused services. 6. Protect agricultural lands from premature development, speculation and other harmful urban impacts, with a particular focus on agricultural lands on the City's periphery. 7. Protect natural resources and environmentally sensitive areas from serious damage or irrevocable loss. Council will employ a number of methods to promote its growth management objectives, including: - a. Zoning Control over the designation, phasing and conditions of allowable land uses on individual properties, including minor variances (up to 10%) and major variances (10% to 50%), development agreements, discretionary, conditional and restricted use approvals. - b. Development Control over construction standards, financial responsibilities and the imposition of levies for subdivisions and other developments. Development Charges are another new option under the PEI Planning Act. - c. Capital Planning for cost-effective infrastructure and facilities to meet current and future needs, including collaboration with the Province on their planning. - d. Secondary Planning within the general framework of the Official Plan to prepare detailed development guidelines for areas requiring special attention, with participation by local residents and stakeholders. - e. Collaboration in Regional Planning with other jurisdictions to promote sound land use and growth management which complements the City's own efforts. These methods are integrated into a comprehensive growth management strategy to advance Council's growth management objectives. ## Objective Council will use a number of tools to achieve growth management objectives ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote a comprehensive strategy which integrates a range of mutually reinforcing methods to achieve Council's growth management objectives, including: zoning and development controls, capital plans, secondary and regional plans, and urban design standards and guidelines. 2. Implement specific policies for each growth management method to support Council's comprehensive growth management strategy. 3. Develop urban design guidelines and standards as necessary to support the integration of new development into the surrounding area, where appropriate. The flow chart on the following page helps to graphically depict the planning structure of planning documents. The intent is to ensure Summerside has a balance of plans and bylaws that effectively promote, regulate and manage Summerside's land use growth.  ## 4.1 Development Control Development control of subdivisions and other projects contributes to sound urban growth management in a number of ways. For instance, continuation of the City's present requirements for developers to pay their own servicing costs encourages cost-effective infrastructure and helps to curtail urban sprawl. Also, continued requirements for connecting nearly all new development to community water and sewer services, not only safeguards public health and environmental quality but promotes growth close to existing services. Likewise, continued requirements for developers to dedicate parkland or contribute a cash equivalent, helps to ensure that park provisions keeps pace with development. ## Objective ## Urban Growth Management and Development Control ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Require that all new development be connected to community water and sewer services, except farm buildings and housing in agricultural zones where it is impractical to make such connections (see also Council Policy 5.1.1.2). 2. Maintain equitable cost-sharing by the City for oversized services to accommodate general community needs over and above developers' responsibilities for servicing their own projects, as follows: - a) generally, the City will have responsibility for the over-sizing costs of sewers, water and roads (but see 3. below) - b) developers will have responsibility for the over-sizing costs of storm drainage, so as to not unfairly place a burden on the City if they elect to open up costly-to-develop sites. 3. Continue the existing Islands and Regulatory Appeals Commission (IRAC) principle of "orderly and following growth," so that if a developer wishes to proceed immediately with an approved subdivision that is not adjacent to an existing serviced area, they are responsible for: - a) all over-sizing costs for sewers, water, roads and storm sewers; - b) off-site costs for connecting their project to City services; - c) The City may be responsible for assessing Late Comer charges. 4. Maintain an appropriate system of levies for developers to contribute to community park needs commensurable with the size of their development, either through: - a) park dedications within the development site; or - b) cash contributions for acquiring, expanding or improving City parks; or - c) any combination thereof, subject to Council's determination and selection of any park site dedication. 5. Growth management will utilize zoning and development control tools such as secondary plans, variances, development agreements, development charges, site plan approval, conditional uses, discretionary uses, restricted uses, and subdivision powers. ## 4.2 Capital Planning Capital planning contributes to cost-effective infrastructure and community facilities by encouraging careful review and prioritization of project needs. A phased program of capital projects also promotes the timely expansion of services and facilities to keep up with growth. Details on capital planning are provided in Section 7. ## Objective To coordinate capital planning with urban growth management ## Policies ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Plan, design and budget City capital projects with sufficient lead times to facilitate orderly and properly serviced urban growth. 2. Promote collaboration with the Province on their capital planning for schools, health facilities, transportation improvements, and inter-governmental funded infrastructure projects. ## 4.3 Secondary Planning Secondary plans will be prepared for selected areas in the City which, upon approval by Council, will form part of the Official Plan. The purpose of secondary plans is to provide more detailed development guidelines for areas requiring special attention, because of such reasons as unique development potentials, diverse land uses, integration of road and servicing networks, and environmental considerations. All secondary plans will be prepared with full participation by local residents and stakeholders. By laying out development guidelines in advance, more security is provided for public and private investors. Too many Secondary Plans reduce the effectiveness of the Official Plan, as a Secondary Plan is a micro-official plan that has a clear mandate, special development standards and a well- defined geographic area. It is intended to help support broader Official Plan policies where more detailed planning analysis is needed. ## Objective To complete secondary planning ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Complete detailed secondary plans as necessary for areas requiring priority attention by Council and to budget resources accordingly. See Section 5 for Secondary Planning. ## 4.4 Summerside Region Special Planning Area The City recognizes that its own growth management efforts could be seriously undermined if they are not paralleled by complementary regional action. If left uncontrolled, development around the City will: (1) erode agricultural lands in the region, (2) lure growth away from the City because of lower development standards and taxes, (3) erode the City's tax base, and (4) cause additional outside residents to place more pressures on City services and amenities without necessarily paying for them. The City welcomes visitors from the surrounding region, but wants to collaborate with their neighbours in finding solutions to their mutual concerns. ## Objective To support regional planning with adjacent communities ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Support the Province to maintain the Summerside Region Special Planning Area (buffer zone) around the City of Summerside, until a more permanent regional planning solution is put in place. 2. Promote Provincial sponsorship of a locally-based, regional planning process, involving partnership with the City, neighbouring communities and the Slemon Park Development Corporation, to address common planning and growth management concerns.  ## LAND USE This section summarizes the overall development concept for the City that is elaborated in subsequent sections of the Plan. The contents of this Section on land use are also presented graphically as Schedule "B", Future Land Use Map (FLUM) in Section 9. This is a conceptual land use plan, showing projected "future" land use for the next 15 year time horizon. The Future Land Use Map is different than the Zoning Map which is not conceptual and shows "existing" or "current" land uses. Thus, the two maps will not be identical, as the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) is future designations of how land use changes may occur in the future. ## 5.0 Land Use Categories The Future Land Use Map (FLUM) forms Schedule "B" of the City of Summerside's Official Plan 2018, and is appended at the end of the document as a map. The land use designations depicted on the Future Land Use Map are as follows: (Note: colors depicted below may not exactly match the larger size FLUM map colors) | Future Land Use Map (FLUM) categories | Future Land Use Map (FLUM) categories | |-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | 1. | Residential | | | Comprehensive Development Area (CDA) | | 3. | Commercial | | 4. | Downtown | | 5. | Industrial | | | Institutional | | 7. | Parkland | | 8. | Special Use | | 9. | Agricultural | | 10. | Conservation | ## Goals: - Allow a range of housing types, densities, and forms of tenure, and accommodate population change, affordable housing and housing for vulnerable populations. - Promote quality-designed residential developments featuring mixes of housing types appropriate to the local area, efficient use of land and attractive site development, economical but high standard servicing, vehicular/pedestrian accessibility and safety, and adequate recreational space; - Facilitate sensitive recycling of older, non-heritage housing and lots as an affordable housing option; - Concentrate higher density residential development in locations where residents can benefit most from proximity to jobs, facilities and services, as appropriate to their individual needs. ## Residential ## 5.1 Residential Development The first part of this section describes general residential development policies pertaining to housing options, zoning categories and residential land allocations. The second part describes specific policies pertaining to special planning and development areas, and locations for high density housing. The third part deals with other residential issues. | Table 5-1 Residential Densities | Housing Type | |-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | LOW DENSITY | - Single-detached - Semi-detached (2 units) - Duplexes - Row houses (maximum 4 units/lot) - Town houses (maximum 4 units/lot) - Accessory dwelling units | | MEDIUM DENSITY | - Single detached - Semi-detached (2 units) - Duplexes - Row house per unit (maximum 8 units/building) - Townhouse per unit (maximum 8 units/building) - Apartments (maximum 4 units/building) - Accessory Dwelling Units | | MEDIUM DENSITY | - Mobile Home Parks (limited expansion) | | HIGH DENSITY | - Row houses & Town houses - Apartments | All housing will be connected to community water and sewer services, with very limited exceptions in agricultural zones. National Building Code requirements for barrier free access by disabled persons will be applied in apartment buildings (as well as in all other applicable commercial and institutional buildings). Modular buildings are a form of construction where prefabricated modules are made off-site, transported to their final location, and then assembled and integrated with on-site components to form a complete, permanent building. In Summerside, modular buildings are recognized as an acceptable construction form for all buildings. Modular buildings must comply with zone standards and shall be designed to be compatible with the surrounding area. For clarity, a modular building does not include a mobile home or a mini home which are referred to as a manufactured home. In Summerside, land is zoned to accommodate manufactured homes in manufactured home parks. ## 5.1.1 Residential Zones The Future Land Use Map (FLUM) designates lands for residential uses. All residential lots may accommodate four units, limited in the lower density zones to single detached dwellings, duplex and semi-detached dwellings, row and townhouse dwellings, and accessory dwelling units. Semi-detached houses, duplexes, fourplexes, row houses, town houses and small apartment buildings which integrate into the neighbourhood are encouraged. Provisions are made for six residential zones as well as a zone for comprehensive development areas (CDAs), which may include one or more housing categories in their mix of land uses. ## Residential Housing Forms   ## Objective ## Policies ## To promote all housing types in the City ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote a sufficient diversity of housing types, residential densities and tenure options to meet varied segments of market demand while establishing processes, guidelines, and standards, where appropriate, for consideration of the integration of new buildings into neighbourhoods. 2. Require that all housing be connected to community water and sewer services, except that where it is impractical to make connections in an agricultural zone, on- site servicing may be utilized in compliance with minimum lot size requirements under the P.E.l. Planning Act Regulations. 3. Provide incentives for construction of affordable housing through the use of density bonusing. 4. Permit modular buildings for all types of housing. ## Objective ## Policies 1. Implement a comprehensive range of residential zones in the Zoning Bylaw CS-40 to accommodate an array of housing types, densities and tenures, including non-market housing, supportive housing and housing for vulnerable populations. ## To include zones to accommodate all housing types ## The following are Council's statements of policy 2. Maintain the comprehensive development area (CDA) zone for promoting more innovative responses to unique development opportunities on suitable, large sites than is possible under normal zoning, including possibilities for: - a) a mix of residential, commercial, institutional and special uses as appropriate to each individual site; - b) mixes of housing types and densities; 4. innovative developments such as cluster layouts, zero lot line developments, and integrated residential/recreational concepts. ## 5.1.2 Residential Land Allocations Allocating land for residential development must recognize population projections, household formulation rates, housing types and density. Background studies as part of the "Mayor's Task Force on Attainable Housing - Final Report - October 17, 2023" projected that Summerside's population will increase by over 4000 persons between the 2021 Census and 2031. Based on a medium growth scenario, Summerside's population will reach 20,100 people by 2031. Household formation predicts how population growth will translate into demand for new dwelling units. Based on a medium growth scenario, 1,918 new dwelling units will be required between the 2021 and 2031 Census. The high growth scenario estimates a demand of 2,011 new dwelling units. Between 2021 and 2031, 192 to 212 new dwelling units must be built annually to accommodate population growth, avoid housing shortages and maintain affordability. Building permits issued by the City of Summerside between 2018 and 2023 (year to date) show new development in higher density housing types such as semi-detached units, apartments, row houses, town houses and manufactured housing. Such housing types increase density, meaning land allocated for residential development can accommodate a greater number of dwelling units. Higher density housing promotes land use and servicing efficiency. Accommodating projected population growth and demand for new housing units can be achieved in several ways: 1. Allowing more units to be constructed on existing single dwellings residential lots. This could include creating new residential units within existing single detached dwellings through renovation and additions, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) such as secondary suites and garden suites, and new builds in the form of duplexes, townhouses and small apartment buildings. The potential to add additional units within the existing built fabric of the city in this way is significant. With approximately 530 existing developed single dwelling lots with an area between 620 and 800 square meters, adding one to three additional units per lot has the potential to significantly increase the city's housing stock by between 500 and 1500 units. 2. Encouraging the development of serviced, vacant lands within the city for housing in the form of town housing, row housing and mid-rise apartment buildings. Within the city there are approximately 600 ha of vacant land currently designated and zoned for residential development which could be used to supply this form of housing, commonly known as the "missing middle." 3. Allowing higher density development in the form of high rise multi-unit residential buildings and commercial/residential buildings in defined locations - near public transit, active transportation routes and services. Redevelopment of vacant or underutilized residential, commercial and institutional sites and buildings in the downtown and elsewhere, provide opportunities for increasing the range of housing options and affordability - available to all citizens. 4. Allocating lands for future residential development. Within the City, 569 ha of land is designated for future residential development. As the City grows, this land can be made available for development at densities needed to satisfy future housing demand and in accordance with the principles of smart growth. ## Objective ## To ensure a sufficient supply of residential zoned lands ## Polices ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Provide for an adequate supply of residentially-zoned lands to accommodate population growth over the next 10 years, including a sufficient growth margin for market choices and protection against inflationary pressures. 2. Support higher density development to promote land use and servicing efficiencies and housing choice as well as provide affordable housing options. ## 5.2 Secondary Planning and Comprehensive Development Areas ## 5.2.1 Secondary Planning Areas (SPAs) Secondary plans are an important component of the City's growth management strategy. They will be identified by Council on a case-by-case basis, for areas needing detailed development guidelines, with full participation of local residents and stakeholders. Upon adoption by Council, secondary plans will form part of the Official Plan and any necessary zoning changes will be made. ## 5.2.2 Comprehensive Development Areas (CDAs) It is Council's policy to create a CDA zone to facilitate innovative developments on suitable sites, subject to comprehensive development plans being approved in each case. However, developers will have the option of initially outlining their intentions for later phases of development in less detailed concept plans. Generally, Council will only zone additional CDA areas on application and not in advance, i.e. a so-called "floating zone." It is expected that CDA proposals may flow out of secondary planning, and where appropriate and based on the secondary planning, approval authority may be delegated to the Development Officer in the Bylaw. | Table 5-2 Special Planning and Comprehensive Development Areas | Table 5-2 Special Planning and Comprehensive Development Areas | |------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Areas | Illustrative Opportunities | | Slemon Park (within City boundary) | - Mixed uses for residential, commercial, institutional, green spaces and employment at former military base. | | MacKenzie Drive (west end) | - Mixed uses for commercial, residential subdivision, resort development | | Connector Districts | - The area adjacent to the East-West Connector, mixed uses to support rapid housing and commercial development | ## Objective To identify special planning areas for more detailed land use study ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Review the City's secondary planning areas and CDA's as required by Council. 2. Adjust the boundaries of secondary planning and concept layout areas as required to suit particular circumstances. 3. Consider applications for comprehensive development (CDA) zoning: 86 Page - a) future pre-identified sites in secondary planning areas (SPA's); - b) any other area zoned for residential or commercial use where it can be demonstrated there would be no serious negative impacts on surrounding property owners and residents, City infrastructure or the natural environment, and subject to meeting Council's concerns about adequate coordination with surrounding land uses. 4. Require Council-approved comprehensive development plans as part of CDA zoning approvals, but at Council's discretion allow developers flexibility for responding to changing market trends by, first, granting preliminary approval of a general concept plan for the entire development site and then, following up with final approvals of detailed comprehensive development plans for separate phases of development as they proceed. 5. Consider applications for developments which conform with the current zoning in: 5. (i) Special Planning Areas - SPA's prior to completed secondary plans, 6. (ii) Any pre-identified CDAs which have not yet been approved. 6. Notwithstanding Policy 4, delegate approval authority to the Development Officer in the East West Connector (Connector Districts) area, except where otherwise provided for in the zoning bylaw, applying development standards and, where appropriate, design standards, rather than a requirement for comprehensive development plans. ## 5.3 Location of High Density Housing Council recognizes a change toward higher density residential development and wants to facilitate the construction of more dwelling units, a range of housing types, address questions of housing affordability and availability, and provide housing options for private ownership, non-market, and rental. Council envisions higher density housing such as apartment buildings, and larger row and town house complexes in areas supported by transit and pedestrian access as well as close to jobs, services, community facilities and Holland College. ## LOCATION CRITERIA: Council's criteria for locating high density housing in the City of Summerside include: - allowing additional high density residential development in areas where apartment buildings and larger multi-unit complexes are already located;  - locating high density housing close to jobs, community facilities including Holland College and services, and of promoting pedestrian access; - opportunities for maximizing the number of opportunities for scenic views through higher density and taller residential buildings (but with protection of adequate view planes); - benefits of locating higher density housing in difficult-to-service areas so that they can help distribute expensive development costs among more users; - opportunities for innovative mixes of higher density housing with other residential development in CDA's; - opportunities for recycling older (non-heritage) residential properties with higher density development; - opportunities for apartments in commercial/residential use buildings; - avoidance of negative economic and physical impacts on surrounding land uses, whether existing or proposed; ## Objective To encourage high density housing ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Encourage additional high density residential development in areas zoned for High Density Residential (R4). 2. Allow town houses, row houses, fourplexes, stacked townhouses, and apartment buildings provided that the buildings are integrated into the surrounding area in terms of scale and design. 3. Accommodate applications for higher density residential development including rezoning land in suitable areas. 4. Encourage buildings containing a mix of commercial and residential uses in the Downtown, Commercial Service, High Density Residential and CDA zones provided commercial uses are located in the main floor and are compatible with the residential nature of the building. 5. Promote high density residential in the new Connector Districts enabled through the development of the East-West Connector. ## 5.4 Other Residential Considerations In Summerside, the Residential district and related zones accommodate a range of uses. These uses contributed to the sense of neighbourhood. Some of these uses provide housing for vulnerable populations such as group homes, meet specific needs such as nursing homes and seniors housing complexes or provide affordable housing options such as mobile homes or boarding houses. Accessory dwellings units, in the form of secondary suites or garden suites, provide dwelling units associated with a residential property as well as another housing option. Council aims to build inclusive neighbourhoods where diverse populations and housing needs can be accommodated. Council wishes to remove barriers for these uses while setting conditions to ensure that they are integrated into the neighbourhood fabric. Dwellings can be used to provide economic opportunities for residents in the form of tourism establishments and home-based businesses. ## 5.4.1 Mobile Homes Manufactured homes including mobile homes and mini homes are largely located in manufactured home parks in the City, although there are a few located on private residential lots in the former community of Wilmot. There are six conforming manufactured home parks in the City which are generally of a high quality, as well as two non-conforming parks. ## Objective ## Polices ## To limit expansion of new manufactured home parks ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Restrict mobile homes/mini homes to manufactured home parks, and allow the possibility of limited expansion as policy#2 below. 2. Limit expansion of new zoning (R5) into adjacent contiguous property to the conforming manufactured home park, subject to Council re-zoning process. 3. Allow manufactured home parks which are presently zoned R5 to continue as conforming uses and, where applicable, to expand up to the limits of their zoning or into new areas as policy #2 above. 4. Leave existing manufactured home parks which are not zoned for that purpose as nonconforming uses. 5. Entertain rezoning applications for converting conforming manufactured home parks to other medium or high density residential uses, or to comprehensive development areas (CDA's). ## 5.4.2 Housing for Vulnerable Populations Housing for vulnerable populations takes many forms from supportive dwelling units, transitional accommodation to large nursing care facilities. These buildings need to be integrated into neighbourhoods to enable residents to easily access goods and services, as well as public transit. This is especially important for residents living in supportive and transitional accommodation. ## Objective ## Policies ## To facilitate housing for vulnerable populations ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Allow supportive housing intended to provide a home like environment. 2. Allow nursing care facilities in the Institutional zone, the Downtown zone (districts #1, #2 and #4) and in residential zones as provided for in the Summerside Zoning Bylaw (CS-40). 3. Direct transitional housing and larger supportive housing facilities to locations near downtown, collector and arterial roads, public transit, health clinics and other government services. Design and scale of such facilities shall complement the surrounding area. 4. Prepare and apply form based codes designed to integrate housing for vulnerable populations into the City's urban fabric. ## 5.4.3 Tourism Establishments The part time use of private residences as Tourism Establishments is an important component of Summerside's tourist industry. The Province is responsible for ensuring that all new Tourism Establishments are of high standards and, accordingly, empowers Quality Tourist Services (QTS) to both apply the standards of the P.E.I. Tourism Industry Act and the 'Canada Select' star rating system to all Tourism Establishments. Thus, Council's concern is not so much with regulating the quality of Tourism Establishments as it is with ensuring that they fit in with local neighbourhoods. ## Objective To allow Tourism Establishments in residential homes ## Polices ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote Tourism Establishments as a valuable component of Summerside 's tourist industry. 2. Tourism Establishments are use in any single detached house in the R2 zone and a conditional use in the R3 and R4 zones, provided that they are operated by the business owner. 3. Allow Tourism Establishments as a conditional use in any single detached house within any commercial or agricultural zone, provided that they are operated by the business owner. ## 5.4.4 Home Based Business There is expanding interest in home based business uses because of such trends as increasing numbers of small companies, more outsourcing by larger companies, flexible employeremployee arrangements, and the flexibility afforded to "footloose businesses" in the knowledge-based economy. Indeed, the promotion of home-based businesses is becoming an important issue for local economic development. However, a home based business can also present problems, including concerns by neighbours about loss of enjoyment of their residential properties (typical concerns being increased traffic noise and street parking), as well as the difficulties of drawing a line between appropriate home based business and other uses that are more of a commercial or industrial nature (with the attendant risk of requiring too much staff discretion for making choices). Thus, Council's concern is with achieving a balance between promoting valid home based business as a local economic resource and protecting local residents from any undesirable impacts of their operations. ## Objective To allow Home Based Business in residential zones ## Policies ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote home based business for the valuable contribution which they can make to Summerside's future economic development. 2. Define allowable home based business as closely as possible to minimize the need for discretion by City staff. 3. Approve allowable Home Based Business as conditional uses in houses and accessory buildings, provided that they are operated by the home occupant and do not occupy an aggregate floor area more than 50 m2 and less than 25% of the floor space of the dwelling (or the equivalent in the case of an accessory building), but with no allowable variances. ## 5.4.5 Mixed Commercial/Residential Buildings Mixed use buildings combine commercial uses on lower levels with dwelling units above. The commercial uses contribute to the vibrancy of a neighbourhood while the dwelling units above can support the commercial uses and provide living opportunities close to work and community facilities. Mixed use buildings contribute to the sense of community by providing residential options that are integrated into the neighbourhood fabric. Design is a key consideration to ensure that a mixed-use building fits in the surrounding area. ## Objective ## Policies ## To allow commercial/ residential use buildings ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Allow mixed commercial/residential buildings in the Downtown zone, Service Commercial (C2) zone, High Density Residential (R4) zone and the Comprehensive Development (CDA) zones provided that: - a) commercial or institutional uses occupy the ground floor; and - b) the building design and scale is compatible with the surrounding area. 2. Allow ancillary residential units in commercial and institutional buildings in certain zones. ## 5.4.6 Mixed Residential/ Commercial Zoning The trend in these areas is generally away from housing and towards more commercial uses, but there are a large number of remaining quality homes. It would not be good policy to promote more housing in the area, other than mixed residential-commercial buildings. Council's concern is for existing homeowners to have the options of being able to convert their properties into commercial use or to continue their houses as conforming uses. ## Objective To allow mixed residential/ commercial zoning ## Policies 1. Maintain the commercial zoned area on Water Street East to include the areas presently zoned for mixed residential and commercial uses, but confirm all existing residences as conforming uses throughout the enlarged commercial area. ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 2. Promote mixed residential/commercial options in the Connector Districts in the CDA Zone. ## 5.4.7 Secondary Suites To meet the objectives of the housing growth initiative, a philosophical change in the approach to traditional zoning is required. Currently, zones clearly set limits to the number of units permitted on a parcel of land. The addition of an additional dwelling unit in an existing house has typically been a conditional use, subject to review and approval by the planning board and or Council. Seen as a limiting factor in the promotion of increasing densities in all zones, Council has committed to allowing additional units as of right. Through this approach, up to four dwelling units are allowed, subject to development review, in the main residential zones: R1 - R4. Density can be introduced into existing zoning through allowing accessory dwelling units. These can take two forms: secondary suites which will be in-dwelling (attached to the main dwelling) and as garden suites which are stand-alone structures (detached) outside of the main dwelling and on the same plot of land. These units, by their very nature, cannot be divided from the primary parcel of land; each is associated with a real estate entity. Any new construction can incorporate these additional units in designs. ## Objective ## To permit accessory dwelling units in all residential zones ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Enable the addition of up to four (4) dwelling units in all residential zones, where reasonable and feasible, while maintained the underlying neighbourhood characteristics. 2. Allow secondary suites in single detached, semi-detached dwellings, and town house dwellings. 3. Allow garden suites associated with single detached dwellings, semi-detached dwellings, and row house dwellings. - Encourage inclusion of additional dwelling units in association with new residential buildings, where feasible. ## 5.4.8 Building Conversions for Residential Uses Underutilized buildings and existing residential dwellings may be converted to provide multiple dwellings units to meet housing demand. ## Objective To encourage the conversion of underutilized buildings, including residential dwellings, into multiple dwelling units. ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy - Allow underutilized buildings, including existing dwellings, to be converted into multiple dwelling units in accordance with the underlying zone. 2. As an exception, allow greater flexibility for conversions in the case of designated heritage buildings, but within the limits and safeguards of the City heritage bylaw and accompanying "overlay" zone, which specifies allowable variations from the primary zoning of the properties in question. ## Commercial The first part of this section describes Council's general policies for promoting a functional system of commercial areas across the City. The second part describes more specific policies relating to the development of each area. The third part deals with commercial policies on signage and zero lot line development, as well as general policies on building heights and development agreements. ## 5.5 Commercial Areas and Zones Summerside has extensive commercial areas which provide a broad variety of goods and services to City and regional residents, tourists and other visitors. The commercial sector is an important component of the local economy and tax base. The principal thrust of the Official Plan policies are to guide the physical development of Summerside's commercial areas so that they can become as competitive as possible. To this end, a functional system of convenient and inviting commercial areas will be promoted across the City, each tailored to their respective target markets. The City's major commercial areas includes: Downtown, North Granville, Water Street East, Reads Corner, and St. Eleanors Corner areas, with smaller commercial areas in the West End and on South Drive. Additional areas are expected to become opened as the East-West Connector is built. There are also various neighbourhood commercial areas throughout the City. Each of the major commercial areas contains considerable growth potential, whether by infilling of vacant parcels, intensification or upgrading of existing commercial sites, or conversions from other uses. Some 550 acres of commercial lands are designated on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). The amount of lands designated comfortably exceeds projected needs for commercial lands over the 15-year time horizon of the Official Plan. With limited exceptions, it is Council's policy to promote infilling of existing lands before opening up new commercial areas. Each commercial area focuses on one or two commercial zones, as summarized on the following Table 5-7. However, the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) will only distinguish between the Downtown and all other commercial areas, both for sake of simplicity and to accommodate some flexibility in detailed zoning. Although commercial uses will be permitted in the Connector Districts, the CDA designation will be applied in that area to signal the anticipated mix of uses. | Table 5-7 | Commercial Areas and Zoning | Commercial Areas and Zoning | Commercial Areas and Zoning | |-------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| | COMMERCIAL AREAS | COMMERCIAL ZONES | COMMERCIAL ZONES | COMMERCIAL ZONES | | | D Downtown | C2 Service Commercial | C3 Neighbourhood Commercial | | Downtown | | | | | North Granville | | | | | Water Street East | | | | | South Drive | | | | | Slemon Park | | | | | Reads Corner | | | | | St. Eleanors Corner | | | | | West End (Water Street) | | | | | Neighbourhood Areas | | | |  Following are the general purposes and scope of each, new commercial zone and Council's general commercial policies: ## D Downtown Zone This zone will accommodate a traditional mix of downtown uses, including retail, commercial tourism, professional, business, waterfront, cultural, entertainment and government, which mutually benefit from their proximity to each other in a central City location and, together, promote a cohesive community focus. Although some Downtown businesses may provide for part or all of their own parking needs, many of them rely on shared parking. Commercial/residential buildings and stand-alone apartment buildings will be permitted in the Downtown. Parking requirements for residential uses in the Downtown zone will recognize the availability of public transit, trail infrastructure, and the sidewalk network which increases walkability and reduce the dependence on the automobile. ## C2 Service Commercial Zone This zone will accommodate a broad array of small shops, strip mall to big-box commercial uses which need road frontage for ready vehicular access and advertising exposure. Representative uses include professional office, supermarkets, retail and personal service stores, automobile sales and service operations, hardware stores/lumber yards, garden centres, and tourist-related activities. Generally, service commercial businesses provide their own parking, though parking is shared in the case of strip malls. Residential/commercial buildings and ancillary commercial residences will be permitted in service commercial zones. ## Neighborhood Commercial Zone This zone will accommodate small amounts of commercial uses in primarily residential neighbourhoods. All new uses in neighborhood commercial zones will require a public hearing and Council's discretionary approval, and changes between uses or additions of uses, to ensure their compatibility with surrounding housing. Also, measures will be required to minimize nuisances from traffic and parking. Representative uses include convenience stores, personal services shops and unlicensed restaurants. Residences within commercial buildings will also be permitted. ## Goals: - Encourage a functional system of attractive commercial areas, each developed on an integrated basis to enhance their competitive drawing powers for particular customer markets. ## Objective ## To promote commercial development in all zones ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Promote a functional system of convenient and attractive commercial areas across the City to each serve their respective target markets, i.e. Downtown, North Granville, Water Street East, Reads Corner, St. Eleanors Corner, West End, South Drive and various neighbourhood commercial areas. 2. Implement a system of commercial zones in the City's development control bylaw to promote appropriate clustering of complementary uses in each commercial area according to their function, including downtown commercial, service commercial, and neighborhood commercial zones. 3. Promote a focus in each commercial area on particular commercial zones as follows: - a) Downtown area -- downtown zone; - b) North Granville area -- service commercial zone; - c) Water Street East, South Drive and Slemon Park areas -- service commercial zone; - d) Reads Corner and St. Eleanors Corner areas -- service commercial zone; - e) West End and Neighbourhood areas -- neighborhood commercial zone. 4. Promote commercial development in: - a) designated commercial areas on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM); - b) future areas designated for commercial uses under a Council approved secondary plan (but see .5 below); - c) future sites for neighborhood commercial uses that are compatible with residential neighbourhoods; and - d) sites designated for commercial uses within a Council approved comprehensive development area (CDA) plan 5. Generally, with the exception of neighbourhood commercial areas and CDA's, promote the infilling of existing lands before opening up new commercial areas. 6. Promote high development standards for Summerside's commercial areas to compete in the market place, including quality commercial buildings and landscaped parking areas, convenient vehicular and pedestrian access, and appropriate signage. ## 5.5.1 Downtown Area The Downtown is centrally located around Water Street and Heather Moyse Drive to the waterfront. The Downtown encompasses a broad mix of commercial, professional, business, entertainment, cultural and government functions that cater to the needs of City and regional residents, as well as to tourists and other visitors. ## Downtown Summerside    ## Downtown An older downtown area is located along Water Street, but a newer downtown area has developed to the south on largely land filled sites, under the former Summerside Regional Development Corporation (SRDC). Although some properties have their own parking lots, many of them share use of City or SRDC parking lots. Attempts at upgrading old downtown properties have only been moderately successful and some significant redevelopment opportunities remain to be exploited in the future. The historic former Holman Department Store has been renovated into the Department of Education and Summerside Farmers Market as anchor tenants. There are also considerable potentials for intensifying land uses within the downtown and waterfront areas, including the Summerside Port Corporation properties on the waterfront. Council's concerns for the Downtown include urban core planning within an integrated perspective of both the old and new downtown and waterfront area, coupled with the need to immediately simplify development and site plan reviews. Across North America, communities are rediscovering the importance and value of their downtowns. Over the last few decades, many Downtowns went into decline as retail shifted to malls and big box stores away from their downtown core. But recently, many cities have begun to feel that some things were missing - the sense of community and its history, place of pride, somewhere to call the heart of the community, a bustling centre for activity and entertainment. Summerside's downtown has always been the economic, social and cultural heart and an important part of our community's overall identity. While downtown has seen some decline over the past number of years, it is now poised to revitalize. Driving revitalization is economic growth anticipated for the city, the number of development opportunities in the Downtown, Council's prioritization of the Downtown for growth and investment, and, most importantly, the community's genuine passion and commitment to improving its downtown. The Summerside Urban Core Plan is designed to help facilitate the transformation of Downtown from mediocrity to the thriving heart of the city. ## DOWNTOWN SUMMERSIDE IS A PRIORITY The importance of downtown was reinforced by Council through the adoption in 2017 of the Summerside Urban Core Plan hereinafter referenced as UCP, which positioned the Downtown as the centerpiece of the City's overall growth management strategy. This plan is based on creating a walkable, vibrant and amenity rich downtown focused on revitalization of the city's downtown and waterfront. Acting on the UCP priorities, Council initiated an eight member Urban Core Plan Task Force comprised of citizens and key stakeholders. Their mandate was to create Summerside Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines based on the principles of Form Based urban planning. These Design Standards will make our Downtown the social, economic and cultural heart of the community. The UCP reflects the sense of urgency to embrace the considerable economic opportunities and growth prospects Summerside is experiencing, and to create a healthy and economically vibrant downtown as the cornerstone of a sustainable and liveable community. A successful and vibrant downtown with a mix of opportunities to live, work, learn and play is a community's most important assets, and is essential to attracting and maintaining Summerside residents, especially young households. It is also key to sustaining a vibrant and diverse economy over the long term. ## DOWNTOWN SUMMERSIDE HAS GOOD BONES Downtown Summerside already has some of the key ingredients for a successful downtown: a range of boutique shops and services, civic, cultural and entertainment facilities, a decent number of office uses and jobs, a concentration of character-rich historic commercial buildings, and residential housing to the north. However to realize its true potential, the Downtown will benefit from increasing residential population in the core, implementing public realm and streetscape improvements included in the UCP, and coordinating business retention and attraction as part of a city wide economic development strategy. Included in this vision is revitalization of heritage buildings that recognizes their character-defining elements and inherent historical value, as well as what they contribute to the streetscape and our sense of community and place. The historic assets of the Downtown are waiting to be rehabilitated as the proud and unique soul of the City. It will be important to build on these existing business activities and successes in the Downtown, and to differentiate them from, as opposed to compete with, the more autooriented and 'big-box' retailers elsewhere in the City. The downtown also houses some of the City's key institutions, namely City Hall and Holland College, which provide a solid civic presence and foundation of significant activity in the Downtown. ## ATTRACTING INVESTMENT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The existing grid street network and number of existing street-fronting and pedestrianoriented buildings provide 'good bones' and a solid structural foundation for future growth and intensification in the Downtown. Existing heritage buildings provide a backdrop with unmitigated potential for rehabilitation and redevelopment. The large parking lots and vacant sites, north of Heather Moyse Drive, represent significant opportunities to demonstrate the Downtown vision through early wins. Together, all of these attributes provide significant opportunities for enhanced downtown vitalization and reinvestment. Managing parking is an important component of a revitalized downtown. Large amounts of valuable real estate are currently dedicated to surface parking. Excess parking decreases the critical mass of people and buildings, making destinations more remote from each other and reinforcing the need to use a vehicle. Parking is of course necessary to support retail businesses and residential units, but it should not dominate the Downtown landscape. Hiding parking behind and under buildings, dividing large parking lots into smaller areas, landscaping them, and creating shared parking areas are some of the strategies that can be used to manage parking for a successful downtown. Policy changes and incentives for zoning, such as reducing or eliminating parking requirements for new development in Downtown, will encourage new development by making the economics of downtown development more attractive. ## SUMMERSIDE'S TEN GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR A SUCCESSFUL DOWNTOWN 1. A high quality public realm that provides a quality pedestrian environment and visual interest that attracts and encourages people to spend time downtown. 2. A compact mix of land uses and activities that can generate the strong customer base that downtown businesses need to thrive, while also supporting safety with more 'eyes on the street'. 3. Community, Culture and Diversity create a inclusive downtown with land use activities that are welcoming for everyone. 4. Create economic conditions that stimulate downtown development through a streamlined and efficient review timeline that provides developers with confidence, consistency, certainty, clarity and fewer development appeals to IRAC. 5. Heritage is respect for our past by recognizing, preserving and promoting Water Street's unique streetscape. 6. Create active streets and a waterfront for people, providing comfortable, safe, and attractive streetscapes and view corridors including pedestrian linkages to the waterfront and boardwalk. 7. Downtown Living creates more opportunities for people to live in the downtown to support local businesses/services and encourage a vitality and diversity of activities. 8. New development creates excitement and interest encouraging development of vacant sites and parking lots, well designed buildings with quality materials and uses that showcase the future UCP vision for downtown. Implement interim uses/improvements until such time as they are redeveloped. 9. Make parking work ensuring convenient public and private parking, including onstreet parking, to maximize accessibility to downtown businesses, services, jobs and housing. 10. A working port on the waterfront that prioritizes industrial port activities, commercial and integrates mixed uses + tourism businesses. ## URBAN CORE DISTRICTS The Area shall be divided into four Urban Cores Districts identified on Map 1: Urban Core Plan Area - Historic Water Street Downtown Core District #1; - Port Core District #2; - Downtown Mixed Use Core District #3; - Neighbourhood Core District #4  ## Historic Water Street Downtown Core District #1 This area represents the historic Water Street downtown commercial core area. It is the hub of our main street, with retail shops, finance, restaurants, and offices at street level and in some cases residential apartments on the upper levels. The area is predominately 2-4 storey continuous buildings situated at the street r-o-w. Individual properties make up blocks, but street frontages are narrow and run a full block in depth to either parking lots or streets at the back. Parking is on-street along the public façade. It is the streetscape and buildings that provide this area its historic character and efforts need to be focused on conservation. Development must be sensitive to our past; rejuvenation and re-purposing are the primary objectives. Demolition should only be an option where other alternatives have proven to be not viable. Higher buildings may be proposed, and shall step back after the fourth storey, as conservation of the streetscape is desired. New buildings will be located at the established build-to-line. Proposals for new buildings, substantive additions, demolitions or substantive streetscape changes will be reviewed by Heritage Planning Board. Residential development in the form of apartment buildings and mixed use commercial/residential buildings is encouraged especially to provide dwellings units in proximity to Holland College. ## Port Core District #2 The port area is currently active as a marine terminal including off-loading of gravel barges and other materials. Active industrial port uses will continue over the long term and it is expected the majority of this industrial port area will not develop for the long term. The majority of the land holdings in this area are owned by the Summerside Port Authority. Key vistas and unobscured public views of the waterfront from the terminus of north-south streets will be enshrined. The waterfront boardwalk will be a draw to all residents as well as businesses that occupy the area north of Heather Moyse Drive to Water Street in District #3. It is expected this area will be walkable and pedestrian friendly. ## Downtown Mixed Use Core District #3 This area is generally comprised of large properties. The current development pattern is similar to retail developments uptown, with large parking lots near the street and buildings set far back on the properties. Subdivision of properties may be possible. The large parking lots are underutilized and have the highest development potentials in the urban core plan. The majority of the land holdings in this area are owned by the Summerside Port Authority. This area showcases our waterfront. It is the cultural vibe of our community that draws residents to the diversity of unique activities; tourist attractions, Holland College campus, government offices, theatre and yacht and curling club. Residential development in this district can contribute to the vibrancy of the area and provide housing opportunities in the downtown and associated with Holland College. ## Neighbourhood Core District #4 This area is consistent with the development pattern experienced on Water Street with buildings located at or near the street. It consists of mostly commercial land uses. This district will develop as mixed commercial-residential uses, and encourage multi-storey residential units with opportunities for street level commercial uses. The district is close to residential zones. Thus, ensuring a compatible building height and appropriate building setbacks from residential properties is a priority. ## MAKING IT HAPPEN Downtown vitalization will be a primarily market lead process supported by strategic investments and a clear and efficient regulatory and approvals process. The UCP vision for the downtown will be implemented through a combination of private and public investments that will occur gradually over time, as implemented in five year cycles of the City Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw CS-40. Therefore, Council's central concern for the area is implementation of Urban Core Plan vision through Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines in the Downtown zone. ## Objective ## To focus on Downtown Summerside as a priority for attracting investment & economic development ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Continue to focus a broad mix of commercial, residential, institutional, port industrial and other uses in the Downtown area which are essential to maintaining its vibrant urban character. 2. Promote the Summerside Urban Core Plan 2016 vision through key stakeholders including the City, Downtown Summerside Inc, and the Summerside Port Corporation. 3. Implement new Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines in the Downtown (D) zone that encourage development through special zoning incentives and standards. 4. Create Urban Core Districts that focus on land uses that enhance the quality of development of the district and overall downtown/waterfront areas. 5. Promote the ten guiding principles for a successful downtown as noted above. ## 5.5.2 North Granville Commercial Area The growing commercial area around North Granville Street includes the County Fair Mall, Sobeys, Granville Street Plaza, Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart and the Atlantic Superstore. The area has good access to nearby Highway No. 2 and contains large, vacant development sites. Thus, much of it is well suited for accommodating big box retail and service commercial retail with large building envelopes and extensive on-site parking. Indeed, it would be difficult to locate such developments elsewhere in the City. Parts of the area west of Granville Street near Walker Avenue are better suited for service commercial uses because of their small lot sizes and there are already some service commercial uses there, such as fast food restaurants, which complement the nearby retail centres. As shown on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM), there are extensive areas designated around the North Granville commercial area for residential, but good separation is generally preserved between commercial and residential areas. It is therefore, imperative to maintain and improve road access for the North Granville commercial area so that it can effectively serve City residents, as well as regional and larger markets. Of particular importance is the need to maintain good access onto Highway No. 2 from both Granville and Central Streets, and to improve internal east-west road connections between them and other areas of the City (road infrastructure is described in more detail in Section 7). Convenient pedestrian access is also needed, especially given the large surrounding areas designated for residential development. Therefore, Council's central concerns for the area are to protect and enhance its suitability for retail operations along with supporting service commercial uses, as well as to maintain good vehicular and pedestrian access, and quality urban development standards. ## Commercial ## Objective To support development in the North Granville Street ## commercial area ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy - Reserve the area primarily for retail commercial uses, together with supporting service commercial 2. Promote good transportation access to the area by: - a) retaining both the Central Street and Granville Street accesses onto Highway No.2 to all forms of traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists; - b) improving east-west road access across the City along the Pope Road axis, with connections south to Water Street East; - c) Consider requiring rear access roads for all new commercial developments along Highway No.2 3. Require that future, east-west road access is reserved through the designated commercial area north-east of Granville Street and Walker Avenue, to allow for further commercial expansion over the very long term (ie. 15+ years). 4. Provide for convenient pedestrian access to the commercial area from surrounding housing areas. 5. Promote high urban design standards for commercial buildings and spaces. 6. Require and promote more landscaping and tree planting to improve the appearance of Granville Street and to break up the monotony of large parking lots. ## 5.5.3 Water Street East Commercial Area This commercial strip extends out from the Downtown along both sides of Water Street East. It is Council's policy to apply commercial zoning to the whole area and to confirm existing residences as conforming uses. Businesses along the street can be characterized as "service commercial," favouring road frontage for vehicular access and advertising exposure. The area has considerable commercial infill capacity, including possible conversions from residential uses and more intensive or upgraded use of existing commercial sites. There are also problems with traffic congestion on Water Street East itself, due to its multiple functions of being the City's eastern gateway and its primary east-west internal connector, as well as providing frontage for many businesses. Although the road generally has a 30 meter (100 ft) right-of-way, this narrows to 20 meters (66 ft) in some parts. Based on past trends, Council has particular concerns about a potential scenario of future strip development expanding eastwards along Water Street East and joining with a similar westward extension from the Read's Corner commercial area. Such a scenario is undesirable because it would: (1) present an unattractive gateway for visitors to the City, (2) further exacerbate traffic congestion on Water Street, (3) incompatible with single detached housing, (4) negatively impact the Gillespie Creek wetlands, and (5) impedes a scenic and unique view plane over Bedeque Bay. ## Strip commercial development  Therefore, Council's central concerns for the area is to promote its attributes for service commercial development, including improving its attractiveness as the City's eastern gateway, curtailing strip development and improving traffic circulation. ## Objective ## Policies ## To support the Water Street East commercial area The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Maintain the area for service commercial uses (but also protect existing residences as conforming uses). 2. Control strip development from extending further along Water Street East by maintaining a firm eastern commercial boundary short of Gillespie Creek (but confirm two motels to the east as conforming uses). 3. Improve Water Street East by enlarging the right-of way to 30 meters (100ft) for its whole length. 4. Take traffic pressures of Water Street East by: - a) providing for a road parallel to Glover Shore and south of Water Street East, as an extension of Marine Drive; - b) restricting the number of driveway accesses for new businesses and, where possible, promoting combined driveways between existing businesses; and - c) limit new flag lots or easements for rear lots with direct road access on to Water Street East; 5. Require and promote more landscaping and tree planting to improve the appearance of Water Street and to break up the monotony of parking lots. ## 5.5.4 South Drive Commercial Area The primary use of the strip along Notre Dame is residential and the non-residential sites are more of an industrial than commercial nature. The frontage along Greenwood Drive is entirely in industrial use. There are significant wetlands around the 'Ice Pond'. However, there are service commercial areas on South Drive which should be maintained in this use. There is also an existing neighbourhood commercial area at the corner of Notre Dame Street and Greenwood Drive which should be maintained for neighborhood commercial uses (see Council's policies further in this Section for neighbourhood commercial areas). Therefore, Council's central concerns for the area are to rationalize the limits of commercial use designations to areas which are suited for that purpose and to avoid unsightly strip development. ## Objective To support the South Drive commercial area ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy - Reserve the area primarily for commercial uses, including some neighbourhood commercial functions to serve the needs of local residents. ## 5.5.5 Reads Corner Commercial Area Reads Corner's strategic location at the intersection of Water Street East and Highway No.1A makes it suitable for commercial businesses and it can be expected that the area's importance will grow because of traffic from the Confederation Bridge. Reads Corner can also serve as a neighbourhood commercial centre for nearby residents. Considerable care is needed to avoid creating a large commercial centre at Read's Corner that tourists are deterred from going Downtown and, similarly, commercial development should be discouraged south of Reads Corner where it could intercept customers. Therefore, Council's central concerns for the area are to promote its viability for commercial uses, while also ensuring adequate interfacing with nearby residential areas. ## Objective To support the Reads Corner commercial area ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Reserve the area primarily for commercial uses, including some neighbourhood commercial functions to serve the needs of local residents. ## 5.5.6 St. Eleanors Corner Commercial Area This area is well suited for service commercial use because of its strategic location around the intersection of North Drive and Highway No.2. It can also serve as a neighbourhood commercial centre for residents at the north-west end of the City. Therefore, Council's central concerns for the area are to promote its viability primarily for commercial use, while also ensuring adequate interfacing with nearby residential areas. ## Objective To support the St. Eleanors Corner commercial area ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy - Reserve the area primarily for service commercial uses, including some neighbourhood commercial functions to serve the needs of local residents. 2. Rationalize the boundaries of the area in order to protect residential areas, minimize the number of accesses onto Highway No.2, and facilitate access to commercial businesses by local residents. ## 5.5.7 West End Commercial Area The West End has some of the best redevelopment potentials of any area in the City, because of its scenic views over Bedeque Bay and the fact that some local houses are nearing the end of their useful lifecycle. There are also commercial "spot zones" in the residential area between Water Street and Notre Dame Street. The opportunities and concerns to be addressed for this area include recycling of older (nonheritage) housing, capitalizing on scenic views over Bedeque Bay with protection of view corridors, building quality apartments over commercial space, incorporating a waterfront park and the Lighthouse Trail, with connections to Downtown. Consideration may also be given to allowing some compatible, tourist commercial uses. Therefore, Council's long term concerns for the area are to promote realization of its full redevelopment potentials and, in the short term, to discourage any contrary developments which may detract from those potentials. ## Objective To support the West End commercial area ## Policies 1. Manage commercial zoning along Water Street to include only properties which are confirmed to be actively used for commercial purposes. ## The following are Council's statements of policy 2. Promote residential-commercial land uses along Water Street to maximize the development potentials of the waterfront area. Retail shops at grade and residential multi-unit housing above commercial to maximize view planes for residents is encouraged. ## 5.5.8 Neighbourhood Commercial Areas Neighbourhood commercial areas provide convenient services to surrounding residents. It is desirable to zone all approved neighbourhood commercial areas for neighborhood commercial uses, meaning that changes of land use may be subject to Council discretion to ensure their compatibility with surrounding residential neighbourhoods. Therefore, Council's central concerns with neighbourhood commercial areas are to promote a balance between providing convenient shopping while protecting residences from undue nuisances from commercial operations. ## Objective ## Policies ## To support neighbourhood commercial areas ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Manage all confirmed neighbourhood commercial properties for neighborhood commercial uses, requiring Council's discretionary approval of some changes in land use to ensure that they are compatible with the primarily residential use of the area. 2. Only consider applications to zone commercial sites in residential neighbourhoods for neighborhood commercial purposes. ## 5.6 Other Development Issues ## 5.6.1 Commercial Sign Control In light of Summerside's reliance on tourism, excessive signage can seriously diminish an area's attractiveness and reputation among visitors. Also from an economic perspective, escalating competition between businesses to have their own signs "stand out in the crowd" can have the dysfunctional result of confusing, rather than informing potential customers. Thus, on a number of counts effective signage control is good for community appearance and business. Off-site signs have posed particular problems for the City, because any approvals could prompt a landslide of similar requests. On the other hand, it is recognized that potential visitors need to be given every encouragement to enter the City. Therefore, Council's concerns are to promote better signage control for safety, aesthetic and economic reasons, and in accordance with contemporary best practices. ## Objective To regulate all forms of commercial signage ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. As a general principle, vary maximum sizes and height of signs between different commercial zones, with consideration of professional franchising standards, respective traffic speeds, and building scales and setbacks. 2. Restrict the allowable number of on-site signs for each individual business to no more than two signs, including one each of ground, pole, canopy, fascia wall and projecting signs, but with special allowances for corner and through lots (but see .3 and .4 below). 3. Not permit pole signs in neighbourhood commercial areas, and offer a size bonus in all other zones for ground signs relative to pole signs. 4. Limit shopping centres, strip malls, and other similar developments to one group identity sign with no pole or ground signs for separate businesses, including when they are divided by zero lot lines into separate ownership. 5. Discontinue provisions for exceptions on signage and have no variances. 6. Require immediate removal of all abandoned and unlawful signs. 7. Promote coordinated wayfinding signage for the Downtown and for the heritage housing district. ## 5.6.2 Zero Lot Line Commercial Development There are demands for mixed individual ownership of commercial buildings outside the Downtown, particularly in the case of strip malls (somewhat analogous to the demands for individually-owned multiple housing units described earlier in Section 5). However, there are special considerations which apply in the case of commercial buildings outside the Downtown, including retaining side yards at the end of buildings and to avoid multiple highway accesses (often, Downtown buildings extend up to the sidewalk and do not have their own parking). Condominium arrangements are an option for all commercial buildings and, indeed, are a necessity if the ownership is to be divided horizontally. ## Objective ## Policies ## To allow zero lot line setbacks for commercial development ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Require that all individual commercial units constructed for, or converted to individual ownership, be separated from other adjoining units in the same buildings by masonry or concrete 'fire walls' with a minimum two hour fire resistance as defined under the National Building Code, including at the ends of buildings which may be extended in the future. 2. Continue allowing zero lot line development in the Downtown, including discretion by City staff on whether to require surrounding yards. 3. In all other commercial zones, allow zero lot lines along the interior vertical divisions of commercial buildings subject to: - a) requirements for front and rear yards, and side yards between the ends of buildings and streets; ## 5.6.3 Building Heights Higher buildings increase density. Higher density provides for additional housing opportunities. Within the Downtown, the maximum height of buildings is 10 storeys. Council has established Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards in the Summerside Zoning Bylaw intended to reduce the visual mass of larger buildings. These require a step back after the 4 storeys in district 1 and 4 to recognize existing development patterns. In the High Density Residential (R4) zone and Service Commercial zone (C2), the maximum height of buildings is six (6) storeys although Council may use its discretion to permit higher buildings in the High Density Residential (R4) zone. Within a 500 metre buffer around Holland College, building height will be 4 storeys, notwithstanding the maximum height provisions of the applicable zones. ## Objective ## Policies To allow building heights that contributed to the urban fabric and facilitate higher density development ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Allow buildings up to 10 storeys in the Downtown zone subject to the Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards in the Summerside Zoning Bylaw. 2. Allow building heights up to six (6) storeys in the High Density Residential (R4) zone. Higher apartment buildings and nursing care facilities may be permitted in the High Density Residential (R4) zone at Council's discretion. Applications for high building shall be evaluated on their impact on surrounding land uses, on water views and other important view corridors, traffic generation and fire safety.. 3. Permit residential and commercial/residential buildings with a height of 4 storeys within 500 metres of Holland College notwithstanding the development standards for the associated zone. ## 5.7 Industrial This section describes Council's policies for industrial development, including promotion of a functional system of special purpose industrial areas across the City. ## 5.7.1 Industrial Areas and Zones There are a number of areas across the City zoned for industrial use, including two large areas located respectively around Greenwood Drive (which includes the Summerside Industrial Park) and around Harvard Street. Other industrial zones include a large area in St. Eleanors south of Highway No.2, the ADL Amalgamated Dairies site south of Reads corner on Highway No. 1A. There is also a growing aerospace industry in Slemon Park, outside the City boundaries. Council's intent is to promote a functional system of special purpose industrial areas which are each suited to attracting quality industries in their respective market segments. The City's future industrial areas are shown on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). They include all presently zoned industrial lands and additions to the Greenwood Drive industrial area. There will be two industrial zones in the new City Zoning Bylaw CS-40 that focus respectively on 'light,' and 'heavy' industrial uses. A port industrial area will be incorporated in the Downtown zone. The locations of each industrial area are shown in Table 5-6 and Figure Industrial Areas map. ## Industrial | Table 5-6 Industrial Areas | Table 5-6 Industrial Areas | Table 5-6 Industrial Areas | |---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------| | | INDUSTRIAL ZONES | INDUSTRIAL ZONES | | INDUSTRIAL AREAS | M1 Light Industrial | M2 Heavy Industrial | | Greenwood Drive | | | | Harvard Street | | | | ADL Site (Highway No.1) | | | | St. Eleanors | | | | Summerside Port (Downtown zone District #2) | See Downtown policies in Section 5.4.1 | |  The general purposes of each industrial zone are described below: ## M1 Light Industrial Zone Five areas are designated for light industrial: the ADL site on Highway No. 1A, the largely developed Harvard Street industrial area, the Greenwood Drive industrial area which does have large vacant sites and will be further expanded in size, and the heavy industrial zone at St. Eleanors where light industries will also be permitted. Representative light industrial uses include food processing, manufacturing, assembly of products (excepting those constituting "noxious" heavy industrial uses, as described below), as well as heavy machinery and equipment sales and repairs, and recycling depots as a discretionary use (but not scrap yards). As in other industrial zones, some supporting commercial uses can be included for the convenience of local industries and their workers, such as business management offices, office suppliers and coffee shops. There are existing uses in some areas which do not fall within the range of light industrial uses, but these are recognized as conforming under the 1998 Official Plan. The Greenwood Drive industrial area has been expanded in two places. First, a strip at the south end of Greenwood Drive has been rezoned from commercial to industrial use, to better reflect the nature of existing businesses in that area. Second, a large vacant parcel to the west of Greenwood Drive and south of the Confederation Trail, which had been zoned partly for industrial use and partly for low density residential use, is now reserved completely for light industrial).  There are other vacant industrial lands to the east of Greenwood Drive. However, it needs to be examined how long Greenwood Drive can satisfy the City's industrial growth needs until the St. Eleanors industrial area is opened up. Also, a connecting road is needed between Greenwood Drive and South Drive (there are presently no east-west connections in this part of the City between Pope Road and Notre Dame Street). ## M2 Heavy Industrial Zone. Both light and heavy industries are accommodated in the St. Eleanors industrial area south of Highway No.2. This zone accommodates heavy industries that could be considered potentially noxious by such criteria as noise, fumes, smell, and risk of fire, spills and ground contamination. Representative heavy industrial uses include bulk storage, feed mills, construction plants and outdoor storage yards, and scrap yards. Their approval will be subject to Council discretion, taking into consideration potential impacts of the proposed industry and consequent requirements for mitigate measures, both of which may have to be determined through impact studies. Light industries are allowed in a heavy industrial zone as permitted uses. The St. Eleanors industrial area is well suited for heavy industrial uses because of its: (1) proximity to Highway No. 2, (2) reasonable separation from residential neighbourhoods, (3) location away from sensitive environmental resource areas, and (4) present lack of development, other than the Curran and Briggs construction yard. It is costly to service the area with water and sewer infrastructure (see Section 7), but it is still the best choice for heavy industry as there are no alternative sites which offer the same advantages and are significantly less costly to service. Potential heavy industries wishing to locate in the City may have to await the necessary infrastructure at St. Eleanors, but in the interim light industries can continue to be accommodated in the Greenwood Drive industrial area. In any event, the City will only extend infrastructure to the area at sufficient capacity to accommodate normal service users. Any industries which will place extraordinary demands on sewage disposal, may have to add their own treatment facilities. Scheduling of services for the St. Eleanors area needs to be examined in light of the limited capacity for accommodating industrial growth elsewhere in the City. ## Goal: - Support a planned industrial strategy for the City to attract desirable, new industries in special purpose industrial areas, with a focus on quality industrial park development, transportation accessibility and minimization of conflicts with other land uses. ## Objective To allow industrial development in various zones ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Maintain the range of zones for light and heavy industrial uses. Port industrial will be allowed in the Downtown (D) zone. 2. Promote a functional system of industrial areas, each focussing on a particular industrial zone as follows: - a) Greenwood Drive, Harvard Street industrial areas, and the ADL site south of Reads Corner - - light industrial zone; - b) St Eleanor's industrial area -- heavy industrial zone, including light industrial uses; and; 3. In light industrial zones, promote appropriate industries as permitted uses along with supporting commercial businesses. 4. In heavy industrial zones: - a) promote heavy industries subject to Council's discretion, taking into consideration potential impacts on environment quality, public health, and servicing requirements and consequent requirements for mitigate measures, which Council may require to be determined through impact studies to be completed at cost to the developer and to the City's satisfaction; - b) promote light industries as permitted uses; and - c) promote supporting commercial businesses as permitted uses. 5. In light industrial and heavy industrial zones: - a) Promote accommodation of industries in quality industrial park - developments; - b) require appropriate buffer strips where industrial or commercial uses either: - i) adjoin any other non-agricultural zone (except where a commercial use in an industrial zone adjoins a commercial zone); 6. Support continuing development of Slemon Park for aerospace and other "high-tech" industries 7. Further examine the City's industrial needs as part of its Economic Development Strategy 2011, including possible needs for an eco-business park industrial area, the adequacy of remaining growth capacity at the Greenwood Drive industrial area, the need for timely extensions of infrastructure to the St. Eleanors industrial area, and City boundary issues respecting Slemon Park (see Section 8). ## 5.8 Institutional This section describes Council's policies for institutional. ## 5.8.1 Institutional Areas Following is an overview of the large variety of institutional facilities serving the City of Summerside. Most of the uses which are listed are designated on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) as institutional uses, with the exception of those located in the Downtown and commercial areas where some institutional uses will be allowed. The City is well equipped with institutional facilities, but any possible additions or improvements that are being planned or considered are identified below. ## Education The Province's Western School Board administers all public schools in the City. There are seven public schools, each of which includes extensive playing fields: - Athena Consolidated Elementary - Elm Street Elementary - Parkside Elementary - Greenfield Elementary - Summerside Immediate - Three Oaks Senior High School - École-sur-mer et Le Centre Belle-Alliance Elm Street School  Holland College, which is the Province's community college system, offers a number of programs in the downtown and at Slemon Park. - Marine Training Centre - marine and fisheries programs (Downtown); - Summerside Waterfront Campus - vocational and construction programs (Downtown); - Atlantic Police Academy (Slemon Park) ## Institutional There are also a number of private sector institutions, including the College of Piping & Performing Arts and several private daycares. ## Health The City's health facilities include the Prince County Hospital (PCH). Other health facilities include the Summerside Medical Centre in the County Fair Mall, Harbourside Medical Centre and two seniors' manors. ## Government The City's facilities include City Hall, the adjacent Armouries building, the municipal works yard which houses Municipal Services, and two community centres, including one in St. Eleanors and another in Wilmot. The area around the City Hall also includes the police building and main fire station (and a subsidiary fire station is housed in the St. Eleanors community centre). Ambulance services are privatized. Prince County Hospital  Summerset Manor  Provincial facilities include Access PEl regional service centre and the federal government is represented by the Post Office, Human Resource Development Centre and Summerside Tax Centre. ## Goal: - Provide for adequate and cost-effective institutional facilities to serve community needs for education and training, culture, recreation, health care, public safety and government, taking account of how population changes will affect demands for certain services. ## Objective ## To encourage development of institutional land uses ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Allow education, health, government, public recreational, cultural, and religious uses, and senior citizens and nursing care facilities as permitted uses in an institutional zone, but consider applications for certain uses such as municipal and private utilities, jails and correctional centres as discretionary uses. 2. Allow permitted institutional uses in the Downtown zone and a smaller range of permitted institutional uses in service commercial zones. 3. Allow child care facilities with up to 50 children as a permitted use in the commercial and institutional zones and allow small child care facilities with less than 7 children as home based business. 4. Allow larger scale supportive housing facilities as well as non-market residential buildings in the Institutional zone. 5. Allow transitional housing, which provides a safe environment for vulnerable populations in the Institutional and Downtown zones. ## 5.9 Parks and Recreation This section describes Council's policies for parks and recreation. ## 5.9.1 Community Recreation Assets The City's recreation facilities include Summerside Credit Union Place (CUP) and EastLink Centre, including two ice surfaces and a swimming pool. Private recreational facilities include the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, the Summerside Golf Club in Linkletter, and the nearby Slemon Park Sports Centre. It has been noted the City has many facilities including Credit Union Place, waterfront boardwalk, Queen Elizabeth Park, Confederation Trail, green spaces and community parks. Unfortunately, not all of these facilities are being used to their full potential and a plan should be created to address this. Some suggestions include: Credit Union Place  - = Consider creating a linear trail system that provides safe routes for all citizens to move about the community for both utilitarian and recreation purposes. - = Queen Elizabeth Park is a great facility for tournaments and local programs but can it be adapted to provide more a greater variety of opportunities/options for community members and the students who frequent Parkside Elementary and Summerside Intermediate Schools. - = Identify two or three green spaces/parks to be developed into community destination parks (larger investments, broader user offerings, and year round opportunities - splash pads in summer & skating/sledding in the winter, etc.). - = Explore community managed parks where a local park group takes the leadership for redeveloping their community park to suit the wishes of their neighborhood. Rather than making every park in the community look the same (play structure, slide and ## Parks swings) we can encourage some diversity through community leadership. Parks could include community gardens, passive gardens and benches, neighborhood run outdoor rinks, dirt BMX park, built in fire pits/ bbq stations, frisbee golf courses, wooded parks where kids can climb trees and build forts, etc. - = Development of "outdoor gathering spaces" where passive games, community meetings, and/or clubs can meet. This could be built around the downtown portion of the Confederation Trail or along Green's Shore. (PlaceMaking) - = Make the Confederation Trail through the community more accessible and safe (provide lights from South Dr. to Small Ave) and perhaps even explore the possibility of paving that same section to allow for additional uses - roller blading, scootering, wheelchair accessibility. Certainly, there are costs associated with many of these ideas, however, a coordinated plan with a re-profiling of existing dollars including maintenance and hard infrastructure replacement costs should be considered. ## 5.9.2 Parklands Under the zoning bylaw, public parks have their own zone (rather than be grouped with institutional uses), and existing public parks are designated for that purpose on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). The City of Summerside contains a variety of parks which total 172 acres, including the Confederation Trail. The largest are Queen Elizabeth Park with three lighted ballfields, tennis courts, and Leger Park. There are many other smaller parks near the Downtown and in residential neighbourhoods, and there is also a green belt along the All Weather Highway in west St. Eleanors. Connections can also be made between the Waterfront Trail and Confederation Trail and then onto other trails through the City, with links to some parks and school sites. Also, the City is investigating the possibility of implementing flood greenways along watercourses and drainage areas, for the dual purposes of containing high seasonal run offs and contributing to a linear park system. Components of such a linear park system could also be provided through higher parts of conservation areas (see Section 5.11). Council will continue applying park levies to developers, either through: (a) park dedications within the development site, or (b) cash contributions for acquiring, expanding or improving parks, or (c) any combination thereof, subject to Council's determination and selection of any park site dedications (see Council Policy 4.1.4). The Summerside Parks and Green Space Plan 2012 has been developed for Council's Parkland  guidance to assess where and what types of parks are needed, and how monies can be best spent on improvements. ## Goal: - Provide for a functional and cost-effective network of active and passive parks and open areas interconnected by trails and greenways, which serve different user- groups and conserve natural resources. ## Goal: - Manage the City's waterfront areas on an integrated, multiuser basis, including maintaining and enhancing public access, important water views, valuable open space and environmentally sensitive areas.  ## To promote parks and green spaces and plans ## Policies The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Allow public parks, trails/linear parkways, flood greenways and greenbelts as permitted uses in a parks zone. 2. Maintain the dedicated park fund from developers' parkland cash levies and the receipts of selling any surplus parklands, which will be reserved solely for acquiring, expanding or improving parks or trails (but not for park operations and maintenance, or for special events). 3. Implement the Parks & Green Space Plan2012to lay out priorities for park acquisition, improvements and operations, and to provide guidelines for the best application of park levies, including consideration of the following: - a) needs for different types of active and passive parks to serve changing population distributions and age compositions; - b) opportunities for joint use of public parks and school playing fields to serve overall community needs; - c) implementation of a greenway system which integrates together parks and school sites with connecting linear parks and trails; - d) future jurisdiction options for the Confederation Trail; and - e) necessary amendments to the Official Plan. ## 5.10 Special Use This section describes Council's policies for special uses. ## 5.10.1 Special Uses Under the zoning bylaw, a separate zone has been created for special uses which cannot be accommodated in other zones because of their unusual nature, and which may have specific land use planning requirements. Existing special uses designated on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) include the Summerside Raceway, Credit Union Place and City infrastructure facilities, such as wellfields, pollution plant, green energy such as wind and solar systems. Other potential special uses could include a golf course, airfield, campgrounds, private parks and solar energy farm. ## Objective ## Policies ## To allow special use areas for unique land uses ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Allow discretionary/conditional uses in a special use zone with any land useplanning conditions being determined to suit individual circumstances, including airfields, large recreational commercial developments, private parklands, wind energy conversion systems, solar panel farms and any other uses that Council determines cannot be accommodated suitably in another zone. ## Special Use ## 5.11 Agricultural This section describes Council's policies on agricultural areas. ## 5.11.1 Agricultural Areas The City of Summerside's approach is to promote agricultural sustainability and head off potential, urban-rural conflicts through proactive growth management practices. Council's integrated growth management strategy is overviewed in Section 5, and includes zoning and development controls, and capital, secondary and regional planning. The policies described below for agricultural lands focus on the use of zoning and subdivision powers. ## Agricultural Fact: 30% of the lands within Summerside are zoned as Agricultural  ## Agricultural ## Objective To conserve agricultural lands ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Generally, retain an agricultural zone to support sustainable agriculture and implement measures for reducing potential conflicts attendant on converting agricultural lands to urban uses. 2. Allow small "farm gate" operations for direct sales of local agricultural products. 3. Allow agriculturally-related commercial or light industrial uses. 4. Control conversions of agricultural lands to urban uses in such a way as to minimize conflicts with farming operations, by: - a) only allowing subdivisions into an agricultural field where there are reasonable expectations that all, or most of the field will be completely developed within the near future or where the conversion is supported by other policies in this Official Plan and; - b) promote subdivision boundaries between urban and agricultural properties which minimize potential resident-farmer conflicts, i.e. avoidance of "saw tooth" boundaries, subdivisions through the middle of fields, and development surrounding fields. 5. Require adequate separation distances between the respective locations of new intensive livestock operations (including permanent feedlots, large piggeries and poultry operations) and existing urban uses, and, similarly, between new urban uses and existing intensive livestock operations, as well as require application of safe manure practices, all in conformity with applicable Provincial standards. 6. Require suitable riparian buffer zones adjacent to water courses in conformity with applicable Provincial standards. 7. The Development Officer may approve a one lot subdivision in the Agricultural Zone to accommodate a family need for adding one more single-family dwelling than would be allowable under normal zone standards, as long as there are no unduly negative impacts on long-term sustainable agriculture, either incrementally or accumulatively, and subject to any other conditions. ## 5.12 Conservation This section describes Council's policies on Conservation. ## 5.12.1 Conservation Areas Conservation areas are intended to cover situations on privately owned lands where local environmental conditions are considered to be: (a) hazardous to development, and/or (b) vulnerable to damage by development. Where such lands are owned by the City or are intended to be acquired in the immediate future for public purposes, they would be designated as parkland (see Section 5.8). The Future Land Use Map (FLUM) presently designates five conservation areas listed below: - Compton Creek wetlands on Malpeque Bay - Platte River floodway north of Pope Road and west of Central Street - Ice Pond wetlands west of Greenwood Drive - Reads Creek wetlands near Reads Corner - Gillespie Creek wetlands south of Water Street West. Council's Parks and Green Space 2012 focuses on implementing a linear park system, which could include public trails on higher portions of flood greenways and wetland areas. However, Council does not commit to create public parks in the five areas identified above, and nothing in this Official Plan should be construed as implying any such intention. ## Conservation ## Objective To protect conservation areas ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. In all conservation areas: - a) if necessary, adjust the boundaries of conservation areas from that presently shown on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) to better reflect detailed topographical and other natural conditions; - b) limit development on conservation lands because of hazards to development and/or the environment, excepting general agricultural land uses, wind energy conversion system and solar energy systems as defined in the zoning bylaw; - c) not allow filling or culvert of permanently flowing water courses and ponds; and - d) require sufficient buffer strips for developments where they abut conservation areas. 2. Additionally in the watershed area surrounding the Gillespie Creek wetlands conservation area, south of Water Street East: - a) require sufficient buffer strips for developments where they abut permanently flowing water courses and ponds; and - b) require careful site planning throughout the area to the City's satisfaction for minimizing harmful impacts on wetlands, watercourses and ponds, and for accommodating local trails to link northwards to the Confederation Trail. 3. Coordinate coastal management jurisdictions and responsibilities with the Province. ## 5.13 Restricted Uses The purpose of this designation is to restrict land use to a single use only, which cannot be easily accommodated within another zone or where rezoning would result in undesirable and negative impacts on the neighborhood or immediate area. A Restricted Use shall be tied to a specific parcel and zone. When the Restricted Use ceases operation, the special zoning designation will lose status and the original zoning shall apply. ## Objective To allow restricted uses in any zone ## Policies 1. Allow restricted uses in any zone. The underlying or current zoning of the property does not change and reverts back to the original zoning automatically when the restricted use ceases. ## | The following are Council's statements of policy 2. All restricted uses shall require a Council discretionary use public process as specified in the zoning bylaw. ## 5.14 East-West Connector Street The purpose of this land use is to implement the priorities originally outlined in the 2008 Summerside East-West Connector Plan to enable the development of a mixed-use strip of land adjacent to the East-West Corridor (the Connector) in accordance with the urban planning concept referred to as Complete Streets. ## Objective To implement the East-West Connector Plan ## Policies ## The following are Council's statements of policy 1. The Connector Districts will be identified on the FLUM and in the Bylaw as a Comprehensive Development Area, to be generally applied to the area within 61m of the Connector right-of-way with a defined zone boundary and with the following long-term development concept: - a) Commercial uses, as well as mixed commercial/residential uses, will be prioritized at the junction points where the Connector intersects with Water Street and where the 'Short Connector' meets with the 'Long Connector'; - b) Mixed and higher density residential uses, as well as select commercial uses as a supporting use, will be promoted between the junction points; - c) Those portions of the 61m area that are immediately adjacent to or intersect with existing lower density residential areas will used to provide a transition to the more intensive uses along the Connector. 2. The timely development of this area will be promoted as a means of meeting current and future housing needs and approval authority will be delegated to staff, except where otherwise provided for in the zoning bylaw, subject to clear criteria and standards in the Bylaw; 3. The mixed-use Connector Districts will include development standards to guide development of this zone as the Connector is built out over the coming years. These development standards will encourage the development of a mixed residential-commercial development along the connector route and may integrate the following complete communities principles: - a) Increased lot and development standards - b) Density bonuses for buildings with underground parking and rear lot parking; - c) Reduced setbacks, including maximum setbacks for retail uses to encourage closer connections between storefronts and sidewalks; - d) Reduced requirement for parking spaces; - e) Landscaping options to reduce noise impacts where the connector crosses residential areas; 4. Consideration will be given to cost incentives for development associated with the new Connector; 5. Land use designations and zoning in the connector area to allow for appropriate development, including expanded residential, mixed commercial/residential, and small commercial areas adjacent to connector intersections; 6. Council shall prioritize pedestrian and active transportation-friendly designs that provide convenient cross-walk connections throughout, and connections with local street patterns. 7. Developers will be encouraged to front all their lots onto local streets or develop rear yard parking rather than having residential driveways along the connector as areas adjacent to the connector are developed, where appropriate; and 8. The transition of adjacent lands to residential and mixed commercial/residential uses will be supported over time, as the conversion is enabled by the availability of servicing and existing uses wind down.  ## HERITAGE CONSERVATION & CULTURE ## 6.0 Conservation of Heritage Buildings Heritage conservation is important for cultural and aesthetic reasons, and for housing supply and economic development purposes. Heritage buildings provide symbolic continuity between the past and the present, and provide an attractive counterpoint to modern buildings. Renovations of older buildings can provide valuable housing for less cost than new construction. Also, they create more construction jobs because the work is more labour intensive, and may lead to exportable businesses and skills in building  restoration. Heritage preservation improves the City's attractiveness to tourists and opens up potentials for businesses in heritage houses, such as tourist homes, small restaurants, retail stores, and artist studios and galleries. Experience shows that heritage designations often increase property values. The City has many, fine heritage houses which are a legacy of its early shipbuilding days and the later Silver Fox industry that made millionaires of many local entrepreneurs. Most of these houses are located in a district north of the Downtown and encompass a rich variety of Colonial Revival, Queen Anne Revival, Georgian and Gothic Revival styles. The Summerside and Area Historical Society in their 1995 Summerside Heritage Preservation Report surveyed 46 heritage homes in the area (along with a number of public buildings) and proposed that the City adopt a bylaw for their preservation.  The Province has its own Heritage Places Protection Act, but heritage protection is one of the powers devolved under the former City of Summerside Act. Council adopted a Heritage Conservation Plan 2003 and City of Summerside Heritage Conservation Bylaw (SS-20). Preparation and implementation of the plan and bylaw is guided by a City Heritage Planning Board (HPB) with Council and citizen representation, and provides continuing recommendations to Council. The Board builds on the previous work of the Summerside and Area Historical Society. The Heritage Bylaw SS-20 uses an "overlay" zoning approach which specifies variations from the underlying zoning that apply to designated heritage buildings (as inventoried in a GIS-referenced registry). Overlay zoning variations will take two forms: 1. The first variation address special building regulations for heritage housing maintenance, alterations, additions and demolitions. Downtown Water Street 2. The second form of overlay zone variations provides special incentives to owners of heritage homes, such as greater flexibility for conversions into additional housing units (see Council Policy 5.4.10.2), and concessions for operating limited commercial businesses out of heritage buildings, including the possibility of reduced on-site parking requirements.  Existing bylaws continue to be enforced in the area, such as the City's Unsightly Premises Bylaw, in order to ensure that other local properties do not detract from investments made into heritage buildings.  ## Goal: - Conserve and enhance the City's rich resource of heritage buildings and streetscapes for their cultural and aesthetic values, and for housing supply and economic development purposes. ## Objective ## Policies ## To promote heritage preservation The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Maintain, review and update, as needed, the City's Heritage Conservation Plan2003 and Heritage By-Law SS-20. 2. Council appoint a joint Council-citizen representative heritage planning board (HPB) to review developments and other policy issues pertaining to heritage matters. ## 6.1 Culture Summerside Strategy The City is very well equipped with cultural facilities, including the Wanda Wyatt Centre which houses the Harbourfront Theatre and the Eptek Exhibition Centre, the Lefurgey Cultural Centre, Bishop's foundry and the Silver Fox museum. Additional attractions are being considered to support tourism, including the possibility of a discovery/ science centre in the west end of MacKenzie Drive. In 2012 the City completed a Municipal Culture Strategy. Culture can help build community ownership and pride. Culture is also an economic development strategy or often referred to as "cultural tourism". The official plan will seek to develop cultural land use strategies as appropriate in future planning studies. TEl Hasagearat Cossatants May. 2012   ## INFRASTRUCTURE This section describes infrastructure strategies for servicing present and future development, which will lay the groundwork for subsequent preparation of a ten-year capital plan. ## 7.0 General The Official Plan identifies infrastructure constraints when selecting development areas and also identifies necessary capital projects for implementing the Plan. Five categories of infrastructure are included: - Roads - Water Supply and Distribution - Sewage Collection - Sewage Treatment - Storm Drainage Three categories of capital planning and construction projects are distinguished as follows: Category 1: projects required to meet current needs and to service "short term" population growth over the next five years; Category 2: projects required to service "long term" population growth up to fifteen years; Category 3: projects required to service "very long term" population growth beyond fifteen years. It is emphasized that projects are categorized 1, 2, or 3 according to preliminary demographic and engineering assumptions about when they will be needed. However, the final selection, timing and details of approved projects will be determined through capital planning by Council of the day. The department analyses of future growth needs are based on estimated saturation population levels for 23 residential areas across the City, as well as projections on how quickly they may infill with growth in each five-year period over the next twenty years. The population infill projections give consideration to each area's present level of development, relative size and designation for low, medium or high density housing on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). The overall limits on population growth are set by the City's low growth scenario described in Section 3. Identified infrastructure projects are elaborated and substantiated in detailed engineering studies. Where available, cost estimates are included for category 1 project. The cost estimates are generally of an "order of magnitude" level, though some of them are predicated on more detailed cost breakdowns. Prior to any formal capital planning, all existing estimates should be further investigated and refined, and detailed investigations completed on all other projects. ## Objective To make a Capital Plan a priority ## Policies | The following are Council's statements of policy 1. Complete a 10-year capital plan for roads, water supply and distribution, sewagecollection and treatment, and storm drainage, which builds on the infrastructure strategies reviewed in the Official Plan. ## Goal: - Improve and expand the City's road and pedestrian networks to provide safe and convenient access, and in a manner consistent with sound growth management policies. ## 7.1 Roads The City of Summerside contains over one hundred (100) kilometres of streets of which most are shown on the following Figure 7-1. They are classified by function into three classes according to the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) system, as follows: ## 1. Arterials - Water Street East - South Drive / Water Street West - Harbour Drive ## 2. Urban Collectors - Water Street (Downtown) - Bayview Avenue - Pope Road - Ryan Street - Notre Dame Street/ Harvard Street - Central Street - Granville Street - MacEwen Road - Walker Avenue ## 3. Urban Local Streets: - All other streets within the City. Detailed modelling analysis was undertaken of 15 intersections across the City where significantly increased traffic loads could be expected. This analysis was used for identifying needed road improvements, as well as for selecting future development areas in the Official Plan. For instance, only limited urban expansion is contemplated east of Highway No. 1A at this time, so as to generally curtail sprawl development and to avoid putting undue pressures on the Reads Corner and the Water Street/MacEwen Road intersections. However, considerable road improvements are still needed to meet current demands and, even more so, to accommodate future growth. Figure 7-1  North Granville is a natural commercial growth area for the City and the region, and contains two, large shopping centres. The Official Plan carries forward the present zoning for further commercial development in the area and makes two small additions. As described in Section 5, a substantial part of the area is zoned commercial, and it would be difficult to locate such big box developments elsewhere in the City. Substantial amounts of smaller service commercial development will also be accommodated in the North Granville area. Also, large areas will be developed with higher density housing around the commercial core. In all, substantial traffic growth can be expected. In order to accommodate future growth in the North Granville Area, it is necessary to both maintain good accesses from the All Weather Highway for regional traffic and to improve east-west access within the City for local traffic. The City's traffic problems cannot be resolved simply by diverting more and more local traffic onto the All Weather Highway. It would be poor public policy to actively promote dangerous mixing of cars, trucks and traffic speeds on a road specifically designed to be a major Provincial arterial highway. However, there is presently no good east-west connector across the City between the All Weather Highway and Notre Dame/Harvard Street. The result is that increasing numbers of vehicle trips are being made along local residential streets which cannot be upgraded practically to urban collector standards, causing problems of increasing traffic in residential neighbourhoods and danger to pedestrians. Consideration was given to accommodating the City's internal traffic needs by extending Pope Road out from Granville Street to MacEwen Road, with the possibility of a further extension beyond MacEwen Road and a connecting loop road southwards to Water Street East. This objective was partially achieved with the reconstruction of Ryan from Granville to MacEwen as a result of the expansion of the County Fair Mall. The loop road would serve the dual purposes of improving access to the North Granville area and of diverting some traffic away from Water Street, which is the other most congested traffic area in the City (using computer modelling, it is estimated that a new loop road could divert 30% of westbound traffic away from the busy intersection of Water Street East and MacEwen Road). The following Table 7-1 summarizes an initial list of road projects that were identified in the 1998 Official plan. They are identified as necessary according to preliminary engineering analyses and on the revised assumption of not extending Pope Road. It can be seen that phased improvements are needed to some key intersections over time to accommodate projected growth, though, in some instances, cost savings could be gained by undertaking two phases at the same time. Also, it is strongly emphasized that a successful solution still needs to be found for accommodating east-west traffic through the middle of the City and this will have to be considered in any future road planning. | Table 7-1 | Projected Road Projects | Projected Road Projects | Projected Road Projects | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------| | Road/ Intersection | Category 1 current needs/5-years growth | Category 2 up to 15-years growth | Category 3 Beyond15-years growth | | Water St. East | ongoing improvements needed | | expansion to four lanes | | Water St. East/ Reads Corner | | further improvements further intersection | upgrades (fourth leg east-west) | | Pope Road/ Central St. | road straightening fourth signalized intersection leg | | | | Pope Road/ Granville St./ Ryan St. | further improvements | | | | Granville St./ Highway No.2 | Province planning a new further improvements traffic circle complete Granville St. north four lanes | | | | Granville St/ Harvard St/Notre traffic flow improvements intersection alignment Dame St. | | improvements | | | Granville St/ Walker Ave | traffic flow improvements | | | | Water St./ Heather Moyse Drive | | | future improvements | | Central St./ Highway No.2 | turning lane addition | further upgrades | | | Granville St./ Roy Boates Ave | complete Granville St. north 4 lanes | fourth leg intersection | | | MacEwen Road/ Ryan Street | east-west connector to Water Street East | | improvements | Figure 7-2 is a map of important right-of-ways (ROW's) which have to be acquired for future roads through the subdivision and development process, including: - A route will be reserved for a connecting road from the Greenwood Drive industrial area through to South Drive. Also of note, the City's prioritization of sidewalk improvements along roads will continue to give consideration to the special needs of disabled persons. Figure 7-2 Future Street Connections  ## Goal: - Improve and expand the City's water, sewage, storm drainage and electrical infrastructure and in a manner consistent with sound growth management policies. ## 7.2 Water Supply and Distribution The City of Summerside's water system supplies both domestic and fire protection water to virtually all residences and businesses within City boundaries. It comprises three original systems which were combined together after the City's amalgamation, including: (1) the Town of Summerside wells, piping systems and standpipe, (2) the Community of St. Eleanors wells, piping systems and stand pipe, and (3) the Summerside Area Water Commission system involving a major well field in Wilmot, and distribution mains throughout Wilmot and peripheral areas of the former Town of Summerside and the Community of Sherbrooke. Because these systems were built somewhat independent from each other and often as development proceeded, there are a number of deficient areas within the City with respect to proper fire flow protection and looping. The main criteria used in assessing the adequacy of water supply and distribution are fire protection requirements. Industrial uses are still not met in the west St. Eleanors area. Infrastructure improvements required to bring the area up to acceptable standards are included below. Also included are infilling of subdivisions where five or more lots are presently unserviced. The list of water projects identified as necessary under preliminary engineering analyses are summarized below: ## Category #1 for current needs and 5-years growth: - Miscellaneous water looping and other upgrades/improvements. - Water well upgrades and Well Field protection. - Phased replacement of aging cast iron water mains. - Commissioning of Linkletter well field. ## Category #2 for up to 15-years growth: - Complete large mains between the two standpipes. - Phased replacement of aging cast iron water mains. ## Category #3 for beyond 15-years growth: - Phased replacement of aging cast iron water mains. - Large main from Wilmot well filed to No. #1 standpipe along East-West collector route. ## 7.3 Sewage Collection Similar to the water system, the City of Summerside's sewage collection system services virtually all residences and businesses within City boundaries but, comparatively, it is more closely integrated. Most sewage flows are directed to the main sewage treatment plant (STP) on MacKenzie Drive constructed in the early 1970's, but the northern portion of the St. Eleanors area is serviced by a duplex lagoon system. Because the concept of a central collection system has been in place for some time, there are fewer deficiencies in sewer systems as compared with water. Summerside's Water Pollution Control Centre was upgraded in 2008 to a tertiary treatment level plant. SWPCC is the only municipal tertiary facility in Atlantic Canada. Some of the City North Slope effluent is treated at a two-cell lagoon that is equipped with aeration and UV disinfection. A number of areas were identified across the City which cannot be serviced by gravity sewers and will require expensive pumping if they are to be developed. In some of these areas, the Official Plan allows higher residential densities to provide opportunities for developers to recover their increased costs. The list of sewer projects identified as necessary under preliminary engineering analysis are summarized below, included infilling of subdivisions where five or more lots are presently unserviced. ## 1.3.1 Sewage Mains and Lift Stations Category #1 for current needs and 5-years growth: - Installation of sewer main on Central Street from Walker Avenue to Highway No. 2, including Waverly Court. - Placement of gravity sewer main from Valley Street to Greenwood Drive when property develops. - New lift station off South Drive to replace Valley Street main. - However, heavy sewage generators would have to provide their own additional treatment facilities on site. - Phased replacement of miscellaneous sewer mains. ## Category #2 for up to 15-years growth: - Trunk sewer from Summerside Waste Pollution Control Centre (SWPCC) to South Drive. - Trunk sewer from South Drive to Greenwood Drive - Trunk sewer along Greenwood Drive/ Pope Road. - Phased replacement of miscellaneous sewer mains. ## Category #3 for beyond 15-years growth: - Phased replacement of miscellaneous sewer mains. ## 7.3.2 Sewage Treatment ## Category #1 for current needs and 5-years growth: - Upgrading of City sewerage treatment plant by changing to one centrifuge and one Fournier rotary press from our original two Fournier presses. ## Category #2 or #3 Projects: - Upgrading of City sewerage treatment plant by changing to two centrifuges from our original two Fournier rotary presses. ## 7.4 Storm Drainage ## Category #1 for current needs and 5-years growth - Changed three major large storm structures. - (1) Water Street by KFC restaurant/ Staples store; - (2) Ice Pond near Notre Dame Street/ South Drive; - (3) Water Street West at MacKenzie Drive. - Phasing of miscellaneous storm water mains. - Phased replacement of miscellaneous large storm drainage structures. ## Category #2 or #3 Projects: - Replaced major trunk storm structures. - (1) Projects: KFC creek enhancements. - (2) Granville St north Platte Creek enhancements - Phasing of miscellaneous storm water mains. - Phased replacement of miscellaneous large storm drainage structures  ## ONGOING PLANNING ## 8.0 Planning Work Program The following Table 8-1 summarizes a work program of planning projects required to implement and further elaborate the Official Plan. In many cases completion years are identified but in cases where the planning process is more open-ended or other agencies are involved, only start years are identified. Schedule deadlines are subject to the availability of resources and reviews of priorities by Council of the day. All of the projects are discussed in previous sections of the text, except for the boundary issues which are introduced below. | Table 8-1. | Planning Work Program | Planning Work Program | |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------| | Items | Schedule (year) | Completed | | - East-West Connector Plan - Parks and Greenspace Plan - Heritage Conservation Plan | 2008 updated 2015 2018 | Yes Yes On-going | | Active Transportation Study | 2012 (Draft) | No | | - Zoning Bylaw CS-40 - Building Bylaw CS-31 - Subdivision Bylaw SS-15 - Heritage Bylaw SS-20 | 2018 2015 2009 2018 | Yes Yes Yes On-going | | | 2016 | On-going | | CAPITAL PLAN - (10 yr plan) Department Directors & CAO | | | ## 8.1 Application of Official Plan and Development Control Bylaw Section 15.(1) of the Provincial Planning Act requires that, "Following the adoption of the Official Plan by the Minister (a) the plan becomes the official plan for the area; and (b) the council shall, as soon as practicable, cause bylaws to implement the official plan." The Summerside Zoning Bylaw CS-40 will be reviewed to ensure consistency with and fully implement the goals and policies of the Official Plan. The City's Official Plan will have application in all situations. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the Official Plan and the zoning bylaw, the Official Plan shall prevail. ## Goal: - Advance implementation of the Official Plan through government and community collaboration, detailed area and sectoral planning, plan monitoring and reviews, facilitative development control, capital planning for timely provision of cost- effective infrastructure, and further rationalization of the City's boundaries. ## 8.2 City Boundary with Slemon Park This issue involves Slemon Park, of which part is within the City and another part is managed by the Slemon Park Development Corporation. There are numerous overlapping issues which need to be addressed between the City and the Corporation, including coordination of economic development strategies and land use planning, maintenance of services, coordinated capital infrastructure projects, and potential benefits of the City providing professional services to the Corporation for planning, development control, engineering and economic development. ## 8.3 Plan Review In accordance with the PEI Planning Act, the Council will review its Official Plan no later than five years from its date of approval. The Official Plan may be amended as circumstances change or in response to requests from the public, as long as the procedures used are in accordance with the Planning Act. Also, changes may be made to the Plan to accommodate input from continuing planning projects listed above. ## Section 9 Maps - = Schedule "B" Future Land Use Map (FLUM) - = Area maps