Creating new local jobs through home-based businesses and finding different ways to grow population density while maintaining the character and public spaces of Dundas were among suggestions made by 40 people who attended the first Dundas Works roundtable meeting last week.
The group's goal is to create a vision for Dundas’ future and how it changes in coming years in hopes of having an impact on how rules and regulations for that future growth are formed. A second meeting is anticipated in the fall.
Creating local jobs in order to attract and retain young people who could benefit from the natural environment and walkability appears to be one early element of that vision.
"We need to provide new opportunities for people to work in Dundas ... for home-based businesses," said Rashne Baetz.
Joel Hilchey echoed the sentiments of many others when he said Dundas' walkability and strong downtown core are among its most important elements.
"But you need density in order to support it," Hilchey said, adding he and his wife wanted to demolish their garage and replace it with a detached home-office. But he said the process became a logistical struggle and they soon gave up after getting contradictory information from different city staffers.
"Maybe only developers will be able to do it," Hilchey said.
The Dundas Official Plan encourages home-based businesses, and "home occupations" where they don't negatively impact the community. The regulations appear to permit additional structures on a property to support such businesses.
Others suggested increased density does not have to come from highrise multi-residential buildings that don't fit within the community's historic neighbourhoods, despite challenges posed by developing within a valley protected by the Niagara Escarpment.
Baetz also suggested large homes can be retrofitted into small multi-residential buildings. Her husband, Brian, said three or four-storey walk-ups that are neither single-family homes, nor highrises, could achieve density while fitting within existing neighbourhoods.
Phyllis Kraemer suggested the group reach out to other amalgamated former municipalities in Hamilton and encourage them to form similar groups. She said to have an impact on city council decisions and policies for development and growth in Dundas, they'll need similar local efforts in communities like Stoney Creek and Ancaster.
"We have just one voice on council," Kraemer said. "I think we need to talk to our neighbours. They must have some of the same feelings."
Creating new local jobs through home-based businesses and finding different ways to grow population density while maintaining the character and public spaces of Dundas were among suggestions made by 40 people who attended the first Dundas Works roundtable meeting last week.
The group's goal is to create a vision for Dundas’ future and how it changes in coming years in hopes of having an impact on how rules and regulations for that future growth are formed. A second meeting is anticipated in the fall.
Creating local jobs in order to attract and retain young people who could benefit from the natural environment and walkability appears to be one early element of that vision.
"We need to provide new opportunities for people to work in Dundas ... for home-based businesses," said Rashne Baetz.
Joel Hilchey echoed the sentiments of many others when he said Dundas' walkability and strong downtown core are among its most important elements.
"But you need density in order to support it," Hilchey said, adding he and his wife wanted to demolish their garage and replace it with a detached home-office. But he said the process became a logistical struggle and they soon gave up after getting contradictory information from different city staffers.
"Maybe only developers will be able to do it," Hilchey said.
The Dundas Official Plan encourages home-based businesses, and "home occupations" where they don't negatively impact the community. The regulations appear to permit additional structures on a property to support such businesses.
Others suggested increased density does not have to come from highrise multi-residential buildings that don't fit within the community's historic neighbourhoods, despite challenges posed by developing within a valley protected by the Niagara Escarpment.
Baetz also suggested large homes can be retrofitted into small multi-residential buildings. Her husband, Brian, said three or four-storey walk-ups that are neither single-family homes, nor highrises, could achieve density while fitting within existing neighbourhoods.
Phyllis Kraemer suggested the group reach out to other amalgamated former municipalities in Hamilton and encourage them to form similar groups. She said to have an impact on city council decisions and policies for development and growth in Dundas, they'll need similar local efforts in communities like Stoney Creek and Ancaster.
"We have just one voice on council," Kraemer said. "I think we need to talk to our neighbours. They must have some of the same feelings."
Creating new local jobs through home-based businesses and finding different ways to grow population density while maintaining the character and public spaces of Dundas were among suggestions made by 40 people who attended the first Dundas Works roundtable meeting last week.
The group's goal is to create a vision for Dundas’ future and how it changes in coming years in hopes of having an impact on how rules and regulations for that future growth are formed. A second meeting is anticipated in the fall.
Creating local jobs in order to attract and retain young people who could benefit from the natural environment and walkability appears to be one early element of that vision.
"We need to provide new opportunities for people to work in Dundas ... for home-based businesses," said Rashne Baetz.
Joel Hilchey echoed the sentiments of many others when he said Dundas' walkability and strong downtown core are among its most important elements.
"But you need density in order to support it," Hilchey said, adding he and his wife wanted to demolish their garage and replace it with a detached home-office. But he said the process became a logistical struggle and they soon gave up after getting contradictory information from different city staffers.
"Maybe only developers will be able to do it," Hilchey said.
The Dundas Official Plan encourages home-based businesses, and "home occupations" where they don't negatively impact the community. The regulations appear to permit additional structures on a property to support such businesses.
Others suggested increased density does not have to come from highrise multi-residential buildings that don't fit within the community's historic neighbourhoods, despite challenges posed by developing within a valley protected by the Niagara Escarpment.
Baetz also suggested large homes can be retrofitted into small multi-residential buildings. Her husband, Brian, said three or four-storey walk-ups that are neither single-family homes, nor highrises, could achieve density while fitting within existing neighbourhoods.
Phyllis Kraemer suggested the group reach out to other amalgamated former municipalities in Hamilton and encourage them to form similar groups. She said to have an impact on city council decisions and policies for development and growth in Dundas, they'll need similar local efforts in communities like Stoney Creek and Ancaster.
"We have just one voice on council," Kraemer said. "I think we need to talk to our neighbours. They must have some of the same feelings."