A working group of Dundas residents will help consolidate two previous urban design guidelines reports for a couple of the Valley Town's main streets into one new downtown Dundas urban design report that will be formally tied to Hamilton's official plan.
Edward John, senior project manager in urban renewal, told a March 20 public meeting he's looking for 10 to 12 volunteers to review the 1999 King Street report and the 2005 Hatt Street report, which describe detailed visions for future development.
Both reports stretch from Matilda Street in the west to York Street in the east, and include north-south roads connecting Hatt and King — particularly Memorial Square — which was envisioned as a main public square linking the downtown to Spencer Creek.
Whether any more is added to the study area will be discussed by the working group, which John hopes to form within a couple of weeks.
"Scope of the study will be reviewed by the working group and guided by the general public comments as to whether the study area is expanded," he said. "I don't think we're going to expand by any great amount."
John said the "net" of design guidelines shouldn't be cast too widely, or it risks losing context — but that will be a topic for discussion.
The existing guidelines do not address development east of York, an area that includes likely redevelopments at Canadian Tire and the Beer Store on Cootes Drive.
Dundas city Coun. Arlene VanderBeek said most of the work has already been done — within the two existing studies.
"We need to make sure it reflects today's desires," VanderBeek said. "Those plans are the vision, the dream, of what people want the town to look like."
She said she'd like to see some youth on the working group that John said will probably have a maximum of 12 members in order to stay focused and manageable.
"We are all adults," VanderBeek said of those at the meeting. "The 18- to 35-year-olds are going to be around longer than us. They may have ideas."
The wide-ranging guidelines include direction on built form, architectural details, road design, street furniture and public spaces.
"Future ... buildings should avoid boxy or slablike massing. Instead they should be designed to give the impression of smaller blocks of buildings which respect the historical pattern and proportion of neighbouring forms," both reports state.
Both note building heights are regulated by the official plan, but should "generally be of a uniform height and ... not vary by more than 25 per cent."
The Hatt Street study recommends a Spencer Creek Promenade, or linear park, connecting the downtown to the natural area. The Hatt guidelines propose several road design options — including improvements for pedestrians and addition of bike lanes.
The King Street guidelines point to "contemporary buildings with inappropriate heights" of up to seven storeys between York and Cross streets as a "weakness" of the street.
It calls for the "preservation and enhancement of significant views and vistas to existing heritage buildings" such as the post office building.
Inappropriate commercial buildings identified include the former Dairy Queen at 16 King St. E., Cashway Lumber, and Pittaway Auto at 116 King St. W. — all of which have since been removed. Cashway was replaced by a Shoppers Drug Mart which John and VanderBeek said followed some of the unofficial urban design guidelines in moving away from their standard "box" store form.
"Was it perfect? No. I think there was compromise," John said.
VanderBeek agreed the informal guidelines, not tied to the official plan, did help.
"What they came with originally wasn't fit for Dundas," she said. "They were very good about listening."
The consolidated guidelines will have more influence. Although they provide much direction and a vision for development and change, they do not override zoning bylaws. However, John said the official plan will state that development "shall have regard to these guidelines."
A working group of Dundas residents will help consolidate two previous urban design guidelines reports for a couple of the Valley Town's main streets into one new downtown Dundas urban design report that will be formally tied to Hamilton's official plan.
Edward John, senior project manager in urban renewal, told a March 20 public meeting he's looking for 10 to 12 volunteers to review the 1999 King Street report and the 2005 Hatt Street report, which describe detailed visions for future development.
Both reports stretch from Matilda Street in the west to York Street in the east, and include north-south roads connecting Hatt and King — particularly Memorial Square — which was envisioned as a main public square linking the downtown to Spencer Creek.
Whether any more is added to the study area will be discussed by the working group, which John hopes to form within a couple of weeks.
"Scope of the study will be reviewed by the working group and guided by the general public comments as to whether the study area is expanded," he said. "I don't think we're going to expand by any great amount."
John said the "net" of design guidelines shouldn't be cast too widely, or it risks losing context — but that will be a topic for discussion.
The existing guidelines do not address development east of York, an area that includes likely redevelopments at Canadian Tire and the Beer Store on Cootes Drive.
Dundas city Coun. Arlene VanderBeek said most of the work has already been done — within the two existing studies.
"We need to make sure it reflects today's desires," VanderBeek said. "Those plans are the vision, the dream, of what people want the town to look like."
She said she'd like to see some youth on the working group that John said will probably have a maximum of 12 members in order to stay focused and manageable.
"We are all adults," VanderBeek said of those at the meeting. "The 18- to 35-year-olds are going to be around longer than us. They may have ideas."
The wide-ranging guidelines include direction on built form, architectural details, road design, street furniture and public spaces.
"Future ... buildings should avoid boxy or slablike massing. Instead they should be designed to give the impression of smaller blocks of buildings which respect the historical pattern and proportion of neighbouring forms," both reports state.
Both note building heights are regulated by the official plan, but should "generally be of a uniform height and ... not vary by more than 25 per cent."
The Hatt Street study recommends a Spencer Creek Promenade, or linear park, connecting the downtown to the natural area. The Hatt guidelines propose several road design options — including improvements for pedestrians and addition of bike lanes.
The King Street guidelines point to "contemporary buildings with inappropriate heights" of up to seven storeys between York and Cross streets as a "weakness" of the street.
It calls for the "preservation and enhancement of significant views and vistas to existing heritage buildings" such as the post office building.
Inappropriate commercial buildings identified include the former Dairy Queen at 16 King St. E., Cashway Lumber, and Pittaway Auto at 116 King St. W. — all of which have since been removed. Cashway was replaced by a Shoppers Drug Mart which John and VanderBeek said followed some of the unofficial urban design guidelines in moving away from their standard "box" store form.
"Was it perfect? No. I think there was compromise," John said.
VanderBeek agreed the informal guidelines, not tied to the official plan, did help.
"What they came with originally wasn't fit for Dundas," she said. "They were very good about listening."
The consolidated guidelines will have more influence. Although they provide much direction and a vision for development and change, they do not override zoning bylaws. However, John said the official plan will state that development "shall have regard to these guidelines."
A working group of Dundas residents will help consolidate two previous urban design guidelines reports for a couple of the Valley Town's main streets into one new downtown Dundas urban design report that will be formally tied to Hamilton's official plan.
Edward John, senior project manager in urban renewal, told a March 20 public meeting he's looking for 10 to 12 volunteers to review the 1999 King Street report and the 2005 Hatt Street report, which describe detailed visions for future development.
Both reports stretch from Matilda Street in the west to York Street in the east, and include north-south roads connecting Hatt and King — particularly Memorial Square — which was envisioned as a main public square linking the downtown to Spencer Creek.
Whether any more is added to the study area will be discussed by the working group, which John hopes to form within a couple of weeks.
"Scope of the study will be reviewed by the working group and guided by the general public comments as to whether the study area is expanded," he said. "I don't think we're going to expand by any great amount."
John said the "net" of design guidelines shouldn't be cast too widely, or it risks losing context — but that will be a topic for discussion.
The existing guidelines do not address development east of York, an area that includes likely redevelopments at Canadian Tire and the Beer Store on Cootes Drive.
Dundas city Coun. Arlene VanderBeek said most of the work has already been done — within the two existing studies.
"We need to make sure it reflects today's desires," VanderBeek said. "Those plans are the vision, the dream, of what people want the town to look like."
She said she'd like to see some youth on the working group that John said will probably have a maximum of 12 members in order to stay focused and manageable.
"We are all adults," VanderBeek said of those at the meeting. "The 18- to 35-year-olds are going to be around longer than us. They may have ideas."
The wide-ranging guidelines include direction on built form, architectural details, road design, street furniture and public spaces.
"Future ... buildings should avoid boxy or slablike massing. Instead they should be designed to give the impression of smaller blocks of buildings which respect the historical pattern and proportion of neighbouring forms," both reports state.
Both note building heights are regulated by the official plan, but should "generally be of a uniform height and ... not vary by more than 25 per cent."
The Hatt Street study recommends a Spencer Creek Promenade, or linear park, connecting the downtown to the natural area. The Hatt guidelines propose several road design options — including improvements for pedestrians and addition of bike lanes.
The King Street guidelines point to "contemporary buildings with inappropriate heights" of up to seven storeys between York and Cross streets as a "weakness" of the street.
It calls for the "preservation and enhancement of significant views and vistas to existing heritage buildings" such as the post office building.
Inappropriate commercial buildings identified include the former Dairy Queen at 16 King St. E., Cashway Lumber, and Pittaway Auto at 116 King St. W. — all of which have since been removed. Cashway was replaced by a Shoppers Drug Mart which John and VanderBeek said followed some of the unofficial urban design guidelines in moving away from their standard "box" store form.
"Was it perfect? No. I think there was compromise," John said.
VanderBeek agreed the informal guidelines, not tied to the official plan, did help.
"What they came with originally wasn't fit for Dundas," she said. "They were very good about listening."
The consolidated guidelines will have more influence. Although they provide much direction and a vision for development and change, they do not override zoning bylaws. However, John said the official plan will state that development "shall have regard to these guidelines."