Sustainable Communities, Smart Growth and New Urbanism

From Gary Martin

There is a section on auto traffic in the PPU draft but I would like to see it be more explicit and much more restrictive. Smart Growth and New Urbanism about weaning ourselves off cars.

A. The trend in many North American communities is to plan for radically reduced car use. This is planned into communities by
1. Restricting speeds through narrow roads, road obstacles, speed bumps, dramatically reduced speed limits and other traffic calming devices. There is far too much non-local traffic on Riverside Dr. especially in the summer.
2. Providing reasonably priced, convenient public transit. The Train and the STO must be considered and consulted about the increased numbers of city commuters Wakefield can expect.
3. Planning new roads so only residents will use them (eg. cul-de-sacs).
4. Mixed-use urban planning that enables people to live, work, shop and play in the same neighborhood and walk or cycle (or canoe!) everywhere.
5. Planning for cycling and pedestrian safety and convenience.
6. Re-directing local traffic to small rear laneways. This reduces residential traffic, slows cars down, and provides social space at the back of houses (this has been tested in a number of communities in NA).

B. Buildings have enormous environmental impacts, especially in the area of greenhouse gasses. Municipalities are starting to take an active role in planning the construction of houses and other buildings. LaPeche has a responsibility for ensuring Wakefield’s new buildings and renovations conform to forthcoming energy, waste, pollution and indoor air quality standards by
1. Facilitating the learning curve of builders, renovators and construction consumers
2. Raising standards for air tightness and energy consumption, especially for heating and cooling
3. Assigning municipal inspectors to ensure appropriate construction methods
4. Requiring that local, earth-friendly materials be used in all new construction
5. Developing a future-friendly construction and renovation waste management plan
6. Planning any new developments with solar orientation to reduce winter heating demands
7. Planning any new developments to preserve the existing landscape, especially mature trees which absorb greenhouse gasses and offer shade in summer, thus reducing air conditioning requirements
8. Restricting the use of toxic building materials inside and outside of buildings, and ensuring appropriate ventilation systems

C. There are growing concerns in municipal planning circles about resiliency and disaster planning. These involve
1. Planning for more severe weather events (more wind, rain and snowstorms, more heat waves, colder cold spells, flooding, dry spells, forest fires, etc). It would be wise to consult climate specialists about what Wakefield can expect as a result of climate change, and to at least talk about disaster management.
2. Planning for self-sufficiency which may include more local food production.

D. What is the duration of this plan? Twenty or 30 years makes sense. In twenty years, how many new people can Wakefield reasonably add to its permanent population?