Guelph Innovation District Secondary Plan
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Multi-sector (Plans)
Project value$424,519
Project Type
Plan
Sub Sector
Sustainable Neighbourhoods
Grant amount$142,252
Program type
GMF
Municipality
City of Guelph, ON
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
143,740
Project timeline
2005 - 2014
Project number
10272
Description
The City of Guelph will prepare a Secondary Plan that will guide the development of a 453 hectare greenfield and developed area that is slated to become the Guelph Innovation District (GID). Through the GID Secondary Plan, the City wishes to encourage the development of a carbon-neutral urban village that will feature residential and recreational uses as well as an agri-innovation employment cluster. The intent is to develop a prototype for new standards and protocols that will enable the City to meet its sustainability goals and objectives.
The GID Secondary Plan will address environmental, social and economic sustainability issues such the protection of natural and cultural heritage resources, the creation of affordable and sustainable live/work opportunities, the use of low-impact development and infrastructure design, the implementation of energy planning strategies and pedestrian and transit-oriented transportation approaches.
Drawing upon a number of strategic documents, land use concept reports, background studies, best practices analyses and public consultations, the Secondary Plan will propose a vision statement, goals, objectives, low-impact design guidelines, and a development concept for the Guelph Innovation District. The GID Secondary Plan will implement sustainability targets found in existing strategic documents (e.g. Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe) and, in some cases, it will implement new, higher standards. It will also include an implementation plan, monitoring requirements and policies for protecting natural and cultural heritage resources and views, energy conservation and climate change protection, as well as municipal servicing, brownfields and transportation. The Secondary Plan will be integrated into the city’s Official Plan and will be linked to a number of existing municipal strategic documents such as the Community Energy Plan.
(Project description from original funding application)
Applicant
City of Guelph, ON