Special Urban Planning Program for 20th Street in Saint-Zotique

The Municipality of Saint-Zotique wishes to develop a special urban planning program (SPP), the legal form in Quebec of a sustainable neighbourhood development plan, for the 20th Street district. Saint-Zotique has noted that the development undertaken in the past few decades did not incorporate a sustainable development vision, and it would now like to define an innovative vision of sustainable development aligned with community expectations. Extending this street, which will run through half the municipality from east to west, will make more than 34 hectares available for development. The population increased 92% from 2001 to 2016, and is expected to increase 48% by 2031. The Municipality of Saint-Zotique's objectives are to: promote mixed-use development, foster the densification and diversification of housing types, promote the diversity, architectural quality and environmental performance of the built environment and landscape, protect wooded areas and natural environments, ensure optimal stormwater management, decrease energy consumption, facilitate and promote active transportation, and ensure universal accessibility, the district’s connections to neighbouring sectors, residual materials management, lush vegetation, appealing public spaces, partner engagement, the integration of community’s views with creative process, respect for the local population, information, consultation and citizen involvement. The plan will be aligned with the objectives set out in the Economic Development Plan (EDP) and the Sustainable Community Action Plan (SCAP, GMF 15078) put in place by the municipality in 2016. These plans define strategies for environmental protection, economic vitality, and housing diversification. One of these directions is to “develop an ecologically responsible community and sustainable neighbourhoods.” A special planning program (SPP) for a sustainable neighbourhood will be a direct result of this process. The method is based on a targeted, upstream, integrated design approach and a collaborative and innovative effort by municipal employees, general management, elected officials, consultants, targeted stakeholders and developers/landowners. Following the consultations, the work team will pursue the development vision, possibly breaking it down into major directions. The first step in preparing the SPP will be an exhaustive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses in the development of the sector within the municipality. The process will include three consultative bodies, i.e., the work team, the targeted design team and the local population. A sustainable community model will be put in place as a result of this process for use in future municipal projects. The main deliverable will be a special planning program containing reports on integrated design meetings and public consultations, a sectorial diagnostic, a characterization of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, directions, objectives and design concepts, an action plan with monitoring indicators, an amendment regulation, branding, urban design for the neighbourhood, and an illustrated development guide. (Project description from original funding application)