CITY RETAIL & COMMERCIAL POLICY REVIEW · • Heritage Place Mall is in need of modernization (new stores, renovations) • Respondents recognize the need for an “anchor,” though

CITY RETAIL &

COMMERCIAL POLICY

REVIEW

COMMUNITY SERVICES

COMMITTEE PRESENTATION

Professional Centre: 6:30 pm

June 20, 2018

PROJECT TEAM

MHBC PLANNING

TATE ECONOMIC RESEARCH

CITY OF OWEN SOUND

City Retail & Commercial Policy Review

TONIGHT’S AGENDA

1. Purpose of the Study

2. Retail & Commercial Trends

3. Consultation Findings

4. Policy Analysis Findings

5. Recommended Policy Modifications

6. Your Input

OWEN SOUND

CITY RETAIL & COMMERCIAL POLICY REVIEW

OWEN SOUND

January/ February

• Project Start Up

• Background review of existing documents, best practices and commercial/ retail trends

March

•Preparation for Public Meeting

•Public Meeting (March 21st at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre, 6:30 pm)

•Launch online survey (March 22nd)

April/May

• Collect survey responses

• Document and analyze results from survey and public consultation

• Prepare draft report/ recommendations for policy updates based on public input

June

• Obtain feedback from City staff on draft Commercial Policy Review Report

• Present findings and draft policy recommendations to Community Services Committee

• Receive comments from stakeholders

• Prepare final revised report and draft policy for further consideration

We Are Here


PURPOSE OF THE UPDATE

The purpose of the Retail & Commercial Policy Review is to:

• Assess existing commercial policies and current retail trends;

• Examine the City’s commercial structure and goals/objectives related

to commercial policy; and

• Provide recommendations to be considered in the upcoming Official

Plan Review.

Before constituting any Official Plan policy, a separate process will be

undertaken

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PROJECT SCOPE

Key components of this project included:

1) Review of background materials and relevant policies;

2) Analyze retail and commercial trends;

3) Conduct public and stakeholder consultation;

4) Undertake commercial and retail policy analysis; and

5) Develop policy recommendations.

This review did not include an assessment of commercial/retail land

needs.


Owen Sound Commercial Nodes

OWEN SOUND

CITY OF OWEN SOUND OFFICIAL PLAN

Goal: To foster a vital and diverse local and regional economy:

3.2.2.2 Encourage and strengthen the City’s role as the regional focus

for business, culture, education, tourism, and health in Grey and Bruce

Counties.

3.2.2.9 Maintain and enhance the Downtown core as an economic,

financial, cultural and employment focus on the City and the Region.


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OFFICIAL PLAN & COMMERCIAL FUNCTION

Section 4 of the Official Plan provides guidance on the following commercial

land use designations:

• Downtown Commercial

• Regional Shopping Centre

• East City Commercial

• West City Commercial

• Arterial Commercial

• Waterfront Mixed Use


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OFFICIAL PLAN & COMMERCIAL FUNCTION

To ensure long-term viability, certain zone changes outside of the Downtown

Commercial area are required to consider matters such as:

1. Designated commercial property is not available in the Downtown

Area;

2. Available commercial property in the Downtown is not economically

viable for the intended scale and type of development;

3. The proposed increase in commercial floorspace will not be

premature;

4. The proposed development will not undermine the economic viability

or planned function of a significant commercial component of the

Downtown or impair the function of a designated commercial district.


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COMMERCIAL & RETAIL TRENDS

1. Changing Consumer Preferences

• Price & convenience

• Quality & service

2. Evolution of Retail Formats

• Mixed-use developments

• Urban retail intensification

3. Retail Initiatives

• Wider range of services offered

• Consolidation

• Mid-box retailer streamlining

• Foreign retailers

4. E-Commerce

5. Transitioning Retail Centres

6. Excess Retail Space

• Designating for other purposes


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CONSULTATION FINDINGS

• A majority of survey respondents make their food store purchases in Owen

Sound (primarily the East City Commercial Area)

• A larger portion of respondents make their non-food purchases outside of Owen

Sound. However, a majority of non-food purchases are made in Owen Sound

• 60% of respondents prefer traditional/in-store shopping over online shopping

• Price and availability are central considerations

• Survey results confirm the Downtown Commercial Area’s role as the

commercial, cultural and recreational hub for the City

• Survey respondents shop Downtown more often than they shop online, or at

Heritage Place Mall

• 70% of survey respondents agree that the Downtown should continue to be

supported and considered in future commercial/retail decisions.


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• The closure of Sears has had a significant

impact on Heritage Place Mall (feels ‘empty’ to

shoppers)

• Heritage Place Mall is in need of modernization

(new stores, renovations)

• Respondents recognize the need for an

“anchor,” though not all respondents indicated it

needs to be a major department store

• East City Commercial is the most frequented by

survey respondents

• Reasons for shopping in this area include:

consistent hours of operation and range of

retail stores/services


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• There is demand for larger, big box retailers (increase diversity in types of

retailers/services)

• Feedback indicates that residents/developers feel there are redevelopment

restrictions in the Downtown area that may perpetuate vacant retail spaces.

• Concentration of buildings with heritage status makes large scale

development challenging

• Retail Impact Studies for new/expanded commercial development may act as a

deterrent for investing in commercial growth

• Respondents are shopping most frequently in the Downtown Commercial Area,

Regional Shopping Centre (Heritage Place Mall) and East City Commercial Area

• These are meant to be the main commercial designations to support the

regional function of Owen Sound as a commercial centre


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POLICY ANALYSIS

1. Commercial hierarchy is still relevant

2. Planned function and policy direction remains appropriate

3. Commercial land use designations address area, form and

function of the City

4. Current policy framework requires modification and

clarification to adequately consider and address changes in

market trends

5. Policy modifications proposed to continue to support and

encourage development/intensification of commercial areas


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POLICY OPTIONS

Do nothing and maintain current policies

Amend policy framework to remove commercial hierarchy

and planned function

Modify commercial hierarchy, planned function of

commercial areas, and commercial land use designations

Maintain commercial hierarchy, planned function and

land use designation with policy modifications

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RECOMMENDED POLICY MODIFICATONS

Recommended approach: Maintain the commercial hierarchy of areas

and update certain policies within the existing hierarchy.

1. Clarification of the planned function of areas (function and form)

through a general commercial policy section in the Official Plan.

2. Incorporate policy language to strengthen direction to maintain the

planned function of the Downtown Commercial Area.

3. Consider adding flexibility into policies (e.g. Not requiring Retail

Impact Studies for all retail applications)

4. Assess/modify policy framework associated with Heritage Place Mall

5. Provide policy direction for high density residential uses in the East

City Commercial Area.


NEXT STEPS

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• Receive comments until July 6, 2018

Receive comments

• Present final report to Committee, July 18, 2018

Present final draft • Consider

Commercial and Retail recommendations through OP review

Official Plan Review

DO YOU HAVE FEEDBACK?

If you would like to provide feedback, please submit written comments to:

Margaret Potter

City of Owen Sound, Planning Division

Mailing Address: 808 2nd Avenue E

Owen Sound N4K 2H4

Office Location: 945 3rd Avenue E, Suite 223 (Planning Division)

Owen Sound, N4K 2K8

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 519-376-4440, ext. 1232

Website: www.owensound.ca/rcp

OWEN SOUND


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.owensound.ca/rcp

Documents

CITY RETAIL & COMMERCIAL POLICY REVIEW · • Heritage Place Mall is in need of modernization (new stores, renovations) • Respondents recognize the need for an “anchor,” though