Port Dalhousie Secondary Plan & Heritage Conservation District Study

Public Meeting October 25, 2017

Macaulay Shiomi Howson Ltd. Brook McIlroy Inc. Catherine Nasmith Architect BA Consulting Group Ltd

Meeting Agenda

• Presentation • Draft Secondary Plan • Draft Heritage Conservation

District Plan • Questions • Workshop

• one worksheet deals with the draft Secondary Plan

• one worksheet deals with the draft Heritage Conservation District Plan

• Reporting Back • Next Steps

Purpose of the Study • Prepare a Secondary Plan for the

commercial core and harbour areas which includes urban design parameters that help to identify and shape the character of the area

• Prepare a new Heritage Conservation Sub-District Plan for the non-residential portion of the Port Dalhousie community

• Address parking and transportation issues

Study Area

Draft Secondary Plan

Vision The Port Dalhousie Commercial Core and Harbour Area (CCHA) is part of a distinct lakeside village community with: • a diversity of uses • vibrant retail, service and tourist

businesses • a meaningful public realm • significant views of water, open space and

historic landmarks • conserved and enhanced heritage

buildings and landscapes

Draft Secondary Plan

Vision cont’d • multiple opportunities for waterfront

access and public recreation • an accessible, connected pedestrian and

bicycling network, and • high quality design that is contextually

sensitive The Vision is intended manage change to ensure an appropriate balance is maintained between growth that strengthens the vitality of the area and the preservation of the natural and cultural heritage resources that make Port Dalhousie unique.

Draft Secondary Plan

Guiding Principles • Connect with the waterfront • Protect and enhance the character • Improve connections to the lake and

harbour edges • Create a place for business • Conserve our heritage • Celebrate what we have • Make it easy to move around • Enhance and enliven the open space and

harbour areas. • Instill design excellence

Draft Secondary Plan

Draft Secondary Plan Community Commercial • Ground floor size of commercial uses

should be limited to approximately 400 sq metres (4300 sq ft) to prohibit large format retail uses

• Individual retail commercial units should be restricted to a maximum width of 12 m to maintain fine grained streetscape character. Retail units wider than 12 m will prepare an urban design brief to show how it maintains an active public realm, visual rhythm and street character.

Draft Secondary Plan

Community Commercial • Require new development to provide

ground floor non-residential uses adjacent to Locke Street, Lakeport Road and Hogan’s Alley (except for a ground floor residential lobby or residential component of live-work units

• On-going, active use of Dalhousie House will help to ensure the economic viability of maintaining and conserving it. Additional commercial, recreational, or institutional uses may be permitted in the zoning bylaw.

Draft Secondary Plan

Community Commercial • Continue to recognize the permissions

granted by Ontario Municipal Board for the lands at 16 Lock Street and 12 Lakeport Road

• A new development application has been submitted for the site and will be reviewed under the policies that existed at the time the application was submitted and deemed complete. A public meeting regarding the application was held Sept 27.

Draft Secondary Plan

Community Commercial Western Harbour Area.

• Respect the historic building scale and massing with Lincoln Fabrics building remaining the most prominent building

• Demonstrate how new buildings fit within the surrounding context

• Provide direct public waterfront access that extends the length of the harbour

• Maintain the nautical and industrial heritage character of the area

• Preserve view corridors from Lakeport Road towards the water

• Provide landscaping to create a gateway to the commercial core on Lakeport Road

• Create cohesive landscape design • Promote active transportation

Draft Secondary Plan

Built Form • Use of Section 37 (Bonusing) has not been

included. • New buildings on Lock Street east of Main

Street will be encouraged to maintain the existing street wall and a minimum height of 2 storeys at the street. Existing single storey buildings are permitted.

• Maintain existing view corridors to the water, public spaces and historic landmarks.

• New development may require an urban design brief to identify how it respects the historic building scale and massing, and animates the ground floor level

Draft Secondary Plan

Draft Secondary Plan

Parkland and Open Space • Enhance user experiences and facilities at

existing parks and maintain the carousel • Encourage expanded open space

opportunities east of Lakeport Road in the harbour area including enhancement of Lakeport Point Park. Provide a mixture of passive and active recreational opportunities which encourage year round park usage. Uses should augment rather than compete with uses in Lakeside Park, take advantage of its prominent location and ensure views and vistas of the harbour are maintained.

Draft Secondary Plan

Parkland and Open Space • Permitted uses on the east side of the

harbour which are currently designated Parkland and Open Space, will be expanded to support and enhance the harbour and tourist functions to increase activity level and facilitate greater year round use. Cultural facilities and recreational uses which support the tourism and leisure function of the area are encouraged. Stand-alone restaurants that take advantage of the harbour views may be permitted.

Draft Secondary Plan

Transportation and Parking Community Commercial: • Parking facilities should be below-grade or in

above-grade parking structures screened by at-grade uses. Parking facilities will be screened from adjacent residential uses.

• Shared parking is encouraged where a mix of land uses is proposed in order to reduce the overall number of parking spaces, if appropriate. Reduced parking standards may be considered where shared parking is available, and bicycle parking is provided.

Draft Secondary Plan

Transportation and Parking • Active transportation will be encouraged

particularly during peak parking demand periods and events.

• The City will consider public transit incentives or increased and/or more direct transit service to the area during summer months to encourage greater transit usage.

• The City will examine the opportunity to provide a convenient link between the east and west harbour parking areas, by way of water taxi, shuttle bus, or a pedestrian/ multi-use bridge.

Draft Secondary Plan

Urban Design • In the Commercial Core

• new infill development will be compatible with, but not mimic, existing buildings

• development will align with current setbacks. • In the Western Harbour area

• New buildings above 3 storeys should have a 3 m stepback on all sides

• Buildings should be well spaced to allow for significant public outdoor space

• Surface parking should be limited • In the Eastern Harbour area

• Mitigate impacts of large surface parking areas • New building should frame Lighthouse Road,

reflect the nautical and historic character of he area and maintain views to the water

Heritage Conservation District

HCD Plan Update

Need for Update • Port Dalhousie Conservation District

Boundary was adopted in 2002 • Existing Heritage Conservation District

(HCD) Study and Guideline was passed before the 2005, 2009 changes to Ontario Heritage Act (OHA) so they do not meet the current OHA Study or Plan requirements, and are advisory only

• HCD Plan for Sub-District of Port Dalhousie Heritage Conservation District has been drafted to be adopted under Section 41.1(1) of the current Ontario Heritage Act

OHA Requirements • Objectives of the Plan (Chapter 4) • Statement of District Significance (Chapter 7) • Description of the heritage attributes of the District and

properties in the District, Chapter (Chapters 6, 8, 9) • Additional policies, guidelines and procedures for meeting the

objectives and managing change in the District, (Chapters 10 and 11)

• A description of alterations, and maintenance matters that may be carried out without a heritage permit. (Chapter 11)

Objectives of the HCD Plan • To describe and propose effective

methods to conserve and enhance the heritage values, character and attributes.

• To enhance the vitality of the Core Commercial Area through conservation of resources and historic fine grained development patterns.

• To ensure that Official Plan and by-laws, including zoning by-laws, encourage the above.

• To develop guidelines, policies and implementation procedures.

• To guide new development to avoid adverse impacts on the heritage fabric and traditional historic patterns.

HCD Principles Principle 1 Conserve significant landscape features that define the broader cultural heritage character of the 12 Mile Creek and Lake Ontario.

3 Character Areas • Plateau • Delta • Embankment

HCD Principles Principle 2 Conserve Contributing Buildings: • Define which buildings are “contributing”

and “non-contributing” (Inventory 9.3.1) • Contributing buildings have features that

define the heritage character, are of the period of signficance and retain sufficient original heritage attributes to allow for preservation or restoration.

• Conserve the entire contributing building whole (not just facades) in current location

• Non-contributing buildings can be replaced • Conservation strategies encourage

restoration of missing elements.

Contributing

Non-contributing

Heritage Inventory

Potential Part IV Designations

HCD Principles

Principle 3 New development shall be compatible with the existing heritage fabric. • Along Lock Street and west side of

Lakeport Road new buildings will be limited to 3-storeys in height at the street line.

• Conserve the jail in-situ in an open plaza framed by new development

• Higher heights permitted in the western harbour area but the Lincoln Fabrics building to remain the tallest building (existing height plus 2 stories)

HCD Principles Principle 4 Conserve and increase space for independent retail, commercial and artisanal businesses by:

• Conserving the fine-grained lot network • Conserving existing small

contributing heritage buildings • Discouraging the demolition of

party walls between contributing buildings

• Restricting the size of spaces and encouraging the provision of small spaces for independent retail, commercial, artisanal and live-work opportunities

HCD Principles

Principle 5 Respect and enhance the utilitarian nature of the historic canal village in the harbour area.

• More random placement of buildings in relation to the original canals

• Focus on functional, practical design elements

• Retaining working surfaces such as concrete and asphalt, particularly at harbour edges and public walkways

• Simple light fixtures • Consider restoring former signs • Retention of marine artifacts, large and

small

HCD Principles Principle 6 Protect and enhance views to Lake Ontario, and other significant historic views

• Some views are from fixed vantage points,

• Other views are experienced kinetically, ie as individuals move through the landscape on foot, cycling or in vehicles experiencing a sequence or series of views and vistas.

• Important views, fixed and kinetic, along with general vantage points are identified in the plan, Section 9.3.2.

Views Protection

Kinetic View Sequence

Saple of Kinetic Views

Sample Static View

HCD Principles Principle 7 Recognize and respect Indigenous History and any known or discovered remnants and/or artifacts

Statement of District Significance Statement of District Significance • Modified and augmented from the

statement prepared for the listing of the Port Dalhousie Heritage Conservation District on the Canadian Register of Historic Places,

• Augmented with a Heritage Character Statement

Contains 3 Sections:

• 7.2 Description of Historic Place • 7.3 Statement of Cultural Heritage Value • 7.4 Heritage Character Statement

Description of Historic Place • A cultural heritage landscape situated at the northern end of a narrow

peninsula bordered on the north and west by Lake Ontario, on the south by Martindale Pond and on the east by the Port Dalhousie Harbour:

• A sub- district of the 2001 Port Dalhousie Heritage Conservation District, recognized for its heritage value by the City of St. Catharines By-law 2003-63.

Includes:

• Commercial core of the port and canal village • Commercial buildings along Lock Street and the

second Welland Canal; • Industrial and jail buildings • Embankment between the delta and the plateau • Former marsh and shore areas filled to create Lakeside Park including its

sandy beach area; • Archaeological remnants of Muir Bros. drydock filled for Rennie Park; • Archaeological remains and entry locks of the original three Welland

Canals (1826, 1848, and 1885).

Cultural Heritage Value 7.3 Statement of Cultural Heritage Value Describes importance, what is valued: • Representation of the history and development of the

commercial, industrial and recreation/tourism areas of the village of Port Dalhousie

• Port Dalhousie is among the best- preserved 19th-century canal villages in Canada, displaying unique streetscapes, road patterns, broad vistas and open views between buildings oriented to the canals, piers and lighthouses, boats in the harbour, and shorelines.

• Area of high archaeological potential containing remnants of the three Welland canals and foundations of former industrial buildings.

• Potential for Indigenous Peoples’ archaeological deposits • From 1826 to 1932 was the northern entry of the First Welland

Canal, the Lake Ontario terminus and service provider for the Second and Third Welland Canals

Cultural Heritage Value 7.3 Statement of Cultural Heritage Value – cont’d • Historic street plan preserved with its orientation to the

canal(s) and harbour, the shipyard and the lakeshore • Important well maintained heritage components: the

commercial core, the canal(s) and harbour area, the embankments, Lakeside Park and the beach, recreational boat mooring areas and Royal Henley Regatta course

• Remaining structures from the period of significance have increased heritage value as authentic heritage attributes, and are therefore commensurately more important to conserve in their totality and in-situ.

• Area has contextual value conveying a strong sense of the original time and place of the development and operations of the Welland Canal(s) and harbour area during its period of heavy activity between 1826 and 1930’s.

Heritage Character Statement 7.4 Heritage Character Statement Describes what is there: • Founding landscape, delta, plateau and

embankment • How the landscape has shaped historic uses,

street patterns, building and street character • Generally 1-3 stories in height, except for

Maple Leaf Rubber • General building character, presence of

verandahs • Creation of new lands by landfill, in delta area,

Lakeside Park and Rennie Park

Heritage Attributes 7.5 Description of the Heritage Attributes

• Founding Landscape: Short descriptions of key landscape features, delta, embankment, plateau

• Villagescape: Features of the village that are important to conserve, buildings, streetscapes, as well as historic property subdivision, irregular placement of buildings in relation to industrial operations, regular placement of commercial buildings

• Buildings: lists important buildings, expanded in Section 9.3.1

• Canal Relationships: visible and archaeological features

• Tourism, features relating to tourism development

Policies and Guidelines

10.1 Overview and Conservation Intent • Maintain existing stock of contributing buildings,

but not intended to force property owners to restore outside of normal maintenance or alteration cycles.

• Conserve identified heritage attributes, in private and public realm

10.2 Areas Affected by the Guidelines

• Only what can be seen from the public realm • Additions must not be visible from certain

vantage points. • General maintenance and repairs in kind can be

undertaken without a heritage permit.

Policies and Guidelines

10.3 Building Maintenance General Principles

• Conserve heritage attributes, repair preferred to replacement.

• Extend the life of heritage fabric through regular maintenance.

• Avoid mechanical equipment and skylights visible from public realm.

10.4 Building Maintenance Guidelines

• Masonry, Roofing, Windows, Doors, Verandahs, Woodwork, Decorative Elements, Paint, Gutters and Eavestroughs

Policies and Guidelines cont’d

10.5 Building Guidelines

• Demolition, Additions and Alterations, Infill Buildings, Commercial Structures, Commercial Buildings Façade Typology, Shopfronts, Signage, Upper Facades, Infill, New Buildings facing Lake Ontario or Main Street, Industrial buildings, Port Dalhousie Jail, Tourism Buildings, Mechanical Services/Energy Retrofit

10.6 Landscape, Streetscape Guidelines

• Lock Street, Lakeport Road, Hogan’s Alley, Main Street, The Street with No Name, Canal Elements, Harbour Edge/Piers, Lakeside Park, Rennie Park, Public Walkways/Pedestrian and Cycling Routes, Trees, Signage, Parking, Lighting

10.11 Archaeology

Policies and Guidelines cont’d

10.7 Zoning in the Sub-District Heights Permitted

10.8 Adjacent Areas 1 and 2

10.9 Important Views, Vistas and Vantage Points

10.10 Place Names

10.11 Archaeology

Implementation

11.1 Federal Lands within and Adjacent to the District 11.2 Municipal Policy 11.3 St. Catharines Heritage Permit Process 11.4 When No Heritage Permit is Required 11.5 Delegation of Authority to City Staff and Municipal Heritage Committee 11.6 Heritage Permit Application Content 11.7 When City Council Issues Heritage Permits 11.8 Appealing City Council’s Decision 11.9 Heritage Conservation District Advisory Committee 11.10 Property Standards

Implementation

The following items may be undertaken without a heritage permit: • Painting of wood, stucco or metal finishes • Repair of existing features, including roofs, wall

cladding, dormers, cresting, cupolas, cornices, brackets, columns, balustrades, verandahs,steps, decks, entrances, windows, foundations, and decorative wood, metal, stone or terra cotta, provided that the same type of materials are used.

• Installation of eavestroughs. • Weatherproofing, including installation of removable

storm windows and doors, caulking, and weatherstripping.

• Installation of exterior lights. • Installation of decks at rear of property when not

visible from the public realm.

Workshop

(Doreen Inglis, 2015) An artists impression of Port Dalhousie during the

Period of Significance 1829 - 1932

Next Steps • Draft documents on City’s website for further

public review • Encourage public comments by November 15 • Presentation of Proposed Secondary Plan and

HCD Plan to St. Catharine’s City Council