URBAN DESIGN BRIEF - London, Ontario · The subject lands are located east of Hyde Park Road and approximately 160 metres west of Coronation ... Looking east from Hyde Park Road Looking

URBAN DESIGN BRIEF 1030 CORONATION DRIVE

LONDON, ONTARIO

THE TRICAR GROUP

November, 2013

Urban Design Brief

The Tricar Group– 1030 Coronation Drive 2

Section 1 - Land Use Planning Context

1.1 Subject Lands

The subject lands are located east of Hyde Park Road and approximately 160 metres west of Coronation

Drive. The site includes an irregular shaped parcel with a total area of 1.065 ha (2.63 ac) and is part of a

larger block with frontage on Coronation Drive. The subject site is approximately 104 metres in depth

and is approximately 124 metres wide at its widest point. The subject site falls immediately west of

Tricar’s Northcliff at Hyde Park high density condominium tower. There is a buffer of commercial uses

fronting Hyde Park Road with an existing TSC hardware store directly southwest of the site while a

vacant land future commercial block is immediately adjacent to the west. Existing development in the

area also includes an established range of housing densities including single-family to the east and

townhomes to the south.

SUBJECT SITE

Urban Design Brief


Currently the subject lands are undeveloped with a relatively flat topography across the property. It has

been pre-graded with the adjacent site development and no structures currently exist on the site.

Looking east from Hyde Park Road

Looking north from South Carriage Road

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Looking west from Coronation Drive (shared access with Northcliff condominium tower)

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1.2 Proposed Development

The Official Plan land use designation on the subject property is Multi-Family, High Density Residential.

The site is currently zoned Residential (h-89)*(h-90)*R9-7/H45 with a 45 metre maximum building

height. Town and Country Development, the owner of the subject property, is proposing to develop a

39 unit townhome block.

The proposed townhomes will be located in close proximity to Hyde Park Road within the Hyde Park

Community. With the neighbourhood south of Gainsborough Road anchored by the existing high-

density apartment tower, there is a great opportunity to develop a proposed medium density complex

in a complimentary plan that will enhance the residential concentration while offering housing options

to prospective residents.

Proposed Site Plan

Urban Design Brief


1.3 Project Goals and Objectives

The goals and objectives of the proposed development include establishing an overall site design that

respects the urban design principles for this area by:

Providing a residential development that, through the combination of its massing,

orientation, pedestrian entrances, architectural detailing and material selection, will

blend well with the vision of the community;

Orientation to the arterial/collectors will serve the traffic needs and eliminate the

potential for short-cutting;

Creating an attractive interface between the units and the Northcliff tower by designing

an enhanced landscape that compliments the buildings and transitions the activity

within the units to the public realm;

Maintaining the privacy of the adjacent land owners to the north by orienting the units

nearest the property boundary in a rear facing position and providing the installation of

privacy fences; and

Adopting a land use plan that is compatible with the Official Plan.

1.4 Design Response to City Documents

The design policies relevant to the proposed development are taken from the City of London Official

Plan (Chapter 11), as amended by Official Plan Amendment No. 438. The subject lands are currently

designated Multi-Family High Density Residential under the City of London Official Plan (Schedule A).

The policies that are relevant to the proposed development are outlined below.

1.4.1 Medium Density Residential Policies

The Official Plan establishes the following policies with regard to Multi-family, Medium Density residential development:

i) Support the development of multi-family, medium density residential uses at locations which enhance the character and amenity of a residential area, and where there is safe and convenient access to public transit, shopping, public open space, recreation facilities and other urban amenities.

ii) Encourage the development of well-designed and visually attractive forms of multi-family, medium density housing.

iii) Promote the retention of desirable natural features through the appropriate location of buildings and parking areas.

Urban Design Brief


1.4.2 Urban Design Policies

The urban design principles, as set out under Section 11.1 of the Official Plan, that are relevant to the

subject site are discussed below:

a) Natural Features

There are no significant natural features associated with the subject site. Currently the

subject lands are undeveloped with a relatively flat topography across the property. It has

been pre-graded with the adjacent site development

b) Trees

There are no significant treed areas associated with the subject site.

c) Open Views

There are no open views associated with the subject site. The site is situated internally from

any public right-of-ways.

d) High Design Standards

It is anticipated that a high standard of design will be implemented for the proposed

development. Such design standards include, but are not limited to safe access for

pedestrians, public space amenities for interaction, best practices for built form design, and

a landscape plan designed to enhance connectivity, proximity and synergy with adjacent

land uses and built form.

e) Streetscape

Site access is provided via a shared access road to the Northcliff Condominium Tower.

There is no streetscape component to this project.

f) Access to Sunlight

The units proposed are three storeys and given their overall height will not have an impact

on adjoining properties to access sunlight.

g) Landscaping

Detailed planting beds are proposed for the front of each unit utilizing a combination of

perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs and ornamental trees. Landscaping is proposed

along the visible side building façades, between rear and side yards and as screening for the

visitor parking spaces.

h) Building Positioning

The buildings have been positioned to create defined, usable and secure open space areas.

i) Parking and Loading

Surface parking will be provided on site.

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1.4.3 Hyde Park Urban Design Guidelines

The Hyde Park Urban Design Guidelines are intended to address structures which have frontage on a

public street. Many of the Guideline policies are not applicable to the subject proposal as the subject

property is on an internal private drive. However, to be consistent with the Official Plan policies and

meet the general intent of the pertinent policies of the Design Guidelines for Hyde Park, the following

design elements have been included in the design of the units for the subject site:

Garages do not dominate the internal streetscape. Front elevation garages have been designed

to be sensitive and to integrate with the building elevation and mass. Garages do not project

beyond the main front wall of the individual units. The width of the garage has been designed to

be proportional to the width of the unit.

Buildings and the roof line of units have been designed with rooftops of an identifiable shape.

No square or flat top roofs are proposed. A variety of roof silhouettes and shapes are proposed.

Diversity in architectural expression is proposed with building facades varied and articulated to

provide visual interest for pedestrians. A variety of building materials are proposed for different

units within any building. Window framing has been diversified such that units side by side have

quite different window treatments.

Canopies over doorways are proposed.

Urban Design Brief


1.5 Spatial Analysis

The subject site is comprised of an irregular shaped parcel located within a concentration of various

residential and commercial developments within the urban growth boundary. The lands west of the

property along Hyde Park Road are existing and future commercial uses. The existing community

located east and southeast of the subject lands includes low and high density residential uses.

Land Use Plan

Urban Design Brief


1.5.1 Site Spatial Analysis (400m)

Within the 400 m radii, Hyde Park Road provides existing and future commercial uses, as well as transit

connectivity including automobile, cycling and pedestrian routes. Access to the subject site will be

provided off of Coronation Drive. The community context within 400m of the subject lands is a mix of

developed and vacant land uses. Existing developments directly adjacent to the subject lands are

designated business district commercial and high density residential. A neighbourhood commercial

corridor runs along Hyde Park Road starting just south of South Carriage Road all the way up to

Gainsborough Road into the main intersection of Hyde Park, this corridor then continues down both

sides of Gainsborough Road. The west side of Hyde Park road consists of a mix of low and medium

density residential. A vacant block directly adjacent to the south of the subject site is site plan approved

for high density residential. Lands to the east and southeast consist of the Northcliff condominium

tower and additional low density residential.

400 metre radii

Urban Design Brief


1.5.2 Regional Spatial Analysis (800m)

The community context within 800m of the subject lands is similar to the use of lands within the 400m

radius in that it contains a mix of developed residential and commercial land; however there are some

different land uses that spread out beyond the 400m boundary. Low and high density residential

developments primarily occur east and southeast of the subject site. To the south of the site, there is

some vacant residentially designated land mixed in with an existing storm water management pond,

some commercial uses and a CP railway line. A public park southwest of the site provides a multi-use

trail that connects to Gainsborough Road to the north and a storm water management pond to the

south that eventually connects back into Hyde Park Road. Light industrial lands can be found between

the 400m and 800m boundaries both west and northwest of the site. Transportation hierarchies and

neighbourhood activity areas can be seen in the 800 metre radii map below.

800 metre radii

Urban Design Brief


1.5.3 SWOT Analysis

An analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) presented by the

neighbourhood context and the proposed development can be summarized as follows:

Strengths

Appropriate location for medium density development;

Located within a high density residential designated area, which is adjacent to a mixed use

development, that includes low and medium residential and commercial uses;

Within walking distance to the Hyde Park neighbourhood commercial uses

Transit is currently available along Hyde Park Road, with bus stops located directly in front of

TSC (northbound) and at the intersection of Hyde Park Road and South Carriage Road

(southbound).

The site is set back from Hyde Park Road and Gainsborough Road which will help diminish

vehicular traffic noise for the site.

A potential future rear lane along the north property line will provide a spatial separation

between proposed residential uses and commercial uses which have frontage on Gainsborough

Road.

A potential public lane to the west can provide an emergency access route and could also

provide a means for Paratransit to service the site.

Weaknesses

Major hydro line running through site;

Potential for shadowing from existing apartment building to the east and future building to the

south;

Possible relocation of existing services.

Single access point at the terminal of an extended private lane.

Opportunities

Provide an opportunity to develop the proposed medium density in a complimentary plan that

will enhance the residential concentration while offering housing options to prospective

residents;

Provide potential pedestrian connection to existing commercial along Hyde Park Road;

Promote urban infill within the urban growth boundary.

Threats

There are no perceived threats at this stage of the development.

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1.5.4 Neighbourhood Character and Compatibility

The neighbourhood character in this area of the city is a mixture of single family subdivisions consisting

together with medium and high density apartment buildings. A small block of commercial development

occurs directly adjacent to the site.

Section 2 - Design Principles and Design Responses

2.1 Conceptual Design

The design objectives for the subject lands are:

i. Create a development that is sympathetic to the land uses existing and planned in the

neighbourhood.

ii. Create a development that will employ a high degree of urban design and architectural

principles.

iii. Provide well-connected landscape treatment and employ appropriate landscape

architectural design principles.

The goals outlined above have been achieved through appropriate building scale, the placement of

various elements on-site and inclusion of landscaped site elements.

Townhome Units

The proposed townhome units will be located within an internal block with access along an existing

private drive (Northcliff condominium tower) which connects to Coronation Drive. The townhomes will

be three storeys in height with a single car garage.

The architectural elements of the proposed units will consist of a mix of brick and siding. A mix of

window design will enhance the look of the townhomes by avoiding continuity and provide an

aesthetically pleasing look to the proposed units.

There will be no shadow impact on residential developments north of the development.

Landscape Open Space and Streetscape

Detailed planting beds are proposed for the front of each unit utilizing a combination of perennials,

ornamental grasses, shrubs and ornamental trees to enhance the front façade and highlight the

building’s architectural features. Additional landscaping is proposed along the visible side building

elevations to add interest to the built form. A selection of deciduous and coniferous trees are

strategically located to provide screening and separation between the units where necessary (rear yards

adjacent to a side yard and etc.). The visitor parking areas are also screened using a combination of

perennials, shrubs and ornamental trees. A privacy fence in combination with groupings of deciduous

and coniferous trees will provide screening along the property lines.

Urban Design Brief


2.2 Public Realm

Lands within the proposed development will be owned by the future condominium corporation. The

project does not front onto any public streets and site access is gained via a shared access road to the

Northcliff Condominium Tower. Therefore the opportunity to create public realm does not exist.

2.3 Sustainability

Sustainability measures for the proposed development could include the following strategies for the

building and the site:

Energy efficient appliances (Energy Star appliances, windows and doors; low flow toilets, etc.);

High efficiency HVAC (individual air handlers with ERVs and unit air conditioner);

Installation of native and drought tolerant plants;

Preservation of existing shrubs and trees wherever possible;

Strategic location of trees to provide shade for building and parking lots, which reduces cooling

costs and urban heat island effect;

Recycling and waste management;

Site is fully serviced;

Close to proposed schools and recreational opportunities.

Stantec Consulting Ltd. 600-171 Queens Avenue Urban Design Brief

London, ON N6A 5J7 The Tricar Group – 1030 Coronation Drive

Appendix A - Site Plan

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Appendix B - Landscape Plan



Appendix C - Elevations