Meeting Tuesday, December 1, 2009

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New Zoning Bylaw
Meeting- Tuesday, December 1, at 7 p.m. at the Beach Rescue Building
316 Beach Boulevard with Al Fletcher.
Hamilton City Planners are drafting a comprehensive new zoning bylaw for the whole
City. This is the time for all of us to have say, and learn before the fact.
Al Fletcher, manager of strategic projects for planning and economic development
is visiting neighbourhoods like ours, gathering information and talking to residents
about what the new bylaws will mean to them. He has visited other older
neighbourhoods like ours where rezoning and variances may be an issue.
Areas that have large lots that may be suitable for intensification (multiple units),
commercial lots available for development, historic character homes and new buildings,
we have it all.
If you have questions about zoning, want to have a say in desirable development for your
neighborhood you have the chance.
AL Fletcher is coming to listen and speak to us all Tuesday, December 1, at 7 p.m.
If you have a specific site for him to see he will be happy to do so. There will be a
Neighbourhood map at he meeting for you to point out areas of interest.
Please come out.

 

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Building a better bylaw

Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator

October 08, 2009
Stories by Eric McGuinness
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 8, 2009)
When you discover you aren't allowed to build a garage in your backyard, or your neighbour opens a body rub parlour, that's when zoning bylaws become important.

The Pearl Company arts centre on King William Street is fighting rules that require it to have parking, and residents of Houndtrail Drive in Waterdown are dismayed that a neighbour can build a backyard wall as tall as his house.

But city planners drafting a comprehensive new zoning bylaw for the whole city of Hamilton -- suburbs included -- say it's a challenge to get the public interested.

Al Fletcher, manager of strategic projects for the planning and economic development department, says: "I want to try to generate the public's engagement. Often people don't get involved until the law is in place and something is being built next door. I want people to learn what zoning means, because we're open to opinions about where we can make advances.

"I want to make it as exciting as I can, but it's a very dry topic to the public."

Fletcher says development is now governed by six bylaws, a nightmare to administer and an obstacle to developers. The oldest is the former city of Hamilton's, dating to 1956. The newest is Stoney Creek's, rewritten in the mid-1990s.

He says the aim is to write a new law that will be consistent citywide, so developers and homebuyers can easily understand it, while recognizing unique areas require special treatment.

"For instance, there are some places where there are very large lots suitable for residential intensification, but other places where they should be preserved to maintain character. Councillor Tom Jackson is interested in Sherwood Heights on the Mountain Brow, where there are large front setbacks he wants to keep."

To get the word out about what's going on, Fletcher is offering to speak to neighbourhood associations, professional organizations and almost any group interested.

"Anyone who will listen to me, I will talk to them."

He's already addressed the annual meeting of the Ainslie Wood-Westdale association and is booked to appear at a property appraisers' meeting.

In a novel, grassroots approach, he's also offering to lead neighbourhood walks in which people can show him what they think works and what doesn't, so the new bylaw encourages desirable development.

"I was born and raised here and schooled at McMaster, so I know the area fairly well, but not the intricacies of all the small neighbourhoods."

Walks are scheduled later this month in the McQuesten and South Stipeley neighbourhoods.

You can contact Fletcher by e-mail at alr.fletcher@hamilton.ca or call 905-546-2424, Ext. 5802. For general information on the new bylaw, go to myhamilton.ca, under Quick Links, click on Projects and Initiatives and scroll down to Moving Forward -- New Zoning Bylaw.

emcguinness@thespec.com

905-526-4650