Downtown Master Plan Study

Downtown Master Plan, update

In the spring we had a wonderful turnout to the first Public Participation meeting held at the Museum London. City planners are working on the input from that meeting. I encourage you to have your say now on the City web site survey as the next public meeting has not been set. If you live or work in the Downtown or surrounding areas I'm interested in you feed back. I have championed this Master Plan process because Downtown belongs to everyone and it is 10 years since the City has undertaken a comprehensive study and developed an up to date vision and strategy.

http://bit.ly/CBHNB

Top right for the survey

SoHo Community Planning update

SoHo Community Planning 

(photo taken at 2nd meeting)

Residents of the SoHo community came together again this week for SOHO ’s 3rd Community Planning meeting.  The community meeting began by drawing from the work done at the two last SoHo community meetings and elaborating on vision ideas for SoHo .  Many of the things people love about SoHo are encapsulated in some community guiding principles:

Developing the connections and relationship between people and places.

Enriching SoHo ’s community and heritage and the connections to Downtown and The Thames river. 

In a collaborative spirit, this meeting reviewed the community’s desired vision and guiding principles for the SoHo area.  To work towards that vision, 9 strategic directions were identified in the economic, social and environmental realms.  Below are a few examples to give you a sense of some of the items that we discussed.        

“Create strong mainstreet commercial corridors along Wellington and Horton”

“Identify opportunities for places & activities that foster community interaction.” 

“Enhance the public realm, including streetscapes, public spaces and infrastructure”    

               Along with the residents all the meetings are well attended by City staff including the two principals planners John Fleming and Lou Pompilii and the city Urban designer Sean Galloway.  Parks Planning Landscape Architect, Julie Michaud also presented two park enhancements that will be made next year. ie Meridith Park and Richard B. Harrison Park.  There will also be public input sessions to refine need and directions for these well used Soho Parks.

 The City web site, www. London.ca will also keep you up to date with progress. 

Heritage Districts;

Do they work? Reported in the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario newsletter sent to me today are some answers.

Heritage Districts Work! - Report Now Available

A major project on Heritage Conservation Districts (HCDs) undertaken by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario to determine whether they are meeting their goals is now complete.

The conclusion? Heritage Districts work! By in large the goals set for individual Heritage Conservation Districts have been achieved. Satisfaction with living and owning property in districts is overwhelming; with seventy-five per cent of respondents indicating that they were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with living in an HCD. A study of sales trends showed strong real estate performance in HCDs, especially those where HCD guidelines are consistently enforced.
www.arconserv.ca.

http://bit.ly/Pd8FY 

Residential Licensing Program

Residential Licensing Program:
The by-law is set to come into effect on March 1, 2010.

Council approved (13/17 ) a rental residential licensing program. The Program specifically and only targets: ‘rental structures containing four or less rental units and converted dwellings’. Please note this program will not apply to apartment buildings, stacked townhouses, or townhouses. The intention of the by-law is to ensure that the health and safety of all the tenants are met, and that tenants are provided with essential services (such as heating and water). Additionally, the by-law strives to see that rental premises do not create a nuisance to surrounding neighbours and residential communities.

You might be wondering how all this will work?

Landlords who own property with four rental units or less, or who own converted dwellings will be required to apply for a license from the City of London to continue their rental business. To apply landlords will complete a checklist provided by the City to ensure that all property standards and regulations are met on the property. The City of London ’s by-law enforcement officers will perform random inspections to make sure the property does indeed meet standards. The by-law (aside from inspections) provides other ways which safeguard against falsely completed checklists and applications by landlords. One such method will be the use of duplicate checklists signed by the tenants of that property.

Here are some examples of what would be on the checklist that landlords would fill out;
Roofs are in good solid condition:
Foundation is strong and stable:
No major cracks in walls:
No signs of visible mould:
Etc.

As always any increase in rent above the guidelines set out by the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario, must be approved by that agency first. Only an “extraordinary” increase in taxes or fees from a municipality can be claimed as a legitimate reason to increase rent. Please note the cost to landlords is $25 per building

This by-law has come about through lengthy consultation with all stakeholders. The By-law has been amended considerably because of the consultation. Unfortunately many landlords posted inaccurate information about the by-law and this created panic and confusion for many. If you have any further questions please call me.

Urban Structural Plan: London, On.

Urban Structural Plan:  What is that?  http://bit.ly/LYVED Paul Berton summarizes it in the LFP today!

London’s Urban Structural Plan is perhaps our most important Planning document.  The Plan ultimately coordinates the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural sustainability of our communities.  

The Plan is the missing piece in London that has frustrated me over the years.  Without an Urban Structural Plan there is no reference point for so many of our decisions at Council. London's population of 360 deserves such a plan. 

Building a great Livable City requires Planning out to the distant future.  Our Community Plans including The SOHO Community Plan and The Downtown Master Plan now have a planning context for decisions.

Stay tuned; I am a very excited Councillor. 

LOLA

LOLA: London Ontario Live Arts festival.

September 17, 18, 19, 20 2009

LOLA Eve: Gordon Monahan, Judy Bryant, Paul Wald, 

Gordon is setting up for "Two pianos talking to each other"

in Victoria Park.

All power to the LOLA team for bringing together another great line up of events.  Four year ago I attended the first LOLA in Downtown London.  It was a wet and chilly night and now this 2009 promises to be super fine.

Visit the schedule of events and cool map: http://www.lolafest.com/home/map/

or call 888 915 5652

Kick off at MacIntosh Gallery on the UWO campus,  6pm Friday

...check Doors Open London too!

Do London! Doors Open London

Doors Open London

September 19 & 20,  2009

10am - 4pm | Admission FREE

Event Map and Guide available at DO London Headquarters 

Eldon House Interpretive Centre at 481 Ridout Street North

Eldon House is also home to London Heritage Council

Check out the cool Web Site

www.doorsopenlondon.ca

*Ride tourism London's Bus

*DO London Restaurants

*For Kids

*Tips for the Weekend

Take in LOLA too!