The OFFICIAL PLAN of Greater Sudbury on Healthy Communities, and Good Urban Design

UPDATE:

Defining a healthy Community is being struck from the OFFICIAL PLAN in the upcoming phase two review.

The following strike-through is being proposed for the Feb 24, 2022, Council meeting as noted in the Greater Sudbury OP document that can be downloaded at the following link: https://pub-greatersudbury.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=42670

1.3.1 A Healthy Community

It is a Council priority for Greater Sudbury to be a Healthy Community offering a high
quality of life to its residents.

The City recognizes the link between the physical design of communities, health and
quality of life. The intent is to develop a community where adequate community and
human services for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities are provided through
opportunities for employment, recreation, learning, culture, and physical and emotional
well-being. The four pillars of a healthy community are:

 Human Health and Wellbeing;
 Environmental Sustainability;
 Economic Vitality; and,
 Civic Engagement and Social Capital.

Building on these four pillars, the determinants of a healthy community are identified
as:

 Citizen engagement in community decision making;
 Accessible recreation programs and facilities;
 A prosperous community with employment opportunities;
 Accessible health care;
 Protected natural areas and healthy lakes and rivers;
 Sound municipal infrastructure;
 An inclusive, diverse and (welcoming/accepting community);
 Social supports;
 A safe and unified city;
 Educational opportunities; and,
 Community vision and leadership.

Many of the above components of a healthy community are addressed by City initiatives
including the City of Greater Sudbury Human Services Strategy 2015, and the
community’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. Decisions and actions taken by
Council and City staff, including public investments and service delivery, should be
guided by principles of a Healthy Community.

For ease of reference, the land use objectives and policies of this Plan that directly
support the determinants of a healthy community are identified with the above symbol.’

The above strike-through is being replaced with one sentence. Download the redline document and give community feedback to Council.

The PDF of the Official Plan for Greater Sudbury (OPGS) can be found at the this link

We have re-presented some of the notes and policy guidelines about healthy communities, and good urban design outlined in the OPGS and added some links for further reference.

‘This Official Plan contains policies to guide land use planning decisions that reinforce and
strengthen our city. It is informed by a number of processes and initiatives. It is the
result of an extensive community consultation program and reflects the goals of the
community and the City. It also has regard to matters of provincial interest in the
Planning Act, is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and conforms to the
Growth Plan for Northern Ontario. The Official Plan balances these local and provincial
goals.’

‘1.2 PURPOSE

The Official Plan is the principal land use planning policy document for the City of
Greater Sudbury. It presents a vision of what Greater Sudbury will look like 20 years in
the future and contains policies to guide public and private development decisions
consistent with the vision.’

‘1.3 UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES

The Official Plan is based on and informed by four broad principles that will help guide
future growth and change in our city.

1.3.1 A Healthy Community

It is a Council priority for Greater Sudbury to be a Healthy Community offering a high
quality of life to its residents.

The City recognizes the link between the physical design of communities, health and
quality of life. The intent is to develop a community where adequate community and
human services for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities are provided through
opportunities for employment, recreation, learning, culture, and physical and emotional
well-being. The four pillars of a healthy community are:

 Human Health and Wellbeing;
 Environmental Sustainability;
 Economic Vitality; and,
 Civic Engagement and Social Capital.

Building on these four pillars, the determinants of a healthy community are identified
as:

 Citizen engagement in community decision making;
 Accessible recreation programs and facilities;
 A prosperous community with employment opportunities;
 Accessible health care;
 Protected natural areas and healthy lakes and rivers;
 Sound municipal infrastructure;
 An inclusive, diverse and (welcoming/accepting community);
 Social supports;
 A safe and unified city;
 Educational opportunities; and,
 Community vision and leadership.

Many of the above components of a healthy community are addressed by City initiatives
including the City of Greater Sudbury Human Services Strategy 2015, and the
community’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. Decisions and actions taken by
Council and City staff, including public investments and service delivery, should be
guided by principles of a Healthy Community.

For ease of reference, the land use objectives and policies of this Plan that directly
support the determinants of a healthy community are identified with the above symbol.’

‘1.3.2 Economic Development

Economic development is essential to the future of this community and an important
building block of a Healthy Community.

The City recognizes the link between planning, design and economic development. The
Official Plan provides a policy framework which supports economic development and
prosperity in many different ways.’

‘1.3.3 Sustainable Development

A healthy and prosperous future depends on Greater Sudbury being a sustainable
community.

Our Common Future, the landmark U.N. report presented by the Bruntland Commission
in 1987, defines sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present
generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”
Becoming a sustainable community involves adopting a long-term view in assessing
options and making choices. It also means recognizing the value of healthy eco-systems,
using resources efficiently, and enhancing a locally based economy. Bringing all parts of
the community together to meet the goal of sustainability can be accomplished by
encouraging and facilitating partnerships among the government, private and non-profit
sectors.

The Official Plan recognizes the interdependencies that exist in the natural environment
and introduces a watershed-based approach to planning. It provides land use policies
which protect our natural resources to support long-term economic growth, including
mining, aggregate and agricultural lands. The Plan also recognizes and includes policies
that support climate change mitigation and adaptation.’

‘Good urban design is part of the language of city building. A renewed emphasis on
good urban design improves the quality and character of our communities,
neighbourhoods and sites. The Urban Design Guidelines are used to create strong relationships between the built form and public realm ensuring safety and accessibility,
winter livability, energy efficiency and climate change resiliency.
Greater Sudbury is a healthy and sustainable community which recognizes that the
quality of life of our citizens is directly related to environmental, economic and social
determinants. Land use choices ensure that the natural and built environment support
an excellent quality of life for and health of residents. Greater Sudbury is a child-
friendly city. Children are educated, live and work here.’

14.0 URBAN DESIGN

Urban design, the multi-disciplinary and collaborative process that gives shape to the
form, character and relationships between the various physical elements that make up
the city, matters.

How we design our public realm (e.g. streets and parks), private development sites,
neighbourhoods, communities and city is essential to improve the overall quality of the
built environment, attract economic development opportunities and the skilled labour
required to achieve strategic planning goals, maintain accessibility, improve safety and
security, build sustainable environments and resilience to climate change.

The City, through this Official Plan, other Planning Act tools and other public projects
has an important role in shaping design. The intent of this Plan is to provide broad urban
design direction to improve the quality and character of future public and private
projects. These broad directions will be further articulated through a comprehensive
set of Urban Design Guidelines.

14.1 OBJECTIVES

The objective of the urban design policies are to:
a. encourage well designed and high quality communities, neighbourhoods and
public realm;
b. encourage well designed and high quality development and intensification;
c. promote an environment that is accessible, safe, sustainable and climate change
resilient;

14.2 GENERAL

Policies

1. The City will exemplify high quality urban design in infrastructure and other
public projects through the implementation of the policies of this Plan and the
Urban Design Guidelines.

2. The City will require high quality urban design in the review of all Planning Act
applications through the implementation of the policies of this Plan and the
Urban Design Guidelines.

3. The policies of this section will be used to evaluate matters such as: a. patterns of movement and the physical and social connections that exist
between people and places;
b. the interrelationship between built and unbuilt spaces that comprise the
public realm and private developments;
d. the protection and integration of the natural environment and cultural
heritage resources; and,
e. accessibility, safety, sustainability and climate resilience.

14.3 COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD DESIGN

Given the number of diverse Communities and Non-Urban Settlements, Greater Sudbury
is very much a city of neighbourhoods. Good urban design that respects existing built
form and character can enhance the appeal of these neighbourhoods, including the
integration of natural features. The following policies are established in order to
promote a higher standard of community design.

Policies

1. The City will encourage community and neighbourhood design that:
a. creates a distinctive community character and strong sense of place;
b. integrates a mix of land uses such as living areas, employment areas, institutional
uses and parks and open spaces;
c. fosters active transportation and public transit;
d. incorporates natural and cultural heritage features and areas;
e. provides an interconnected network of parks and open spaces; and,
f. creates accessible, safe, sustainable and climate change resilient places.

2. Buildings, structures and other design elements that complement the
surrounding built form and character are encouraged.

3. Streets are significant public realm elements that provide connectivity, serve
pedestrians, cyclists, public transit and vehicles, provide space for stormwater
management and other municipal services and private utilities, trees and other
amenities. Streets will be designed to perform these diverse roles balancing the
needs of various users within the right of way.

4. Area streetscapes are to be improved over time to provide safe, attractive,
interesting and comfortable spaces through appropriate upgrades, such as
landscaping, lighting, sidewalks, paving, street furniture and public art. These
treatments should complement adjacent built form and open spaces, adding to
a neighbourhood’s character.

5. The street grid is a major organizing element in many Communities that is to be
maintained and improved. To improve connectivity and mobility, where these
streets meet major topographic features or other barriers, pedestrian and cyclist
infrastructure should be provided.

6. Wherever possible, natural features and functions should be integrated into the
urban landscape in order to preserve and promote the City’s natural beauty and
ecology.

7. The City will promote the design, conservation, enhancement and creation of
significant public open spaces that contribute to the City’s image. These open
spaces will complement and support the uses, scale, design features and
activities generated by surrounding uses and buildings.

8. To the extent possible, Living Areas will be connected through the use of open
space corridors, trails, sidewalks and streets so that neighbourhoods and schools
are linked and interaction is facilitated.

9. New parks and open spaces will be located and designed to connect and extend,
wherever possible, to existing parks and open spaces, provide a comfortable
setting for community events as well as individual use, provide appropriate space
and layout to meet recreational and other needs, and emphasize and improve
unique aspects of the community’s heritage.

10. Grassing and tree planting activities in the area are to be continued under the
Land Reclamation Program. Additional policies on land reclamation and the
urban tree canopy are found in Section 9.4.

11. Adequate weather protection, seating, visibility and lighting at transit stops will
be provided wherever feasible.

12. The visual appeal of the urban environment will be enhanced by improving area
signage. This may occur through the adoption of new sign regulations.

13. Landscape buffers between non-residential development and adjacent
residential areas will be provided.’