If you have input on how London can become one of the greenest cities in Canada, while continuing to attract new development, city officials want to hear from you.
Tuesday night marks the first public open house session for residents to speak to staff about The London Plan. City planning officials will be at the South London Community Centre on Jalna Blvd. from 6pm - 9pm.
The official plan is a blueprint for growth in the city over the next 20 years, outlining space for future infrastructure developments, schools and parks.
It incorporates maps to identify planned land use, heritage features and transportation plans.
The new policies for city growth are split into 16 sections, some of the highlights include:
Food System
- celebrating local food culture, and encouraging rural and urban food production, processing and distribution
- supporting composting across the city
- locating grocery stores in areas where residents can walk, cycle or take transit to shop
- building rooftop gardens wherever possible.
- pushing the boundaries on becoming one of the greenest cities in Canada
- preparing a climate change adaption strategy for the city as the weather changes
- new developments will have to be planned “future ready” with room for growth into solar energy creation and electric cars
- growing in a sustainable fashion by expanding existing buildings, rather than erecting new ones, adapting commercial or industrial buildings into residential units, and allowing for the severing of existing lots.
- setting a target of accommodating 40% of new developments within a newly-set boundary of city building limits
- carefully reviewing applications to build on vacant rural land by asking developers to demonstrate that there is not enough land to build on inside the city.
- planners are hoping to design a city that is attractive to young professionals, and sought-after workers by ensuring neighbourhoods keep and build character and identity.
- protecting heritage buildings and elements as focal points of neighbourhoods.
- moving away from cul-de-sacs and dead-ends in new neighbourhoods to adopt grid patterns
- Moving towards linking London to Quebec to the east and Detroit to the west with high-speed rail
- Better connecting the city with London’s airport
- Creating municipal carpool parking lots and park-and-ride centres near transit hubs.
- The creation of four “transit villages” to connect highly-livable, urban neighbourhoods together with rapid transit lines
- protect existing trees and vegetation, while planting more trees to enhance sites around the city
- encouraging the public to take care of trees on private property
- increasing access to public WiFi in the downtown, in new “transit villages” and rapid transit stations.
- support creating a downtown that is the centre of innovation, research and business incubation
- with files from Avery Moore