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Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study Pragmatic Research in Action 2004 Planning Awards Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut amecrrrv

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(pfflonton Planning and Development Department Transportation and Streets Department

Pistinlng end Owslc^jmsnt LIBRARY The City of Edmonton

PLANNING AND

mailing address.

DEVELOPMENT

5TH FLOOR.

10250-101 STREET NW

EDMONTON. ALBERTA TSJ3P4

February 17,2004

Reference No.: 1094668-005

AACIP Awards Committee

Mr. Bill Shaw, ACP, MCIP, Chairman

do Mary Jane Alanko 370 Dogwood Court Sherwood Park AB T8A 1K4 Dear Mr. Shaw:

I am pleased to submit the enclosed project West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study, 2003 for consideration in the 2004 AACIP Planning Awards, Alberta, The Northwest Territories, and Nunavut in the area of applied research and planning analysis.

The West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study responded to a Council motion associated with a rezoning proposal for a medium-rise apartment building. The location of the proposed

development, in an area experiencing transition in land uses and bounded by significant railway operations and major roadways, raised some public concerns about off-site impacts. The focus of Council's motion was the impact that future redevelopment would have on the roadway capacities within the West Ritchie area and possibly beyond it.

The Study was prepared through a partnership between the Planning and Development and Transportation and Streets Departments. Team members included Michelle Cabalt, Planner, ACP, MCIP; Stefan Fekner, Senior Planner, ACP, MCIP; Audra Jones, Director, Community Transportation Planning, P.Eng.; and Catherine Oberg, Engineer, P.Eng.

The Study provides a forecast of the redevelopment potential for the area over 10 and 25 year time horizons under the existing zoning. This forecast was then used to generate anticipated traffic volumes, on both internal (local) roadways, as well as turning movements from boundary

(arterial) roadways in and out of West Ritchie. Two transportation problems were identified: (1) over-capacity for local residential streets, and (2) poor access to West Ritchie from the two boundary arterial roadways. Both land use (down-zoning) and transportation (local traffic plan) solutions were drafted and evaluated, including some informal community consultation and field surveys.

The Study represents an infrequent though valuable opportunity to practice good research within a current planning context. So often, responsibility for conducting such research is left to the applicant for a proposed development. The developers area of interest is typically limited to the proposed development site and immediate surroundings, rather than the larger neighbourhood impacts. ...12

-2-

By undertaking a joint interdepartmental study, the City is better able to identify the consequences of intensification and to use the research in future planning applications for development in West Ritchie. Finally, the accompanying enclosure demonstrates how the Study provides a model for further researchefforts of a similarnature.

Please contact Michelle Cabalt at 496-6295 if there are any questions regarding the submission.

Yours truly.

' Benowski

General Manager Enclosure

LB/mc

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study Pragmatic Research in Action

RODUCnON

In an information age, conducting in house research appears sometimes

to be a lost art. At least that Is what appears to be true for municipal planners in the review of current planning applications (rezonings, plan

amendments, road closures, subdivisions). Tiie developer typically

supplies much of the information, in order to meet the information

requirements of the municipality. The art of conducting pragmatic, multidisciplinary research within the civic body needs to be resurrected.

The following example, the West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation

Research

in Current

Planning

Study is a demonstration of such research and how best to conduct it.

Planners and engineers face a common challenge in reviewing urban redevelopment. What is the cumulative impact of redevelopment on the municipal infrastructure and services?

Unlike well-planned modern suburban communities, inner city redevelopment charts a less predictable course. Projections of future land use and population densities, roadway capacities and municipal infrastructure requirements are not often calculated beyond the site of the proposed redevelopment nor in the preparation of a statutory land use plan for the inner city neighbourhood (Area Redevelopment Plan).

Neither is the prerequisite level of research and analysis within the scope of study by the individual developer. It is left to municipal planners and engineers to determine, through appropriate research, the future development potential within a larger area and the attendant implications for land use and the provision of municipal infrastructure and services. The need for a better accounting of inner city redevelopment potential adjusted for roadway, sewer and water capacities is often manifested only when a specific development proposal identifies major deficiencies or major public infrastructure investment is being planned for a community.

[

PROJEcf'bVERVIEW

The West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study responded to a Council motion attached to a rezoning proposal for a medium-rise apartment building redevelopment project. The location of the proposed development being in an area experiencing transition in land uses and bounded by significant railway operations and major roadways, raised some public concerns about off-site impacts. The focus of Council's motion was the impact that future redevelopment would have

Study Origins

on the roadway infrastructure within the West Ritchie area and possibly beyond it.

2004 Planning Awards • Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut City of Edmonton • Planning and Development • Transportation and Streets

Page J

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study

Pragmatic Research in Action

West Ritchie

The resulting Study provides a forecast of the development over a 10 and 25 year time frame under the existing zoning. This forecast v^/as then used to generate anticipated traffic volumes, on both internal (local) roadways as well as turning movements from boundary (arterial) roadways In and out of West Ritchie. Two transportation problems were identified: (1) over-capacity for local residential streets, and (2) poor access to West Ritchie from the two boundary arterial roadways. The Study was undertaken through a partnership between planning and transportation staff.

Map 5

Redevelopment

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Study Conclusions

The Study concluded that poor access rather than roadway capacity is the more significant issue and that local residents and businesses have coped reasonably well with the transportation problems. Empirical evidence Indicates that the problem of poor access has already had a significant negative Impact on commercial development opportunities within the area. The problems that would arise through introduction of down zoning or expansion of roadway capacity considerably outweighs any reduction In transportation problems. The mixed land use character (residential, commercial. Industrial, institutional land uses) of West Ritchie frustrates, the establishment of consensus around decisions to add

further roadway capacity or to provide new access opportunities. Finally, the Study provides base line data for continued current planning review of redevelopment activity in West Ritchie and serves as a model for conducting like research in the future.

Page

2004 Planning Awards • Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut City of Edmonton • Planning and Development • Transportation and Streets

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study Pragmatic Research in Action

MULTlblSCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN CURRENT PLANNING

The following discussion elaborates the two key components of conducting pragmatic multidisciplinary research in current planning within the public sector context. Examples are drawn from the West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study to illustrate practical advice on conducting good research.

For any research practitioner, there are two basic components in conducting effective research: • Getting started and staying on the right track.

• Building on acquired knowledge and producing meaningful results communicated to important participants.

Getting Started and Staying on the Right Track Planning a clear research path before delving into the pursuit of information gathering makes a lot of sense. A preliminary reconnaissance of available background documents and expertise followed by brainstorming by research team members should be used to outline the research methodology and determine project management requirements (i.e. staffing, time lines, work program and costs). Typical research pitfalls such as allowing the availability of certain data to drive the research effort and not asking the important questions up front should be avoided. Good research studies should be relatively easy to follow, understand and replicate, where necessary. Most importantly, public sector researchers in current planning applications must appreciate the practical time and resource constraints imposed in many situations. Consequently, the best information may not always be available for reasons of expense or the time required acquiring the information. This necessitates the use of secondary yet suitable information sources, such as performing area inventories and surveys of the physical condition of buildings to determine their redevelopment potential.

Good Research Practice

2004 Planning Awards • Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut City of Edmonton • Planning and Development • Transportation and Streets Page

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study Pragmatic Research in Action

West

Ritchie

Examples from the

West Ritchie

Study

The West Ritchie Study used the following tools for getting the research started and on the right track:

• development of a study methodology shown in Figure 1, which outlines in chronological order the key components of the research resulting in the final question which needs to be addressed - is there a problem?; • separate introductions for each chapter of the Study to define the primary purpose and application of the proposed analysis; • summaries for each chapter of the Study to draw together and highlight major research findings; • collection and assessment of working assumptions and limitations of the research information so that the research can be critiqued and possibly replicated in future follow up studies; and • regular team meetings to clarify ambiguous research results, establish smaller work assignments within the larger Study methodology, and to overcome obstacles that occasionally arise.

Figure 1

Study Methodology

Land Use Exhting Land Um

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• deurmine irtp tercradoA

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• compare uHp ^eradcnto

current and fimre opaddet opaddi

Conclusions and Recommendations I. K« There a Problem?

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If Yes • Recommend courM of aedon: zortioj cFun^es

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2004 Planning Awards • Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut Page,

City of Edmonton • Planning and Development • Transportation and Streets

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study Pragmatic Research in Action

Building on Acquired Knowledge and Producing

West Ritchie

Meaningful Results

Research ultimately should assist decision makers In making the best informed decisions. Research should progress, in stages, from raw data to information to intelligence. Intelligence is information assembled in such a manner that decision makers can review options; deliberate important questions; receive recommendations; and make the best

Good

decision based on the available information. Land use decisions follow a

Research

more consensual model and therefore it is important to consult with, get feedback from and obtain input from affected residents and businesses.

Once the research starts to identify recommended or potential land use and transportation solutions, it is important to employ public and civic input as an integral part of the research tool kit. The potential solutions as well as their implementation need to be carefully evaluated and, if

Practice

possible, tested. Finally, the research results need to be translated into a language understandable and usable by the affected residents and businesses.

The West Ritchie Study used the following methods for building on acquired knowledge and producing meaningful results: • input from civic staff with expertise on local land use planning and traffic management to gauge the implementability of proposed solutions;

• team meetings between planning and transportation staff verified the shortcomings of using "environmental capacity" to determine the "perception" of over capacity on local residential streets; • field surveys and informal communications with local residents and businesses to validate the issues and test potential solutions to perceived problems;

Examples from the West Ritchie

Study

• input from local community representatives and municipal councilors to share research results and to validate research conclusions and recommendations;

• use of maps, figures and tables to present the conclusions of the research, such as the example provided in Table B-1; and

• the final Chapter of the Study translating for the public, the clear results and recommendations of the Study, and just as importantly, the reasons for what may appear to some, an unconventional recommendation.

2004 Planning Awards • Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut City of Edmonton • Planning and Development • Transportation and Streets Pagi

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study Pragmatic Research in Action

Table B-1 Summary of the Solutions Considered 160% 140%

120% 100% 80% 60% 40%

^er Capacity

20% 0%

Environmental Capacity Uhder Capacity

-20% •40% -60%

Do Nsthing

Transportaton Soluuons

Zoning Solution (ii)

Co<Tt>iiM Solutioas •36%

(i) I B<sUng

-8%

-26%

-8%

n Short Term

36%

9%

34%

7%

• Long Term

142%

94%

138%

90%

Oo Nothlnn

Existing

7380

Short Terni

10915

Long Term

19375"

Capacity

8000

620

Transportation SoluUonsn) -8%

7380

(2915)

36%

10915

(915)

(11375)

142%

19375

(9375)

100%

10000

2620

-26%

Zoninq Solution fll) 7380

9% 10725 94% 19042 100%

620

Comblrted Solutions -a%

7380

(2725)

34% 10725

(11042)

138% 19042

8000

2620

-36%

(725) (9042)

7% 90%

100% 10000

100%

Table B-1 illustrates suggested transportation, zoning and combined solutions and their impact on roadway capacity. Two important study conclusions resulted which ultimately affected the study's conclusion and recommendations. Firstly, local roadways are already near their "environmental capacity" — a figure which is appropriate for residential land uses but not the mixed land use character of West Ritchie.

Secondly, the suggested solutions, either separately or combined, would not substantially mitigate the long term (25 year) over capacity or traffic congestion on local roadways. City planning and engineering staff were of the further view (confirmed by local resident and business

consultation) that many of the suggested solutions would adversely Impact either local residents or businesses.

Page ,

2004 Planning Awards • Alberta, The Northwest Territories and Nunavut City of Edmonton • Planning and Development • Transportation and Streets

West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study

Pragmatic Research in Action

ULUSiON: THE ROLE OF THE PLANNER

Professional planners contribute to successful researcii projects such as the West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study in essentially playing three roles: organizer, analyst and communicator.

The Planner as Organizer of research projects. The Planner functions in the current planning process largely to coordinate civic and public responses to development proposals. Consequently, the Planner must organize or structure the input and responses of those providing input into the land use planning and development or current planning process. Land use analysis, particularly the potential building size and dimensions, and site requirements forms the basis for the roadway and other municipal infrastructure requirements. Organizing the research methodology therefore is a logical outgrowth of the Planner's preoccupation with coordinating civic and public responses to development proposals.

Research and the Planner's

Role

The Planner as land use Analyst. The Planner provides a special area of expertise in the area of land use analysis and its various implementation vehicles such as the Zoning Bylaw, statutory and non-statutory land use plans, subdivision regulations and other planning processes (i.e. environmental assessment, heritage policies). The redevelopment scenarios (with their projections of build outs by dwelling units, population and commercial floor space) produced in the West Ritchie Study were first developed by planning staff in order that transportation staff could generate the pre-requisite traffic generation numbers for the Study. These land use and transportation numbers form the critical research information base for the Study.

Finally, the Planneris a Communicator. The Planner frequently works at

the interface between the technical experts. City Council, the developer and the public. In doing so, the Planner provides a translation service, communicating often technical and legal matters in a language that necessarily must be comprehensible to a wide, primarily lay audience.

The Planner is also responsible in the current planning process with communications. Communications involve a variety of vehicles,

including notifications, public meetings, telephone and other inquiries and Council reports. The West Ritchie Study required some necessary but limited communications, involving meetings with community representatives and City councilors to share the final conclusions and recommendation of the Study.

Hopefully, municipal planners and engineers can work collaboratively more often on applied research projects such as the West Ritchie Land

Use and Transportation Study and encourage a resurgence of using applied research when faced with current planning challenges.

2004 Planning Awards Âť Alberta, The Northwest Temtories and Nunavut City of Edmonton â&#x20AC;˘ Planning and Development â&#x20AC;˘ Transportation and Streets

Page ^

6iii!3i>toa

TRANSPORTATION AND STREETS

15TH FLOOR. CENTURYPLACE 9803-102A AVENUE EOMONTON. ALBERTA T5J3A3

(780) 496-2801 FAX: (760) 496-2803

February 17,2004

Our Reference No.: 37551905-TP

AACIP Awards Committee

Mr. Bill Shaw, ACP, MCIP, Chairman

do Mary Jane Alanko 370 Dogwood Court Sherwood Park AB T8A 1K4 Dear Mr. Shaw:

I am pleased to support thePlanning and Development Department's entry for the2004 Planning Awards, sponsored by theAlberta Association of the Canadian Institute of Planners (Alberta, The Northwest Territories, and Nunavut).

The "West Ritchie Land Use and Transportation Study,"directed by Edmonton City Council in response to redevelopment concerns expressed by area stakeholders, was undertaken through a partnership between the Planningand Development and the Transportation and Streets Department of the City of Edmonton. The purpose of the study was to assesspotential land use and transportation scenarios to determine the effect thatredevelopment may have on the existing transportation infrastructure. The outcome of the study was a number of recommendations for balancing redevelopment with the capacityof the area transportation system.

The study demonstrated an effective approach to the analysis of land redevelopment and the resulting transportation pressures that arise, and highlighted the value of a strong working relationship between the Planning and Transportation disciplines. The project also provided valuable base line information that will allow for better decision-making from both a Planning and Transportation perspective as redevelopment in the area proceeds.

Sincerely,

Mahagef Transportation Planning Branch AJ/bjl

58762

OFFICE OF THE COUNCiaORS 2nd FLOOR, CITY KALL

I SIR VflMSTON CHUHCHKJ. SQCAflE EDMONTON, WJERTA T5J2B7

PHONE (7«0MM-e<20 FAX (780)4880113 EIML

»unaBa»<Mnon»r ca

February 16,2004

AACIP Awards Committee

Mr. Bill Shaw, ACP, MCIP, Chairman do Mary Jane Alanko 370 Dogwood Court Sherwood Park AB T8A 1K4

Attention:

AACIP Awards Committee

Dear Mr. Shaw:

Re;

2004 Planning Awards - West Ritchic Land Use and Transportation Study

We arepleased to support the Planning and Development Department's entry into the2004 Planning Awards, Alberta, The Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Thesubmission is a project undertaken by the Planning and Policy Services and Community Transportation Planning Branches at our request. The Council motion was madeout of concernsraised during consideration of a rezoning application that would allow a mediumrise apartmentdevelopment in the westerlyportion of the Ritchie neighbourhood.

The project team met with us to present their findings. The project findings highlight some of the challenges for the City when faced with intensification proposals. The project also serves as an example of our civic departments working togetherto solve problems through technical analysis.

Sincerely,

Jane Batty,

Michael Phair,

Councillor, Ward 4

Councillor, Ward 4