Built Environment
Land Use and Urban Design The City’s CWOCP, alongside various land use plans, establishes the direction for effective utilization of land. This includes policy on location, size and character of buildings where we live and work to the placement and share of space allocated to different modes of transportation. Gathering spaces, streetscapes, landscaping and unique features encourage residents and visitors to spend time exploring and enjoying. Urban design features also require careful consideration to ensure they are accessible and welcoming to all. High quality urban design that creates visually interesting, inviting and functional spaces and connects building, transportation and social systems ultimately encourages safe and positive interactions with our urban environment. Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a pedestrian-friendly, compact mixed-use form of development centered on frequent transit. This type of planning aims to provide a more complete variety of uses, housing types and transportation alternatives to cars. Communities that are transit-supportive are also more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly; TODs can significantly influence overall travel patterns. Transit-oriented neighbourhoods are often achieved through high-density, mixed-use developments with abundant ground-level retail, employment uses and a high-quality pedestrianfocused public realm with well-connected street and sidewalk networks.
Evergreen Skytrain extension
Transportation A well-connected transportation network and inviting streetscape makes it easier for people to quickly and conveniently walk, roll or cycle to their destination, and shortens the journey by providing more direct routes. While the City is committed to providing greater transportation choices, achieving the City’s goal for complete, wellconnected neighbourhoods also depends on strong partnerships with regional and senior governments and agencies (e.g. TransLink) to ensure regional transportation facilities support the movement of people, goods and services to, from and through Coquitlam.
Parks and Open Spaces
Buildings
Parks, greenspaces and tree canopy are discussed in great detail within the Natural Areas, Wildlife and Habitat theme of the ESP (page 52). However, their role within Coquitlam’s built environment is important to highlight. Parks contribute to the community’s carbon sequestration (through the tree canopy), reduce the impact of the urban heat island effect and create opportunities for walkable recreation and connection with nature within complete neighbourhoods. The PRC Master Plan calls for equitable and sufficient park access including upholding a 10-minute walking radius for every resident, where possible. Recent neighbourhood plans highlight the need for new and upgraded parks, recreation and cultural public amenities to define the urban fabric, supporting a growing community and ensuring the City is a great place to live, learn, work and play.
Buildings generate GHG emissions from burning fossil fuels (e.g. natural gas) typically for space and water heating and account for approximately one third of all GHG emissions in the Metro Vancouver region and just under half of Coquitlam’s community GHGs. Carbon pollution from buildings can be reduced through improvements to energy efficiency, energy recovery and switching to low carbon energy systems (e.g. heat pumps, solar, renewable gas and electricity). Implementing the BC Energy Step Code will play a key role in increasing new building energy performance and reducing pollution while increasing the comfort of building users. Actions taken today to reduce community and corporate building GHG emissions will have a long-term impact because many buildings that exist today will still be in use in 2050.
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City of Coquitlam | Environmental Sustainability Plan
