The Neighbourhood Planning Initiative has its roots in the Ottawa 20/20 growth plans which identified the need for more collaborative community planning of land use, services and infrastructure investments at the City. A best practices study of Neighbourhood Planning in other cities confirmed the benefits of moving towards a more place-based and collaborative approach to neighbourhoods. Such an approach allows us to break through traditional “silos” and jurisdictions of municipal planning to address the complexities inherent in the physical, social and economic development of a city.

In order to explore the potential benefits of Neighbourhood Planning, the City of Ottawa has committed to a pilot project to undertake a Neighbourhood Planning initiative in the Hintonburg/West Wellington/Mechanicsville neighbourhood, followed by a second initiative in Vars. There is also a plan if resources allow to undertake a Neigbhourhood Plan initiative in a suburban neighbourhood as a third pilot project.

What is Neighbourhood Planning?

Traditional public policy has tended to form around “silos” and discrete jurisdictions such as land use planning, physical infrastructure planning, or social services planning. The Neighbourhood Planning initiative seeks to improve the integration between all City departments in the planning of projects in neighbourhoods, while also supporting active engagement with citizens in improving the social, economic, and physical infrastructure in their neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood Planning supports a comprehensive consultative process rather than a series of separate planning events undertaken in isolation by different City departments. The result is “one-stop” project planning and implementation, based on sharing ideas and identifying outcomes that can impact land use, social, and economic issues together. Collaboration is at the very heart of Neighbourhood Planning, bringing together cross-departmental teams of City staff with a broad spectrum of local community members. The close connection of staff to people in the neighbourhood allows those closest to the community to identify emerging needs and issues, and to plan actions to address needs proactively.

How does neighbourhood planning fit with existing processes such as Community Design Plans?

Neighbourhood Planning does not replace other City planning process such as Community Design Plans or Public Infrastructure Projects. Rather, Community Design Plans will continue to guide a community’s built environment, the Public Infrastructure projects will continue to focus on the infrastructure, and the Neighbourhood Plan will look more broadly to include the physical, land use and the social and economic needs of the neighbourhood. Neighbourhood Planning provides a framework for concurrent City planning projects to be undertaken in a coordinated way that allows for a sharing of ideas and resources.

How is the community involved in Neighbourhood Planning?

Residents, business owners, property owners, community groups and other stakeholders are involved in every step of developing a Neighbourhood Plan. Through public meetings, education sessions, and information sharing using a myriad of methods, residents and stakeholders determine the future of their neighbourhood. This process is intended to enable the neighbourhood itself to assess its strengths and weaknesses, and to identify strategies for social, environmental, economic, and physical development.

A community committee is being established with representation from a broad spectrum of neighbourhood interests. This committee will provide input and guidance to the study process and activities.

What is the timeline?

The Hintonburg/West Wellington/Mechanicsville Neighbourhood Plan initiative commenced in spring/summer 2006. A review of best practices suggests it takes 12 – 18 months to undertake a neighbourhood planning process. As the first pilot Neighbourhood Plan, the Hintonburg / West Wellington / Mechanicsville Neighbourhood document has taken 2 years to complete, and will be presented in the spring of 2009.

The Vars project begins fall 2007, and the Suburban Neighbourhood Plan Initiative will commence dependent upon budget allocations.

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