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District of Kitimat and consultants from MODUS Planning, Design and Engagement have created a draft Downtown Plan and Design Guidelines. Details of the plan are provided in the links below. All comments must be submitted via this Survey or send email to dok@kitimat.ca. All comments, whether submitted at the open house or online, will be summarized in a report to Council as we work towards a final plan. If you prefer to complete a printed copy of the survey, please pick one up at the District Office, 270 City Centre.
Deadline to submit responses to the survey is 12 noon on Wednesday, 30 September 2020.
Plan on a Page
Open House Boards
Draft Downtown Plan and Design Guidelines
Videos
To provide you with more context, listen to Edward Porter from MODUS and Michael Von Hausen, who was involved in the first round of engagement back in April 2018, discuss key points of the Downtown Plan:
Open Houses
Thank you to everyone who attended the open houses. We are grateful to all who came out and participated. All comments, whether submitted at the open house or online, will be summarized in a report to Council as we work towards a final plan. If you took a comment form home, pleased submit your comments online or drop off your form at the District Office no later than noon on Wednesday, 30 September 2020.
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Public Open House
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Wednesday, 23 September 2020, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Riverlodge (Completed)
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Virtual Open House
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Thursday, 24 September 2020, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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Providing Feedback
Due to COVID-19, we encourage feedback to be submitted online through the channels below. Those who choose to attend the in-person Open House will have opportunity to provide feedback using the same form that is provided in the survey.
Survey (Google Forms)
Send email
Deadline to submit responses to the survey is 12 noon on Wednesday, 30 September 2020.
Your comments are important to this process. If you have further comments, questions, or concerns, please send via email or call us at 250-632-8900.
| Background and Process |
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District of Kitimat is creating a new vision for development in its downtown core. A new Downtown Master Plan will update current Downtown Design Guidelines and bring new direction for a vibrant city centre. Project began in 2018 as an update of Kitimat's Downtown Design Guidelines. Completed in 1994, current guidelines were intended to make Downtown Kitimat a lively, functional, accessible, and cohesive pedestrian-oriented place.
Following the events in 2018, District of Kitimat and consultants from MODUS Planning, Design, and Engagement agreed that a new master plan was appropriate to create new vision and design principles for Downtown Kitimat.
Context
Downtown Kitimat is a 35-hectare mixed-use area in the heart of Kitimat townsite, consisting of three precincts: City Centre, Mountainview Square, and Haisla Centre. Together, these areas form the retail and institutional core of the community, providing a diverse range of commercial and government services—and a mix of housing opportunities—that serve the daily needs of Kitimat and Kitamaat residents.
Kitimat's Official Community Plan (OCP) describes downtown as a fragmented collection of buildings with a strong automobile orientation, spread along a series of pedestrian corridors. Community sentiment suggests that the area could be strengthened through improvements to the pedestrian realm and key focal points as well as form and character of buildings.
Purpose
The new Downtown Master Plan and revised Downtown Design Guidelines will:
- Refresh the overall vision and design direction for Downtown Kitimat
- Identify and address current challenges
- Improve the applicability of the Downtown Design Guidelines with the inclusion of greater detail, stronger language and enhanced visual representation of key ideas.
- Provide clear direction for future development and redevelopment of the downtown.
- Integrate best practices and select precedents in pedestrian-oriented urban design.
Key Topics
- What makes a thriving downtown
- Sustainability (mixed land uses, neighbourhood commercial, residential density, and housing location)
- Parking
- Accessibility and mobility
- Connections to natural park areas and greenways
Key Questions
- General
- What opportunities do you see for downtown Kitimat?
- What challenges do you experience?
- What are your favourite places?
- What places do you feel need improvement?
- What does a vibrant downtown mean to you?
- How can we make downtown a more liveable, successful, people-friendly place?
Process Timeline
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| How to Get Involved |
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All comments and questions are welcome as part of this public engagement process. Opportunities for comment and input will be available in person during public engagement events or you may also contact Community Planning and Development at the District office, 270 City Centre, call us at 250-632-8900 or email us. A survey is available for online input based on the Draft Downtown Plan and Design Guidelines.
Upcoming Events
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Public Open House
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Wednesday, 23 September 2020, 4:00 – 7:00pm at Riverlodge
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Virtual Open House
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Thursday, 24 September 2020, 5:00pm – 7:00pm at www.kitimat.ca
Virtual Portal (to be provided prior to the start of the event)
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Past Events
Update (2 March 2020): Big Moves and Design Principles Presentation
At Regular Meeting of Kitimat Council on Monday, 2 March 2020, consultants from MODUS Planning, Design, and Engagement presented draft "Big Moves", Vision, and Design Principles that will go into the new Downtown Master Plan. Vision and design principles build from ideas and comments collected from the community, Kitimat Council, and staff over the course of this project. "Big Moves" is a Structure Plan that brings together results of the downtown parking study, identify potential place for infill development, and proposes several changes to the pattern of Downtown Kitimat. Structure Plan expands on previous design work for Wakashan Avenue and realigns Tsimshian Boulevard to create a "Main Street". Plan proposes to celebrate entry points to Downtown Kitimat, convert excess surface parking into opportunities for infill, enhance pedestrian connections, and reinforce hubs of activity.
Online Survey - Closed on 18 February 2020
Public Open House at the Kitimat Public Library (23 January 2020)
Vision and Principles Display Boards
Vision and Principles Display Boards with Comments
Kitimat Downtown Design Guidelines Update - Workshop and Walking Tour (April 2018)
Presentation
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| Stay Connected |
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If you would like to receive emails with updates on this project, please send us an email with "Downtown Master Plan" in the subject line.
All materials to date are available for review at the District of Kitimat reception desk, 270 City Centre, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays. Further inquiries should be directed to District of Kitimat at 250-632-8900.
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| Resources |
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The following documents, maps and other resources are intended to provide information and context for this planning process. We will add new resources to the list below as they are developed or collected:
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The 1952 Kitimat Townsite Report is a nine-book set of plans and policies that describes how to build and operate a “civically independent new town”. Clarence S. Stein and his co-authors cover everything from administration to zoning. Detailed plans for future development of Kitimat's townsite and industrial area make this report an invaluable document for Kitimat's past, present and future.
The report's Executive Summary is a must read for anyone interested in local history. A full set of the 1952 Master Plan is available for viewing at Kitimat Museum and Archives.
The report includes maps of the recommended townsite design. Most of the neighbourhoods, greenbelt areas, commercial and industrial centres we know in Kitimat today were laid out in the original plan.
The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) honours one community plan each year that has made a significant contribution to national planning heritage. In 2013, the enduring quality of Kitimat's original master plan was recognized with CIP's Vision in Planning Award.
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 District of Kitimat is creating a new local area plan for municipal lands west of Douglas Channel.
Project area extends south from Eurocan Road and west of Douglas Channel to the municipal boundary. Area is comprised of rugged terrain with several significant watercourses, Jesse Lake with spectacular falls into Douglas Channel, and many points of interest. Access is limited via forest service roads and marine vessels. Land is mostly provincial Crown land with an active forest license.
This plan process will gather community input that will be compiled with baseline information to create a local area plan.
Local area plans are extensions of the Official Community Plan (OCP) and apply to specific areas or issues within the municipality. Contents may extend existing goals, objectives, and policies from the OCP that apply to the area. There may be opportunity to develop new policies that are area specific, but may be applicable District-wide and brought into the OCP. This area plan will become a pillar of future OCP updates.
| Where are we in the Process? |
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Project Timeline (Updated 18 September 2019)
In 2017, Kitimat Council approved the Land Constraints and Suitability Study for the project area.
With the assistance of consultants; Westland Resources, Madrone, and Kleanza; this study looked at existing environmental and geotechnical conditions, plus developed an archaeological model to evaluate the likelihood of archaeological sites.
Three overview assessment reports were produced as baseline information that will inform this planning process. District staff have developed indicators that will evaluate this information and apply constraints to future development. This approach allows the land and water to develop opportunities, while constraints trigger need for further assessment when site-specific applications are brought forward.
Goals, objectives, and policies in the local area plan will be developed with this baseline information plus input through community engagement.
Next Steps:
- First Nations Consultation - October 2019 and ongoing
- Community Engagement - starting November 2019
- Launch at Christmas Craft and Gift Fair, 1 and 2 November, at Riverlodge
- Stakeholder Focus Groups, November 2019 - January 2020
- Public Open House: "What We Have Heard", Presentation of Draft Goals and Objectives - end January 2020 (date to be confirmed)
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| Community Input |
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All comments and questions are welcome as part of this public engagement process. The comment form provided asks general questions; no topic or issue is insignificant. Opportunities for comment and input will be available during open houses and stakeholder focus groups. If you have any comments or questions about the process, you may also contact Community Planning and Development in person at the District office, 270 City Centre, or email us.
Comment Form
Comments Summary (Updated 3 February 2020)
Comment Forms Received
Paul Plante (1 November 2019)
Per-Henrik Norman (9 November 2019)
Patricia Lange (9 December 2019)
Ruth Mueller (20 December 2019)
Douglas Channel Watch (27 December 2019)
Christmas Craft and Gift Fair
Community Map
Core Themes, Priorities, Concerns
Stakeholder and Focus Group Comments
Advisory Planning Commission (21 November 2019)
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| Stay Connected |
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If you would like to receive emails with updates on this process, please send us an email with "South West Kitimat Area Plan" in the subject line.
All materials to date are available for review at the District of Kitimat reception desk, 270 City Centre, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays. Further inquiries should be directed to Community Planning and Development at 250-632-8900.
This webpage will be updated as new information becomes available.
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| Resources |
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Fall Craft Fair Open House Displays (1-2 November 2019)
Board 1 - Welcome
Board 2 - LCSS Summary
Board 3 - Core Themes, Priorities, Concerns
Board 4 - How to be Involved
Land Constraint and Suitability Study (Completed March 2019)
Executive Summary
Environmental Overview Report
Archaeological Overview Report
Geotechnical Overview Report
Council Report
Council Presentation
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