Shane Mitchell
As one of CAMPP's founding members, Shane is a lifelong Windsor-Essex resident who works in the architectural and development industry, and is the former President of the Old Walkerville Residents Association.
I have an overall concern about outward expansion in Windsor at this time. This city has a considerable number of options for growth well within our existing developed area. Growth can be accommodated in a number of ways, from brownfield redevelopment to infill on a number of existing secondary plans already established throughout the city. I completely reject the proposal to rezone any lands in the proposed area from agricultural. I reject the official expansion of our settlement area and feel we need to reconsider growing Windsor onto these lands for the reasons outlined below:
1. Outward growth at this time is unnecessary: Population projections in Windsor do not justify outward expansion at this time, and perhaps the foreseeable future. Albeit, even if Windsor were to grow significantly in the next 20 to 50 years, there is in fact ample space to support a large population increase within our established urbanized footprint. Such growth can be accommodated by developing onto our pre-existing secondary plan areas, the over 500 acres of brownfield land cited within the City of Windsor's brownfield redevelopment strategy or by densifying existing low density communities that currently exist throughout the vast majority of our city.
2. We cannot afford to spread out: Windsor has a significant infrastructure deficit, to the tune of over 1 billion dollars. Windsor's streets, sidewalks, alleys and sewer infrastructure crumble while our city's remains density is below targets, By growing outward without any significant projected population growth, we are being financially irresponsible as our city desperately needs new development on to our existing infrastructure network.. Densification, infill and good land use strategy is the only logical plan to deal with our fiscal problems.
3. Environmental Issues Ignored: The proposal to grow onto prime agricultural lands is beyond irresponsible in day and age where we are finally taking steps to preserve our irreplaceable agricultural lands. Additionally, the secondary plan proposed will grow our city in a fashion that promotes further dependancy on the automobile, one of the most significant contributors to climate change. We cannot plan for automobile oriented development any longer with provincial and federal governments directing action be taken to curb climate change, to do so would be negligent.
4. Illogical Transportation: Another issue of concern is building a city that is fragmented and of too low density to implement logical transit systems economically. For public transit to be efficient, useful and cost effective, it requires density, logical street network and good land use planning. The proposed secondary plan offers challenge such as it relation to the city airport which cause it to make access difficult. Additionally as our city "hollows out' and institutions, industry and residential areas migrate towards the proposed development areas, our density may fall in older neighbourhoods making the problem even worse. The same is true of active transportation networks, a low density, fragmented city is neither easily walkable or accessible by bicycle, regardless of any infrastructure installed.
For the aforementioned reasons and many more, I reject the entire plan to grow outwards onto the proposed lands. No alteration to the proposed plan, added transportation features, "community hubs" or "green washing" can make the proposed growth strategy logical for our community. I recommend that the plan to sprawl this city at this time be halted until there are no other feasible solutions for growth, until then our city should, and must employ smart growth strategies to remain economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
As one of CAMPP's founding members, Shane is a lifelong Windsor-Essex resident who works in the architectural and development industry, and is the former President of the Old Walkerville Residents Association.
I have an overall concern about outward expansion in Windsor at this time. This city has a considerable number of options for growth well within our existing developed area. Growth can be accommodated in a number of ways, from brownfield redevelopment to infill on a number of existing secondary plans already established throughout the city. I completely reject the proposal to rezone any lands in the proposed area from agricultural. I reject the official expansion of our settlement area and feel we need to reconsider growing Windsor onto these lands for the reasons outlined below:
1. Outward growth at this time is unnecessary: Population projections in Windsor do not justify outward expansion at this time, and perhaps the foreseeable future. Albeit, even if Windsor were to grow significantly in the next 20 to 50 years, there is in fact ample space to support a large population increase within our established urbanized footprint. Such growth can be accommodated by developing onto our pre-existing secondary plan areas, the over 500 acres of brownfield land cited within the City of Windsor's brownfield redevelopment strategy or by densifying existing low density communities that currently exist throughout the vast majority of our city.
2. We cannot afford to spread out: Windsor has a significant infrastructure deficit, to the tune of over 1 billion dollars. Windsor's streets, sidewalks, alleys and sewer infrastructure crumble while our city's remains density is below targets, By growing outward without any significant projected population growth, we are being financially irresponsible as our city desperately needs new development on to our existing infrastructure network.. Densification, infill and good land use strategy is the only logical plan to deal with our fiscal problems.
3. Environmental Issues Ignored: The proposal to grow onto prime agricultural lands is beyond irresponsible in day and age where we are finally taking steps to preserve our irreplaceable agricultural lands. Additionally, the secondary plan proposed will grow our city in a fashion that promotes further dependancy on the automobile, one of the most significant contributors to climate change. We cannot plan for automobile oriented development any longer with provincial and federal governments directing action be taken to curb climate change, to do so would be negligent.
4. Illogical Transportation: Another issue of concern is building a city that is fragmented and of too low density to implement logical transit systems economically. For public transit to be efficient, useful and cost effective, it requires density, logical street network and good land use planning. The proposed secondary plan offers challenge such as it relation to the city airport which cause it to make access difficult. Additionally as our city "hollows out' and institutions, industry and residential areas migrate towards the proposed development areas, our density may fall in older neighbourhoods making the problem even worse. The same is true of active transportation networks, a low density, fragmented city is neither easily walkable or accessible by bicycle, regardless of any infrastructure installed.
For the aforementioned reasons and many more, I reject the entire plan to grow outwards onto the proposed lands. No alteration to the proposed plan, added transportation features, "community hubs" or "green washing" can make the proposed growth strategy logical for our community. I recommend that the plan to sprawl this city at this time be halted until there are no other feasible solutions for growth, until then our city should, and must employ smart growth strategies to remain economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
