BOWMANVILLE -- A new neighbourhood, which will "incorporate the best features of the 19th and 20th century town design, while addressing modern planning and engineering concerns such as traffic congestion, pollution and urban sprawl," is one step closer to reality in Bowmanville.
The Brookhill Neighbourhood, when eventually built, would result in about 2,800 dwelling units in the area north of Hwy. 2, south of Nash Road, and between the Bowmanville Creek Valley and the Bowmanville urban area. The Secondary Plan for the area received preliminary approval Monday.
Earliest phases of construction could begin as early as next year.
"The build-out will occur over many years and is at the developers' timing," said Clarington planning director David Crome.
The plan puts forward a neighbourhood which uses "New Urbanism," an approach which follows 10 basic principles, says a staff report: walkability, connectivity, mixed use and diversity of housing, a strong linked public open space system, quality architecture and urban design, traditional neighbourhood structure, increased density, smart transportation, sustainability and quality of life.
"The Ontario government has mandated that we have to intensify. This is a form of intensification," said Clarington Mayor Jim Abernethy.
An array of housing forms would be key to the neighbourhood, said the secondary plan report.
"This allows for people to buy their first home in the community, raise a family and then downsize, once the children have left the home," said the report. "The economy of land use inherent with a new urbanism approach can result in better utilized infrastructure and public transit system."
Another difference from more recent neighbourhood types would be the addition of rear lanes. Though their use would be limited and on a trial basis, they're important to the type of neighbourhood to be created, said the report.
"Where individual lots front on an arterial or collector road, public rear lanes may be used to limit access and to encourage through flow of traffic. Garages will be placed on public rear lanes," said a portion of the report.
A limited number of coach houses would also be allowed, provided they're on rear lanes and located on the second storey of a garage. The rear lane idea could present some challenge, especially in terms of snow removal, said Clarington's operations director, Fred Horvath.
"We will have to come up with a level of service that will not be consistent with our main roads," he said. "The issue is resident satisfaction; what are the neighbourhoods going to accept.
"Somehow, we'll have to communicate what that level of service is and we can't rely on the developer and we can't rely on the builder for that," he said.
People will have to get used to it, said the mayor.
"What will be outdated is urban sprawl," he said. "If you want no parking problems and no snow removal problems, then what you want is one-acre estate lots, but not everybody can afford that."
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