Official Community Plan

B

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3. Supporting high-quality urban form & design Urban form refers to the physical structure and appearance of a community. It determines how open spaces, transportation networks, ecological systems, buildings, and humans relate to each other in physical space. Urban form and design should also communicate a community’s values, reflect its heritage and character, and make a space a place people want to be. Urban form considerations are key to ensuring that mixed use, higher density centres throughout Courtenay are thoughtfully designed to complement and enhance the neighbourhoods in which new development will occur. Connectivity, as an outcome of urban form, is one of the most significant factors in the frequency and quantity of walking trips, which in turn also supports transit. Connected streets provide multiple route options throughout the community while ‘dead-end and loop streets’ serve adjacent properties only. The downtown area reflects a traditional small block grid pattern that was common to this era: well-connected with many options for travel by foot, bicycle, and vehicle.

Streetscape quality and composition also have significant influence on the transportation experience and therefore desirability of walking and cycling in a city. Streetscapes that accommodate more public activities such as socializing, shopping, playing, sitting, and lingering are important conduits of the social fabric of the community and help establish a sense of place and identity. Features within the streetscape to accommodate these activities include attention to the human scale of developments to ensure architecture and landscapes feel comfortable, sufficiently wide sidewalks, cycling infrastructure, frequent seating, street trees, and landscaping. Access to parks, natural areas, and other open spaces is another important measure of how well urban form is meeting the needs of residents. Fortunately, within Courtenay 98% of residents are within a 10-minute walk of a public park.

PART B Managing Growth