LITTLE R ACRES C IMPROVEMENT PLAN - Windsor€¦ · Christina Tizzard Senior Urban Design Planner...

LITTLE RIVER ACRES

COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT PLAN

November 2, 2005

WINDSOR

Ontario Canada

Planning Department

The Corporation of the City of

Approved by the Ministry of

Municipal Affairs and

Housing on

LITTLE RIVER ACRES COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Project Team

The following Planning Department staff was responsible for the managing, co-ordinating and authoring the Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan:

Neil Robertson Policy Planner Project Co-ordinator and Plan Author Christina Tizzard Senior Urban Design Planner Contributing Author Jennifer Meader Assistant Community Development Planner Background Research Jim Yanchula Manager of Urban Design & Community

Development Project Manager

Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan Steering Committee

The Steering Committee was responsible for providing guidance on the overall strategic direction for this project. The Steering Committee consisted of the following individuals:

Jo-Anne Gignac City Councillor – Ward 5 Tom Wilson City Councillor – Ward 5 David Masse Little River Acres Residents Association (Chair) Jason Nieuwets Little River Acres Residents Association Donna Parks Little River Acres Residents Association Michelle Stewart Little River Acres Residents Association Sherry Jones Little River Acres Residents Association Trudy Shadd Little River Acres Residents Association Bianca Jackson Little River Acres Residents Association Ross MacKenzie Little River Acres Residents Association

Project Contributors

The participation and contributions of the following people was essential to the successful completion of this project. Their contributions are greatly appreciated.

Sandra McLean Community Co-ordinator Little River Acres Residents Association Robert Hayes City Planner Planning Department Thom Hunt Manager of Planning Policy Planning Department Heidi Baillargeon Planning Technician Planning Department Brian Worrall Communications Lead Corporate Communications Department Marco Aquino Functional Area Analyst Financial Services Tiffany Pocock Engineer III Public Works Department Steve Bittner Policy Analyst Traffic Engineering Barry Horrobin Director Planning & Physical Resources Windsor Police Services Don Sadler Executive Director of Parks and Forestry Parks and Forestry Department Mike Clement Manager of Parks Development Parks and Forestry Department Brian Forster Manager of Inspections Building and Development Department Mario Sonego Chief Building Official Building and Development Department Mike Palanacki Executive Director of Operations Public Works Department Mark Winterton Manager of Road Maintenance Public Works Department Wes Hicks Manager of Transportation Planning Public Works Department John Wolf Manager of Traffic Operations Public Works Department Diane Sibley Licence Commissioner Licensing and Enforcement Department Ann Kalinowski Supervisor of Compliance and Enforcement Licensing and Enforcement Department

Special thanks are extended to the residents of Little River Acres and the surrounding community for their participation in the public consultation component of this project. Their dedication to and patience with the planning process has resulted in a Plan that reflects the community’s vision, goals and objectives for improving their neighbourhood.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN .................................................................. 1

PLAN’S PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................... 1

POLICY FRAMEWORK....................................................................................................................... 1

PROJECT AREA.................................................................................................................................. 2

Neighbourhood Development History ........................................................................................ 3

GUIDING PRINCIPLES........................................................................................................................ 6

Inclusive Community .................................................................................................................. 6

Attractive, Vibrant and Safe Neighbourhood ............................................................................. 6

Balanced Community with Solid Leadership.............................................................................. 6

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN ............................................................................................................. 7

Building Community Capacity.................................................................................................... 8

Funding.......................................................................................................................................... 9

Reviewing and Adapting the Plan............................................................................................. 10

Communication .......................................................................................................................... 11

Dealing with Conflict ............................................................................................................... 12

ADDRESSING COMMUNITY ISSUES................................................................................................. 14

Community Involvement and Pride.......................................................................................... 14

Negative Community Image ..................................................................................................... 14

Property and Building Conditions ............................................................................................ 15

Poor Fence Conditions............................................................................................................. 15

Poor Building Conditions......................................................................................................... 17

Littering/Illegal Dumping......................................................................................................... 18

Poor Property Conditions ........................................................................................................ 19

Community Aesthetics and Safety ............................................................................................ 20

Graffiti ...................................................................................................................................... 20

Dog Excrement ......................................................................................................................... 22

Illegal Additions to Houses ...................................................................................................... 22

Vehicular Movement .................................................................................................................. 23

Lack of Parking ........................................................................................................................ 23

Speeding ................................................................................................................................... 23

Pedestrian Movement................................................................................................................. 25

Sidewalks .................................................................................................................................. 25

The Little River Acres Park ...................................................................................................... 27

Lack of Facilities in the Park ................................................................................................... 29

Insufficient Park Access ........................................................................................................... 29

Park is Underutilized................................................................................................................ 31

Overall Park Design................................................................................................................. 31

Youth Activity............................................................................................................................. 32

Children Playing in the Street .................................................................................................. 32

Summary of Recommendations ................................................................................................ 33

Documents Reviewed.................................................................................................................. 37


Schedule A – Fence Replacement Grant Program.................................................................... 1

Schedule B – Building Permit Fee Grant Program................................................................... 1

Appendix 1 – Designation of Community Improvement Project Area .................................... i

Appendix 2 – Council Adoption of Community Improvement Plan........................................ i

Appendix 3 – Community Improvement Plan Official Plan Policies ....................................... i


November 2, 2005 1

TTHHEE CCOOMMMMUUNNIITTYY

IIMMPPRROOVVEEMMEENNTT PPLLAANNPursuant to Section 28 of the Planning Act,

which allows for the creation of a plan that aims at community improvement, the Little River Acres’ Community Improvement Plan has been developed through a joint effort between the residents of Little River Acres, the Little River Acres Residents Association, and the City of Windsor.

Over the past two years, the Little River Acres Residents Association has been working closely with representatives from various City Departments and Agencies regarding its current and planned improvement projects and activities. The process of launching a Community Improvement Planning process was fully discussed and accepted as a means of communicating all of the plans and ideas for community improvement into a consolidated document.

The development of this Plan provided opportunities for the residents and general public to become involved in developing policy that will ultimately affect them. The process for plan development was designed to recommend how the neighbourhood may be improved, based on the goals and objectives that have been formed from community consensus about what should happen in that area. It also states the particular legal and financial methods the City is prepared to use to make the desired changes happen.

PPLLAANN’’SS PPUURRPPOOSSEE

The intended result of this Community Improvement Plan is to articulate a course of action for the Little River Acres neighbourhood, based on an assessment of past experiences and activities, current conditions and future prospects. This Community Improvement Plan was developed in a comprehensive manner, but it is flexible enough to adjust to the changing conditions and priorities of the neighbourhood.

This Plan was developed to not only to comply with the planning legislation of

Ontario, but it also identifies solutions that fall outside of the realm of “community improvement” as defined by the Planning Act.Excluding potential solutions to the challenges facing the neighbourhood from this Plan because they are not physical improvements would be remiss and a disservice to the community and the overall goal of improving the quality of life in Little River Acres. Recommendations that address the issues in ways that are not defined by the Planning Act

are included in this Plan for the benefit of Little River Acres community and Residents Association, and to provide City Council with a plan of action for neighbourhood improvement that is consistent with Windsor’s Community Strategic Plan.

PPOOLLIICCYY FFRRAAMMEEWWOORRKK

Windsor’s Community Strategic Plan, Our

Vision, Our Future (1996) established a community vision for the future. As well it developed objectives and actions for the City to follow in achieving this vision.

The strategic planning process revealed that citizens desired an opportunity to have a voice in local government on matters that concern them. Windsor’s Official Plan also supports a transparent decision-making process that provides opportunities for public involvement and that balances the environmental, economic and social impacts on the community.

Undertaking the Community Improvement Plan project with the Little River Acres Residents Association is directly linked with the Community Strategic Plan through the creation and “mobilization of innovative

community partnerships.” Specific to the “Safe, Caring and Diverse Community”

strategy, the Community Improvement Plan initiative is intended to foster greater community involvement, awareness and improvements associated with the objectives to provide for the safety and protection of all

residents, visitors and property, and to enable

the development of strong cohesive

neighbourhoods.

Of particular relevance in the Community Strategic Plan is the vision statement -“diverse


November 2, 2005 2

community of safe, caring neighbourhoods”, which reflects the type of neighbourhood envisioned for this area.

Windsor's community vision remains the cornerstone to guide all of Windsor's planning for the future, including the development of Windsor’s Official Plan.

Official Plan policy 6.3.2.18 speaks to the maintenance and rehabilitation standards of Windsor’s housing stock. It states “Council shall promote the maintenance of Windsor’s housing stock at a standard sufficient to provide acceptable conditions of health, safety

and appearance in accordance with the

Community Improvement section of this

Plan.” The Official Plan encourages the use of Community Improvement Plans to revitalize residential areas where the housing stock is in need of maintenance, rehabilitation and/or repair. The Little River Acres

Community Improvement Plan Project Area is a residential neighbourhood that fulfills the Official Plan requirements to qualify for a Community Improvement Plan and as such has been designated a Community Improvement Plan project area in compliance with Windsor’s Official Plan policies (see Appendix 3).

PPRROOJJEECCTT AARREEAA

The selected project area was designated by City Council as the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area on March 1, 2004.

The project area is bound by the Little River to the east; the unconstructed McHugh Avenue to the south; the rear property lines of the homes fronting onto Adair Court; and, Little River Road to the north.

Figure 1: Map of the Project Area. The map also depicts the four distinct sub-areas within the Project

Area. This Community Improvement Plan focuses mainly on the Little River Acres neighbourhood and the

Little River Acres Park.

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Little River Acres Project Area

Little River Acres Neighbourhood

Little River Acres Park

Sunrise Condominiums

Villa Polonia Apartments


November 2, 2005 3

Although the project area encompasses some areas outside of the neighbourhood commonly known as Little River Acres, this Plan focuses more specifically on the Little River Acres neighbourhood and the adjacent Little River Acres Park.

To the east of Little River Acres lies the Little River, which separates the neighbourhood from a protected 200-acre open space/natural area corridor that features a naturalized park with a wildflower meadow, ponds and an arboretum featuring Carolinian trees, as well as a 3.25 kilometre section of the 8 kilometre Ganatchio Trail.

The unopened McHugh Avenue right-of-way is located immediately south of Little River Acres. Further south is a combination of light industrial and commercial uses.

Neighbourhood Development

History

Originally developed in 1972 by Cadillac Development Corporation and Primord Corporation Limited under the name of The

Villages of Riverside, Little River Acres represents one of the earliest attempts at zero-lot-line development in Ontario. The zero lot line approach takes advantage of limited space on small lots by allowing the house to be situated on one of the side lot lines, and in some instances the rear and/or front lot line. This places all of the open yard space into one area, which gives the small lot the appearance of being much larger. One of the major thrusts behind the zero lot line design creation was to preserve some of the privacy and yard usage that is generally afforded to more conventional single-detached dwellings.

In the early 1970’s alternative development standards were developed aimed at reducing overall development costs. This was done in recognition that land costs represent a significant proportion of all development costs and that savings can be achieved through changing the size and design of lots. These alternative standards were developed in consultation with municipal planners and engineers looking at the variables of site development including lot sizes, setbacks,

right-of-way widths, pavement widths, and engineering standards. This was occurring at a time when affordable housing was in high demand, but it was not financially feasible for developers to provide affordable housing based on conventional subdivision design. It was determined that by using these reduced standards, the number of housing units on the same amount of land could be increased by 53% and the savings would average around $6,3001 per unit.

The Little River Acres neighbourhood, as constructed, varies significantly from the original concept plan that proposed a mix of dwelling types, with 830 zero-lot-line single detached homes, 70 townhouses and a 480-unit apartment building, built on a 115-acre site. The as-built subdivision is comprised of approximately 1,000 single detached homes, a 69-unit apartment building on the fringe of the neighbourhood and the neighbourhood park. Eliminating the apartment building and townhouses from the concept plan prior to construction is contrary to traditional neighbourhood design, which advocates a mix of housing types in subdivisions.

Both school boards also declined the opportunity to develop schools on the sites provided for such as part of the original concept. The school sites have since been amalgamated with the originally proposed 5-acre park site to create a 10.5-acre (4.25 hectare) park. The 15,000 square foot community centre that was proposed as part of the original concept has never been constructed.

Many of the issues of concern for this Plan can be attributed to the physical design of the subdivision. The as-built footprint of Little River Acres is like no other in Windsor and as such, it presents some unique situations and issues. Little River Acres can be best described as a hybrid of subdivision design practices because it combines the “suburban” subdivision street pattern of curvilinear streets and the use of cul-de-sacs with many of characteristics of “urban” neighbourhoods,

1 This is 1972 dollars, which is equivalent to $29,000 dollars in 2003, based on the Bank of Canada’s Consumer Price Index.


November 2, 2005 4

such as increased densities and reduced or no setbacks, to name a few. This hybrid categorization can be best illustrated by comparing the development pattern of Little River Acres to that of the surrounding area.

The development pattern of the area north and west of Little River Acres, known locally as “Riverside”, reflects the more prevalent subdivision design of the area with larger lots, increased building setbacks, and a grid-based street network. An area of similar size to Little River Acres was selected for comparison purposes (see Figure 2).

Little River Acres was built according to alternative design standards discussed earlier that encouraged significant increases in the density of the neighbourhoods to facilitate the development of affordable housing. A density comparison between the two areas will demonstrate the effect of developing Little River Acres to the alternative design standards. As well, the differences in the land use composition between the two areas will be beneficial in highlighting how land use plays a role in determining the density of an area because the non-residential uses will lower the average residential density over the wider area.

Density, simply defined, is the number of units – people, dwellings, trees, etc – in a given land area. The density of dwelling units (DU) in Little River Acres is the average number of

units per hectare. This measurement will indicate the intensity of the development, including how close the dwellings are to each other, the prevalent size of the dwellings (small or large) and the size of the lots. Little River Acres averages thirty dwellings units per hectare, compared to Riverside’s thirteen. The alternative design standards in Little

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Figure 2: Little River Acres (upper) compared to the prevalent development

pattern surrounding it. This portion of the area locally known as “Riverside”

(lower) is 38 hectares, the same as Little River Acres.

RIVERSIDE

LITTLE RIVER ACRES


November 2, 2005 5

River Acres resulted in lot widths that ranged from 30 to 40 feet and depths ranging from 60 to 70 feet. By comparison, there are three single detached homes in Little River Acres for every one in Riverside. In total, there are approximately 1,000 single detached homes in Little River Acres and 300 in Riverside. It is not surprising that the lot sizes in Riverside are approximately three times that of Little River Acres.

Similarly, population density is the number of people in a given area. The population density of Little River Acres averages at 67 persons per hectare, while Riverside has an average of 27 people per hectare. This is roughly the same three to one ratio that exists for the dwelling density, indicating that the household size in both areas is similar.

The perceived density of a neighbourhood is often not highly related to actual density. It is most profoundly affected by the actual design of the neighbourhood. People’s perception of Little River Acres can at times be quite negative, with some people associating its higher densities with social and economic characteristics such as a large number of renters, low-income households, and high crime rates. This can likely be directly attributed to their perception of higher density as a negative characteristic of a neighbourhood.

One of the defining characteristics of Riverside that distinguishes it from Little River Acres is the grid street pattern. The grid street pattern provides a well-connected street network with many alternative routes available for vehicles and pedestrians. This road network provides good linkages within and out of the neighbourhood. There are eleven external points of access for the area of Riverside analyzed. Little River Acres, with two access points, a curvilinear road network and 33 cul-de-sacs provides poor access and longer travel distances from one area of the neighbourhood to the other, thus hindering

pedestrian movement within the neighbourhood and encouraging increased use of automobile to get around.

As a result, Little River Acres is comprised of two very distinct and separated environs – the densely clustered built form versus the vast open space of the public park. An analogous description of the neighbourhood’s locational relationship to the Little River Acres Park would resemble a doughnut cut in half, with the donut representing the neighbourhood and the donut hole signifying the park. Although these two areas were once inter-connected by a network of pathways, they are now isolated from each other, since the closing of the walkways. The entire subdivision is designed to face inward, further segregating the neighbourhood from the surrounding community and the neighbourhood park. These were all design concerns raised in 1972 by the regional architect for CMHC, who advised that the creation of a large number of cul-de-sac “precinct-like” neighbourhoods would restrict pedestrian movement and even isolate some areas from the park. This insightful observation has become reality for Little River Acres.

DWELLING DENSITY

Total No. of

Dwelling Units

Land Area

(hectares)

Density

(DU/Ha)

Density

(DU/acre)

Little River Acres 1,145 38 30 12

Riverside 507 38 13 5

POPULATION DENSITY

Total

Population

Land Area

(hectares)

Density

(Persons/Ha)

Density

(Persons/acre)

Little River Acres 2,564 38 67 27

Riverside 1,035 38 27 11

Figure 3: A comparison between Little River Acres and Riverside of

dwelling and population density.


November 2, 2005 6

GGUUIIDDIINNGG PPRRIINNCCIIPPLLEESS

Extensive citizen engagement has resulted in the formulation of the following Guiding Principles, which informed the creation of “Community Action Plan” and formulation of the allied recommendations. The Guiding Principles are consistent with the City of Windsor’s Community Strategic Plan, the City’s Official Plan and the community improvement objective of this Plan.

The Little River Acres Residents Association selected the guiding principles that best fit their values, vision, strategies and operations. The Principles cover a wide variety of issues and are separated into three overarching dimensions of what the residents of Little River Acres desire their neighbourhood to be and this Plan to achieve.

Inclusive Community

A community that is broad in orientation and

scope when addressing issues affecting it and

where everyone’s views and opinions are

sought and valued.

Bring the residents of Little River Acres

together.

Encourage open communication and

transparent decision-making that

respects everyone’s voice and opinion.

Embrace and maintain the current level

of cultural and ethnic diversity in Little

River Acres to reflect the diversity of the

City of Windsor.

Encourage a neighbourhood spirit that

will preserve the friendly, open

relationships between neighbours and

make Little River Acres a pleasant place

to live.

Attractive, Vibrant and Safe

Neighbourhood

An appealing neighbourhood pulsating with

life creating for its residents an environment

that is secure from the threat of danger, harm,

or loss.

Preserve Little River Acres’ essential

character as a friendly neighbourhood of

affordable single-family homes.

Promote a walkable neighbourhood by

repairing and maintaining sidewalks,

improving street lighting where it is

inadequate, calming vehicular traffic on

neighbourhood streets, and adequately

managing on-street parking.

Increase park use through the provision

of desirable recreation opportunities and

park facilities, activities in the park, and

improved access to Little River Acres

Park.

Build pride in Little River Acres by

beautifying and restoring the

neighbourhood.

Actively address neighbourhood

nuisances that disturb the peace and

project a blighted image of Little River

Acres.

Recognize that By-law enforcement

requires balancing the public good with

individual rights and that punishment is

not an independent objective of by-law

enforcement; rather it is a means of

achieving a higher level of compliance.

Assess enforcement responses and their

effectiveness, and develop and implement

new strategies in order to improve the

quality of Little River Acres.

Balanced Community with Solid

Leadership

Solid leadership acting in anticipation of

future problems, needs, or changes as a means

of judging or deciding the course of action

necessary to maintain and elevate Little River

Acres as desirable place to live and play.

Celebrate what is good about Little River

Acres and build on these strengths. Point

out the challenges facing Little River

Acres and address them accordingly.

Identify priorities and make informed

choices.


November 2, 2005 7

Balance the importance of the long-term

vision with the necessity of identifying

realistic, short-term implementation

actions.

Form and foster partnerships targeted at

improving the quality of life for residents

by delivering events, services or products

that make Little River Acres a better

place to live and play.

Promote broader recognition of Little

River Acres name through active

marketing and image enhancement.

Promote communications that support

good relationships and effective decision-

making within the community

CCOOMMMMUUNNIITTYY AACCTTIIOONN

PPLLAANN

In 2001, a number of concerned citizens from the Little River Acres community approached the City of Windsor about declaring a number of the walkways located throughout the neighbourhood surplus and having them closed. The walkways had deteriorated and became places of inappropriate behaviour that detracted from the quality of life for surrounding neighbours. After listening to the concerns of the community, City Council approved the request to have the walkways closed in 2002.

Having achieved their objective on the walkway issue, the neighbours were encouraged and formed a neighbourhood association in March of 2002, which would strive to improve the physical and social conditions found in the neighbourhood. The newly formed Little River Acres Residents Association

adopted a proactive mandate to “create a safe and caring community, while working with various city agencies to promote diverse relationships among our residents and community.”

In its relatively short existence, the Little River Residents Association has established itself as a proactive neighbourhood association that through its ongoing commitment and accomplishments has made the neighbourhood a better place to live. It is anticipated that the Little River Acres Residents Association will continue to be an active partner with the City and play a significant role in the implementation of this Community Improvement Plan.

This Community Improvement Plan provides a series of recommendations aimed at

Figure 4: Assorted press clippings covering the community

improvement activities of the Little River Acres Residents Association.


November 2, 2005 8

community improvement. The value of this plan is not in the recommendations that it makes, but rather the effective implementation of the recommendations. Effective implementation requires a structure and process with clear roles and responsibilities; therefore, each recommendation included in this plan will clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all of the parties involved. The Little River Acres Residents Association, in partnership with the City of Windsor will continue to collaborate in the implementation of this Plan.

The City of Windsor and the Little River Acres Residents Association have made a commitment to a model of “community development” for Little River Acres. Community development is a set of activities that the community pursues in a systematic way over an extended period of time through a model of public participation. Community development is about empowerment and true participation through communications, knowledge exchange, decision-making, education, and the implementation of agreed upon courses of action. The residents of Little River Acres have mobilized to plan, make decisions, and enter into a partnership with the City of Windsor and others to find solutions to the physical and social issues facing the community.

This approach is based on the principles that people know best what is good for their neighbourhood and their participation and expertise are useful in finding solutions. Therefore, citizen involvement in determining the community’s priorities is the foundation for this Plan. The widespread participation obtained through the extensive public consultation component of this Plan has enabled the development of a plan that is reflective of the neighbourhood’s vision.

Ensuring the sustainability of the Little

River Acres Residents Association is one of

the utmost priorities of this Community

Improvement Plan, since the Residents Association is anticipated to play a very significant role in the implementation of this Plan. There are four key areas that will be

discussed regarding the sustainability of the Residents Association. These key areas include:

Building community capacity; Funding; Reviewing and adapting the Community Improvement Plan; and, Communication.

Building Community Capacity

Capacity-building is an approach to development that builds independence. It involves increased power for those who have previously not had it, through change and training. Capacity-building increases the range of people, organizations and communities who are able and available to address problems facing Little River Acres. Community development is a capacity-building process that requires an assessment of everything required to carry out the plan, role or action. The Little River Acres Residents Association should reflect on their goals and identify what they need to achieve them.

A solid understanding of the skills and knowledge required for the various roles or action is necessary to build community capacity. As well, the gaps in skills and knowledge need to be identified. Strategies should be developed for filling in the gaps. Some commonly used strategies for the development of skills and knowledge are:

Training workshops, Accessing training opportunities offered within the community, Mentoring and coaching, Self-directed learning, and Training on the job.

The City of Windsor will continue to provide technical assistance and informal training to the Little River Acres Residents Association.


November 2, 2005 9

R1. It is recommended that the Little

River Acres Residents

Association Board members

participate in training

opportunities as they are

identified.

Volunteers are an integral part of the services, activities and events delivered by the Little River Acres Residents Association. The Residents Association Board is also made up of volunteers. Capacity development for volunteers is primarily motivated by the interests of the volunteer; therefore, it is important to identify the interests of the volunteers, as well as the range of skills, knowledge and abilities that individuals and organizations in Little River Acres possess. The challenge is to organize and support individuals so that they can make a meaningful contribution to the community development process.



Association establish a structure

of issue-based sub-committees

that members of the community

can volunteer for based on their

interests, skills and knowledge.

Community development cannot be sustained without the active and on-going participation of community members. Residents will not participate if their contributions are not valued and recognized, or if the participation does not improve their particular situation. This is particularly true of young people and those who are marginalized. It is important to find ways to let these individuals become involved in the process and gain this needed experience.

R3. It is recommended that a youth

sub-committee or advisory panel

be created by the Little River

Acres Residents Association to

inform them about issues

affecting the youth of the

community, develop community

capacity of the young people, and

to deliver youth initiated

programs and events.

Funding

The Little River Acres Residents Association has been successful in securing funding through the Federal Government’s Community Mobilization Program through 2006, after which a new source of funding for the Little River Acres Residents Association will be required to sustain the Residents Association. Obtaining financial resources can be a major challenge for any community development initiative. Ultimately, the key to finding future financial support will lie in the Residents Association’s ability to clearly identify what it wants to do, why they want to do it, and the benefits that will result from the proposed action. In other words, creating a plan of action.

Many community development initiatives do not fit into the types of programs, grants or loans that are currently available because many funders and financial institutions have adopted the project-based approach to funding, which conflicts with the long-range goals or undertakings of on-going community development. For this reason, many community groups are approaching financing as a task that requires skilled staff and a plan. Some funding agencies require very elaborate proposals that include a prospectus of the organization and a detailed strategic plan, as well as flow charts and financial projections for revenue and expenses. The skills needed for this role include project planning skills, proposal writing skills, knowledge of grants and lenders, experience with fundraising, an understanding of investment partnering and, most of all, a real belief in the validity of the


November 2, 2005 10

work that must be funded. Fund-raising is also increasingly becoming an area of valued experience and expertise.

As mentioned earlier, it is very important that the Residents Association be prepared to seek additional funding. Funding could come from any number of sources including, but not limited to, traditional lending institutions such as a banks or credit unions; fundraising or donations; charitable organizations, churches or foundations; government programs; or through partnerships or investor strategies. The incorporated not-for-profit Little River Acres Residents Association, with its board of directors, is the legal structure necessary to accept the responsibility and accountability that many funding agencies require.

The Residents Association should consider the development of a strategic and/or business plan to focus their activities. It will help to determine what the strengths and assets are of the community are, outline what the financial needs are and what the gap is between assets and needs. They will then need to develop a funding package or business plan based on the gap, making it as comprehensive, factual and as realistic as possible. It is very important to show potential funders how the plan connects to the proposed initiatives in the community, as well as setting priorities and developing a reasonable budget and timeline. It is also important to demonstrate support for the plan from those who will benefit from it – the neighbourhood. The Residents Association will want to make sure that the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic people, who will be able to answer questions and generate interest, handle the plan development and funding application processes.



Association prepare a funding

plan and assign skilled people to

the task of identifying and

securing future sources of

funding.

In some regions, municipal governments provide funding for community development initiatives. Typically, a “community development” fund is set up based on the underlying philosophy that neighbourhoods, when supported and provided resources by the City, are best able to identify and address their own needs within the framework of citywide vision, goals and objectives. Hypothetically, neighbourhoods with approved Community Improvement Plans could apply to the City for support, financial and otherwise, for projects, programs and/or services that fulfill the objectives of the Community Improvement Plan. In Windsor, most often these services have consisted of in-kind technical expertise to support their activities. The Little River Acres Residents Association has also been active in securing in-kind donations and contributions from sources other than the City.

R5. It is recommended the City of

Windsor establish a fund for

Little River Acres that will be

used to support the operations of

and ensure the ongoing existence

of the Little River Acres

Residents Association.

R6. It is recommended the City of

Windsor establish a fund to

finance the Programs developed

as part of this Plan, as well as the

capital improvements

recommended by this Plan or

resulting from the

implementation of this Plan.

Reviewing and Adapting the Plan

This Community Improvement Plan is an ongoing activity that is designed to provide structure and guidance for the community improvement activities in Little River Acres. Since the environment in which this Plan was created will continue to change, this Plan should change with it. This Plan should not be treated at a static document and for this reason alone, an open and inclusive review of the


November 2, 2005 11

Plan should be undertaken once every two years, with the objective of adapting the Plan to capture major changes that have taken place within the community. The bi-annual review of this Plan should bring the community together to reinforce the vision they have for the community and to examine how well all the pieces are fitting together. It is also an ideal time to celebrate successes and accomplishments that have occurred over the past two years.

Regularly evaluating this Plan will prove a useful tool that will help to determine if the Plan is achieving the results that were anticipated at its onset. Some key questions that should be answered as part of the annual review:

What has been achieved over the last year? What changes have occurred in the community within the last year, and can the Community Improvement Plan effectively respond to them? What are the strengths that should continue to be built upon? What are the challenges in need of a response? Are there new actions that should be taken to reach the vision and goals of the neighbourhood? What additional skills and resources are needed to be effective?

Many communities fail to evaluate results in a systematic way. Some communities even resist evaluation because they perceive it is hard and complicated work or that the results will not be favourable. This often occurs because they have not thought through what success will look like or what information might be needed to evaluate the results of their efforts. This is not the case for this Community Improvement Plan, as a great deal of time and effort was put into envisioning “what success would look like.”

This plan should be reviewed every two years, using the framework above, to ensure that the plan reflects the current conditions in Little River Acres and to re-substantiate the use of

public funds for community improvement efforts in Little River Acres. The completion of the bi-annual review of this plan should be a pre-requisite to accessing any public funds made available for community improvement through the implementation of recommendations 5 and 6 of this plan.



Association review and adapt this

Community Improvement Plan,

in partnership with the Planning

Department, every two years to

the current conditions in Little

River Acres and as a pre-

requisite to accessing any public

funds made available for

community improvement. Any

change(s) to the financial

incentives proposed in this Plan

require(s) the approval of the

Ministry of Municipal Affairs

and Housing.

Communication

Communication is essential to maintaining the momentum of the community development process. It is the primary mechanism for building continued support for community development. Communication is a two-way process that involves the exchange, transfer and understanding of information. It is an important tool to create awareness of community development and encourage participation, as well as enabling community members to contribute their knowledge, skills and abilities to the community development process.

It would be presumptuous to assume that the residents of Little River Acres always know in detail everything being pursued by the Residents Association. Effective ongoing two-way communication will allow the Little River Acres Residents Association to receive information and feedback from the residents. Effective communication depends on:


November 2, 2005 12

An understanding of the people and groups with whom the Residents Association is wishing to communicate; A process that is demonstrably open; The creation of opportunities for input, and a willingness to hear and respond to this input; and The selection of an appropriate mix of communication media to get the right message to the right people.

In addition to their community newsletters, many Neighbourhood Associations are using websites to promote their activities and keep residents informed. An Internet search of Neighbourhood Associations in Ontario turned up a number of Resident/Neighbourhood Association websites that can be used as a model for the development of a website for Little River Acres. The content of many of the websites included the following:

An advertising section for local businesses to help cover some of the costs of maintaining the website; A section that makes an example of good community spirit and pride in the community and/or their home (i.e. Best Back Yard contest); A feedback option that allows residents to submit their ideas and concerns directly to the Residents Association, for their response; A classifieds section that residents can use for exchanging goods and services; A section outlining upcoming events in and around the community; An online bulletin board that allows residents to exchange information and share thoughts and ideas; and, Informational articles aimed at informing and educating neighbourhood residents. Examples include information about graffiti, City programs, or grow houses.



Association create and maintain

a community website to be used

as a communication tool to

educate and inform

neighbourhood residents.

Some particularly good Neighbourhood Association sites that could be used as a model for Little River Acres website include:

www.eastbridge.info www.westvale.org www.hamiltonroad.on.ca

Dealing with Conflict

Conflict is defined as a state of opposition between persons, ideas or interests. It will inevitably occur in any ongoing endeavour such as community improvement. It is not necessarily a bad thing depending on how the conflict is managed. Healthy debate and disagreement can lead to better alternatives and decisions being developed. Disagreement becomes dangerous when it is suppressed because avoiding or ignoring the conflict runs the risk of escalating the issue and an increase of divisiveness. Unmanaged conflict has the potential to be very disruptive to the Little River Acres Residents Association Board of Directors and the goals of the Association, especially as the Association moves towards addressing more complex community issues.

The Little River Acres Residents Association is no doubt familiar with the "naysayer." This is the person who often offers criticism of ideas, or always provides reasons why something won't work, rather than proposing solutions or alternatives. Often the opposition is rooted in frustration that change is not occurring fast enough or that a particular issue that they are personally aligned with is not being addressed to their satisfaction. In other cases, community members may be challenging or resisting elements of the process because they have not been involved in the development of these activities and/or have little understanding of what is being


November 2, 2005 13

undertaken. Conflict and resistance may be a signal that the community development process is not inclusive, which reinforces the importance of effective communication.

As the number of occurrences and severity of the conflict increases, the Residents Association will need to develop a conflict resolution strategy for dealing with it. It is always best to have disagreements clearly expressed and out in the open. The key principles for successfully resolving conflict or disagreement are to:

Clearly identify the cause of the problem, not the symptoms of the problem; Understand the problem and who is involved; Separate the person(s) from the problem; Identify possible options for resolving the problem; and, Pick an option and act upon it.

The goal of any conflict resolution strategy is not to avoid differences, but to remove unnecessary obstacles to productive debate and discussion about them. The Residents Association’s conflict resolution strategy should aim to provide an open, explicit framework for addressing conflict, with the understanding that conflict resolution involves three inter-related components:

Adopting an appropriate framework; Analysing the conflict; and, Responding to conflict effectively.

Adopting the appropriate framework in advance of any major conflict will put the Little River Acres Residents Association in a favourable position to deal with it when it does occur, especially if the framework development process is inclusive.

The framework should aim to create a win-win environment, focussing on mutual gain, tackling the issues on the basis of acknowledging differences in needs and attitudes, and from there seeking common interests. There must be a willingness to resolve the dispute by making resolution the goal, not being “right.” This recognition of

the motivation behind the behaviour of others – by putting yourself in their shoes – will go a long way towards developing a framework that addresses the interests, not the positions taken by individuals. The disagreement should be regarded as an opportunity for learning and positive change, and that it is imperative to manage the emotions of anger and frustration, in order to take fully advantage of the opportunity.

The Little River Acres Residents Association must continue to make a concerted effort to recognise the difference between power over

someone else and power with someone else by treating each party as an equal. The conflict resolution strategy will allow the Residents Association to move forward with community improvement with the confidence that they are equipped to deal with conflict effectively. In essence, it will function as the Little River Acres’ “rules of engagement” for debating issues being addressed by the Residents Association.



Association develop and adopt a

dispute resolution strategy based

on the key conflict resolution

principles listed above that will

act as a guideline for resolving

community conflict.


November 2, 2005 14

AADDDDRREESSSSIINNGG CCOOMMMMUUNNIITTYY

IISSSSUUEESS

Community improvement planning in Little River Acres has involved the community expressing its particular expectations of an improved Little River Acres and incorporating these expectations into a strategy for future development. These expectations are manifested in the solutions and recommendations proposed for each of the issues identified by the residents.

The residents of Little River Acres were given ample opportunity to express these expectations through the extensive public consultation component of this Plan. Every effort was made to provide them with the opportunity to participate in the Community Improvement Planning process in a convenient, accessible manner, including:

The SWOT Analysis workshop; The Priorities and Outcome workshop; and,The Neighbourhood Survey.

The first public workshop was the SWOT Analysis, conducted on May 8, 2004 at the local Riverside Baptist Church. This meeting provided city staff with the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding about the nature, range, and magnitude of the issues and concerns affecting Little River Acres, as identified by neighbourhood residents.

The purpose of the second community meeting that was held on June 19, 2004 was to establish a priority ranking of the issues identified through the SWOT Analysis and to begin developing the possible solutions to the each of the issues. The Summary of

Recommendations section takes the issues and sorts them by their priority level, as determined by the community.

The Neighbourhood Survey was carried out over a 5-week period starting in the middle of May. Questionnaires were distributed by mail to all of the households in Little River Acres in an effort to draw a sample large enough to accurately reflect the views of the community.

It was designed to measure attitudes about the community, identify issues affecting the community, help prioritize the issues, and to begin to explore possible solutions to the issues identified.

One of the goals of this Plan is to increase the general understanding of the issues affecting Little River Acres. This includes framing the issues in a manner that is easily understood by the general public, municipal staff and local politicians alike. Identifying and bridging any gaps between perception and reality is essential to framing the issue for action. By developing a better understanding of the issues it becomes easier to identify “common ground for action” on the issues. This common ground will prove to be key in the implementation of this Plan because most of the recommendations have materialized from the common purpose of community improvement.

The following sections will frame the community-identified issues according to their thematic categories and discuss and recommend actions for community improvement emerging from the “common ground” discussed above. The programs that are being proposed have been selected on the basis of their potential to address the issues and deficiencies that have been identified in Little River Acres.

Community Involvement and

Pride

Negative Community Image

Neighbourhood survey results indicate that 64% of the residents consider Little River Acres an “acceptable” place to live and 50% rate their pride in the community as “medium.” This issue is being characterized as a negative self-image and may be more of a symptom of neighbourhood deterioration than a cause. It is anticipated that the community’s image, both internally and externally, will benefit over time from successfully addressing the other issues currently affecting the community.


November 2, 2005 15

Property and Building Conditions

There is a theory for neighbourhood deterioration based on the premise that if a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no one is in charge, therefore, why should they care? It is called the “Broken Windows” theory.

The Broken Windows theory points towards how the gradual degrading of a place leads to higher levels of crime and disorder. It suggests that the following cycle of events can be expected in deteriorating neighbourhoods. If evidence of decay, including poor property conditions, littering, and graffiti, remain in the neighbourhood for a reasonably long period of time, people who live and work in the area feel more vulnerable and begin to withdraw. They become less willing to intervene to maintain public order or to address physical signs of deterioration. Sensing this withdrawal by residents, potential offenders seize the opportunity, becoming bolder and intensifying their harassment and vandalism. Residents become more fearful and withdraw further from community involvement and upkeep.

The Broken Windows theory suggests that neighbourhood order strategies such as those listed below help to deter and reduce crime.

Quick replacement of broken windows Prompt removal of abandoned vehicles Fast clean up of illegally dumped items, litter and spilled garbage Quick paint out of graffiti Finding (or building) better places for teens to gather than street corners Fresh paint on buildings Clean sidewalks and street gutters

Property upkeep – including the condition of yards, fences and houses – is often most consistent over the long term among owner-occupied dwellings. Residents of Little River Acres voiced concern that the condition of some of the properties in their neighbourhood are less than appealing, many attributing it to absentee landlords. Approximately one-

quarter of the homes in Little River Acres are tenant occupied.

Being in a neighbourhood with a substantial number of homeowners confers a substantial benefit on landowners and residents because high rates of homeownership tend to create positive social benefits. A neighbourhood with high homeownership rates is viewed as a more desirable place to live. Homeownership benefits neighbourhoods, providing economic investment and social capital. Homeowners are also more likely to participate in local organizations. High levels of homeownership in a community can also contribute to increased property values because the neighbourhood is viewed as a stable neighbourhood worth investing in. The potential benefits to Little River Acres resulting from increased levels of home ownership substantiate measures and recommendations aimed at encouraging increased levels of homeownership and the pride in homeownership.

Poor Fence Conditions

When high fences are built next to sidewalks, the neighbourhood begins to look walled-in and detracts from the appearance and quality of the community. Compounding this in Little River Acres is the fact that about half of the fences along Little River Acres Drive were rated in “fair” or worse condition when surveyed for this Plan. The substandard appearance of the fences on Little River Acres Drive is typically associated to the lack of consistency in type, style and colour.

However, fences have proven to be a necessity for privacy in Little River Acres, given that the neighbourhood was designed according to the alternative design standards of the 1970’s, which increased density, at the expense of personal space and privacy. As a result of the subdivision design, approximately 120 properties have their back yards abutting on Little River Acres Drive and all of these properties have fences that separate their back yards from the main thoroughfare of the neighbourhood.


November 2, 2005 16

When asked to prioritize the issues so that resources could be allocated efficiently, the residents cited the number and condition of blighted fences along Little River Acres Drive as the “highest” priority. In fact, many of the residents made the direct link between the fences and the image problems confronting the neighbourhood.

Property owners that have fences that are not in compliance with the City’s Property Standards By-law should be given a reasonable amount of time, as determined by the Property Standards Officer, to comply with the By-law. Enforcement measures should begin immediately after the expiration of the time period given for compliance.

R10. It is recommended that the Building and Development Department perform an annual pro-active Property Standards inspection campaign in Little River Acres targeted at substandard fence conditions.

Recognizing that many of the fences in Little River Acres are highly visible and present a negative first impression of the neighbourhood, the City of Windsor will establish a Fence Replacement Program (Schedule A), with the objective of improving the quality of the visual experience when first entering Little River Acres and travelling along Little River Acres Drive by providing incentives to replace dilapidated fences adjacent to Little River Acres Drive

Figure 5: Examples of fences that are in poor condition along Little River Acres Drive. This is the visual impression that one gets when travelling within Little River Acres.


November 2, 2005 17

with a fence that is consistent in type, style and colour. The physical design characteristics of the fence will be developed in partnership between the City and the residents of Little River Acres.

R11. It is recommended that the City

of Windsor establish a Fence

Replacement Program for

eligible fence replacement within

Little River Acres.

Poor Building Conditions

The building conditions survey that was conducted in the Fall of 2003 found that 176 homes in Little River Acres or approximately 17% of the homes were rated as “fair” or worse, meaning that almost 1 out of every five houses is in need of maintenance or repairs to bring it up to an acceptable standard. The required work may range from repainting, at a minimum, to more significant improvements such as structural repairs. However, the general perception of the respondents to the Neighbourhood Survey seems to be even more negative than the reality, with the largest proportion of respondents (39%) indicated that for the most part, the houses in the community are not kept in good repair.

Results from building condition survey also found that 29% of the homes occupied by renters were rated “fair” or below and that the houses that rated “fair” or worse were located in clusters, supporting the assumption that people are more apt to let their homes decline if the houses around them are deteriorating.

The poor condition of some of the houses in Little River Acres was deemed to be a problem of “high” importance by the residents.

It is important to reverse this trend of deterioration by ensuring strict compliance with the City’s Property Standards By-law and by encouraging the pride of homeownership because it is anticipated that as people see reinvestment occurring in their neighbourhood it will encourage them to do the same to their homes.

R12. It is recommended that the

Building and Development

Department perform an annual

pro-active Property Standards

inspection campaign in Little

River Acres targeted at

substandard building conditions.

It is important that Little River Acres be considered a viable and attractive option for people considering the purchase of a home. Residents that rent their homes in Little River Acres should also be encouraged to purchase a home in the neighbourhood. This can be accomplished through a strategy of education, empowerment, and policies that encourage property value stability.

The education component of the homeownership strategy should consider such topics as credit counselling, borrowing options, and homeownership responsibilities and obligations. Education will inform potential buyers about the reality of home ownership. It will also encourage people to make more informed and appropriate decisions with their credit. Educating people about the mortgage options available to them will also be beneficial. For most people, the hardest part of buying a home – especially a first home – is saving the necessary down payment. Mortgage insurance is required if less than 25% of the purchase price is put down. Mortgage insurance protects the lender against payment default. The Canada

Figure 6: An example of a structure that detracts

from the overall quality of the neighbourhood.


November 2, 2005 18

Mortgage and Housing Corporation provides Mortgage Loan Insurance to lenders, enabling prospective buyers to finance up to 95% of the purchase price of a home. This means that on the average selling price of $90,964 for a home in Little River Acres, a down payment of 5% or $4,548 is required.

Some prospective buyers may not have the required 5% down payment. However, using CMHC's new Flex Down product, lenders can provide borrowers with the option of owning a home sooner. Flex Down is intended to appeal to first time homebuyers who may lack a cash down payment, but have a good credit history and sufficient income to support the financial obligations of home ownership. With Flex Down, the down payment can come from a variety of alternative sources, such as borrowed funds or lender incentives, provided the funds are arm's length to and not tied to the purchase or sale of the property.



Association arrange and host a

series of workshops conducted by

professionals in the housing and

lending industries (e.g. CMHC,

local financial institutions, real

estate brokers) aimed at

educating the residents about

responsible credit practices and

homeownership.

Research conducted for this Plan indicates that the community wishes to encourage existing homeowners in Little River Acres to maintain and invest in their homes. Homeowners that invest in their homes should expect to benefit from their investment; otherwise it is not worth it to them to make the investment.

The Official Plan states that Council may allocate municipal resources for the rehabilitation of housing through development incentives, partnership arrangements and/or “other actions as may be appropriate.” To help offset some of the costs of home repairs, the City of Windsor will waive required

building permit fee (up to $120) associated with improvement of the houses in Little River Acres (see schedule B).


of Windsor establish the Property

Tax Increment Grant Program

for eligible residential property

and building improvements

within Little River Acres.


of Windsor establish the Building

Permit Fee Grant Program for

eligible residential property and

building improvements within

Little River Acres.

Littering/Illegal Dumping

Litter and illegal dumping is a serious threat to the environment, personal health, and neighbourhood attractiveness. In Little River Acres it has emerged as an issue of “high” importance. People litter for many reasons, often because they lack a sense of ownership, they believe that someone else picks up their litter, or the area is already littered (again the Broken Windows theory).

In the spirit of building an environmentally safe community, the City of Windsor has created the Clean City Committee, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving Windsor's environment and economy through public education, community beautification, graffiti abatement and litter awareness programs. Their vision for Windsor is a clean, green, thriving community whose citizens exhibit a strong sense of community pride and concern about their environment.

The Clean City Committee is involved in:

Implementing and managing the Litter Hotline Program; Organizing and coordinating the spring and fall Rose City Clean Sweeps;Providing support and supplies to citizens organizing their own litter cleanups;


November 2, 2005 19

Presenting fun and informative presentations to schools, community groups, labour and business associations; and,Promoting litter awareness all across Windsor.



Association use its community

newsletter and website as means

of educating the residents about

consequences of littering and

illegal dumping, the Clean City

Committee, and the City’s Litter

Hotline.

The Clean City Committee operates the Litter

Hotline program, which allows the citizens of Windsor to report incidents of littering that they witness to the Hotline at 974-1010 Ext.

284. A system of processing complaints has been established with the aim of deterring further littering.


residents of Little River Acres

report all acts of littering or

illegal dumping to the Littering

Hotline.

The Clean City Committee also organizes the semi-annual Rose City Clean Sweep in the fall and spring of each year. It allows concerned residents to register and designate a specific area that they will become responsible for collecting garbage in. The Clean City Committee will arrange for the delivery and pick up of dumpsters used as part of the program. Little River Acres has successfully participated in the program for the past three years, collecting more than 30 tonnes of garbage.

R18. It is recommended that Little


Association continue to organize

neighbourhood participation in

the annual Rose City Clean

Sweep program.

Poor Property Conditions

There is consensus amongst the residents of Little River Acres that the properties in the neighbourhood that are not being kept in good condition are detracting from the overall quality of the neighbourhood. Although mentioned frequently by residents as an issue affecting the neighbourhood, poor property conditions emerged as an issue of “medium” priority when ranked against other competing issues.

City Planning staff conducted a property condition survey in the Fall of 2003. The results of the survey only represent what could be observed by walking along streets in the project area. For the most part, visibility was limited to the front and side yards. The survey found that the majority (814 or 82%) of the properties in Little River Acres are considered to be “good” or “excellent” condition.However, there were 163 properties that rated “fair” and 14 that rated “poor”. In terms of the Neighbourhood Survey, 28% of the respondents believe that the properties in Little River Acres are not kept in good condition. The property conditions survey and the declining number of complaint calls

Figure 7: An un-kept backyard as observed from

Little River Acres Drive.


November 2, 2005 20

received by the City suggest that the perception surrounding this issue is actually worse than the reality.

A policy was recently adopted by City Council regarding the pro-active enforcement of the Dirty Yards By-law. The policy proposes education as its primary tool in addressing the issue. Education will take the form of annual campaigns throughout the City advising all citizens and businesses of their responsibilities to keep and maintain their properties. Education will play a significant role in addressing the gap between the perception and reality of the severity of this issue in Little River Acres.

The staff of the Licensing and Enforcement Department will be made available to the Little River Acres Residents Association for the purposes of educating the residents of Little River Acres about the Dirty Yards By-law. City staff will also provide the Little River Acres Residents Association with educational material for distribution through the Residents Association’s newsletter and website.



Association periodically invite

staff from the Licensing and

Enforcement Department to

attend the Residents

Association’s community

meetings to educate the residents

about the Dirty Yards By-law.

Compliance officers will enforce the Dirty Yards By-law in the same manner they enforce all others by-laws following the efforts to educate the public. They will issue an order outlining the deficiency and give the owners/occupants seven days to comply with the order.

According to the approved policy, no further action will be taken if compliance is achieved. If it is not achieved, an order will be given advising the date the property will be cleaned at the owners expense, followed by the City

actually having the property cleaned, with the cost of the clean up billed to the property owner’s taxes.


of Windsor’s Licensing and

Enforcement Department

continue to monitor the number

of Dirty Yard complaint calls in

Little River Acres and respond

accordingly by way of the

Council approved policy.

Community Aesthetics and Safety

Graffiti

The issue of graffiti in Little River Acres is identified and prioritized as an issue of “medium” importance by the residents. Most graffiti in Little River Acres is the work of "taggers." Taggers engage in the most basic forms of graffiti, which generally involves a personal, stylized signature. Taggers are generally motivated to get their signature "up" as many times as possible.

The “broken windows” theory referenced earlier in this report also applies to graffiti. It has been found that one of the most effective measures in combating the spread of graffiti is quick removal. Graffiti taggers and writers are unlikely to return to locations that do not offer a good payback for their risk, time and money. The Little River Acres Residents Association has taken a proactive approach to graffiti

Figure 8: The type of graffiti that is evident in

Little River Acres.


November 2, 2005 21

removal by purchasing a high-pressure power washer for removing graffiti within the neighbourhood.

R21. It is recommended that the owner

of the “tagged” property remove

all graffiti within 2 days of its

occurrence.

The City of Windsor has recently established a Wipe Out Graffiti campaign that takes a multi-faceted approach to combating graffiti. The city-wide strategy has made educating the public about graffiti its first priority. Information pamphlets have been created and distributed at a number of information seminars held at various locations throughout the City. A PowerPoint presentation has also been developed for inclusion in the Values, Influences and Peers Program (VIP) delivered to elementary schools in the City and a similar effort is being developed for secondary school students as well.

The Little River Acres Residents Association Community Newsletter, published and distributed to every household in the neighbourhood on a quarterly basis, provides the opportunity to inform the residents through a series of articles intended to educate about graffiti. The newsletter should address such graffiti related issues as promoting Windsor’s Wipe Out Graffiti strategy and hotline, outlining the consequences of being caught writing graffiti, and informing parents about how to spot a “tagger.”



Association use its community

newsletter and website as means

of educating the residents about

graffiti.

As part of the City’s strategy, a graffiti reporting hotline (Graffiti Hotline 977-6143)staffed by Windsor Crime Prevention has recently been put in place. The City of Windsor and its community partners will also use a Geographic Information Systems

computer program to track reported incidents of graffiti. This system allows both investigators and the clean-up partners to evaluate trends, enforce the law and measure the effectiveness of clean-up measures.

R23. It is recommended that all

instances of graffiti occurring in

Little River Acres be reported to

the Graffiti hotline by the

affected property owner/victim.

R24. It is recommended that on an

annual basis, the Little River

Acres Residents Association

request in writing from Windsor

Crime Prevention a map of

graffiti occurrences in Little

River Acres to identify

neighbourhood “hot spots” and

to monitor the effectiveness of the

graffiti eradication measures

recommended by this Plan.

The City of Windsor also has established a Graffiti Removal Program for Offenders that aims at having people caught drawing graffiti sentenced to cleaning up graffiti. Representatives of City Council have met with the local Crown Attorney, who has agreed to ask judges to sentence offenders to clean graffiti as part of their sentencing. In addition, youth and adults convicted of other offences,

Figure 9: A member of the Little River Residents

Association removing graffiti from a

neighbourhood fence with the Association’s power

washer.


November 2, 2005 22

who have no prior criminal record, can be assigned to graffiti removal as part of their community services hours under the Diversion and Alternative Measures program.



Association apply in writing to

Crown Attorney's office to have a

person sentenced to community

service assigned to graffiti

removal in Little River Acres.

Dog Excrement

The frequency of dog owners not cleaning up after their pets and the frequent instances of dog excrement found scattered throughout the public spaces of the neighbourhood at any given time has been identified by the residents as an issue of “low” priority.

Not only is this a nuisance but it also is a potential health threat and another indication of the broken windows theory. Dog waste contains life-threatening microorganisms and if excrement is not picked-up, it can attract flies, create odours and affect the enjoyment and use of public and private property in Little River Acres. For these reasons, it is important that dog owners pick up after their dogs.

R26. It is recommended that the Parks

and Forestry Department install

dog waste bag dispensers at

strategic locations in the park

and along Little River Acres

Drive to facilitate the responsible

practice of cleaning up after your

pet.



Association keep the dog waste

bag dispensers stocked with bags

provided by the City.

The City of Windsor has an existing by-law for the removal of dog excrement that carries a

maximum penalty of $5,000. Due to the untraceable nature of the offence, it is difficult to ascertain the culprit after the fact, which makes it difficult to proactively enforce this particular by-law. However, if the Licensing and Enforcement Department is provided with detailed information about the infraction, including the name and address of the owner, enforcement action may be possible.



report any incident of a dog

owner failing to remove their

dog’s excrement to the Licensing

and Enforcement Department.

Illegal Additions to Houses

Additions to houses and other structures that are built poorly, suggesting that they were constructed without a Building Permit is cited as a problem of “low” priority.

The Ontario Building Code Act requires that any person constructing or demolishing a building obtain a permit from the Chief Building Official prior to commencing work. The building must also comply with the Ontario Building Code.

The Ontario Building Code is in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and building occupants by reducing potential hazards to building occupants. This includes protection from tragedy due to fire, structural collapse and general deterioration of the structures that surround the public.

The Building Code also contributes to the maintenance of property values over time by providing consistent standards in construction that are applied to the quality and durability of construction methods and construction materials.


November 2, 2005 23



report to the Building and

Development Department any

addition or building where it is

suspected that it was constructed

without a Building Permit

For these reasons, it is essential that a Building Permit be obtained for any projects that require a permit under the Ontario Building Code. Recognizing that poorly constructed buildings detract from the overall quality of the neighbourhood the City of Windsor will establish the Building Permit Fee Grant

Program (up to $120) for any eligible residential building project that complies with the Building Code and meets the intent of this Plan.


of Windsor establish a Building

Permit Fee Grant Program for

eligible residential building

improvements within Little River

Acres.

Vehicular Movement

Lack of Parking

The lack of parking, especially visitor parking was referenced as an issue of “medium” priority.

Based on the findings of the Neighbourhood Survey it appears that the issue is street specific. The magnitude of the problem varies depending on a number of variables, including, but not limited to:

The number of driveway cuts; The spacing of driveway cuts; Number of vehicles per household; and Street length

The Public Works Department has an established policy for establishing and regulating on-street parking. All of the residential side streets in Little River Acres

have on-street parking. However, given the street-specific nature of the issue, each street would have to be studied individually to determine if there are alternatives for alleviating the insufficient parking problem. At the request of local residents, the Public Works Department will continue to review the on-street parking conditions for any street in Little River Acres, in accordance with their established policy.

Speeding

Residents identified speeding on local streets, especially Little River Acres Drive, as a problem of “medium” priority. Obviously speeding is a threat to the safety of residents in the neighbourhood. In fact, a study completed by the U.S Department of Justice found that speeding in residential areas causes five basic types of harm, including:

Causing citizens to fear for their children's safety; Making pedestrians and bicyclists fear for their safety; Increasing the risk of vehicle crashes; Increasing the seriousness of injuries to other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists struck by a vehicle; and, Increasing noise from engine acceleration and tire friction.

These findings are collaborated by the residents of Little River Acres, who regularly cited the concerns listed above when discussing the speeding problem in Little River Acres with city staff. Responses to the problem of speeding in residential areas are typically grouped into three categories: engineering responses, enforcement responses and education responses.

Roadway design speed, not posted speed, is the most influential factor in determining roadway operating speed. Little River Acres Drive is a wide, smoothly curving roadway with large corner radii and unimpeded sight lines. All of these design characteristics of Little River Acres Drive allow vehicles to navigate comfortably at high-speeds.


November 2, 2005 24

The most common engineering response to speeding is to utilize traffic calming measures. Traffic calming describes a wide range of road and environment design changes that either make it more difficult for a vehicle to speed or make drivers believe they should slow down for safety. The measures are also intended to make roads easier and safer for pedestrians and bicyclists to use. Traffic calming measures are particularly effective at reducing speeds in residential areas. Following are some of the more common traffic calming measures that are used:

Narrowing the road, Installing road humps (not bumps), Marking the road to create the illusion that it is narrowing, Adding pedestrian crosswalks that are raised or made from distinctive materials, Installing gateways to residential neighbourhoods, Permitting parking on both sides of residential streets, and, Adding mid-block build-outs (sidewalk area extensions into the road).

The designation of a bicycle lane along Little River Acres Drive will encourage bicyclists to ride in the designated lane, acting as a traffic calming measure by narrowing the road and reminding drivers that they are sharing the road with cyclists and should slow down accordingly.

R31. It is recommended that a

designated bicycle lane be

delineated along Little River

Acres Drive and that the

adequate signage be posted

informing drivers and cyclists

that the bicycle lane exists.

Posting warning signs and signals is another engineering response used to calm traffic. Trees obstruct many of the existing signs along Little River Acres Drive and measures should be taken to ensure that the signs are not as easily mixed into the urban landscape.

Figure 12: A bicycle lane would discourage

bicyclists from encroaching in the path of

pedestrians.

Figure 13: A blocked traffic sign does little to

inform drivers of the upcoming bend in the road.


November 2, 2005 25

R32. It is recommended that all

current warning and/or traffic

signs that are obstructed by trees

be moved by Traffic Engineering

to a more suitable location that

allows for increased visibility

and/or that the Parks And

Forestry Department trim the

trees that are obstructing the

signs, whichever is deemed more

appropriate.

Traffic calming measures work best if they are understood and accepted by the public and are reinforced with adequate levels of police enforcement.

Exceeding the posted speed limit is a violation of Ontario law. As such, any violations of the law are subject to enforcement and prosecution under the law. However, long-term changes in driver’s attitudes toward speeding depend on the driver’s perceived risk of being stopped. The public generally supports speed enforcement, especially in residential areas and other areas where there are children. The residents of Little River Acres have voiced concern about speeding and have stated that they would be supportive of police efforts to curb the occurrences of speeding.

R33. It is recommended that Windsor

Police Services conduct speed

and traffic enforcement

campaigns periodically in Little

River Acres.

Windsor Police Services is currently using technology proven successful in the City of Mississauga’s Neighbourhood Speed Watch program. The program consists of a portable message board and radar speed gun which when installed on the side of a road, electronically displays the speed of an approaching vehicle compared to the posted speed limit. The unit is designed to alert the motorist to their vehicle operating speed. This is a community-based educational initiative

that provides immediate awareness to both the motorist and resident of vehicle operating speeds.

Since most motorists generally drive at a speed deemed comfortable depending on road geometry and roadside development, the program is based on the principle that many motorists are somewhat unaware that they are traveling at speeds exceeding the posted limit, particularly on residential streets. The operating speed electronically displayed is a strong visual reminder to the motorist to comply with the posted speed limit.

R34. It is recommended that Windsor

Police Services set up an

electronic speed display board on

Little River Acres Drive on an

annual basis to remind motorists

to slow down.

Residents of Little River Acres are also encouraged to record the license plate number and vehicle description of excessive speeders which will be forwarded to the police for follow up. A Windsor Road Watch Citizen Report Form can be downloaded from the Windsor Police Services website at www.police.windsor.on.ca.



report all occurrences of

speeding or any other traffic

violation to the Windsor Police

Services using the Windsor Road

Watch Citizen Report Form.

Pedestrian Movement

Sidewalks

The poor condition and design of the sidewalks along Little River Acres Drive surfaced as an issue of “highest” priority.

Sidewalks form the backbone of the pedestrian transportation network. Without sidewalks, public rights-of-way are inaccessible to all pedestrians, including people with disabilities.


November 2, 2005 26

When sidewalks are not available or are poorly designed, pedestrians are forced to share the street with motorists, access to public transportation is restricted, and children might not have safe play areas.

The sidewalks in Little River Acres are limited to both sides of Little River Acres Drive. The sidewalks, in most cases, are separated from the road by a grass median, providing users with safe buffer from vehicular traffic. In some locations this grass median causes water to pool on the sidewalk, creating an undesirable walking environment. This water freezes in the winter, creating a treacherous ice covered sidewalk for residents to negotiate.

In other locations there is a significant elevation change between the street and the sidewalk, over a short horizontal distance, creating a further safety concerns, especially for children, the elderly and disabled users.

R36. It is recommended that Public

Works Department conduct an

assessment of the sidewalks in

Little River Acres resulting in

design recommendations to

improve the drainage of the

sidewalks, and to increase overall

safety, functionality and

accessibility.

The sidewalks in Little River Acres abut the fences that separate the individual private properties from Little River Acres Drive. Pedestrians tend to travel in the center of sidewalks to separate themselves from the rush of traffic and vertical obstructions. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, pedestrians also avoid traveling in the 0.610 m (24 inches) of the sidewalk close to buildings, retaining walls, street furniture, and fences. The sidewalk area that pedestrians tend to avoid is referred to as the “shy distance.”

Taking into account the shy distance, the effective width of a sidewalk, not the design width, constitutes the sidewalk area needed to accommodate pedestrian traffic. As a result,

the sidewalks in Little River Acres function much smaller than they actually are, and in some locations limit travel on them to single file manoeuvring.

The design of the sidewalks in Little River Acres makes them particularly difficult for disabled users because wheelchair and scooter users require a wider path of travel than typical pedestrians. The Ontarians with

Figure 15: An example of where the

“landscaping” is encroaching on the sidewalk

Figure 14: A recently installed Transit Windsor

bus stop platform that demonstrates the change in

elevation between the sidewalk and the road.


November 2, 2005 27

Disabilities Act, 2001 requires that municipalities with populations greater than 10,000 residents to establish Accessibility Advisory Committees, with the majority of their members being people with disabilities. The Windsor Accessibility Advisory Committee (WAAC) is comprised of 12 members, seven of them with disabilities. The Windsor Accessibility Advisory Committee (WAAC) is committed to complying with the provisions of the Ontarians with Disabilities

Act, 2001, including the preparation of the annual City of Windsor Accessibility Plan. The Accessibility Plan is required to identify and barriers that exist and actions to be taken to remove the identified barriers. The barriers in Little River Acres have not been specifically identified, but the exercise of doing so would be beneficial to the next step of addressing the barriers.


of Windsor, in consultation with

the Windsor Accessibility

Advisory Committee perform a

barrier audit of sidewalks in

Little River Acres.

One of the most significant recommendations emerging from the City’s Accessibility Plan is the development of a 5-year capital budget for Council’s consideration to improve existing sidewalks and to construct new sidewalks in consultation with WAAC. Priority consideration should be given to addressing the identified barriers in Little River Acres in light of its status as a Community Improvement Project Area.

An effective pedestrian network also incorporates clearly defined, accessible areas for pedestrians to cross from one side of the street to the other. Typically these areas are crosswalks. Little River Acres Drive is wider than most “local” roads in Windsor. It has a grass boulevard separating the lanes of traffic.Pedestrians use this boulevard, the halfway point for crossing the road, as a place where they assess whether it is safe to continue crossing the road. The boulevard in Little

River Acres is curbed and does not provide ramps for pedestrians, making it less accessible to disabled users. Since this is the case, consideration should be given to addressing where and how residents cross Little River Acres Drive in the assessments resulting from Recommendations 36 and 37.

This Plan recognizes that sidewalk improvements have substantial costs associated with them and improvements will likely be made incrementally. It is important to identify sidewalk deficiencies through the assessments conducted as a result of this Plan and incorporate the findings and recommendations into a plan for sidewalk improvements. By having an established “plan of action” for sidewalks, improvements can be made efficiently as funding is allocated to sidewalk improvements. As regular sidewalk maintenance occurs economies of scale could be realized by including some of the recommendations in the work plan, whenever feasible.


actions that need to be taken to

remove the barriers identified by

the barrier audit and the

improvements identified by the

Public Works assessment be

included as items for

consideration in the City’s

annual capital budgeting process.

In the short-term, there is an ongoing sidewalk maintenance program, whereby city crews fix uneven sidewalks by either replacing concrete sidewalk panels or ramping displaced panels with an asphalt mix. Any reported or observed sidewalk deficiencies that would constitute a tripping or slipping hazard will be addressed immediately.

The Little River Acres Park

The Little River Acres Park is classified as a “neighbourhood” park by the City of Windsor’s Parks and Forestry Services. By


November 2, 2005 28

city standards, it is a relatively large neighbourhood park (4.25 hectare or 10.5 acres) located along the northern limit of the project area. The Little River Acres neighbourhood surrounds the park on three sides. The fourth boundary of the park is Little River Drive. Although the neighbourhood borders the park on three sides, there are no internal access points to the

park from the neighbourhood. This has proven to be a problem for residents of Little River Acres because anyone wishing to use the park does not have convenient access to it.

A good park is visible and easy to access by various means of transportation. A park should be comfortable, with a good image and possess desired amenities. These elements make a park not only attractive but also enticing for people of all ages. Most of all, a park should be a diverse, sociable place where people go to observe others, meet friends, and interact with a wide range of people different from themselves.

A neighbourhood park, such as Little River Acres Park, located within close proximity of users provides access to basic recreation opportunities for nearby residents, enhances neighbourhood identity, increases property values and preserves neighbourhood open space.

Beyond the recreational opportunities offered by parks, a group of studies reviewed in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine

showed that “creation of or enhanced access to places for physical activity combined with informational outreach” produced a 48.4 percent increase in frequency of physical activity, leading to increased levels of health. The park in Little River Acres can only contribute to the health of the residents if it provides them with the recreational opportunities and facilities that they desire.

As well, there have been linkages made between property values and proximity to parks. Repeated studies over the years have confirmed that people prefer to buy homes close to parks, open space, and greenery. In high-density neighbourhoods the property value effect of nearby green space can actually

be stronger than individual lot size itself because people view the open space as an alternative to a larger lot. Applying these findings to Little River Acres is probably not appropriate because of the park’s inaccessibility from the neighbourhood. However, the potential does exist for the park to have more of an impact on neighbourhood property values if connectivity to the park is re-established and improved.

A neighbourhood park also contributes to the neighbourhood identity. It is a place for social interaction, where neighbours meet and gather for events. The Little River Acres Residents Association utilizes the park in this manner by holding a number of events throughout the year in the park. Recommendations are included in this plan to encourage and facilitate changes in the park that will result in increased use of the park for social interaction and physical activity, beyond the events and

Figures 16 & 17: Playground equipment and

basketball nets located in Little River Acres

Park


November 2, 2005 29

activities conducted by the Little River Acres Residents Association.

Access to public parks and recreational facilities has also been strongly linked to reductions in crime and in particular to reduced juvenile delinquency because recreational facilities keep at-risk youth off the streets, give them a safe environment to interact with their peers, and fill up time within which they could otherwise get into trouble. The Little River Acres Park is not currently fulfilling this role. It will have to provide appropriate recreational facilities, and in some cases programming, for the targeted cohort to successfully begin to reduce the potential for inappropriate behaviour resulting from boredom.

Recognizing the substantial physical, social and spin-off benefits of the Little River Acres Park, the intent of this plan is to capitalize on the location and size of the Little River Acres Park, treating it as an amenity and reinforcing the importance of the park to the community by focusing on some key physical and functional elements identified by the residents through the public consultation process.

Lack of Facilities in the Park

Neighbourhood Parks that conform to Windsor’s Official Plan are designed to serve a variety of recreation and leisure needs, including children’s playgrounds, athletic fields and the passive recreation needs of residents located within a 0.8 km radius. Residents identified the lack of facilities in Little River Acres Park as an issue of “high” importance.

The current facilities in the park include five half-court basketball courts for active recreation and a number of playground structures and swings for younger children, and a soccer pitch has been installed to accommodate the newly formed community-based soccer program. A common complaint from the residents is about the poor condition of the playground equipment and the children’s play area. There is very little lighting or seating available in the park. The remainder of the park is open green space.

The surrounding community should play a significant role in the planning for open space and parks. The proposed redevelopment of Drouillard Park is a recent example of a public consultation program that successfully identifying the facilities desired by the surrounding neighbourhood, resulting in a redevelopment concept plan that includes proposed sports facilities such as a basketball court and a skateboard pad as well as enhanced lighting and landscaping. The concept plan reflects the input received from the local residents, more specifically the youth in the area – since they were the targeted end-user of the park.

Through the public consultation program for this Plan, the residents of Little River Acres have identified generally what type of facilities that they wished to see in Little River Acres Park. The Parks and Forestry Department will conduct a survey of the residents to identify what specific facilities the neighbourhood desires. A redevelopment plan for Little River Acres Park should be developed, with every effort made to incorporate the facilities identified by the community into the redevelopment concept for the park.


and Forestry Department

conduct a survey of Little River

Acres’ residents to determine

specifically what facilities should

be incorporated into the

redevelopment plan for Little

River Acres Park.

Insufficient Park Access

The Official plan suggests that neighbourhood parks should be accessible to pedestrians. Inadequate access to Little River Acres Park was often referenced as a reason for the park not being utilized to its full potential. In fact, the number one improvement identified by residents that would increase park usage is “better accessibility to the park.”


November 2, 2005 30

In order to create an accessible park, it must be connected to its surroundings both physically and visually. It should have sidewalks leading to and from where people want to go, and should be fairly easy for people to walk to enter the site. Little River Acres Park is isolated from the neighbourhood because there are no internal access points to the park from the neighbourhood and there is no parking areas provided in the park. This has proven to be a problem for residents of Little River Acres because anyone wishing to use the park does not have convenient access to it.

There are few opportunities for providing pedestrian access from within Little River Acres to the park. One opportunity is for the City to purchase lots/homes that back onto the park and incorporate the lots into park area.This would provide direct access to the park from the neighbourhood. The configuration

and design of the south access point to the park should incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and strategies to ensure that thephysical environment of the southern access point will produce behavioural effects that will reduce the incidence and fear of crime.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is a design approach to crime prevention that takes into account the relationship between the physical environment and the users of that environment. Applying CPTED principles to the southern park access would result in a clearly defining entranceway that is visible, well lit and overlooked by windows. It would be an area where people and their activities can be readily observed. The purchase of three contiguous lots would be necessary to accommodate the CPTED principles into the development of a southern access point to the park.

Figure 18: An aerial photo of Little River Acres Park indicating the existing and potential southern access

points.

Existing

Access to

Park

Existing

Access to

Park

Walkways as

shown have since

been removed


November 2, 2005 31

The park’s large size allows for part of the park to be developed for residential purposes, while leaving enough land to accommodate the desired recreation and park facilities. The money generated from the development of part of the park could be used to offset the costs associated with the purchase of houses needed to provide park access and the redevelopment of the park.


Planning Department prepare a

report to Council exploring the

option of purchasing lots backing

onto the Park to provide for

internal access to the Park, with

the possibility of having the costs

associated with such an

undertaking covered by

residential development of some

of the Park.

Park is Underutilized

There is the perception that the Little River Acres Park is underutilized. This is supported by the response to the neighbourhood survey that indicated that the majority of people (49%) surveyed only use Little River Acres Park one to three times per year. Included in this majority is the thirty-one percent of respondents who reported that they never use the park. The underutilization of the park emerged as “low” priority issue.

This particular issue is most likely the effect of the other factors rather than the cause of the park not having the desired facilities and convenient accessibility. According to residents, insufficient park access and the absence of desired facilities are the two biggest contributors to why the park is not being used to its full potential. Therefore, by successfully addressing these two major issues, increased use of the park by neighbourhood residents should result.

This being said, it is very important to understand who is using the park, when they are using it and how they are using it. Conducting surveys of park users can help the

Parks Department respond and adapt better to community needs, resolve conflicts among groups of park users, and manage park assets more effectively—all keys to maximizing the community benefits of Little River Acres Park. The user survey should provide strong evidence of an alignment of parks facilities with the demographics of Little River Acres and the results of the survey.

Overall Park Design

The Little River Acres Park has the potential to be the “gem” of Little River Acres, a place where people gather to socialize and play. For a park of its size, Little River Park has very few facilities and amenities that would make it a focal point of the community. The residents identified the park’s current design as an issue of “low” priority; although it could be argued that it really is a higher priority given its direct links to the higher priority park access and facility issues.

The link between the lack of facilities and insufficient access to the park, and the overall design of the park is evident in this Plan, since the inclusion, location and accessibility of the desired facilities will affect when and how often the park is used. A good design will meet the diverse needs of the community and encourage convenient use of the park for physical activity, social interaction, and entertainment.

Comfort is one of the most important aspects of a successful park. This includes feeling safe in the park. If people are not comfortable in the park, they will not stay or use the park at all. The Neighbourhood Survey results show that the residents desired amenities and facilities that would contribute to increased comfort levels in the park, indicating that the current level of comfort in the park is not very high. Every effort should be made to increase the level of comfort and safety in Little River Acres Park, including the installation of appropriate, strategically placed lighting, seating and play equipment.

Another safety concern relating to the comfort of Little River Acres Park is the lack of natural surveillance. A park should have high


November 2, 2005 32

visibility, allowing people to easily see in and out of the area. The design of the Little River Acres has all of the homes oriented towards the interior of the neighbourhood, leaving only the back of homes facing the park. Having “eyes on the park” discourages inappropriate behaviour in the park, elevating park user’s confidence and level of comfort. If designed correctly, residential development of a portion of the park could provide the natural surveillance that is much needed in Little River Acres Park.

As mentioned earlier, Council has recently approved in principle a redevelopment concept plan for Drouillard Park and has directed the Parks Department to prepare a phasing plan for future capital budget deliberations. A concept plan and the subsequent phasing plan should be developed for Little River Acres Park. Funding for the Little River Acres Park redevelopment plan should be made a higher priority during capital budget deliberations, in recognition of Little River Acres as a Community Improvement Project Area.


and Forestry Department, in

consultation with the residents of

Little River Acres develop a

concept plan for Council’s

approval for the redevelopment of

Little River Acres Park.

Youth Activity

Children Playing in the Street

Children playing in the street was ranked by residents as a “low” priority issue. It is likely the result of multiple factors, including, but not limited to:

Providing convenient parental supervision;The neighbourhood park being inaccessible; The lack of parks/open space located within the boundaries of the neighbourhood; and, The presence of other kids playing in the street.

The reality is that children will play in the streets surrounding their homes. The inaccessibility of the park may contribute to the higher than average number of children playing in the street in Little River Acres. The lack of sidewalks on side streets compounds the safety concern with speeding on residential streets. By implementing the recommendations that address the other issues causing or encouraging children to play in the street it is hoped that there will be a reduction in the occurrences of children playing in the street, or at the very least, make it a safer environment for them to play.

Figure 19: Kids playing in the street is a common

occurrence in many residential neighbourhoods,

including Little River Acres.


November 2, 2005 33

Summary of Recommendations

The pyramid below (Figure 16) was developed from the public input received at the second community meeting that was held on June 19, 2004. A priority ranking of the issues identified through the SWOT Analysis was developed. This ranking of issues will allow City staff and City Council to make better-informed, priority-driven decisions when addressing community improvement in Little River Acres.

Recommendations 1 through 9 are not

represented on the pyramid because they are specific to the Community Action Plan that identified that the long-term sustainability of the Little River Acres Residents Association is a vital component to on-going community improvement. Recommendations 10 through 47 are specific to the issues that have been identified by the community and are shown on the pyramid.

Priority Issue Addressed Page

No. Rec. # Recommendation

Implementation

Participants

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

Highest Building Community Capacity

Pg. 9 Rec. 1 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association Board members participate in training opportunities as they are identified.

Little River Acres Residents Association


Pg. 9 Rec. 2 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association establish a structure of issue-based sub-committees that members of the community can volunteer for based on their interests, skills and knowledge.



Pg. 9 Rec. 3 It is recommended that a youth sub-committee or advisory panel be created by the Little River Acres Residents Association to inform them about issues affecting the youth of the community, develop community capacity of the young people, and to deliver youth initiated programs and events.


HIGHEST

MEDIUM

LOW

HIGH

Poor Fence Conditions Sidewalks

Poor Condition of Some Houses Littering/Illegal Dumping Lack of Facilities in the Park

Poor Property Conditions Graffiti Lack of Parking (no visitor parking) Speeding

Dog Excrement Negative Community Self-image Overall Park Design Insufficient Park Access Illegal Additions to Houses Park is Underutilized Children Playing in the Street

Figure 16: The hierarchy of issues as identified through the Public Consultation Program.


November 2, 2005 34



Implementation

Participants

Highest Funding Pg. 10 Rec. 4 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association prepare a funding plan and assign skilled people to the task of identifying and securing future sources of funding.


Highest Funding Pg. 10 Rec. 5 It is recommended the City of Windsor establish a fund for Little River Acres that will be used to support the operations of and ensure the ongoing existence of the Little River Acres Residents Association.

Finance Department, Planning Department

Highest Funding Pg. 10 Rec.6 It is recommended the City of Windsor establish a fund to finance the Programs developed as part of this Plan, as well as the capital improvements recommended by this Plan or resulting from the implementation of this Plan.

Finance Department, Planning Department

Highest Reviewing and Adapting the Plan

Pg. 11 Rec. 7 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association review and adapt this Community Improvement Plan, in partnership with the Planning Department, every two years to the current conditions in Little River Acres and as a pre-requisite to accessing any public funds made available for community improvement. Any change(s) to the financial incentives proposed in this Plan require(s) the approval of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Planning Department, Little River Acres Residents Association

Highest Communication Pg. 12 Rec. 8 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association create and maintain a community website to be used as a communication tool to educate and inform neighbourhood residents.


Highest Dealing with Conflict Pg. 13 Rec. 9 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association develop and adopt a dispute resolution strategy based on the key conflict resolution principles listed above that will act as a guideline for resolving community conflict.


ADDRESSING COMMUNITY ISSUES

Highest Poor Fence Conditions Pg. 16 Rec. 10 It is recommended that the Building and Development Department perform an annual pro-active Property Standards inspection campaign in Little River Acres targeted at substandard fence conditions

Building and Development Department

Highest Poor Fence Conditions Pg. 17 Rec. 11 It is recommended that the City of Windsor establish a Fence Replacement Program for eligible fence replacement within Little River Acres.

Planning Department, Building and Development Department

Highest Sidewalks Pg. 26 Rec. 36 It is recommended that Public Works Department conduct an assessment of the sidewalks in Little River Acres resulting in design recommendations to improve the drainage of the sidewalks, and to increase overall safety, functionality and accessibility.

Public Works Department

Highest Sidewalks Pg. 27 Rec. 37 It is recommended that the City of Windsor, in consultation with the Windsor Accessibility Advisory Committee perform a barrier audit of sidewalks in Little River Acres.

Planning Department, Public Works Department

Highest Sidewalks Pg. 27 Rec. 38 It is recommended that the actions that need to be taken to remove the barriers identified by the barrier audit and the improvements identified by the Public Works assessment be included as items for consideration in the City’s annual capital budgeting process.

Public Works Department

High Poor Building Conditions

Pg. 17 Rec. 12 It is recommended that the Building and Development Department perform an annual pro-active Property Standards inspection campaign in Little River Acres targeted at substandard building conditions.

Building and Development Department


November 2, 2005 35



Implementation

Participants


Pg. 18 Rec. 13 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association arrange and host a series of workshops conducted by professionals in the housing and lending industries (e.g. CMHC, local financial institutions, real estate brokers) aimed at educating the residents about responsible credit practices and homeownership.



Pg. 18 Rec. 14 It is recommended that the City of Windsor establish the Property Tax Increment Grant Program for eligible residential property and building improvements within Little River Acres.

Planning Department, Finance Department


Pg. 18 Rec. 15 It is recommended that the City of Windsor establish the Building Permit Fee Grant Program for eligible residential property and building improvements within Little River Acres.


High Littering/Illegal Dumping

Pg. 19 Rec. 16 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association use its community newsletter and website as means of educating the residents about consequences of littering and illegal dumping, the Clean City Committee, and the City’s Litter Hotline.



Pg. 19 Rec. 17 It is recommended that the residents of Little River Acres report all acts of littering or illegal dumping to the Littering Hotline.

Little River Acres Residents


Pg. 19 Rec. 18 It is recommended that Little River Acres Residents Association continue to organize neighbourhood participation in the annual Rose City Clean Sweep program.


High Lack of Facilities in Park

Pg. 29 Rec. 39 It is recommended that the Parks and Forestry Department conduct a survey of Little River Acres’ residents to determine specifically what facilities should be incorporated into the redevelopment plan for Little River Acres Park.

Parks and Forestry Department

Medium Poor Property Conditions

Pg. 20 Rec. 19 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association periodically invite staff from the Licensing and Enforcement Department to attend the Residents Association’s community meetings to educate the residents about the Dirty Yards By-law.

Licensing and Enforcement Department

Medium Poor Property Conditions

Pg. 20 Rec. 20 It is recommended that the City of Windsor’s Licensing and Enforcement Department continue to monitor the number of Dirty Yard complaint calls in Little River Acres and respond accordingly by way of the Council approved policy.

Licensing and Enforcement Department

Medium Graffiti Pg. 21 Rec. 21 It is recommended that the owner of the “tagged” property remove all graffiti within 2 days of its occurrence.


Medium Graffiti Pg. 21 Rec. 22 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association use its community newsletter and website as means of educating the residents about graffiti.


Medium Graffiti Pg. 21 Rec. 23 It is recommended that all instances of graffiti occurring in Little River Acres be reported to the Graffiti hotline by the affected property owner/victim.


Medium Graffiti Pg. 21 Rec. 24 It is recommended that on an annual basis, the Little River Acres Residents Association request in writing from Windsor Crime Prevention a map of graffiti occurrences in Little River Acres to identify neighbourhood “hot spots” and to monitor the effectiveness of the graffiti eradication measures recommended by this Plan.


Medium Graffiti Pg. 22 Rec. 25 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association apply in writing to Crown Attorney's office to have a person sentenced to community service assigned to graffiti removal in Little River Acres.



November 2, 2005 36



Implementation

Participants

Medium Speeding Pg. 24 Rec. 31 It is recommended that a designated bicycle lane be delineated along Little River Acres Drive and that the adequate signage be posted informing drivers and cyclists that the bicycle lane exists.

Traffic Engineering

Medium Speeding Pg. 25 Rec. 32 It is recommended that all current warning and/or traffic signs that are obstructed by trees be moved by Traffic Engineering to a more suitable location that allows for increased visibility and/or that the Parks And Forestry Department trim the trees that are obstructing the signs, whichever is deemed more appropriate..

Traffic Engineering, Parks and Forestry Department

Medium Speeding Pg. 25 Rec. 33 It is recommended that Windsor Police Services conduct speed and traffic enforcement campaigns periodically in Little River Acres.

Windsor Police Services

Medium Speeding Pg. 25 Rec. 34 It is recommended that Windsor Police Services set up an electronic speed display board on Little River Acres Drive on an annual basis to remind motorists to slow down.

Windsor Police Services

Medium Speeding Pg. 25 Rec. 35 It is recommended that the residents of Little River Acres report all occurrences of speeding or any other traffic violation to the Windsor Police Services using the Windsor Road Watch Citizen Report Form.


Low Dog Excrement Pg. 22 Rec. 26 It is recommended that the Parks and Forestry Department install dog waste bag dispensers at strategic locations in the park and along Little River Acres Drive to facilitate the responsible practice of cleaning up after your pet.


Low Dog Excrement Pg. 22 Rec. 27 It is recommended that the Little River Acres Residents Association keep the dog waste bag dispensers stocked with bags provided by the City

Little River Acres Residents Association, Parks and Forestry Department

Low Dog Excrement Pg. 22 Rec. 28 It is recommended that the residents of Little River Acres report any incident of a dog owner failing to remove their dog’s excrement to the Licensing and Enforcement Department.


Low Illegal Additions to Houses

Pg. 23 Rec. 29 It is recommended that the residents of Little River Acres report to the Building and Development Department any addition or building where it is suspected that it was constructed without a Building Permit


Low Illegal Additions to Houses

Pg. 23 Rec. 30 It is recommended that the City of Windsor establish a Building Permit Fee Grant Program for eligible residential building improvements within Little River Acres.


Low Insufficient Access to Park

Pg. 31 Rec. 46 It is recommended that the Planning Department prepare a report to Council exploring the option of purchasing lots backing onto the Park to provide for internal access to the Park, with the possibility of having the costs associated with such an undertaking covered by residential development of some of the Park.

Planning Department, Parks and Forestry Department

Low Overall Design of the Park

Pg. 32 Rec. 47 It is recommended that the Parks and Forestry Department, in consultation with the residents of Little River Acres develop a concept plan for Council’s approval for the redevelopment of Little River Acres Park.



November 2, 2005 37

Documents Reviewed

Axelson, Peter W. et al. Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access. U.S. Department of Transportation, 1999.

Basolo, Victoria, Denise Strong. Understanding the Neighbourhood: From Residents’ Perceptions and Needs to Action. Housing Policy Debate, Fannie Mae Foundation, 2002.

Coulson, N. Edward, et al. The Benefits of Owner-Occupation in Neighbourhoods. Journal of Housing Research, 2003.

Department of Parks and Recreation. 1997 Parks Inventory: Park Facilities Per Planning District.City of Windsor, 1997.

Flo, Frank, Anne Smith. The Community Development Handbook: A Tool to Build Community Capacity. Human Resources Development Canada, 1999.

Gifford, Robert. Housing Quality and Children’s Socioemotional Health. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2003.

Greenberg, Michael R. Improving Neighbourhood Quality: A Hierarchy of Needs. Housing Policy Debate, Fannie Mae Foundation, 1999.

Harnik, Peter. The Excellent City Park System: What Makes it Great and How to Get There. The Trust for Public Land, 2003.

Scott, Michael S. Speeding in Residential Areas. U.S. Department of Justice, 2003.

Transportation and Works Department. Neighbourhood Speed Watch Program. The City of Mississauga, 2004.

Walker, Chris. Understanding Park Usership. The Urban Institute, 2004


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Schedule A – Fence Replacement Grant Program

Background

Little River Acres was developed using alternative design standards of the 1970’s, which increased density to lower development costs, at the expense of personal space and privacy. As a result of the subdivision design, approximately 120 properties have their back yards abutting on Little River Acres Drive fences have proven to be a necessity for privacy. All of these properties have fences that separate their back yards from the main thoroughfare of the neighbourhood. There are approximately 1.7 km of fences adjacent to Little River Acres Drive.

Many of the fences in Little River Acres are highly visible and present a negative first impression of the neighbourhood. Repairing and replacing the most prominent and visible dilapidated fences will play a big part in enhancing the image of the entire neighbourhood. In fact, many of the residents made the direct link between the fences and some of the image problems confronting the neighbourhood. When asked to prioritize the community issues identified by the residents so that resources could be allocated efficiently, the number one issue was the condition of blighted fences along Little River Acres Drive.

Community Issue(s) Addressed

Issues Priority

Negative Community Image Poor Fence Conditions Poor Property Conditions

Medium HighestMedium

Goal(s)

1. The removal of all fences that detrimentally impact the surrounding neighbourhood because of dilapidation, deterioration or decay or are unsafe.

2. To replace dilapidated fences with fences that are consistent in type, style and colour, and with the objectives of this Community Improvement Plan.

3. To improve the quality of the visual experience when first entering Little River Acres and travelling along Little River Acres Drive.

4. To encourage pride in Little River Acres by developing a fence standard that is compatible with and compliments the scale and design of Little River Acres, and provides a pleasant, cohesive visual experience of the neighbourhood.

Purpose of the Program

To improve the safety of residents and the quality of the visual experience of Little River Acres by replacing unsafe and blighted fences adjacent to Little River Acres Drive with a fence consistent with the fence design approved by City Council and developed in consultation with the residents of Little River Acres.

As an incentive to replace, rather than repair, dilapidated fences and encourage consistency between fences, the Fence Replacement Program will be made available on a “first come, first served”, subject to


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available funding, to eligible residents wishing to participate in the program. This incentive will only be offered to residents willing to construct a fence that is consistent with the fence design selected for the project.

Details of the Program

1. This Fence Replacement Grant Program is specific to the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area (see Appendix 1), as defined in the Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan. Initially, only the properties adjacent to Little River Acres Drive will be eligible for this program. This program may be expanded in geographic scope within the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area at City Council’s discretion, with the properties abutting Little River Acres Park and the McHugh right-of-way given next priority. This program may be expanded in geographic scope within the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area by Council Resolution, without having to amend the Community Improvement Plan.

2. A Fence Replacement Grant may be received by a property owner in conjunction with any other municipal program offered by the Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan.

3. The compliance of each application with the criteria of this program and the amount and the property’s grant (within the permitted terms of this program) is at the discretion of and subject to City Council’s approval.

4. Individual property owners will be required to submit a complete Fence Replacement Grant application prior to the fence being replaced in order to be eligible for this program. The City will review the application to ensure that the fence replacement is eligible for a Fence Replacement Grant and is in compliance with the requirements of this program.

5. The property owner will be required to sign an agreement with the City that outlines the obligations of each party. The agreement will be developed in consultation with the Legal Department. Projects will not proceed until such a time as the City is in receipt of the homeowner’s signed agreement. Maintenance of all fences, in accordance with By-law 23-2003 and the signed agreement, will be the sole responsibility of the property owner. The agreement will also state that the replacement fence shall be kept:

(a) In good repair; (b) Free from accident hazards; (c) Free from weeds; (d) Free of graffiti (will be removed within 2 days of it occurring); (e) Protected by paint preservative or other weather-resistant material; and

(d) So as not to present an unsightly appearance.

6. All replacement fences will be built according to the “approved” fence design standards. City Council will approve fence design standards that are consistent with the goals of this program and the intent of this Community Improvement Plan. The fence design standards will be developed in consultation with the residents of Little River Acres and will be attached hereto as Appendix A – Fence Design Standards

without having to amend this Community Improvement Plan.

7. Fences must comply with “The Fence By-law”. Projects are also required to be in compliance with the City’s other by-laws and policies, including zoning and building regulations.

8. Funding for this program will come from a fund established to finance the programs developed as part of this Community Improvement Plan (Recommendation 6 of this Community Improvement Plan).


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9. This program shall only apply to the fences located along the common property line between the private property and Little River Acres Drive. The replacement of the remaining portions of the fence not adjacent to the Little River Acres Drive right-of-way will not be covered by this program and will be the responsibility of the individual property owner(s).

10. This program will operate as a cost-sharing venture between the City of Windsor and the individual property owner; whereby the City and the property owner will each cover 50% of the pre-tax cost of constructing the fence, including materials. The property owner will be responsible for paying any Provincial and Federal taxes.

11. The property owner will be required to obtain quotes from three (3) licensed contractors for fences to be constructed in accordance with the approved fence design standards. The lowest quote in compliance with the criteria of this program, including the design standards, shall be selected to complete the project. Alternatively, if the property owner chooses to construct the fence himself or herself, they will provide a quote to the City for materials only, along with two (2) quotes from licensed contractors.

12. The City of Windsor reserves that right to cap the amount of the grant, reject any or all quotes, or request that the property owner obtain additional quotes.

13. The City of Windsor will reimburse the property owner 50% of the pre-tax amount of the lowest quote upon submission of the official final receipt of payment from the property owner or a paid receipt for the materials to construct the fence (for property owner constructed fences). Any cost overrun will be the sole responsibility of the property owner. The final receipt of payment must be provided to the property owner by the contractor on official company letterhead for submission to the City.

12. The property owner is solely responsible for the demolition and removal of the fence being replaced.

Administration of the Program

This Planning Department will administer the day-to-day operations of this program including the intake of applications, subsequent reports to Council for approval of applications, and ensuring compliance with the program’s eligibility requirements.


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Schedule B – Building Permit Fee Grant Program

Background

The Ontario Building Code Act requires that any person constructing or demolishing a building obtain a permit from the Chief Building Official prior to commencing work. The building/project must comply with the Ontario Building Code. Additions to houses and other structures built without a building permit is cited as a problem confronting the Little River Acres neighbourhood. Residents contend that these unapproved structures are posing a health and safety threat to the building occupants and the neighbourhood, as well as contributing to the community’s negative image.

The Ontario Building Code is in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and building occupants by reducing potential hazards to building occupants. This includes protection from tragedy due to fire, structural collapse and general deterioration of the structures that surround us. The Building Code also contributes to the well being of a community by providing the preservation of life and safety as well as the maintenance of property values over time by providing consistent standards in construction that are applied to the quality and durability of construction and construction materials. For the reasons outlined above, it is imperative that all projects in Little River Acres that require a permit under the Ontario Building Code secure Building Permit and other necessary approvals and prior to commencing the project.

Community Issue(s) Addressed

Issues Priority

Negative Community Image Poor Building Conditions Illegal Additions to Houses

Medium HighLow

Goal(s)

1. To support the practice responsible home improvements.

2. To improve the physical condition of Little River Acres by promoting pride in homeownership and encouraging residents to invest time and money into their homes and neighbourhood.

3. To increase property values in Little River Acres.

Purpose of the Program

To encourage responsible homeowner investment and physical improvements to the residential properties in Little River Acres by returning, in the form of a grant, a portion of the Building Permit fees associated with the improvements made to the house/property. As an incentive to the residents of the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area, the City of Windsor is offering the Building Permit Fee

Grant Program to assist homeowners in covering all of or a portion of the costs associated with applying for and obtaining the required Building Permit. It is anticipated that this program will encourage homeowners planning to make improvements to their homes or properties to secure a Building Permit prior to starting the project, thus pre-empting any of the potential problems associated with unapproved construction.


2

Details of the Program

1. This Building Permit Fee Grant Program is specific to the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area (please see the attached map), as defined in the Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan.

2. A property owner may be permitted a Building Permit Fee Grant in conjunction with any other municipal program offered by the Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan. However, to avoid the practise of dividing larger projects into many smaller ones in order to take advantage of this program, the property owner is limited to two (2) Building Permit Fee Grant in any 5-year period.

3. The compliance of each application with the criteria of this program and the amount and the amount of the Fee Grant (within the permitted terms of this program) is in the discretion of and subject to Council approval.

4. Individual property owners will be required to submit a complete Building Permit application to the City describing in detail the improvements that are planned. The application must be submitted to the City prior to the improvements being made in order to be eligible for this program.

5. Projects are also required to be in compliance with the City’s other by-laws and policies, including zoning regulations. This program in no way implies an exemption from any of the requirements for a Building Permit (including associated inspections), Planning Approvals, or any other municipal requirement or approval associated with the planned improvements.

6. The maximum amount of the Building Permit Fee Grant is the lesser of $120 or the actual amount of the Building Permit Fee. Most of the building improvements recommended are for the most part cosmetic in nature; therefore the $120 limit is adequate to address these types of improvements. For example, the $120 grant limit will cover renovations worth up to $12,000, 114 square feet of an addition, the entire building fee for a deck, or 343 square feet of finishing a basement. Any amount of Building Permit Fees in excess of $120 will the responsibility of the Building Permit applicant and will be collected at the time of permit issuance.

7. City Council can, at their discretion, increase the $120 limit as conditions change (i.e. fees increase) without having to amend this plan.

8. The Building Permit Fee Grant will be applied to the applicant’s Building Permit fees at the time of issuing the Building Permit.

Administration of the Program

The implementation and administration of this program will fall primarily on the Building and Development Department. The Building and Development Department will be responsible for applying the Grant to the Building Permit fee bill of approved applications. The Building and Development Department will inform the Planning Department of every Building Permit Fee Grant issued with the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area.

The Planning Department will use the information as a way to evaluate the usage of this program and to monitor the number and value of approved improvements being made in the neighbourhood.


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Appendix 1 – Designation of Community Improvement Project Area

B Y - L A W N U M B E R 65-2004

A BY-LAW TO DESIGNATE THE LITTLE RIVER ACRES NEIGHBOURHOOD DISTRICT AS A COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AREA

Passed the 1st day of March 2004.

WHEREAS Section 28(2) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended, provides that where there is an official plan in effect in a local municipality that contains provisions relating to community improvement in the municipality, the council of the municipality may, by by-law, designate all or any part of an area covered by such an official plan as a community improvement project area;

AND WHEREAS the Corporation has an official plan in effect which contains provisions relating to community improvement;

AND WHEREAS it is deemed desirable to designate the Little River Acres Neighbourhood District as a community improvement project area;

THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the City of Windsor enacts as follows:

1. The Little River Acres Neighbourhood District, in the City of Windsor, and described in Schedule “A” attached hereto and forming part of this by-law, is designated as a Community Improvement Project Area.

2. This by-law shall come into force and take effect on the day of the final passing thereof.

EDDIE FRANCIS, MAYOR

STEVE VLACHODIMOS, CITY CLERK

First Reading - March 1, 2004 Second Reading - March 1, 2004 Third Reading - March 1, 2004


ii

Appendix ‘A’ to By-law 65-2004

That part of the City of Windsor bounded as follows, namely:

Starting Point

Start at the northeast edge of the property located at 9395 Little River Road (City of Windsor Facility (070-710-00200)).

Boundary Line Description

Heading south along the western side of Little River waterway (070-710-00100) to the proposed McHugh public right-of-way.

Heading west along the northern side of the proposed McHugh public right-of-way to the southwest corner of 8496 Darlington Crescent (070-690-25400).

Heading north along the western property lines of 8496 Darlington Crescent (070-690-25400) to 8460 Darlington Crescent (070-690-24500), 8361 East Moor Court (070-690-21500) to 8315 East Moor Court (070-690-20700), 8225 Enfield Place (070-690-15000) to 8215 Enfield Place (070-690-14900), 8210 Enfield Place (070-690-14800) to 8230 Enfield Place (070-069-14600), 8267 Gregory Place (070-690-11700) to 8211 Gregory Place (070-690-10800), 8235 Gateside Place (070-690-05800) to 8205 Gateside Place (070-690-05500), 8210 Gateside Place (070-690-05401) to 8220 Gateside Place (070-690-05300), and 8125 Little River Road (070-690-01600).

Heading east along the northern property lines of 8125 Little River Road (070-690-01600) to 8385 Little River Road (070-690-03500), crossing Little River Acres Drive western access continuing along the northern property lines of 1115 Heathfield Court (070-700-00500) to 1107 Heathfield Court (070-700-00600), 1100 Heathfield Court (070-700-00700) to 1114 Heathfield Court (070-700-00900), 8525 Little River Road (070-700-00301) to 8535 Little River Road (070-700-00300), City of Windsor properties (070-700-00200 and 070-700-00100), 1174 Abbey Court (070-700-25600) to 1182 Abbey Court (070-700-25800) crossing Little River Acres Drive eastern access and continuing along the northern property lines of 9305 Little River Road (070-710-00700) to 9395 Little River Road (070-710-00200) and back to the starting point.

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AIRE PLAIRE PL

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BLENCARN CT

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BAYSWATER CT

BA

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CT

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EAST MOOR CT

ENFIELD PL

ENFIELD CT

GREGORY PL

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GATESIDE PL

GA

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BAYSWATER CRES

DARLINGTON CRES

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LITTLE RIVER RD

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Appendix 2 – Council Adoption of Community Improvement Plan

B Y - L A W N U M B E R 112-2005

A BY-LAW TO A COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LITTLE RIVER ACRES COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AREA

Passed the 9th day of May, 2005.

WHEREAS Sections 28 and 17 of The Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter P.13, as amended, provide for the designation of a Community Improvement Project Area and for the adoption of a Community Improvement Plan therefore;

AND WHEREAS by By-law Number 65-2004 passed the 1st day of March 2004, the Council of the Corporation of the City of Windsor designated Little River Acres as a Community Improvement Project Area;

AND WHEREAS a Community Improvement Plan attached hereto as Schedule “A” has been prepared for that Community Improvement Project Area;

AND WHEREAS the said Community Improvement Plan conforms to the Official Plan of the City of Windsor;

THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the City of Windsor enacts as follows:

1. That the Little River Acres Community Improvement Plan, attached hereto as Schedule ‘A’ and forming part of this By-law, is hereby adopted for the Little River Acres Community Improvement Project Area described in By-law Number 65-2004;

2. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to make application to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval of the said Community Improvement Plan;

3. This by-law shall come into force and take effect on the day of the final passing thereof, subject to the approval of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

EDDIE FRANCIS, MAYOR

CLERK

First Reading - May 9, 2005 Second Reading - May 9, 2005 Third Reading - May 9, 2005


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Appendix 3 – Community Improvement Plan Official Plan Policies

11.8 Community Improvement

Community improvement initiatives will be used to revitalize existing planning districts, neighbourhoods, corridors or any other identified area in decline or in transition from one land use to another.

11.8.1 Objectives

COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT

PLANS

11.8.1.1 To revitalize areas in decline or in transition from one land use to another through the use of Community Improvement Plans.

MAINTENANCE

& OCCUPANCY

11.8.1.2 To provide standards for building and property maintenance and occupancy.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

GROUPS

11.8.1.3 To establish partnerships with neighbourhood groups to strengthen residential areas.

BUSINESS

ASSOCIATIONS

11.8.1.4 To establish partnerships with business associations to strengthen employment, commercial and mixed use areas.

MUNICIPAL

ACTIONS

11.8.1.5 To direct municipal actions to revitalize and strengthen neighbourhoods.

11.8.2 Policies

COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT

PROJECT AREA

11.8.2.1 Council may designate by by-law a Community Improvement Project Area in accordance with the Planning Act to revitalize planning districts, neighbourhoods, corridors or any other identified area in decline or in transition from one land use to another.

AREAS FOR

DESIGNATION

11.8.2.2 A Community Improvement Project Area may include any planning district, neighbourhood, corridor or any other identified area of the city and shall be encouraged for:

(a) residential areas where the housing stock is in need of maintenance, rehabilitation and/or repair;

(b) declining commercial or mixed use areas where there are a number of vacant or underutilized properties;

(c) declining or obsolete industrial areas;

(d) areas in which there are land use conflicts as a result of incompatible uses;


ii

(e) areas that have deficient municipal services such as parks, sewers and roads; and

(f) areas that have the potential to be new employment areas.

COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT

PLAN CONTENTS

11.8.2.3 Where Council authorizes the preparation of a Community Improvement Plan, it shall be prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act and shall generally contain the following:

(a) a statement of the basis or rationale for the preparation of the Community Improvement Plan;

(b) a description of the Community Improvement Project Area, including a reference map and the role and relationship of the Community Improvement Project Area to the city as a whole;

(c) a statement of the desired purpose of the Community Improvement Plan;

(d) the goals and objectives appropriate for the Community Improvement Project Area including a statement demonstrating how they are in keeping with the strategic directions and general goals and objectives of this Plan and provincial legislation, policies and guidelines; and

(e) provisions, as appropriate to the Community Improvement Project Area and in keeping with the Planning Act, for:

(i) the revitalization of land and buildings;

(ii) the acquisition, sale or lease of lands or buildings acquired by the Municipality to facilitate community improvement;

(iii) the establishment and/or distribution of grants or loans for the purpose of revitalizing the area; and

(iv) other such matters as may be appropriate for the Community Improvement Project Area.

PUBLIC INPUT 11.8.2.4 Council shall solicit public input on the Community Improvement Plan in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act and section 10.6 of this Plan.

DISSOLVE A

COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT

PROJECT AREA

11.8.2.5 Council may dissolve a Community Improvement Project Area in accordance with the Planning Act once it has been determined that the purpose for Community Improvement Plan has been satisfied.


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MAINTENANCE

& OCCUPANCY

STANDARDS

BY-LAW

11.8.2.6 Council may pass a Maintenance and Occupancy Standards By-law in accordance with the Planning Act to sustain a high standard of building and property maintenance.

STANDARDS 11.8.2.7 The Maintenance and Occupancy Standards By-law may, among other items:

(a) prescribe standards for maintenance and occupancy;

(b) prohibit the occupancy of such property that does not conform to the standards; and

(c) require the repair and maintenance of property that does not conform to the standards.

ENFORCEMENT 11.8.2.8 In the event that Council passes a maintenance and occupancy standards by-law, Council shall appoint a Property Standards Officer responsible for the administration and enforcement of the By-law.

APPEALS 11.8.2.9 In the event that Council passes a maintenance and occupancy standards by-law, Council shall appoint a Property Standards Committee in accordance with the Planning Act for the purpose of hearing appeals against an order of the Property Standards Officer.

NEIGHBOURHOOD

GROUPS

11.8.2.10 Council will encourage the establishment of neighbourhood groups and business associations, such as Business Improvement Areas, to improve areas of the city.

PARTNERSHIPS 11.8.2.11 Council will pursue partnerships with neighbourhood groups and business associations to improve areas of the city.

MUNICIPAL

INITIATIVES

11.8.2.12 Council may contribute funding toward the revitalization of areas through the capital works budget for projects including, but not limited to:

(a) streetscape improvements;

(b) infrastructure improvements;

(c) the provision and upgrading of open space areas; and

(d) the provision and upgrading of community facilities.

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