Last Updated: January 22, 2007
MASTER PLAN SECTION
The Comprehensive Planning Process
The development of 764 acres of “raw land’ requires a far more comprehensive planning process than the development of an independent subdivision or building does.
It begins with intensive research, using Cumberland’s Official Community Plan both as a starting point and as a reference throughout the exercise. It documents the most important environmental and physical features of each lot, studies each lot’s adjacencies, and assesses each in terms of its realistic market potential. Throughout the process, it outlines a number of scenarios that begin to identify the most suitable land use, the formation of various neighbourhoods, and the relationship between these neighbourhoods and the existing Village and rural landscape.
As the land use scenarios are refined, development phasing is considered, and infrastructure and transportation solutions are added. The final draft of all these scenarios is called the “Master Plan”.
Comprehensive planning adds value and quality of life to the community
The Canadian Institute of Planners defines the comprehensive planning process as: “the scientific, aesthetic, and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities”.
Comprehensive planning assures that:
- Land planning is broad in scope, sustainable and integrated.
- There is an integrated mix of land uses and transportation options, with public linkages between neighbourhoods.
- The conversion of land from natural habitats to developed areas is eased by respecting the topography of the land, its adjacency to other developed areas, and its environmental features.
- Infrastructure is planned ahead to serve new businesses and residents, and enhanced and/or maintained to better serve existing businesses and residents.
- Environmentally sensitive areas, open spaces and natural resources are preserved and/or enhanced.
- The development is economically viable and fiscally responsible, both for the community and the developer.
Trilogy believes that the scale of its proposed development at Cumberland warrants the multi-disciplinary professional approach it has taken, resulting in a comprehensive Master Plan that integrates all of the objectives stated above.
Strategic Directions Plan
Trilogy’s planning process looks at all the land with respect to its natural amenities and all its adjacencies. It explores ways to link the Lots between themselves and back to the Village core, and it highlights all important environmental features.
For an enlarged view,
click here.
Good comprehensive planning leads to more sustainable development
Recognizing that economic, social, environmental and development sustainability are interrelated, Trilogy identified following goals at the beginning of its planning process:
- To protect & enhance the natural topography of the land and its views.
- To preserve all environmentally-sensitive areas, and as much green space as is feasible.
- To create neighbourhoods which are integrated and respect the Village’s sense of place.
- To make development decisions that consider the Village’s future, are transparent to the citizens of Cumberland, and are cost-effective from both a construction and a maintenance point of view.
- To build economic value for the Village & for the project.