Cedar Valley Local Area Plan

Neighbourhood centres are mixed-use commercial and residential areas with shopping and services on the main floor and apartments or offices above. They are planned to provide for the day-to-day shopping and service needs of Cedar Valley residents. Neighbourhood Centres provide focal points for socializing, local employment opportunities in a pedestrian-oriented setting. They may contain special features like plazas, open areas, and public art that help the neighbourhood come together and provide an engaging space outside the home for public life.

Mission's Official Community Plan identifies a maximum allowable height of 4 stories; whereas, the 1996 Cedar Valley plan identifies a maximum allowable height of 2 stories. The draft 2019 plan will clarify what is an acceptable maximum height.

We believe there is a need for more commercial floor space in the area to provide for residents’ daily shopping needs and to reduce the need to travel outside the neighbourhood for shopping and services. We are proposing commercial floor space minimums for Neighbourhood Centres. 

The changes we're proposing with this plan are:

• The minimum amount of commercial floor space for commercial buildings in the neighbourhood centres will be:

  o  465 square meters (5,000 square feet) for properties that are 0.2 hectares (0.5 acres) or smaller; and

  o  930 square meters (10,000 square feet) for properties larger than 0.2 hectares (0.5 acres).

• Commercial buildings will be limited to two (2) storeys.
• Mixed commercial and residential buildings will be limited to four (4) storeys.
• Where separate commercial and residential buildings are developed together on the same lot, the residential building will be limited to four (4) storeys.
• A maximum of 6 stories may be considered under a density bonusing scenario provided a significant community benefit is provided, such as rental and/or affordable housing. Further information on density bonusing will be available during the Zoning Bylaw review consultation in March.

Single Family Dwellings once dominated the housing market in Cedar Valley. In recent years the neighbourhood has experienced a shift towards higher density housing like rowhouse or townhouse development.

The draft 2019 plan encourages a variety of housing forms and densities, including townhouses and apartments; however, there are challenges presented by the rising cost of land, and the high water table in Cedar Valley.

To address these challenges we are looking at allowing increased building heights and densities in certain areas to encourage the construction of apartments.

Density averaging is a tool that allows a developer to build more densely on one portion of their lot in exchange for building less densely on another portion. The overall density of a development must fit with the OCP requirements. Building on the significant public consultation from the OCP process staff designed the following area where averaging could occur.

The recently approved OCP sets a Floor Space Ratio (FSR) of 1.0 as the density limit for rowhouse, townhouse and apartments in Cedar Valley.

What is Floor Space Ratio (FSR)?

FSR is the measurement of the amount of floor space (density) that can be built on a lot. For example, a 10,000 square foot lot with density of 1.0 FSR would be allowed to build 10,000 square feet of floor space. The actual amount of density may be less when other considerations are taken into account, such as parking, setbacks and watercourses.

This plan builds on the environmental management policies and initiatives of the 1996 Cedar Valley Plan and the new Official Community Plan. 

The draft Plan has changed the name of the land use designation “Environmentally Sensitive Area” to “Protected Natural Assets (PNAs).”

The purpose of this is to be more inclusive, as PNAs are parcels of land that support terrestrial or aquatic habitat including Critical Habitat, wetlands, headwaters, water retention or recharge areas. They can include Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) but can extend beyond ESA boundaries and include undevelopable land that could be suitable for walking trails and limited, passive recreation.

Do you support the objective of protecting Cedar Valley’s environmentally sensitive areas and areas for trails and wildlife viewing within Protected Natural Asset areas?  Why?

Developers could be required to conduct a bio-inventory of their development and adjoining areas before designing new buildings for their properties. A bio-inventory is a review and assessment that identifies terrestrial and aquatic species and environmentally valuable resources on or near the site. In some cases, a detailed bio-inventory may be required. 

Invasive species, including noxious weeds, can cause economic and environmental harm, pose health and safety risks and interferes with development potential.  Noxious weeds, if not controlled, can interfere with the function of engineering infrastructure, such as pipes, pumps and stormwater management systems.

Proposed change to the draft plan, include: requiring developers to conduct an bio-inventory, and noxious weed assessment of their properties. If priority invasive species such as Knotweed or Giant Hogweed are found, then a management process starts to make sure they are eliminated on site instead of being removed and put elsewhere. 

What do you think about requiring developers to conduct bio-inventories for their project sites that would include invasive species and noxious weed assessments before they are able to develop?

This plan explains the significance of natural capital and green infrastructure, and how networks of forests and wetlands work with other open spaces to benefit residents.

Green infrastructure includes such features as bio-retention facilities, bio-swales, constructed wetlands, green roofs, permeable pavements and stream restoration initiatives. 

Tree retention is another natural capital opportunity, as trees reduce the urban heat island effect by providing shade, evapotranspiration and air movement. 

Retaining natural features on development sites can be balanced with development intensification (e.g. with development clusters or density bonusing and averaging) to provide environmental protection with economically successful development, providing mutual long-term benefits for the community.

What do you think about the objective of the draft plan to protect trees, watercourses and other natural features that can be used in conjunction with ‘green infrastructure’?

Cedar Valley is a growing community with young families where residents need open space for active recreation and enjoyment of the natural setting.

In addition to this plan, parks and open space planning is guided by the Official Community Plan (OCP) approved by Council in 2018, and the Parks, Recreation, Arts & Culture Master Plan also approved by Council in 2018.

We want people to live within close walking distance of neighbourhood parks and trails. 

Approximately 7,900 people live in Cedar Valley today. When built-out there will be approximately 18,000 to 22,000 people in Cedar Valley. There won’t be enough active park area unless we take action now.

This plan recommends securing more parkland for active recreation like soccer, baseball, tennis and other sports and games.

The plan also has plans for pedestrian trails to provide direct links with schools, parks, neighbourhood centres, institutional buildings and other destinations within Cedar Valley. 

Trails located within Protected Natural Asset (PNA) areas should be wide enough to protect mature trees and other natural features along the way.

What do you think about this update that would create more active recreation parks and pedestrian trails in Cedar Valley?