PLA

1656: LAND USE PLANNING: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

2018 COURSE BREAKDOWN

PLA 1656 H1F - Land Use Planning: Principles and Practice

2018 Course Breakdown (subject to change)

Class Participation
10%
Class attendance and participation in discussions are important parts of this course.

Assignment #1 (max. three pages)

20% Write a two-to-three-page (excluding images and maps) memo to your client, the Chief Planner
of the City of Toronto, regarding one or more tools or practices applied in a city outside Toronto
Due (but not applied in Toronto) to regulate urban development. Provide suggestions about the
Oct 1 potential application of these tools or practices to urban development control in the City of
(Week 4) Toronto, making reference to the advantages or benefits they may provide. Include reference to
the successful application of the planning tools or practices in the city where they are used.

Major Paper (10 - 12 pages)

Scenario: You have been invited to prepare a conference paper on one of the issues listed in the
box below. You must present the issue from the perspective of a professional planner, to an
audience of non-planners.

Select a city in the province of Ontario, and a site or neighbourhood within that city. Within
your conference paper:
▪ Discuss the municipal and provincial planning policy and legislation context as it applies to
30% your selected site or neighbourhood (with respect to only this planning policy issue);
▪ Discuss the complexity of stakeholder considerations and interests that a planner would need
Due to weigh when forming an opinion with respect to your selected issue, in your selected
Dec municipality. In developing your understanding of stakeholder interests and relevant issues,
11-17 interview individuals from at least two of the following categories: land development, local
government (Councillor’s office), land ownership, local residents’ or business association, or
another interested stakeholder group; and,
▪ Provide commentary on your selected issue from the perspective of a professional planner,
making reference to how you, as a professional planner, have evaluated the relevant
considerations, including those raised by the individuals you interviewed.

Students are required to fulfill any applicable ethics review and participant consent
requirements.

Major Paper planning policy issues:

1. Affordable housing provision;

7. Greenfield development;
2. Rental housing provision;
8. Retention or conversion of designated
3. Development of “big box” large-format retail;
Employment Lands;
4. Retention of older buildings;
9. Redevelopment of large retail sites;
5. Location of supportive social services and
10. Intensification around transit stations;
facilities (crisis care shelters, addiction-
11. Parkland provision and dedication;
related clinics, etc.);
12. Urban boundary expansion.
6. Public transit provision or expansion;

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 PLA 1656: LAND USE PLANNING: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
2018 COURSE BREAKDOWN

Group Assignment

Form groups of four to prepare a development proposal for a site that will be assigned to you.
The proposal should be one that you consider to be representative of good planning. In
preparing your development proposal, consider the local context, applicable policies,
stakeholder input, and other relevant considerations.

This project has two components:

(1) Due diligence
On November 15, each group will deliver a 10 minute presentation, followed by questions and
answers from the class and course lecturers. Each due diligence presentation must include the
following components:
▪ Overview of local context;
▪ Analysis of all relevant legislation, policies, regulations, guidelines and standards;
40%
▪ Description of relevant precedents and recent approvals.
Due
Nov. 10 (2) Proposal and planning rationale
(Week 10) On December 6, each group will present their respective proposal, including an explanation
and discussion of proposed by-law amendments (and/or any other required municipal
and development approvals), and provide a planning rationale for the proposal.

Dec. 10 Your planning rationale presentation must include the following components:
(Week 13) ▪ Overview of proposal (conceptual design, size, mix of uses, etc. Detailed designs and graphic
representations are not required.)
▪ Description of the requested approvals
▪ Outline of the proposed amendments
▪ Completed development approval application form (to be submitted)
▪ Completed Toronto Green Standard Checklist
▪ Discussion of area precedents/approvals
▪ Discussion of Growth Plan conformity
▪ S37 and/or 45 considerations/proposal, if appropriate
▪ Any other planning consideration that may be applicable
▪ Discussion of why the proposal represents good planning

Presentations should be maximum 15 minutes, followed by time for questions and answers.
Each presentation should be accompanied by a one-page (double-sided) overview of the
development proposal and the key points supporting the rationale.

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