[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Gatineau has a new master plan that truly promotes urbanism. Some highlights:

• Single family homes cannot be demolished and replaced with new single family houses;
• No surface parking lots within 300 meters of major transit routes, and that includes future park-and-rides. Exceptions could be given to some public institutions (I assume hospitals, for example);
• Large projects from private developers have to be green and built around a street grid (as opposed to a spaghetti factory) to encourage active transportation;
• More protection of natural features like forests and wet lands;
• Authorization to build residential within existing and future "Smart Centres";
• Higher densities along established neighbourhoods served by current and future rapid transit;
• Construction with sustainable materials.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/g...de63b20b1a0c2a
https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/g...1f198490795737
https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/g...4673e3ca8260ba
https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/g...c27c3efdabf6ed

A little bit more info I found in Le Droit.

• Of 5,000 hectares of wetlands lands within Gatineau, 96.8% will be protected (if the rules are iron clad), which leaves 154 hectares available for redevelopment, though they might also receive protection;
• In wooded areas, 60% of trees will have to be protected;
• Any parking within 300 meters of rapid transit will have to be underground or within a parking garage, as I had mentioned. For the exceptions, Le Droit provides social housing as an example;
• Within 700 meters of rapid transit, parking requirements will be slashed by 50%;
• Twelve areas where more density will be required were identified. Heights could vary from 12 to 25 floors. Of those are the early 20th Century Wrightsville neighbourhood, roughly between the Ruisseau de la Brasserie and Gatineau Park from Saint-Raymond to Alexandre-Tâché. Buildings could reach up to 12 floors. Buckingham, Old Aylmer and Lorrain (villages), LaBrosse and La Gappe (big box store and strip malls along the RapiBus). Du Moulin, Mont-Bleu and Hautes-Plaines (already fairly dense).