All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes

Victoria Richardson

City/Township Council · Waterloo Ward 5

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All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes

Growth & Planning

How should councils weigh the long-term cost of maintaining existing infrastructure when making decisions about outward growth and expansion?ranked from highest to lowest importance
  1. Proceed with outward growth to address housing supply
  2. Use development phasing tied to infrastructure capacity
  3. Require detailed cost and risk analysis before approving
  4. Limit outward growth unless full lifecycle infrastructure
  5. Prioritize infill and intensification where infrastructure
How should councils balance provincial and regional mandates for increased housing density with neighbourhood opposition and local infrastructure constraints?select up to 3 per part
A. Planning & zoning tools
  • Expand as-of-right zoning to reduce case-by-case political decisions on housing forms
  • Focus incremental density near transit, schools, and commercial areas
  • Allow small-scale housing forms city-wide as-of-right (e.g. up to four units per lot)
B. Managing neighbourhood opposition
  • Use public engagement to inform design, not to veto density
  • Phase or adjust density in response to neighbourhood concerns about design or servicing capacity
  • Require demonstrated city-wide benefits to justify local impacts
C. Infrastructure & servicing
  • Approve density where infrastructure capacity already exists
  • Pair density approvals with targeted infrastructure upgrades
  • Use development charges or conditions to fund needed upgrades

Describe one concrete zoning, planning, or development decision you would support (or oppose) that reflects how you would balance these priorities.candidate's own words

Waterloo Initiative 9 - Change of zoning to allow for future development of church site, as per church's discretion

Please describe one concrete example of a growth or infrastructure decision you would support or oppose using this approach.candidate's own words

Focusing on infill development rather than expand outside current limits. Reclaim areas that need environmental transformation (old manulife lot on Columbia/Lexington/ Weber)

What can the municipality/region do, if anything, about land which sits vacant for years because it is being used as an investment (land banking)?candidate's own words

Holding charges. I'd be interested to see what else has proven to work in other municipalities