City Seeking Members – Urban Design Advisory Panel

By Staff

March 7^th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

It was a good idea when it was created.

What would help make it a great service is to add some bite to the comments the Advisory Panel makes.

There was a BUD report on the Beaujolais development at Pearl and Lakeshore.

The City  is looking for three design professionals to serve as volunteer members for its next two-year term starting in April 2022.

More specifically, the City would like to see applications from urban designers, architects, landscape architects, heritage professionals, green technologies specialists and planners.

The mandate of the Burlington Urban Design Advisory Panel (BUD) is to provide independent, objective and professional urban design advice to the Community Planning Department on tall and mid-rise buildings, five storeys or greater, and public development projects, studies and policy initiatives to help achieve design excellence in the city.

Background

The City of Burlington is at a unique time in its history. With very little greenfield left for development of suburban-type neighbourhoods, the city can no longer grow out. Instead, it must grow from within its existing urban area.

Eligibility

Candidates will be highly qualified design professionals and currently possess full membership for a minimum of ten years in at least one of the following professional associations:

1. 1. 1. a) Ontario Association of Architects (OAA);
      2. b) Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA);
      3. c) Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA);
      4. d) Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP); or the
      5. e) Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI).

Candidates will also have a broad range of professional design experience such as:

1. 1. 1. a) A domestic and international work portfolio;
      2. b) Project expertise with a variety of building scales and types including tall, mid-, and low-rise buildings;
      3. c) Demonstrated leadership in city building;
      4. d) Construction techniques, financial management and feasibility;
      5. e) Application of sustainable design methods.

Some feel that the BUD report on the two towers was almost ignored by the developer.

Panel Meetings

The Panel meets once a month during regular business hours. Each meeting will be approximately four hours long with a maximum of three projects reviewed per meeting.

For more information on the Burlington Urban Design Advisory Panel please visit www.burlington.ca/UDP

Application

Candidates should submit:

1. a) A cover letter and CV summarizing their qualifications, experience and interest in participating on Burlington’s Urban Design Advisory Panel;
2. b) Confirmation to be able to attend all meetings during their term; and
3. c) The ability to provide independent, objective, professional urban design advice to the City of Burlington Community Planning Department.

Submissions should be emailed with the subject heading ‘Urban Design Advisory Panel’ by Friday, March 25, 2022 to:

Todd Evershed, MCIP, RPP, Coordinator of Urban Design & Special Projects, City of Burlington at todd.evershed@burlington.ca Todd can be reached at 905-335-7600, ext. 7870

Selected candidates will be contacted in early April to arrange an interview with City staff, if necessary.

The issue with the Urban Design Advisory panel is that they don’t have any clout.  The city will react responsibly to the suggestions they make – the developers see the comments as just another hurdle to get over.

To get a sense as to what a BUD report looks like CLICK HERE for the report on the two towers proposed for Lakeshore Road and Brant Street.