The Hamilton Spectator
(May 16, 2006)
HOMES
* Hamilton had 187,686 units in 2001. The city's Growth Related Integrated Development Strategy (GRIDS) assumes 80,000 more will be built by 2031 -- 58,400 inside the present urban boundary and 21,600 on greenfield sites in Stoney Creek and Glanbrook. Of the 58,400, 31,900 would be on vacant property and 26,500 on sites redeveloped at a higher density.
* While GRIDS focuses on urban growth, recent studies suggest rural areas need to maintain a population of at least 40,000 to meet long-range forecasts.
The current level of 43,992 is forecast to drop to 42,586 by 2031. The city is developing a separate strategy for those areas, plus an agricultural action plan.
* Between now and 2031, the average household size is projected to decrease by 11 per cent.
To maintain present population levels, more housing units will have to be squeezed in to prevent the loss of schools, stores, recreation programs and social services.
* Evidence of reducing household size can be seen in census data suggesting 18 to 20 per cent of the bedrooms are unused in existing single, detached homes and other family-oriented housing. Planners say building more homes for empty-nesters and other smaller households might free older homes for bigger families, to counter population loss.
JOBS
* Based on the province's Growth Outlook for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Hamilton is expected to add 52,000 jobs in the period 2001-2031.
Planners say that means the city needs 1,050 more hectares of commercial-industrial land -- exactly the number in the proposed aerotropolis business park.
* Projected demand for employment land is expected to outstrip the currently designated supply by about 285 hectares by 2021.
* The city's Official Plan says any new significant office developments should go in the downtown core.
TRANSIT
* In the chosen nodes-and-corridors plan, higher-density residential and mixed-use development will be focused in existing downtowns and malls and on corridors connecting them. Steve Robichaud, in charge of the GRIDS study, envisions each node as a transit hub, with frequent service among them. A separate transportation master plan study is looking at reserving traffic lanes for buses, taxis and other high-occupancy vehicles.
LAND
* The present urban boundary would not be expanded for at least a decade.
* After that, the only new expansion for residential growth will create a new development node in Elfrida at Rymal Road and Upper Centennial Parkway.
* The Elfrida expansion would convert 1,130 hectares of farmland to housing. Another 95 hectares north of the airport would also become residential along with 230 hectares in lower Stoney Creek already approved by council.
* The boundary would also be expanded by 1,050 hectares to include the airport special policy area slated to become the aerotropolis business park.
The Hamilton Spectator