Amendments to the Building Facade Improvement Program and Urban Design Guidelines for Main Streets CIP

• In 2018, Council approved the Building Facade Improvement Program and Urban Design Guidelines CIP. Since its approval several owners have taken advantage of the program and improved their storefronts and building façades throughout many of  Windsor’s Business Improvement Areas (BIAs). Since 2018, City Council’s has approved policies and strategies (identified in the discussion section of this report) to encourage the retention of main street buildings, preserve the unique character and walkability of these areas, to prohibit the creation (and expansion) of surface parking areas abutting traditional commercial streets, and to encourage improvement on vacant and underutilized property in these Main Street areas.
• Given the success of other CIPs (Downtown, Ford City, and Sandwich) that include programs aimed at not only building facade improvement but also the creation of new residential units and the redevelopment of vacant or underutilized land that support both the main street and surrounding neighbourhood Administration felt that this was the right time to recommend amending the Building Facade Improvement Program and Urban Design Guidelines CIP. There are sufficient funds in Reserve Fund 156 to provide funding for the proposed changes to the existing program, the new grant programs, and expanded eligible areas adjacent existing Main Streets as identified in Recommendation 1. i., ii., and iii, and in the discussion section of this report
• Currently, Downtown Windsor, Sandwich Town, Ford City, and the University Avenue Wyandotte Street West CIPs include programs aimed at not only building facade improvement but also the creation of new residential units and the redevelopment of vacant or underutilized land that support both the main street and surrounding neighbourhood. The recommendations of this report are consistent with the approach taken to encourage the redevelopment on Main Streets and neighbourhoods in other CIP areas of the City.

Climate Change Mitigation:

• Amendments to the Building Facade Improvement Program and Urban Design Guidelines CIP will have a low impact on how the project affects climate change, because most improvements will be made to existing building and vacant land in existing built-up areas throughout the City which reduces the amount of CO2 emitted during the construction process and requires fewer building materials.
• The improvements to existing buildings and vacant property also contributes to the revitalization of Windsor’s Main Street areas.
• The projects approved through the CIP will continue to promote a more walkable environment, thereby encouraging alternate forms of transportation.
• Utilizing an existing building, vacant land, and infrastructure in built-up areas of the City also promotes efficiency on the existing infrastructure network by not promoting development on greenfield land.

Climate Change Adaptation:

• As temperatures increase and when considering the Urban Heat Island effect for the City of Windsor, the properties eligible for the grants offered through the CIP are often located within a Heat Vulnerability area.
• However, the rehabilitation of existing buildings and the redevelopment of vacant sites will utilize modern building methods, which will conform to the Ontario Building Code concerning energy efficiency.