A well-designed building can offer shade to people walking by, provide interest and curiosity through architectural features, and add a sense of pride to the Downtown. Design guidelines act to ensure that buildings and sites interact with their surroundings in a beneficial and compatible way. Given the variety of architectural styles and eras in the Downtown, it is important to ensure new developments are done in a compatible way that add to area’s sense of character.

Main Street, Elma Street West, Maple Area, and the Riverfront all have different development policies and guidelines that support desired uses.

Some of the key policies specific to Main Street include:

• The Main Street Character Area should be primarily for commercial and mixed-use land uses, with a focus on retail uses at the ground level.
• Buildings should contain street activating land uses on the ground floor, this includes uses that have short stays and a high-level of human-to-human interaction that is publicly visible, such as retail stores, pubs, hair stylists, cafes, and restaurants.
• Buildings should be mixed-use with street activating land uses on the ground floor and other land uses (i.e. residential, office and institutional uses) above ground-level.
• Developments are encouraged to incorporate rooftop patios and other urban elements as a way of providing residents and businesses with livable spaces on their property.
• Main Street should continue to be designed as the primary thoroughfare for pedestrians and vehicles in the Downtown. Design priority is to promote commercial activity and for safe pedestrian movement through strong multi-modal infrastructure.

Some of the key policies specific to Elma Street West include:

• Appropriate land uses for the Historic Elma Street include live-work, mixed-use (residential and commercial), commercial, institutional and residential.
• The Elma Street West area should accommodate sensitive infill and redevelopment while conserving the unique heritage qualities of Elma Street, including:
  • Tree-lined streets with boulevards and on-street parking;
  • One to three-storey buildings with a residential character and appearance (e.g. peaked roofs, single front door, gables and overhangs);
  • Low profile front fences;
  • Front porches; and
  • Traditional front yard setbacks, including not varying minimum front yard setbacks.
• Public realm features should reflect the historic qualities of Elma Street area and architecture, including signage, lighting, wayfinding, banners, benches and pavement.

Some of the key polices specific to the Maple Area include:

• The Maple Area should be primarily for residential land uses, with a focus on midrise multi-unit residential buildings. Mixed-use buildings, home-businesses, and live-work properties are also supported. Dedicated commercial properties are encouraged to locate in other character areas, but will be supported where they adhere to the policies of the Downtown Plan.
• Increased residential density is encouraged in the Maple Area to provide a diversity of housing and add to the population that supports Downtown businesses.
• Residential infill and redevelopment should be a minimum of two storeys in height and a maximum of four storeys unless otherwise permitted in the Land Use Bylaw.

Some of the key policies specific to the Riverfront Area include:

• The Riverfront area should remain mostly in its natural state, with strategic pockets of development. The Sheep River should be protected from impacts from development, such as pollution from untreated stormwater, garbage/litter, and erosion to riparian areas.
• Development in the Riverfront area should be limited to areas that will not negatively impact the natural areas along the Sheep River, including the riparian areas. Land uses that are supported include: institutional, commercial, residential, and mixed-use.
• Auto-oriented land uses (e.g. service stations) should be transitioned out of the Riverfront area.
• All development within the Riverfront area should comply with municipal bylaws and provincial flood regulations pertaining to flood protection and mitigation.
• South Railway Street should be re-aligned to create a more logical road pattern and allow for better utilization of land near the river.