Open Collections

Belotti, Giulia

University of British Columbia

Within urban environments, land use emerges as a vital component in climate mitigation strategies. As cities seek solutions to reduce GHG emissions, transit-oriented development (TOD) is increasingly recognized as a promising approach, given that transportation is a major emitter in urban areas. However, densification and TOD are subjects of intense debate and controversy. This research sheds light on urban residents’ perceptions of transit-oriented development, focusing on the Broadway Plan, a transit-oriented initiative recently approved by the City of Vancouver, as a case study. Through non-participant observation of public hearings and semi-structured interviews, common patterns in the perceptions of residents, community groups, and experts towards transit-oriented development were identified. The NIMBY (Not In My Backyard), YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard), and PHIMBY (Public Housing In My Backyard) archetypes were employed to better grasp such complexity, allowing for the identification of trends and tendencies in resident’s arguments. The study reveals that people’s lived experiences significantly shape their attitudes toward development, influencing their vision of an ideal city and the policy direction they believe local governments should take. Moreover, the research highlights the exclusive nature of public hearings as an engagement process, suggesting the need for reshaping such methods to foster more inclusive participation. The findings underscore the disparity in access to local institutions faced by marginalized populations, limiting their influence on shaping their cities. Recognizing the importance of equity, this research advocates adopting an equity lens in engagement and transit-oriented development to achieve both climate and housing goals, while ensuring that no current or future resident is left behind.

Text

2024-01-19

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/87332

Resources, Environment and Sustainability

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/