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The impact of multi-stakeholder planning and design processes on large-scale residential developments : an evaluation of the Rodgers Creek Area development, British Columbia

University of British Columbia

This thesis evaluates the planning and design process for the Rodgers Creek development in West Vancouver, British Columbia. The site spans 215-acres and is part of a series of residential projects by British Pacific Properties (BPP). The planning and design process for the Rodgers Creek Area Development Plan (ADP) began in 2005 was approved in 2008. The approval of the development within the lifecycle of Council (3 years) was a critical underlying factor in the process. The ADP accommodates 736 dwelling units in six neighbourhoods connected by a unique mountain pathway allowing for the preservation of 55% of green space on the site. The analysis and evaluation of the planning and design process is based on a variety of qualitative and quantitative data including academic and practitioner sources as well as in-depth interviews with key stakeholders. The Rodgers Creek planning and design process is path-breaking and inventive in its use of a high level of public participation. The process was multi-layered and included detailed background work, integrated technical sessions, a unique project-specific working group comprising unpaid industry advisors and innovative review, evaluation and implementation tools. The process was based on transparency, openness, trust, flexibility, inclusiveness and collaboration. By involving all stakeholders, it bridged the gap between the community, local government and the private sector. The participatory approach led to the development of a plan that produced a more sustainable model of development that was accepted by the community and easy to endorse for elected officials. Urban development problems arising from conventional processes call for new planning and design processes. The results of the evaluation suggest that better processes may lead to better outcomes. The Rodgers Creek development points to the importance of engaging stakeholders and forming an integrated team. The concept of a tailored working group to respond to the characteristics of the development could be transported to other large-scale residential developments to produce better forms of development. The success of the Rodgers Creek planning and design process should provide greater confidence for future stakeholders to engage in a similar process.

Text

2010-04-14

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/23490

Planning

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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