Carcross Downtown Core Plan
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Carcross Downtown Core Plan FINAL Prepared for: Laura Prentice, Program Manager Community Infrastructure Branch Community Services Department Yukon Government PO Box 2703 Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6 Phone: (867) 667-5194 Email: [email protected] Prepared by: EDI ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS INC. 402 Hawkins Street Whitehorse, YT Y1A 1X8 EDI Contact: Catherine Jacobsen, M.Sc., Planner Phone: (867) 393-4882 [email protected] February 2008 Carcross Downtown Core Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................... I 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Background and Context .................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.0 THE PLANNING PROCESS ..................................................................................................... 4 2.1 The Planning Team.............................................................................................................. 4 2.2 The Working Group ............................................................................................................. 5 2.3 Stakeholder Meetings.......................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Community Consultation .................................................................................................... 5 3.0 EXISTING ATTRIBUTES & VALUES ....................................................................................... 6 3.1 Community Characteristics ................................................................................................ 6 3.2 History of the Carcross Waterfront .................................................................................... 7 3.3 Current Land Use................................................................................................................. 7 3.4 Land Tenure and Current Land Use Regulations.............................................................. 8 3.5 Natural and Recreational Features..................................................................................... 9 3.6 Environmental Issues.......................................................................................................... 9 3.7 Heritage Values.................................................................................................................... 9 3.8 Visitors to Carcross........................................................................................................... 10 3.9 Traffic and Parking Issues ................................................................................................ 11 3.10 CSIF Project Status.......................................................................................................... 11 4.0 COMMUNITY VISION AND PLANNING THEMES ................................................................. 12 4.1 Community Vision for the Downtown Core ..................................................................... 12 4.2 Planning Themes ............................................................................................................... 12 5.0 CARCROSS DOWNTOWN CORE LAND USE POLICIES..................................................... 13 5.1 Recommended Future Land Uses .................................................................................... 13 5.2 Design Guidelines ............................................................................................................. 15 6.0 TRANSPORTATION ROUTES ............................................................................................... 15 6.1 Transportation Route Objectives and Assumptions....................................................... 15 6.2 Vehicle Routes and Parking Areas................................................................................... 16 6.3 Pedestrian Routes ............................................................................................................. 17 7.0 SCOPE AND LOCATIONS OF CSIF AND FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS.......................... 18 7.1 Overview............................................................................................................................. 18 7.2 Welcome Sign and Entrance Landscaping...................................................................... 18 7.3 Boat Launch and Community Docks................................................................................ 18 7.4 S.S. Tutshi Memorial.......................................................................................................... 19 7.5 Carving Facility.................................................................................................................. 19 7.6 CTFN Developments.......................................................................................................... 19 i Carcross Downtown Core Plan 7.7 Public Washrooms ............................................................................................................ 19 7.8 Seasonal Retail Structures ............................................................................................... 19 7.9 Improvements to Core Streets.......................................................................................... 20 8.0 IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................................ 20 8.1 Phased Implementation..................................................................................................... 20 8.2 Downtown Core Land Use Policies .................................................................................. 21 8.3 CSIF Projects ..................................................................................................................... 21 8.4 Other Capital Projects ....................................................................................................... 22 8.5 Transportation Route Improvements ............................................................................... 22 8.6 Business/Retail Spaces Strategy ..................................................................................... 23 8.7 Community Involvement ................................................................................................... 23 9.0 REFERENCES........................................................................................................................ 26 APPENDIX 1. MAPS..................................................................................................................... 27 APPENDIX 2. PLANNING TERMS OF REFERENCE .................................................................. 28 APPENDIX 3 CONSULTATION REPORT DOCUMENTS ............................................................ 29 ii Carcross Downtown Core Plan 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose The purpose of the Carcross Downtown Core Plan is to provide direction on future land use and transportation routes in the area, and to confirm locations for the remaining waterfront projects funded through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF). 1.2 Background and Context Guidance on future land use in downtown Carcross is needed to accommodate continued growth in tourism, to facilitate economic and community development opportunities, and to address traffic circulation and safety issues in this core area. Direction on future land use in the Downtown Core is also needed to provide a context within which the remaining Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) projects can proceed, in advance of a 2010 funding deadline. An Area Development Plan for the entire Carcross community is in the early stages of development, but will not be complete for several years. The Carcross Downtown Core Plan will enable land use and infrastructure development to proceed in the core prior to the completion of this broader Area Plan. In 2005, a consultation process was conducted in Carcross as part of the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) program. A number of projects were selected for the Carcross waterfront, including the construction of a new footbridge across Nares River (Natasaheeni Narrows); entrance landscaping and signage; improved beach access and washroom facilities on Bennett Lake; clean-up of the Nares R. waterfront and a new community dock; a Carcross/Tagish First Nation carving facility; and drainage improvements to a number of core streets. The waterfront clean up project and construction of the new footbridge were completed in 2007. Beach access improvements and construction of a washroom facility on Bennett Lake are underway. The scope and locations of the four remaining CSIF projects have yet to be determined. Funding under the CSIF agreement must be expended by 2010; thus, there is a need to move forward with these projects. This plan presents selected locations for the remaining CSIF projects within the context of the recommended future land uses and transportation routes in the Downtown Core. In addition to the CSIF funding deadline, the recent growth of tourism in Carcross has provided additional