Urban Design

Certain new developments at certain locations within the city are subject to urban design guidelines.

Urban design guidelines are intended to enhance the quality of development within the city by focusing on the locational context of new buildings, how those buildings look from the street, how new buildings relate to existing buildings in close proximity and how the street itself is improved or enhanced by new development.

Urban design guidelines address the massing and proportion of a building including architectural details (eg. entrances, windows, exterior side and front building facades) and include site and landscaping features (eg. landscape treatment, parking area design). Certain locations within the City are identified as nodes and gateways (eg. major intersections, entry points to downtown, access points to the QEW) requiring enhanced site and building design to highlight the importance of these locations from an urban design perspective.

Approved urban design guidelines are in effect for the following development types at specified locations.

Downtown Urban Design Guidelines

Click here to download the new design guidelines for Downtown St. Catharines

Residential Uses

Click here to download the guidelines for single dwellings on small infill lots in traditional neighbourhoods 

Click here to download the guidelines for single dwellings on small infill lots in suburban neighbourhoods

Click here to download the guidelines for townhouse dwellings on private roads in suburban neighbourhoods

Commercial Uses

Click here to download the guidelines for general commerical uses in commercial corridors

Where do urban design guidelines apply?

Traditional neigbourhoods, suburban neighbourhoods, commercial corridors and node and gateway locations are defined on the Urban Design Location Map and described on the accompanying location descriptions

Click here to download the urban design location map

Click here to download the location descriptions

Urban Design Guidelines are intended to be approved by Council in phases. 

Click here to download all approved urban design guidelines