Smart Urban Futures Integrated Active Living Policy at Yarra – fact or fiction Bruce Phillips Director Planning and Place Making 1

Introduction  Improved community wellbeing is an outcome of implementation of good active living policies  City of Yarra pursues policies that drive active living  This presentation provides an overview of how Yarra goes about improving active living for the community 2

Context Some relevant key challenges for Melbourne (amongst others) :  Growth (housing the new population / household formulations)  Sustainability  Access and Movement for the community  Liveability (the feel of the place)  Vitality (the mood of the place) How Melbourne meets these challenges is a key aspect of this conference – ‘smart urban futures’ 3

Some Key fundamentals for the City of Yarra  Sustainability  Social Justice and equity  Integrated planning and transport  Community safety How are all these challenges and drivers reconciled? 4

How Yarra goes about improving active living Programs, People and Processes 5

Programs  Yarra has a One Yarra philosophy – being that the organisation works as one (across the broad) to deliver programs and outcomes  A number of programs relevant to active living policy and planning are structured in one Division called Planning and Place Making  ‘Place Making’ in the title is useful as it provides a focus and constant reminder of what we are seeking to do (improve places for people) 6

Planning and Place Making Division Units in the Division include:  Urban Design  Sustainability and Strategic Transport  Strategic transport policy / advocacy  Cycling and pedestrian policy  Waste policy  Urban agriculture policy  Economic Development  Social Planning  Strategic Planning  Statutory Planning  Open Space and Recreation 7

People The way we work – integration through:  Collaborative style encouraged  Conversation encouraged (dialogue)  An enquiring approach (ask questions)  Working together in the Division and across the organisation  Key disciplines in one location with open plan It is all about relationships – both internal and external 8

Processes  Collaborative style with other key agencies  Active Living focus – walking, cycling, comfort levels for people, safety  LG doesn’t run public transport – but can:-  Advocate strongly (examples)  Council capital works can make a difference at interchange points  Effective relationships with senior staff in key agencies is critical (Yarra works hard at this; CEO led) 9

Access and Movement Policies on Active Living outcomes - Integration Important Active living outcomes requires effective integration across key Govt agencies:  VicRoads  Yarra Trams  PTV  VicTrack (also other key non-Govt bodies)  LG needs to bring the players together – so that the ‘place’ is considered (rather than separate actions) 10

Real challenges in strategic transport topics to assist active living outcomes Some illustrative examples  Road space allocation – how does it all fit / what is the priority / what gives  Disability tram stops (issues arising)  Converting road space into open space (examples)  Shared bike lanes in open space (opposing opinions)  Separated bike lanes on roads Helpful hint:  Look at the whole topic; not aspects in isolation  N.B. Need to use a prism way of thinking to seek solutions – integrated thinking across the disciplines and agencies 11

 Strategic transport projects impact on active living – the outcomes add to liveability  Plenty of challenges and contested topics in Local Government – a constant focus is required on the ‘place’ and means to collaborate/ integrate  Active living is encouraged consistently in a coordinated way across Council via a number of divisions and across teams within these divisions 12

A summary of activity and coordination is provided on the following slides Relevant Active Living Policy Documents Integrated Transport Act, Planning Scheme, Strategic Transport Statement; Cycling Strategy, Walking Strategy, Master plans, and local area plans etc.  Need to shape day to day decision making - promote walking and cycling as key modes of transport in Yarra  Streetscape Plans in development - a major emphasis on active transport  Inner Melbourne Action Plan (IMAP) – 5 inner Councils acting in a regional approach  Some actions relate to active living policy 13

 Policy/ plan extensive internal and external consultation needed. Preparation - input from a number of sources:  Council's Urban Design Team  Council's Engineering Operations  Council's Sustainable Asset Management Team  Council's Strategic Transport Team  Council's Open Space Team  The Bicycle Advisory Committee  Disability Advisory Committee  Business Advisory Group 14

Walking Plan and Cycling Plans – Council strategies to delivering active travel related infrastructure over the coming years.  Capital works prepared with inputs from Strategic Planning, Strategic Transport, Urban Design, Open Space, Engineering Services and Renewals team  Various improvements to off-road (shared paths) and on road facilities Public Transport – Council encourages the use of public transport across multiple documents, and advocates extensively for new and improved public transport services – it is well established that people who use public transport are more active than car drivers.  Examples include upgrades to existing infrastructure such as  New tram route (to Victoria Gardens, Richmond)  DDA tram stops (various streets)  Bus lanes on Hoddle Street, and Victoria Parade  Advocacy for train, tram improvements 15

Encouraging Car Share  Yarra has over 120 car share spaces (no fee for space) Promoting Bike Share  Two new blue bike share pods have recently been introduced and more are proposed.  Bike share provides an avenue for active living. 16

Super Tuesday Bicycle Count Growth 17

Yarra residents cycle to work 18

Pocket parks and parklets – adding to vitality of the place  New pocket parks (particularly in built up areas which lack open space), which encourage active living.  Being delivered following collaboration across a number of planning/ design teams.  Existing Open Space managed by Council to allow as many people as possible to access parks etc. for active living purposes, e.g.Citizen Park is used intensively by sports clubs, dog walkers, people doing exercise, people relaxing 19

Local Area Traffic Management (LATM’s) These programs are rolled out across Yarra which deliver infrastructure that encourages active lifestyles.  Slower vehicles, safer areas  Cycling, walking focus as well Behaviour change initiatives These play a key role in getting people to adopt more active lifestyles. These programs include:  Walk and Wheel to School  Ride to Work day,  Car free day, and  Ride to School Day. 20

Case Studies – Integrated Projects  New Koonda Lat Bridge, Pedestrian Cycling Bridge  Merri Creek Trail Review (MCTR) involved Yarra, Darebin, Moreland, Parks Victoria and Melbourne Water.  Opportunity to transform Melbourne Water pipe Bridge into shared pathway  Melbourne Water had major improvement works scheduled, so Yarra and Darebin submitted joint application to DoT for project funding  New shared path provides off-road link and extends regional trail 21

Liveable Yarra Process  Deliberative Planning process on Planning Scheme Review  60 persons (selected as representative sample of Yarra community)  4 Saturday mornings assisting Council with community views on priorities  NB. 86% supported an action of articulating targets for ‘street sharing’ (sharing between transport options); develop a municipal wide plan for transport and access 22

Victoria Street, Richmond  Gateway project outcome  Agency requirements for Gateway  New DDA tram stops last month  Jonas Street ‘pop up’ park trial underway, footpath improvement works abutting tram stops  Streetscape masterplan approved (Sep 15) 23

Road space converted into pocket parks to add to local vitality  Peel Street, Collingwood  Church Street, Richmond  Docker Street, Richmond  Oxford Street, Collingwood (see before and after photos) 24

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Alphington Paper Mill Site - redevelopment  Active living being encouraged in road layout design:  Plan for people and bike friendly streets (road profile)  Provide open space on the site itself  Provide good safe pedestrian connections to nearby park land  Provide attractive connections to nearby external active transport corridors, including the Yarra River trail. 30

Concluding notes  Active living is delivered in an integrated way by a number of teams at Yarra Council  Recent accommodation has increased coordination by placing Urban Design, Strategic Planning, Transport Planning, Traffic Engineering, Open Space, and Asset Management in one open plan place  Work on relationships  Build strong relationships with senior officers in key agencies  Engage across the key agencies  Integrated transport and planning important  Many related aspects of LG add to livability 31

 How to reconcile through competing objectives a key aspect  Use the prism approach (look at all angles, not just one aspect)  Engagement and collaboration internal and external is critical  There are opportunities to do better – but Yarra working at integrated outcomes  The Planning Scheme Renewal provides an opportunity for links between active living and planning to be strengthened  Money to deliver projects for active living is a challenge 32

Active Living policy and delivery is alive and well in Yarra Bruce Phillips Director Planning and Place Making March