Latest news with #masterplan
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Sandpoint Beach master plan lauded but swim area still unmarked
Candace Phillips lives across from Sandpoint Beach and likes the city's master plan to redevelop Sandpoint Beach. 'The flip is beautiful and amazing,' Phillips said of the plan to move the beach to the east side of the park. 'I think the city has an opportunity to we can close this side and open over there, and so keep the people happy, still keep the sand available, still keep the beach available but there's options. It doesn't have to close.' City Councillor Angelo Marignani put forward a notice of motion earlier this week to have the city accelerate the master plan in order to avoid another tragedy on the west side of the beach. 'What I am requesting in my motion is for it to be prioritized for the 2026 capital budget,' Marignani said. In the master plan, there is a breakwall that stretches across the current beach area into the fenced off part of the property. The breakwall falls short of the property line, where some of the tragedies have occurred. According to Marignani, the city leases the property from the Port Authority. 'That public partnership, part of that motion is to look and work with the Port Authority of Windsor just to see how we can improve this area.' The estimated cost of moving the beach area and creating a park is $15 million. Phillips knows the project won't happen overnight, but the beach is open this weekend and there still aren't markers in the water. 'When that snow fence comes down we could easily have the rope-to-swim area marked out because it's just one more visual saying, 'this is where it could be safe if you're choosing to go in,'' Phillips said. City Councillor Fred Francis feels there are two choices facing council: eliminate swimming in an area where the Peche Island channel is close to shore, or make the structural changes to move the beach east where the channel is much further away. 'Having three people drowned at Sandpoint over the course of the last year is unacceptable to everyone, and if we could do something to prevent that to happen to the next person, we should,' Francis said. The acceleration of the Sandpoint Beach safety plan will be discussed in early June. Administration will then report back to council within 60 days and a directive will be given. 'Write to your city council. Write to your mayor and say, this is how I feel. If you feel very strongly, on June 9th, be a delegate and speak to it directly to council,' said Francis.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘This is the answer': Marignani advocating for Sandpoint Beach masterplan
Ward 7 City Coun. Angelo Marignani wants Sandpoint Beach to continue being a seasonal staple in the city. Following a recent horrific drowning death, Marignani wants to get the wheels in motion to implement the 2024 master plan for Sandpoint Beach. In a Facebook post, he said the plan is vital for the future of the beloved beach. 'I'm going to be putting forward a motion that will prioritize the 2026 budget and this master plan,' Marignani said. 'We're here to help that Canadian dream and not make it into a Canadian nightmare.' By bringing the master plan up Monday, Marignani is giving council notice that it will be discussed at the next council meeting. SANDPOINT MASTER PLAN (Source: Submitted) 'That's where I would bring up the financing options. The safety options or the sentiment or prioritization of the community,' Marignani told CTV News. 'We have a strong, extremely strong community support on the Sandpoint Beach master plan. People are unanimously saying, 'Yeah, the Sandpoint beach part has to be closed.'' The master plan shows the west side of the property turned into a park area with the beach moving to the east side. The Wednesday before the next council meeting, Marignani said he would submit a request for details of the motion, which would include funding for the plan, funding for the capital budget, development process for the plan, and that the plan be deemed a priority in the 2026 capital budget process. Discussion will ensue before a vote takes place at the meeting after that. 'I feel that if council does do its due diligence, the priority is our safety and this is the answer to our safety,' Marignani said. 'It needs to happen because we have an obligation to make our public places clean, safe, and beautiful, and we're kind of missing out on the safe part.'
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Concerns grow over future of single-family homes in new Royal Oak master plan
City leaders in Royal Oak, Michigan, unanimously approved a new master plan that some residents are skeptical about. "Protect Royal Oak, preserve our neighborhoods, maintain our current single-family and multiple-family residential zoning," said Thomas, a resident in the city. Thomas was one of nearly a dozen residents who spoke out at Monday's city commission meeting, sharing concerns involving how the city's master plan would protect single-family homes. City of Royal Oak "If your neighborhood is designated single-family, the only thing that can go in your neighborhood is single-family. When your neighborhood is now neighborhood residential, anything can go in your neighborhood. Any form. Anybody who says otherwise is flat out lying to you," said former Royal Oak City Commissioner Tom Hallock. Many say the plan would destroy single-family neighborhoods by allowing the development of more diverse housing options, like duplexes or multi-family homes, potentially driving housing prices higher. However, some community members disagree. CBS Detroit "More housing is a good thing. We have a housing affordability crisis in this country, and allowing small multifamily homes for people who are interested in living in them can reduce housing costs by increasing supply," said resident Alex. However, city officials emphasized that single-family neighborhoods are here to stay. "People say things like this plan will virtually eliminate single-family housing as we know it. Or that it will allow apartments or duplexes in the middle of neighborhoods. It doesn't do that," Planning Commission Chair Gary Casada said. City of Royal Oak City leaders unanimously approved the resolution 7-0, putting a new master plan in motion, they feel will move the city forward. CBS News Detroit reached out to the city of Royal Oak and received the following statement: "Royal Oak's 2050 Master Plan envisions a city that is safe and easy to navigate, with quality neighborhoods, a vibrant downtown, walkable residential-commercial areas, and housing that meets current demand in a way that preserves the unique character of existing neighborhoods. "Between February 2023 and now, residents were invited to take part in numerous community engagement opportunities, including public input sessions, neighborhood meetings, open houses, business stakeholder roundtables, charettes, town halls, and community surveys—more than 6,000 touchpoints in total. "According to Commissioners, who approved the adoption of the Plan in a unanimous 7-0 vote, the final draft is representative of the vast feedback they received, and reflects the values of the people of Royal Oak. "Mayor Michael Fournier said at last night's meeting: "I'm very proud of the work, the effort over a number of years that went into this plan—the public engagement, the collection of data, reviewing it, checking it, making sure it aligns with a very diverse set of perspectives. I believe the plan reflects broadly the values of our city, and I'm proud to support it tonight."
Arabian Business
08-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
A.R.M. Holding, BIG announce 5 sq km Dubai masterplan at Jebel Ali
A.R.M. Holding, a UAE-based investment firm, has formed a partnership with BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group to develop a 5 sq. km. masterplan around the Jebel Ali Racecourse in Dubai. The announcement came during a signing ceremony attended by Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, CEO of A.R.M. Holding, and Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director of BIG. The project, scheduled to begin early 2026, aligns with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and aims to transform the historic site into an integrated community space, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said in a statement. Historic Dubai racecourse to transform under A.R.M. Holding and BIG partnership 'This partnership with BIG embodies our core values of creativity, integrity, and agility. In a diverse community of over 200 nationalities, we believe in creating spaces that connect people on a deeper level. This masterplan will serve as a bridge fostering communication, understanding, and principles of empathy that are central to our vision of enabling prosperity,' Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, CEO of A.R.M. Holding said. 'Through this transformative development, we are redefining Dubai's landscape by going back to our legacy and culture. By harmonising Emirati identity with global design standards, we create spaces that are both culturally significant and future-focused. This land, rooted deeply in heritage, will evolve into thriving communities and inspire future generations,' he added. The masterplan features what developers describe as an 'archipelago of urban islands in a sea of green' and incorporates 17 measurable performance indicators to track its impact, according to Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director of BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group. 'Each island connects to its surrounding neighbourhood, increasing in density as it converges around a lush central park – a social oasis at the heart of the city. But the park doesn't stop at the centre – it bleeds between the islands, weaving nature through the urban fabric and extending its reach to the wider community. This is not just a new neighbourhood; it's a new chapter for Dubai – where environmental responsibility and social sustainability become the foundation, not the footnote, of urban development,' he said. The development will focus on residential innovation and community design, with construction expected to begin in early 2026.
