Design policies

Suburbs

After extensive public consultation, which gave residents the opportunity to shape an exciting vision for the look and design of downtown Kitchener, we developed a series of downtown design policies.

The policies outline design requirements for new construction, including new buildings, storefront improvements and new signage; and identify a number of actions for us to take, including:

  • Encourage a more pedestrian-friendly atmosphere on King Street, promote street life, activity and vitality, and maximize outdoor retailing and patios.
  • Establish tree-lined corridors for sitting, walking and cycling on certain downtown streets.
  • Promote the unique characters of the City Centre, Market, Warehouse and Civic districts.
  • Encourage a mixture of people-friendly streets and car-friendly streets.

King Street Facade Guidelines

In addition to the downtown design policies, the City has adopted more detailed guidelines for facades and storefronts on King Street (from Cedar Street to Francis Street).  These guidelines are implemented through development and permit applications, as well as through the City's Facade Improvement Grant Program:

For specific section downloads:

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