Hi colleagues, I really believe that this issue needs to be properly ventilated urgently with a view to obtaining clear guidelines

having regards to the following:

1. Based on the literature over 25 years has past since the density policy referred below
was introduced. Since that time significant changes to infrastructure, population and land use have occurred. 2. We are at a juncture where the KSA emerging Order is now up for discussion and I believe we should use this opportunity to do so. 3. There is great and increasing pressure for sub-urban lands and this is pushing the limits of KSAs urban fence further into these peripheral areas. I believe that KSA, Spanish Town and Portmore will soon (another 15-20 years) will become one large conurbation due to increasing urban sprawl past the urban fence/shadow fuelled by a number of push/pull forces such as: a. The introduction of the Highway and continued expansion of major roads (the Boulevard/Palisadoes). b. The development and continued expansion of the transportation (car, bus, rail) and communication systems. Mr. Earl Baileys Gleaner article dated Sunday, March 13, 2011, entitled Urban chaos amid residential expansion cements this fact he postulated that: "The spread seems to be different along each access," Bailey said, identifying routes through Gordon Town, Stony Hill, Red Hills, and Harbour View as the other access points. For Red Hills and Stony Hill, it is more upscale residential, "driven by a push to leave the commercial area of Kingston by persons who can still afford to commute and then withdraw to the more salubrious rural living". The expansion of the water supply to KSA under the KSA Water Supply Improvement Project a major investment effort. d. Development of Soapberry treatment plant and the vision to centralize the collection and treatment of sewage. e. The continued growth of peripheral districts and sub urban satellite towns f. The slow but increasing conversion/fragmentation of large slots of agriculture/industrial (e.g. Caymanas, Inswood, Bernard Lodge etc) and increase construction hillside lands where faults and high landslide susceptible exists (Irish Town, Bellevedere, Sterling Castle etc) notwithstanding the fact that these are limiting factors which currently opposes the rate of growth of sprawl . 2. The rising cost of providing affordable housing and scarcity of finding suitable nonagricultural development lands. 3. In regards to the market, the rising number of proposals for higher densities for various areas of KSA is signaling rising demand for higher density housing from the market ( HIGHEST AND BEST USE PRINCIPLE) .As an offshoot there exist presently a large and growing rental market which is a recognized form of home ownerships using multifamily (many single family dwellings have been converted). The significant increase of Restrictive Covenant applications received by the Agency annually of which a large portion is to allow multi-family (as opposed to single family dwelling) is also indicative of the needs of the market. 4. Over the years there has been a gradually lowering of lot and house sizes which is in effect an increase in density. This is also indicative of the affordability and cost factor. 5. I also believe that the discussion should also include the following elements: c.

1. Regeneration of blighted and decaying areas 2. Urban Renewal Policies 3. Polices to stem rural to urban drift and decentralization policies. 4. The adoption of new urban design principles (smart growth, new urbanism etc) to allow for greater and efficient use of the land. 5. The introduction of Flexible density/zoning principles. I am neither supporting nor refuting anything. I believe that this is an issue that should be addressed. We need to be able to clearly tell investors/developers what is the clear, unambiguous and prudent policy. G. Bennett