For this issue of the "Pen" we have decided that heritage planning, another planning chestnut, which has been debated endlessly for the past 30 years or so should be our theme. Like many of the familiar planning themes heritage planning is one which has tried for many years to escape the image that it is something for architectural historians and learned, local, history clubs to deal with. Like so many concepts which are part of the community fabric notion, attempts to recognize the importance of heritage in a formal way has been seen by some developers as an attempt to prevent "progress" and Councils as something to include in official plans because all good plans do so.
Who plays a role in heritage planning?
The Federal government used to play an important role through its Mainstreet and other programs but, because land use issues are within the ambit of the Provinces constitutionally, the role of the Federal government has become less than pivotal in recent years, except where it is acting in its landowner role. Canadian Heritage, as a Federal agency, seems to have focused mainly on either parks or buildings of significant national interest. The Provinces role has been one of enabling others to do something if they wish to, but little. in the way of resources is actually broadly applied to the issue. This has meant that most of the freight has had to be borne by municipalities and, within municipal officialdom, by Planning Boards and Planning Departments where these exist. The usual response to this has been to attempt to introduce some additional, process elements in the development control system which deal with preservation of the architecture ... not that there's anything wrong with that (to use a Seinfeld line)... but less attention is paid to streetscape issues in these circumstances.
Should heritage be important to the public? To governments? To us as planners? The answer always seems to be an emphatic "yes!". But the engine seems to stall on the question of "why?".
It would be tempting to say that planning is future oriented and heritage is from the past and therefore, while of interest, is not an issue to which governments should put their unique abilities. On the other hand, if we take the view that the past is the key to understanding and predicting the future, and that unless we learn to consider our links to the past, we won't have respect for the present or the future, heritage becomes very important to ensuring that liveability and sustainability are properly addressed.
Why should this role fall to governments? The main reason is that governments, and only governments, have the mandate and ability to ensure that private actions do not unduly infringe on the public interest. An important component of the essence of land use planning is to ensure that the public interest in land (its sustainable use) is not lost in its daily employment by. private owners. Land, in a market economy dominated society, is easily reduced to being purely a commodity. However, as we know, or should know, land is also a part of the biosphere, on which all life depends.
Governments, by their nature, have two powers which are unique and are given to them collectively. The first is to tax and the second is to make the law. Because of the. private component of land, if we are to make sure that conservation remains a force in decision making, the only way in which this will occur is if government does so.
Like so many components of planning, the focus has been on the regulatory side of the issue. If we have a failing as planners it has been to encourage the passing of laws to solve most problems or create most opportunities. How many of our official plans have seriously advocated (and followed up) making use of the public purse to reach the objectives set ?- And most importantly, how many opportunities have been lost because governments have not made their land holdings, streets, or public buildings, for example, part of the strategy of achieving heritage objectives. This would permit leading by example rather than imposing by regulation. There is much to do in this whole area.
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