Urban Design Guidelines - Employment Areas - Town of Ajax

landscaping that will establish a unique identityfor Ajax;• Focus on creating a high quality public realmthat creates a unique identity and attractsemployers and employees.• Integrate public and private realms.• Enhance the unique characteristics of Ajax,including good transportation access, uniquehistory and natural environment, and skilledlabour force, through design that introduces,supports or expands these characteristics in thebuilt environment. For instance, a trail markermay interpret some aspect of Ajax’s historywhile providing visibility and access to a naturalfeature.• Create landscapes that have references tohistoric, artistic, cultural or natural elements orfeatures, to avoid the “typical” business park thatappears like it could be anywhere.• Ensure that more important streets in Ajax havean enhanced image.• Provide flexibility in the guidelines to ensure thatsites of different or unique functional or aestheticrequirements can be accommodated and resultin high quality environments.• Provide an appropriate land use interfacebetween employment areas and nonemploymentuses.• Create aesthetic employment areas withamenities to create a competitive advantage forbusinesses in Ajax. For example, employmentareas that are well-connected to natural featuresallow employees to experience them during theirshort breaks and lunch periods, and becomepart of their rationale for living and working inAjax.• Utilize the unique presence and location of therailway and GO Transit services to enhance theidentity, and character of Ajax.Heritage• Enhance and celebrate Ajax’s unique history ofemployment areas as an original settlement,military and wartime development, andsettlement patterns through design features.14