HomeMy WebLinkAboutEnv - Official Plan - ReviewWhat is an Official Plan?
An official plan is a policy document that describes how land should be used, and
implements a municipality’s planning, development and growth management vision.
In addition to specifying where new housing, industry, offices, shops and other land
uses will be located, an official plan contains policies to ensure the timely provision and
adequacy of services, and that address a community’s social, economic and
The City of Kitchener is
environmental interests.
currently reviewing and
Official Plans have legal status and derive their authority from the Planning Act of
updating its Official Plan.
Ontario and all municipal public works and by-laws must conform to it.
This e-newsletter is the first
The new Official Plan will help guide present and future development at a
neighbourhood to a City-wide level. Official Plans include general land use designations
in a series of e-newsletters
and regulations that shape where certain types of development can and cannot occur.
that will be your guide to
Accordingly, property owners are affected by this document whenever there are
modifications or new development proposed on their property.
the preparation of the new
Official Plan process.
The City’s current Official Plan, entitled “Creating a Sense of Place – City of Kitchener
Municipal Plan”, was adopted by City Council in 1994, and later approved by the Region
of Waterloo in 1995 and has legal authority under the Ontario Planning Act.
We will be providing
Much has changed in the past 15 years that requires the City of Kitchener to review and
regular updates as we
update the Official Plan. There has been considerable growth and changes in the
move ahead and welcome
planning landscape with respect to policy direction.
your feedback throughout
The Official Plan needs to be brought into conformity with
provincial and regional legislation that has been introduced or
the process.
revised in recent years. Provincial legislation includes the
Provincial Policy Statement and the Places to Grow Growth
The E-newsletters
Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Regional legislation
will include…
consists on the new Regional Official Plan (ROP) which was
adopted by Regional Council on June 16, 2009.
an overview of the
review process Through Kitchener city council's approval of the Kitchener
Growth Management Strategy (KGMS) in 2009, a major
background information
component of reviewing the provincial and regional direction at
references to related
the local level is now complete. The KGMS provides
recommendations for preparing the necessary studies to
reports and studies
comply with Places to Grow and for formulating the new Official
notices of public
Plan.
Furthermore, there are several master plans, studies and other city initiatives that have
meetings/open
been completed or are underway that need to be implemented in the new Official Plan
houses/workshops
and require new policies and/or significantly revised Official Plan policies. High level,
strategic initiatives include the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan,A Plan for a Healthy
contact information
Kitchener, and the Strategic Plan for Environment to list a few. A list of background
studies is provided in the sidebar on page 2.
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What studies have
been completed or
are underway?
A number of background
Planning for growth and development in the City over the next twenty years requires a
studies are being prepared in
clear vision of what we want and where we need to go in the future, and direction on
advance of the Official Plan
how we can achieve that vision through planning policy.
review and will be considered
The community’s vision for the future of Kitchener was captured in the following
in the drafting of the new
statement that was prepared and reaffirmed by Compass Kitchener:
Official Plan.
“Together, we will build an innovative, caring and vibrant Kitchener with safe and thriving
Comprehensive Review of
neighbourhoods.”
Employment Lands (CREL)
This vision, along with the City’s Strategic Plan and other strategic guiding documents,
(Report Available)
will form the basis for the new Official Plan vision. The following guiding principles will
Commercial Policy Review
provide guidance and direction for the policies in the new Official Plan.
(Report Available)
Build compact, complete and healthy communities
o
Review of “Green”
Optimize the use of existing and new infrastructure and services to support
Development Policies
o
(Report Available)
growth in a compact efficient form
Recognize and enhance the unique cultural heritage resources that contribute
o
Parks Master Plan
to our distinctive character and identity
(Master Plan Available)
Protect, conserve, enhance and wisely use the natural heritage systems,
o
Cycling Master Plan
functions and resources
(Master Plan Available)
Promote connectivity, mobility and accessibility within and between areas where
o
Community Profile
people live, work and play
(Housing/Demographics)
Protect our employment areas, promote economic vitality and provide for a
o
(Internal Report Complete)
balanced and diverse range of employment opportunities
City-wide Sanitary Sewer
Capacity Analysis
(Completed for Internal Use)
Comprehensive Review of
Intensification Areas (CRIA)
(Near Completion)
Kitchener Natural Heritage
Systems (KNHS)
The Official Plan review has been underway since 2009. Planning staff are preparing
(Near Completion)
the draft wording and maps for the new policy document.
Southwest Urban Area
th
Studies/ Community Master
A statutory public meeting was held on March 8 2010 to engage the community at an
Planning
early stage of the Official Plan review process to ensure all major items will be
(Draft Community Master
considered and to kick-start the review process. Comments have been received and will
Plan pending)
be addressed during the review process.
Transportation Master Plan
(Underway)
Transportation Demand A review of the draft version of the new Official Plan is expected to commence in early
Management Plan
spring 2011 by the City's Advisory Committees.
(To be incorporated into
The formal public review period of the draft version of the new Official Plan is expected
Transportation Master Plan)
to begin in late spring 2011. There will be several open houses and public meetings
Community Infrastructure
scheduled throughout the process and notification of these sessions will be advertised
Planning
and dates will be posted and regularly updated on the City’s website. To be added to the
(Work Progressing)
officialplan@kitchener.ca.
email circulation list, please email
Designated Greenfield Area
Following public consultation, staff will review, summarize, and respond to comments in
Assessment
the form of a summary/response report.
(Work Progressing)
Staff anticipate holding a Statutory Public Meeting for Council consideration of a new
Secondary Plans –
Official Plan in June 2011.
Housekeeping Review
(Project Initiation)
Community Trails Master
Plan and Implementation
Strategy
If you have questions or comments about anything you have read in this issue of
(MMM Group assignment)
the Official Plan newsletter, please contact:
Brandon Sloan, MCIP, RPP Tina Malone-Wright, MCIP, RPP Sarah Longstaff, B.E.S.
Once completed,
these will be posted
Policy Analyst
Interim Manager Senior Planner - Policy
online for you to
519-741-2648 519-741-2765 519-741-3400 ext. 3192.
download, review
brandon.sloan@ tina.malonewright@sarah.longstaff@
and comment on.
kitchener.cakitchener.cakitchener.ca
Visit our Official Plan review webpage at
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http://kitchener.ca/en/insidecityhall/Official_Plan_Review.asp