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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-13-043 - Official Plan - Tabling for Public Review REPORT TO: Planning & Strategic InitiativesCommittee DATE OF MEETING: May 27, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Alain Pinard, Director of Planning PREPARED BY: Tina Malone-Wright, Senior Planner-519-741-2200 ext. 7765 Sarah Coutu, Policy Analyst519-741-2200ext. 7069 WARD(S) INVOLVED: AllWards DATE OF REPORT: May 9, 2013 REPORT NO.: CSD-13-043 SUBJECT: SECONDDRAFT OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER NEW OFFICIAL PLAN RECOMMENDATION: That the second draft of the new Official Plan for the City of Kitchener, dated May 27, 2013, attached as AppendiCCSD-13-043 be received for information; and That the seconddraft of the new Official Plan be made available to the public and stakeholders for their review and comment by October 12, 2013; and That staff continue with community engagement of the draft new Official Plan; and further That following the community engagement period on the second draft of the new Official Plan staff bring forward a final version for consideration of adoption by Council. BACKGROUND A first draft of thwas tabled at the Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee (PSIC) meeting on June 20, 2011. On November 7, 2011, Planning staff brought forward a report to PSIC that highlighted and summarized the comments.Since then,Planning staff have addressed over 1000 comments on the first draft,completed new policy sections and mapping which has undergone a significantinternal review. This report includes an overview of key changes and highlights in the second draft of the new Official Plan which is now ready to be tabled for further community engagement. REPORT: The primary purpose of this Report is to summarize the key differences between the first and consideration of a recommended new Official Plan. 1 - 1 Comments and Submissions on the First Draft Planning Staff received approximately 1,000 comments on the first draft and has worked over the past many months to resolve the issues that were identified, address concerns and to respond to questions received. Comments continue to be received up until the writing of this report. Planning staff were pleased to receive a number of positive and supportive comments. Overall, the submissions commented on a wide variety of policies. Public input demonstrated broad-based support for the overall vision and desire to achieve Complete and Healthy Kitchener along with the general direction of the new Official Plan. Many respondents endorsed an increased emphasis on: accommodating future growth in key intensification areas; maximizing use of existing land resources and infrastructure; compact, mixed use development; integrated transportation system, focus on walking and cycling and efforts to reduce private automobile reliance; air quality; energy and water conservation and waste reduction and diversion; public art; and access to healthy food. Further, respondents identified numerous questions, ranging from the general to the specific. Appendix A of this report provides an overview of key issues/themes and outlines where changes have resulted. It should be noted that this report does not provide a detailed response to every individual comment. However, for the final draft of the Official Plan, staff will prepare a response document which will summarize and address the comments received and provide answers to the comments and questions. The key issues/themes relate to: conformity with Regional Official Plan currently under appeal before the Ontario Municipal Board; planning horizon date; residential housing strategy; density targets; cultural heritage conservation; natural heritage policies and designation; energy policies; need for shade policies; minimum floor space ratio and building height for commercial uses; maximum gross floor area for individual non-residential outlets; major retail; drive- throughs;andpolicies to support and encourage access to healthy food.These matters are further described in Appendix A Highlights of Significant Changes in the Second Draft Staff prepared a second draft of the Official Plan in 2012. The internal review generated over 1,100 comments which required resolution prior to the full release of the second draft. The second draft is, in some respects, an entirely new document from the first draft. In order to effectively and efficiently address the comments, reduce duplication and provide new direction, portions of the document are reorganized or streamlined and numerous policies were revised. An entire new Transportation section is now included, along with complete mapping. The major changes/additions from the first draft to the second draft of the Official Plan are identified below and further discussed in Appendix B. They include: 1 - 2 arestructured, reorganized and reduced second draft; further simplification of the urban structure; the grouping of major land uses which rely on an urban structure component; a new Environmental Contamination policy section; a condensed and reorganized Natural Heritage System section; a new Economy section; revisions to the Industrial Employment Area policies; a consolidation of the Mixed Use land use designations and improved relationship to the urban structure; reintroduction of the Commercial Campus land use designation, a consolidation of other Commercial land use designations and improved relationship to the urban structure; identification of more Institutional designated sites; changes to the Agricultural land use designation to recognize the Provincial Policy Statement and the Regional Official Plan; new Transportation System policies; new and revised special policy areas; and updated and revised mapping and schedules. The full second draft of the Official Plan is attached to this report and posted on the project website (see weblink in the Attachments). Changes made for the second version are shown within the document in red text for ease of reference and review. Status of Transportation Master Plan Before releasing a second draft for public consultation, Planning Staff were waiting for the Draft transportation policies have now been prepared in consultation with the Transportation Master Plan Project Team and are included in the second draft. The Master Plan is scheduled for consideration in June, 2013. Status of Region Official Plan Appeals Two Ontario Municipal Board decisions regarding appeals to the Regional Official Plan (ROP) have been received since the public consultation period ended for the first draft new Official Plan. One decision was about the planning horizon date and this has been updated in the second draft of our Official Plan. The other decision was about the Land Budget Analysis that was completed for the ROP. This relates to the potential need for more land somewhere within the region over the next 20 years. The most recent decision regarding this matter has been referred to the Ontario Divisional Court. As there is no firm decision at this time, no significant changes have been made in the second draft of the new Kitchener Official Plan with respect to Land Budget related matters Although there are further hearings scheduled on the ROP appeals, Planning Staff have been by the Region with deferrals and/or modifications, as necessary, to reflect Ontario Municipal Board timing and decisions. The resolution of any deferrals to the Official Plan would be brought 1 - 3 back to City Council for consideration and adoption, and then sent to the Regional Council for approval. Staff note, however, because the ROP was appealed in its entirety, there are certain policy in process. These include, for example, policies related to the Protected Countryside, Source Water Protection, Major Transit Station Areas, Major Urban Greenlands, Core Natural Features and Cultural Heritage Districts. If there are changes to these policies as a result of future OMB decisions for the new the ROP, such Official Plan by way of an amendment to the new Official Plan. Next Steps The second draft of the Official Plan will go through another period of public review and commenting which is recommended to end on Friday, October 12, 2013. Planning staff will address those comments received on the second draft before presenting a final version for Council adoption. Council sessions have been tentatively scheduled for August 12, 2013 and August 26, 2013 to discuss and receive input on specific sections and certain policy direction proposed in the new Official Plan.These sessions are open to the public to attend. Additional public forums and/or open houses along with anindustry session will be scheduled for mid-late September 2013. meeting in November of this year. Advisory Committee members can also review the second draft and provide comments by the October deadline. A formal public meeting, in accordance with the Planning Act, will be held to consider the adoption of a new Official Plan. Once adopted, it is forwarded to the Region for approval. The existing Official Plan remainsin placeuntil the new Plan is approved and in effect.It is anticipated that portions of our new Official Plan that relate to appeals of the Regional Plan will beformally deferred. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The Official Plan Review aligns with the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan in many ways. The new Official Plan will incorporate the Community Vision in Part B of the Plan. The goals, objectives and policies also support and align with all of the 6 Community Priorities in the Strategic Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no new capital budget implications as part of this report. The new Official Plan is being prepared in house with minimal funds used to date from the Planning Studies accounts other than staff time for part of one temporary position. 1 - 4 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Community engagement of the Official Plan is mandated and regulated by the Ontario Planning Act.Planning s Engagement Strategy to further augment the public process for this project. Additional Notice of this meeting was advertised in the Kitchener Citizen, the Kitchener Post andto the project circulation list. The Official Plan project also has a dedicated webpage and email address. Comments and feedback can continue to be submitted to OfficialPlan@kitchener.ca.Social media has also been used to provide notification of the meeting and to direct people to the Official Plan Review web page for further information. At such time as a formal public meeting is scheduled to consider adoption of the Official Plan, notice of the public meeting will be given in The Record in accordance with the regulations in the Planning Act. Planning Staff will also circulate notice of the public meeting to all those on the project circulation list. CONCLUSION: The second incorporates much of the master planning that has already taken place through a number of major initiatives. This Plan provides direction for reduce our environmental impact, further strengthen our economy, provide park and recreational facilities, improve our transportation options and celebrate our arts and culture. The vision of the new Official Plan is to ensure that the City of Kitchener is a complete and healthy community. REVIEWED BY: Brandon Sloan, Manager, Long Range and Policy Planning ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO Community Services Department ATTACHMENTS: (can be accessed at: http://www.kitchener.ca/en/insidecityhall/Official_Plan_Review.asp) - Further Review of Submissions on the First Draft of the new Official Plan - Highlights of Further Significant Changes in the Second Draft of the new Official Plan C - City of Kitchener Official Plan Second Draft A Complete and Healthy Kitchener, dated May 27, 2013. 1 - 5 Further Review of Submissions on the First Draft of the new Official Plan Conformity with Regional Official Plan (Currently Under Appeal) A number of issues raised by respondents relate to policies contained in the Regional Official Plan (ROP) conform to the Regional Council adopted and provincially approved Regional Official Plan. The final decisions are still outstanding and the final version of the new ROP is not in full effect. As a result, no major revisions are proposed in the second draft of the Kitchener Official Plan. Regional staff have reviewed the Plan to ensure conformity. It is expected that a number of sections and/or policies of the Kitchener Plan may be formally deferred or modified depending upon the final timing. Planning Horizon Date The planning horizon for the first draft was 2029 in order to conform to the ROP.The second draft is now 2031 to reflect the Ontario Municipal Board decision. Residential Housing Strategy Afew respondents noted that the City hasnot prepared a housing strategy that includes housing projections by housing type as contemplated by Places to Grow. As a lower-tier municipality, the City is not required to prepare such a strategy. Instead, staff notes that this is required of the Region as the upper-tier municipality. Accordingly, a policy has been included in the second draft of the Official Plan to this effect. Density Targets Respondents indicated concern with the density targets and intensification level targets that were included in the first draft of the plan. The Places to Grow Growth Plan and Regional Official Plan contain density targets and intensification level targets which have been carried through into our official plan. The density targets cited in the Official Plan are not to be applied on a site-by-site basis.Development occurring in the Designated Greenfield Area will be planned and designed to achieve a region-wide density target over the entire Designated Greenfield Area.Planning Staff are of the opinion that the intensification level targets contained in the seconddraft of the new Official Plan are achievable. Also, the relative priority for development approvals, asoutlined in the Kitchener Growth Management Program, canbe adjusted depending upon the extent to which the City is achieving the minimum residential intensification targets.These policies are likely to be deferred until decisions are complete on the ROP hearings. Staff has added a policy to indicate that numerical targets are not the only consideration for development in the Designated Greenfield Area.Other objectives and policies such as those pertaining to natural and cultural heritage conservation,design and other objectives and policies outlinedPlan will also be given consideration. 1 - 6 Arts and Culture Policies In response to the first draft of the Official Plan, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) prepared formal comments and presented these in Report CAO-12-006to the Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee on February 27, 2012. The recommendation was that the comments be considered for inclusion in the draft Official Plan. Planning staff made some additions and revisions to the policies, where it was possible, to address the concerns. Significant additions and revisions, to address the comments, were made to the Urban Design section, the Arts and Culture section, the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) section and the inclusion of a new Economy section. The second draft of the Official Plan contains a new Economy Section which includes policies related to creativity and culture, tourism and a mix of uses and a range of housing options. For example new policies include: Creativity and Culture The City will support the growth and expansion of creative and cultural industries and clusters throughout the city as an important sector of the economy. The City will plan for arts, culture, heritage, recreation and leisure opportunities that serve a population of increasing diversity through various City facilities, services and programs. Tourism The City will support and promote tourism as an integral part of economic development. Staff also made revisions to the Arts and Culture section in the second draft to include additional objectives and policies to support cultural planning initiatives and to develop and implement a Culture Master Plan. New policies in this section include: The City will support and participate in cultural planning initiatives that serve the community. Municipal cultural planning will guide policies and implementation strategies. The City will develop and implement a Culture Master Plan to identify and the leverage -making and in the planning of our city. Additional policies and revisions were also made to the Urban Design Section and in the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) land use designation policy section of the second draft. Reference may be made to the second draft to see text that is highlighted in the colour red. Residential land uses continue to be a permitted use in the Civic District land use designation in the second draft of the new Official Plan as per the direction of the Downtown Kitchener Action Plan. However, a new policy has been added to state the City will develop a Master Plan for all city-owned lands in the District which will include the timing, method and process for the disposition and ultimate development of these lands. 1 - 7 Cultural Heritage Resources Comments were received on th conservation, and asked that other management alternatives be considered. Respondents stated that the Conservation Section needs to be balanced against other considerations such as structural integrity, economics, community planning considerations and the efficient use of land and resources. The City's cultural heritage resources speak to conservation and not preservation. Conservation does not imply preservation. Conservation options range and recognized conservation practices are critical to any evaluation. Other secondary information is also important (e.g. structural condition, economics). Conservation options can include documenting the cultural heritage resource before demolition to in-situ conservation of a resource. The appropriate conservation option is based on a number of factors, including: recognized conservation practices; condition of resource; and financial viability. Conservation options are identified by a qualified heritage professional via the submission of an appropriate study (e.g. Heritage Impact Assessment, Conservation Plan) Natural Heritage System Respondents indicated concern with the direction of the Natural Heritage policies particularly as they related to the identification and protection of locally significant features and features as identified by the Ministry of Natural Resources. There were also some comments received as they relate to the application of the Natural Heritage Conservation land use designation being ficant features appear to have significant woodlands and other woodlands elevate what may be insignificant features to the status of regionally significan Significant Habitat of Endangered or Threatened Species. The Ministry of Natural Resources with respect to Significant Habitat of Endangered or Threatened Species implement the policies of the Provincial Policy Statement and accordingly no changes were made with the second draft. The Kitchener Natural Heritage System Technical Background Report (KNHS) provides the basis for the new Natural Heritage Conservation mapping. This study identified three locally significant features/areas not identified as a Regional or Provincially significant feature or area in other plans and legislation. They include locally significant valleylands, locally significant woodlands and Ecological Restoration Areas. The KNHS suggested new policy direction with respect to the conservation and/or restoration of these features. Staff feels that this is the most appropriate direction to take with the new policies as they relate to these locally significant natural heritage features. Further no development in these features and areas is often supported by other pieces of legislation such as the Provincial Policy Statement, Conservation Authorities Act and the Federal Fisheries Act. Studies done in support a development application, such as an Environmental Impact Study, would further refine the boundary of a locally significant natural heritage feature or area or establish a limit of development from the locally significant natural heritage feature or area. 1 - 8 The identification of and the policy approach to Provincially and Regionally significant natural features is already established by other public agencies and legislation andit is something the City cannot change. Staff proposes that one of the Council Sessions in August be used to discuss the KNHS as it relates to the identification of locally significant natural heritage features andthe associated policy direction. Energy Policies projects. During the ministerial modifications and approval of the Regional Official Plan, the Accordingly, Regional staff has directed City staff to remove policies regarding green energy projects. Shade promote shade to prevent skin cancer and enhance our urban environment, policies were added to the parks and urban design sections of the second draft. The new policies are as follows: the provision of shade as an essential component when planning, developing or retrofitting constructed, to provide protection from sun exposure, mitigate the urban heat island, and reduce energy demands provided it does not does not generate unacceptable adverse Minimum Floor Space Ratio and Building Height for Commercial Uses The first draft of the Official Plan imposed minimum floor space ratio and building height requirements for all new development or redevelopment within lands designated Mixed Use Node in order to achieve greater densities in these areas than in the surrounding residential neighbourhoods. Many respondents questioned the achievability of this policy for commercial uses and the ability to continue to provide for a broad range of retail and commercial formats and services. Accordingly, staff has revised the policies so that the current proposal is that the minimum Floor Space Ratio and building height policies only apply to residential and mixed use buildings within lands designated Mixed Use.Additional consideration of minimum requirements for commercial buildings in Mixed Use may be still under consideration. Some lands may be redesignated as Commercial and therefore may have a lesser requirement. Maximum Gross Floor Area for Individual Non-Residential Outlets Some respondents expressed concern with reducing the maximum gross floor area permissions for individual non-residential outlets from 5,000 square metres to 3,500 square metres within lands designated Mixed Use Node. The Mixed Use Node land use designation is now known as Staff have reviewed and have revised the policy to increase the maximum size of an individual non-residential outlet to 5,000 square metres for lands designated as Mixed Use. This is consistent with what is currently permitted in the Mixed Use Node land use designation in the current Official Plan. 1 - 9 Major Retail Some respondents challenged the glossary term for major retail and defining it as retail use with a gross floor area greater than 5,000 square metres. Respondents requested that the definition and size of major retail be revised to be consistent with the Regional Official Plan and its definition of Retail Commercial Centres. Recognizing that major retail is not defined in the second draft of the Official Plan and instead only use Retail Commercial Centres as it relates to retail uses in the mixed use and commercial land use designations. The term Major Retail will still be used with respect to the industrial employment area policies. Major retail as noted in the Places To Grow Growth Plan is considered a non-employment use for the purposes of application of the conversion policies. A Municipal Comprehensive Review would be required in order to consider Major Retail as a use in an industrial employment area. This being the case, it is still necessary to define what Major Retail is for clarity of application of view of Employment Lands (CREL) Study which was industrial employment policies section in the second draft of the Official Plan. Drive-Throughs Some respondents expressed concern regarding the direction to prohibit drive-thru facilities at the level of the Official Plan within the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) and Mixed Use land use designations whereas in their opinion, the proper place to consider such prohibitions would be the zoning by-law following proper planning analysis. Staff have considered the comments and made several revisions to the policies that address the concerns expressed in the submissions while still maintaining the intent of the policies. The policies in the second draft may allow new drive-through facilities within lands designated for Mixed Use by way of an amendment to the zoning by-law and will be subject to site plan approval. Applications will only be considered for approval where the criteria related to location, design and planned function is met. Existing drive-throughs on those properties wouldbecome legal non-conforming and are permitted to continue in operation. Drive-throughsare still not permitted in the Urban Growth Centre(Downtown) given the built form and function is not compatible with the objectives and planned function of the location. The policies were revised to clearly indicate and include a drive-thru as permitted in the Commercial Campusand Commercialdesignations. Access to Healthy Food Respondents indicated support for the inclusion of new policies to promote access to healthy food and allow community gardens and urban agriculture in residential areas. However, requests were made to allow community gardens, urban agriculture as well as temporary farmers' marketsin allland use designations. Accordingly, the relevant policies were revised to allow the subject uses in any land use designation, subject to other applicable City by-laws. Anew policy was also addhe City will plan for the distribution of food stores uses such that residents will generally have access to a food store within one kilometer of their residence. 1 - 10 Highlights of Further Significant Changes in the Second Draft of the new Official Plan Reduced/Restructured/Reorganized In this second draft, staff worked to reduce the duplication of some of the policies and tried to create efficiencies in the use of the document. For example, in Section 1.4 Goals, there were several sub-goals and/or objectives listed below each of the eight goals. Some of these were a duplication of objectives contained elsewhere in the plan. In the second draft, these sub- goals/objectives were moved to their appropriate section and in doing this; some were deleted as they duplicated existing objectives already contained in those sections. Comments were received that the document was too regulatory and prescriptive so staff tried to address these concerns with many of the revisions. Respondents indicated concerns with the numbering system in the first draft. As this was a first draft and it was anticipated that sections and policies could be moved, revised and/or deleted with a second draft, staff did not want to spend a lot of time formatting the first draft. With this draft, staff developed a numbering system for all the sections, objectives and policies in the plan. There are improved cross references between the various sections and policies of the plan and the cross referencing has been done to allow ease of updating. Simplified Urban Structure The second draft collapses both the Regional Planned Community Structure Components map and policies with the Urban Structure Components map (the former the City Urban Structure Elements Map in the first draft) and policies into one section and map. This draft attempts to ed in a Major Transit Station Area on Map 1(were not yet identified in the first draft), and further be located in the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown).The Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) (UCG) rban Growth Centre (Downtown) overlays with a Major Transit Station Area, the UGC boundary and policies take precedence and where Major Transit Station Areas overlay urban structure components, their policies take precedence. Given the hierarchy of policy application as it relates to urban structure components, it made sense to show this relationship on one map rather than over two maps. Accordingly, where a previously identified Urban Structure component is located within the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) or within a Major Transit Station Area (MTSA), the applicable Urban Structure component is now Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) or Major Transit Station Area and not both an Urban Corridor and Major Transit Station Area. As a result many of the corridors that was a Major Transit Station Area and are shown accordingly as such in this second draft. The simplifying of the urban structure, so that only one urban structure component is applicable to a property, will help in the use of the plan. In the first draft of the Official Plan, a Major Local Node was shown at the intersection of Homer Watson Boulevard and Highway 401. A note was included on Map 1 to indicate that Reurbanization Corridors may be added following the completion of the Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment. In the second draft, locations meeting the criteria for Reurbanization Corridors and Major Local Nodes in accordance with the Regional Official Plan 1 - 11 are located within Major Transit Station Areas or have been identified as City Nodes. Accordingly, Reurbanization Corridors and Major Local Nodes have not been identified in this Plan and are not shown on Map 2.Staff has added a policy to state that these may be established through an amendment to the Official Plan in consultation with the Region and in accordance with the Regional Official Plan. The Rapid Transit Corridor and Major Transit Station Areas which were absent from the map in the first draft are now added and included on the Urban Structure Map. The existing and planned transit corridors are now shown on the Urban Structure Components Map rather than on the Regional Planned Community Structure Components Map. With the first draft there was confusion between the names of the Urban Structure Components and the names of the land use designations. As both the Urban Structure Component and land use designation had the similar or same name, it was difficult to know to which the policies were referring to; the urban component or the land use designation. For example, the land use To resolve the confusion, we re from the land use designation names to clarify that structure components are different from land use designations and added graphic to help illustrate relationship. Now when we speak of a node or a corridor we are referring to an Urban Structure component. New Major Uses Policy Section In the first draft there were many duplicating policies in trying to deal with the permitted locations for Retail Commercial Centres, Major Office and Major Institutional. The Regional Official Plan only permits these major uses in Regional Planned Community Structure Components such as the Urban Growth Centre (Downtown) and a Major Transit Station Area. Every land use designation which would permit these uses referenced these uses in the policies for the land use designation and referenced the applicable urban structure component policies to permit such a use. As these uses are only permitted in certain urban structure components, it was more appropriate to collectively have policies related to these uses in the one location in the plan, the Urban Structure section of the plan. This also supports the structure and use of the plan whereby the urban structure components contain land use designations, but the planned function and scale of use permitted by the land use designation are determined by the applicable urban structure component. A summary of the Urban Structure components and the corresponding land use designations is shown below in Figure 1 which is included in the Official Plan document. 1 - 12 Figure 1: Urban Structure Structure ComponentPredominant Land Use Designation Civic District Market District City Centre District Innovation District Urban Growth Centre Mixed Use Major Transit Station AreaTBD by Station Area Plan Exercise Commercial Campus Mixed Use City NodeInstitutional Medium Rise Residential High Rise Residential Commercial Mixed Use Community Node Institutional Medium Rise Residential High Rise Residential Commercial Neighbourhood Node Mixed Use Commercial Urban Corridor Mixed Use Arterial CorridorCommercial Low Rise Residential Medium Rise Residential COMMUNITY AREASHighRise Residential Institutional Major Infrastructure & Utilities Natural Heritage Conservation GREEN AREAS Open Space Heavy Industrial Employment EMPLOYMENT AREASGeneral Industrial Employment Business Park Employment 1 - 13 Environmental Contamination Policy Section These are existing policies in our current Official Plan. This section primarily deals with sites and facilities, including brownfields and greyfields which may have been or may become contaminated and pose a risk to human and environmental health. This section of the plan also contains policies with respect to former waste disposal sites. Natural Heritage Policies In the first draft of the Official Plan the Natural Heritage Section was very detailed and repeated glossary terms and other language from the Kitchener Natural Heritage System Technical Background Report (KNHS). One objective in the second draft was to collapse and reorganize the policies and rely on the Kitchener Natural Heritage System Technical Background Report (KNHS) for much of the detailed information on the how and why the natural heritage features were identified. The purpose of the Official Plan policies is to designate the natural heritage features, as identified in the KNHS, an appropriate land use designation for conservation purposes and where development may be appropriate in or adjacent to a natural heritage feature describe the process and the studies necessary to support development. The KNHS would provide the detail as to the type of natural heritage feature that has been designated the exact area of the natural heritage feature would be further refined through the development review process and an Environmental Impact Study. use designation on their lands. Some of these questions have been able to be resolved. Other concerns may need to be addressed with another public agency which has identified the natural heritage feature, such as valleylands and floodplains, in accordance with their respective jurisdiction and policies. One of the Council sessions in August, and the public forums/industry session in September can be used to highlight and provide direction for new local level natural heritage features. Economy Policy Section ew Official Plan recognizing that a strong and healthy economy is integral to a complete and healthy community. This section contains objectives and policies which speak to supporting a diverse range of employment opportunities which are distributed throughout the city, having an economic development strategy, protecting industrial employment areas, environmental remediation, retention and diversification of a skilled labour force, creativity and culture and tourism. Revisions to the Industrial Employment Area Policies The industrial employment area policies were revised to provide more clarification on what constitutes a conversion of an employment area as defined by the Provincial Policy Statement and to be more restrictive on the types of ancillary/accessory service commercial uses permitted in industrial employment areas. Residential, institutional, non-ancillary commercial, non-ancillary retail and major retail are considered to be a non-employment use and would require a municipal comprehensive review. A conversion also includes any use not otherwise listed and permitted in the industrial employment areas of the official plan. 1 - 14 More clarity was provided with respect to the ancillary retail and ancillary commercial uses that would be permitted in the industrial employment areas in terms of types of uses, their size and locational criteria, i.e. must be located in a building containing at least one primary permitted employment area use.The policy which permitted a dwelling unit for a security person or caretaker was deleted. The current Official Plan and first draft of the new Official Plan permitted the concentration of a range of service commercial and support uses at key locations at the perimeter of the business park land use designation. This conce subject to implementing zoning. This policy has been deleted so as to protect our business park employment area for employment area uses and direct the commercial uses to the appropriate commercial land use designation. Mixed UseLand Use Designations Collapsed one of the urban respect to the current Official Plan, the for second draft and finally This further supports the direction that the planned function and scale of the uses permitted by the land use designation are determined by the applicable urban structure component. Changes to the Commercial Land UseDesignations were reorganized and renamed and linked to the applicable urban structure component for recognizes the existing amount of commercial space that has already been developed in these areas and would allow for some expansion and intensification of these commercial usesin conformity with Regional Official Plan policies. Arterial The planned function and scale of the commercial uses permitted by the land use designation are determined by the applicable urban structure component. cater primarily to the weekly and daily needs of residents within the surrounding Arterial limited range of retail and service commercial uses intended to serve the travelling public and to accommodate retail uses which require outdoor storage or sales. 1 - 15 Institutional Uses The second draft of the Official Plan proposes to designate more lands for institutional uses. In unity Institutional Zone (I-- institutional on the land use map. With the second draft, staff also reviewed the properties that -k at designating some of these properties as Institutional on the land use map. Given the interest from the public looking for institutional properties and the desire and need to have complete communities, staff felt it was appropriate to designate and pro- Staff also added religious institutions use designation recognizing that these areas may besuitable locations to accommodate some institutional uses. Agricultural Land Use Designation Changes to the , t In this second draft of the Official Plannow defined by two land use designations; Prime Agricultural and Rural. This was done to ensure conformity with the Provincial Policy Statement the Regional Official Plan and their framework and policies related to agricultural lands and uses. Complete Integration Transportation System Section New transportation policies have been added to the Integrated Transportation System section of the Plan since the first draft of the Official Plan was reviewed by the community.Sub-sections include: active transportation, multi-use pathways and trails, public transit, street system, goods movement, neighbourhood traffic management (traffic calming), transportation demand management and parking. New and revised Special Policy Areas Many of the special policy areas were still under review when the first draft of the Official Plan was tabled. All the special policy areas have now been reviewed, revised as appropriate and are included in the second draft of the Official Plan. Updated and Revised Mapping and Schedules Many of the maps have been revised to reflect the revisions to the policies and changes in the terminology and to improve accuracy, readability and, where appropriate, to respond to questions and comments received through the community consultation process. It is anticipated that further revisions will take place once the community has had a chance to review their proposed land use designation and applicable urban structure component. There may also be some further revisions to the Natural Heritage System Map and corresponding Natural Heritage Conservation land use designation mapping. Secondary Plans The Secondary Plans willcontinue to be deferred as part of this Official Plan Review as the majority of the existing secondary plans are located within Major Transit Station Areas. They will (PARTS). Through this exercise, the City may determine that the existing Secondary Plans affected by Station Area 1 - 16 Plans may be amended to implement the recommendations of the Station Area Plans, consolidated into one or more plans or they may be determined to be no longer required A new secondary plan was prepared for a portion of southwest Kitchener, the Rosenberg Community. However it is not included in this next draft of the Official Plan because at the time of finalizing the second draft of the Official Plan, the Rosenberg Plan was still awaiting an Ontario Municipal Board Decision Order. Appendix 'C' (can be accessed at: http://www.kitchener.ca/en/insidecityhall/Official_Plan_Review.asp) 1 - 17