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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegional Report P-08-093 - 1st Draft of New Regional Official PlanReport: P-08-093 REGION OF WATERLOO ~ ~ ' PLANNING, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ~~~ A~ ~ ~~ Community Planning 9~E • PROSPER T0: Chair Jim Wideman and Members of the Planning and Works Committee DATE: September 30, 2008 FILE CODE: D16-50 SUBJECT: FIRST DRAFT OF THE NEW REGIONAL OFFICIAL PLAN ~ROP~ RECOMMENDATION: THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo authorize staff to proceed with the following, regarding the First Draft of the New Regional Official Plan, as explained in P-08-093, dated September 30, 2008: a) initiate a comprehensive community consultation process regarding the first draft of the proposed new ROP dated September 30, 2008; b) set January 31, 2009 as the last date for the receipt of comments regarding the first draft of the proposed new ROP; and c) report back to Regional Council early in 2009, summarizing and responding to comments received during the community consultation process, and seek authorization to prepare the final ROP for consideration by Council in June 2009. SUMMARY: An Official Plan for the Region of Waterloo is required under the Provincial Planning Act. It functions as a legal document, guiding the growth and development of the community. Regional Official Plans must also be formally reviewed every five years, in accordance with the Planning Act. Regional staff has prepared the first draft of the proposed new Regional Official Plan (ROP). The draft ROP (attached separately) is the culmination of almost two years of work, builds on the strengths of the existing Regional Official Policies Plan and represents a major milestone in the ongoing implementation of the Regional Growth Management Strategy. This report highlights some of the key policies in the ROP, outlines the expected timeline for completing the document, and presents the preliminary community consultation process to obtain feedback and formal comments. The ROP, like the existing Regional Official Policies Plan ~ROPP), bring together the broad planning policy and regulatory framework established by the Province of Ontario with policies detailing Regional interests to provide a basis for exercising the Region's role in the review and approval of development applications as well as guide corporate investments in infrastructure. All of the policies in the draft ROP address or provide support for: • Regional corporate interests • Provincial interests that have been delegated to the Region • Provincial interests as expressed through the Planning Act or Provincial Policy 514668 Page 1 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 Statement The ROP also provides policy support for Area Municipal interests and reflects the responsibilities of the Area Municipalities. A comprehensive community consultation strategy will be implemented in order to receive comments on the first draft ROP, with this input being incorporated into a community consultation summary and response document. Input received from the Province, Area Municipalities, the Grand River Conservation Authority, other key policy and development reviewagencies, the private sector and the broader community, will be integral to successfully completing the final ROP. The final ROP would be brought to Regional Council for consideration in June 2009 to ensure that the Region complies with the requirement to bring its Plan into conformity with the Places to Grow Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the Growth Plan) by June 16, 2009. In accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act, the ROP will be comprehensively reviewed every five years. These reviews will also include mandatory updates. REPORT: Background The Region of Waterloo is required to adopt an official plan under the Provincial Planning Act. This official plan functions as a legal document, guiding the growth and development of the community. The first draft of the Regional Official Plan (ROP), is an important step in preparing a Plan to replace the existing Regional Official Policies Plan (ROPP), which was originally approved by MMAH on November 23, 1995. An official plan is legal documentthatcontainsgoals, objectivesand policiesto manage and direct physical (land use) change and the effects on the social, economic and natural environment of a municipality. Upper-tiermunicipalities must have an official plan, whereas lower-tier municipalities may have a plan. The Region of Waterloo's first ROPP was approved in 1976. The current ROPP was approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 1995 and to date, has been amended 29 times. Regional public works and land use related by-laws must conform to the ROP. The draft ROP brings together the broad policy and regulatory framework established by the Province of Ontario with Regional interests to provide a basis for exercising the Region's role in the review and approval of development applications, including: the protection of regional corporate interests; ensuring compliance with the ROP; exercising delegated approval authority responsibilities onbehalf of MMAH ;and exercising approval authority responsibilities assigned to the Region through the Planning Act. The ROP also guides corporate investments in infrastructure. There are several key reasons why a new ROP must be prepared, particularly: 1. To address the social and economic changes which have occurred since the approval of the existing ROPP in 1995. For example, public expectations in environmental planning and transportation choice have risen dramatically. At the same time, the Region's population has grown from 419,700 at year-end 1995, to 506,800 at year-end 2006. 514668 Page 2 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 2. To provide a means for aligning the Region's strategic vision with the Regional Growth Management Strategy (RGMS) and recent Provincial planning initiatives (e.g. the Provincial Policy Statement, the Growth Plan, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act). The ROP's Vision includes increasing reurbanization, developing a rapid transit system within the Central Transit Corridor, brownfield redevelopment, establishing affirm countryside line, creating new employment lands, protecting groundwater resources, and protecting sensitive environmental systems. In short, the regulatory environment and level of planning have become more complex and the Region is working to achieve the community vision established through the RGMS. 3. To complement other Regional initiatives currently underway related to health and the built environment, such as the Affordable Housing Strategy, the Arts, Culture and Heritage Master Plan, and the Human Services Plan. 4. To improve the overall readability and usability of the document, and to rely more on implementation guidelines that are recognized in the ROP, but not included in their full content. The ROP will be printed in larger 12 point Sans Serif font to maximize visual accessibility. 5. To include new policies and significantly revised policies related to forexample: source water protection; salt management; walking and cycling; transportation choice; aggregate extraction; and cultural heritage landscapes. In accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act, the ROP will be comprehensively reviewed every five years. These reviews will also include mandatory updates. Scope of the Draft ROP The draft ROP, like the ROPP, brings together appropriate interpretations of the broad planning policy and regulatory framework established by the Province with policies detailing Regional interests to provide a basis for exercising the Region's role in the review and approval of development applications as well as guide corporate investments in infrastructure. All of the policies in the draft ROP address or provide support for: • Regional corporate interests • Provincial interests that have been delegated to the Region • Provincial interests as expressed through the Planning Actor Provincial Policy Statement The draft ROP also provides policy support for Area Municipal interests and reflects the responsibilities of the Area Municipalities. The draft ROP has the maximum 20-year planning horizon (i.e. to 2029) allowable under the Planning Act, incorporate Provincial population and employment projections and intensification targets, and provides much stronger linkages between land use and transportation planning. The draft ROP also makes more reference to implementation guidelines (e.g. the Region's Salt Impact Assessment Protocol) to help minimize the size of the Plan and to provide Council with greater flexibility in addressing some of the more detailed aspects of planning. The draft ROP better reflects the concept of "complete community" in recognition of the need to furtherintegratephysical planningwith public health and social services planning toachievea high quality of life. However, the degree of integration that can be achieved by the draft ROP is limited by the applicable legislative framework. Consequently, the draft ROP policies support, but do notdirectly address, many significantpublfic health and social service policy issues, such as 514668 Page 3 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 the provision of local food in area food stores and a more equitable distribution of housing types and services across the Region. Area Municipal official plans must conform to the ROP. Area Municipal official plan policies can, however, be more restrictive than the ROP and maps are typically at a larger scale so that land use designations and other features are usually shown at a much finer level of detail (e.g. at the individual property boundary level). The Citiesof Cambridge, Kitchenerand Waterloo and theTownship of North Dumfries areal) in the process of reviewing their official plans, while the Townships of Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich will be starting their reviews in the near future. The ROP is required to be brought into conformity with the Growth Plan by June 16, 2009. Area Municipal official plans will be amended as quickly as possible thereafter to conform to the Growth Plan and the ROP. It is currently expected that Area Municipal councils will be adopting new or revised Area Municipal official plans that conform to the ROP i n 200912010. There are three policy areas where considerable revisions to policies and/or mapping the first draft of the ROP are expected prior to or following Regional Council's adoption of the final ROP in 2009. The first area relates to the implementation of Rapid Transit policies. The selection of a Rapid Transit technology, route and station sites will not occur until later this fall, so related policies and mapping will not be addressed until the Final ROP. Second, mapping and policy refinements related to Significant Valleys and Valleylands are also expected to be part of the Final ROP as the Greenlands working group has yet to finalize their recommendations regarding this issue. The third areawhere policy and mapping revisions are expected relateto matters being addressed through the new Regional Transportation Master Plan (RTMP). The RTMP process is running concurrently with the ROP process, and some revisions may occuras part of thefinal ROP, whereas others may be considered in the form of an amendment to the ROP after it is in effect. Regional Council directed staff to review the issue of continuing to provide the opportunity for additional residential severances (consents) to be considered in the Beverly Area of the Township of North Dumfries. The original review was completed in 2002. However, there is a need to assess the policy implications of more recent Provincial legislation, particularly the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act. This issue is currently under active review with the Township of North Dumfries and the existing ROPP Policy 5.1.4.2 is contained in Section 6E -Lot Creation and Lot Adjustment Policies of the draft ROP. Landowners in the Beverly Area will be notified by direct mail of the review and the opportunities to provide comments on the draft ROP policies. Highlights of the First Draftof the New ROP The first draft of the ROP contains many new and revised policies that build on the foundation established by the existing ROPP. Some of the key areas new andlor revised policies contained in each of the chapters of the first draft of the ROP are described below. • The ROP Vision has been revised to match the Vision in the Region of Waterloo Strategic Plan 514668 Page 4 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 • Anew Planned Community Structure is introduced to implement the Growth Plan including Urban Growth Centres and Rapid Transit Station Areas • New residential intensification and combined population and employment density targets to implement the Growth Plan • New employment land policies • Revised urban boundary expansion criteria • Revised commercial policies • New human services policies • New policies regarding alternative/renewable energy systems and air quality • New walking, cycling and transportation demand management policies • Revised affordable housing policies • Revised cultural heritage policies including cultural heritage landscapes ~, • New employment areas and physical infrastructure policies • New collaborative partnership policies • New walking and cycling network policies • New waste management policies • Revised road design, construction, operation and road allowance policies • Revised wastewater treatment policies, including the deletion of references to new communal systems • Revised water supply policies • New protected countryside designation and policies • New policies providing for the consideration of minor expansions to Rural Settlement Areas and Rural Employment Areas • Revised policies related to agricultural uses, secondary uses, rural institutional uses, and recreational and tourism Uses • Revised policies supporting on-farm businesses and agritourism • Beverly area residential severance policies under review • New Greenlands network framework consisting of Landscape Level Systems, Core Environmental Features and Linkages • New environmental stewardship policies • Revised list of adverse impacts to be considered when assessing the environmental impacts of development applications • Revised natural hazards policies • New chapter with revised Source Water Protection policies including salt management to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act and a framework for implementing the Clean Water Act 514668 Page 5 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 • New policies regarding the assessment of cumulative impacts of new mineral aggregate operations • New policies regarding new mineral aggregate operations within Wellhead Protection Areas • New stakeholder consultation and communication policies • New complete development application polices Consistent with the desire to improve the overall readability and usability of the document, the ROP maps have been prepared using ESRI ArcMap. This program is more user-friendly and better at in displaying cartographic elements (e.g. a wider selection of colours and patterns) than our previous mapping software. In addition, some of the maps have been made easier to read through a combination of revised map legends and reducing the scale of the maps. For a comparison of the current ROPP and the first draft of the ROP, please refer to Attachment 1. Community Consultation Process -First Draft Community consultation on the first draft of the ROP will be facilitated through: direct mailings of CDs or hard copies of the first draft to persons, groups, businesses and agencies currently on the ROP stakeholder list advertisements in local newspapers the ROP website open houses, workshops and seminars • electronic and print newsletters and brochures • meetings with a variety of external stakeholder groups such as planning and engineering consultants, the Waterloo Federation of Agriculture, the Prosperity Council, First Nations, the K-WHomebuildersAssociation, mineral aggregate producers, the local school boards and the Waterloo Region Healthy Communities Coalition • meetings with Regional Advisory and Special Committees such as the Ecological and environmental Advisory Committee, the Heritage Planning Advisory Committee, the RGMS/RT Public Advisory Committee and the Regional Cycling Advisory Committee continued meetings with the ROP Area Municipal Working Group • A statutory Public Meeting before the Region's Planning and Works Committee The preliminaryworking draftof the ROP has also been reviewed by several committees including the Ecological and Environmental Advisory Committee, the Heritage Planning Advisory Committee, the Regional Growth Management StrategylRapid Transit Public Advisory Committee, and the Regional Cycling Advisory Committee. Many of their comments and suggestions have been incorporated into the draft ROP. 514668 Page 6 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 The following public open houses have been scheduled in consultation with Area Municipal staff and will be advertised in local newspapers, the ROP Website, a general press release and a ROP Newsletter, beginning this week: October 9 Wilmot Recreation Complex, Wilmot Meeting Room 1291 Nafziger Road, Baden October 15 Regional Administration Building, Main Lobby 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener October 17 Regional Operations Centre, Class Room 100 Maple Grove Road, Cambridge October 28 Regional Public Health Building, Room 210/211 99 Regina Street, Waterloo October 30 Township of North Dumfries Offices -Slater Hall, 1171 Greenfield Road, North Dumfries November4 Regional Public Health and Social Services Building, Room 170 150 Main Street, Cambridge November 6 Township of Woolwich Municipal Offices, Council Chambers 24 Church Street, Elmira November 20 St. Clements Community Centre Green Street, St. Clements All of the public open houses will run from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Persons, groups and agencies on the ROP stakeholder list have already been advised of these meeting through receipt of this staff report by a-mail or letter. Overall Timeline for Preparing the ROP Staff is working to complete the ROP according to the following timelines to ensure compliance with the Growth Plan: Community Consultation -First Draft SummarylResponse Report Regional Council Consideration of Final ROP September 30, 2008 -January 31, 2009 Spring 2009 June 2009 Area Municipal ConsultationlCoordination Regional staff began meeting with Area Municipal planning staff early in the ROP review process (i.e. 2006) to receive feedback on the strengths and weakness of the current ROPP and suggestions for policies that could be incorporated into the ROP. The first draft also reflects the results of a detailed review of a preliminary working draft of the ROP with a Municipal Working Group (including all of the Area Municipalities and the GRCA) between August 2007 and June 2008. Many of their comments and suggestions have been incorporated into the first draft of the ROP. Regional staff will continue meeting with the Municipal Working Group throughout the community 514668 Page 7 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 consultation period. It is expected that Area Municipal planning staff will also prepare formal reports for the consideration of their respective Councils regarding the first draft of the ROP. 514668 Page 8 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 CORPORATE STRATEGIC PLAN: This update directly supports the Region's priorities with respect to implementing Focus Areas 1 and 5 of the Corporate Strategic Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Budget funds required to prepare the new ROP have been previously approved by Regional Council. OTHER DEPARTMENT CONSULTATIONSICONCURRENCE: Internal consultation with all Departments is ongoing. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1 -Comparison of the existing Plan (ROPP) and the draft Plan (ROP) First Draft of New Regional Official Plan (attached under separate cover) PREPARED BY: Kevin Curtis, Manager, Strategic Policy Development APPROVED BY: Rob Horne, Commissioner of Planning, Housing and Community Services 514668 Page 9 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 ATTACHMENT 1 Comparison of the Existing Plan (ROPP) and the Draft Plan (ROP) CURRENT REGIONAL OFFICIAL DRAFT REGIONAL OFFICIAL POLICIES PLAN ~ROPP) PLAN (ROP) Vision Sustainable regional community ~ Sustainable and liveable regional community Environmental integrity ~ Stronger "green" focus Planned growth ~ Culture of conservation (e.g., air, water, land, energy, air} Implements RGMS and Provincial Growth Plan More integrated, compact and mixed-use development Population Forecast 543,700 people by 2016 ~ 712,000 people by 2029 Forecast determined by Region ~ Forecast determined by Provincial Growth Plan Planned Community Structure Direct growth predominantly to City Urban ~ More detailed guidance for new developmentwithin Urban Areas and Township Urban Areas Areas and Township Urban Areas Limited polices forwhereand how to grow ~ Define a planned community structure based on a system of within settlement areas. "nodes" and "corridors" Direct growth to Urban Growth Centres, Township Urban Areas, Major Transit Station Areas, Reurbanization Corridors, Major Local Nodes and Designated Greenfield Areas Build "complete" communitieswith a mix of land-uses Reurbanization Five percent reurbanization target ~ Provincially mandated 40% reurbanization target (minimum) Policies supporting Regional Community Improvement Plans Policies supporting brownfield incentive programs Greenfield Communities Encourage broad community planning ~ Minimum density target of 60 residents and jobs combined studies for greenfield areas per hectare (ha) for cities and 45 for townships to achieve an overall Provincial target of 50 residents and jobs combined per ha. Greater mix of land-uses More pedestrian-friendly, transit supportive designs Employment Lands No specific polices ~ Locate major offices/institutional uses close to transit Conversion of employment lands subject to tests New Prime Industrial/Strategic Reserve designation New Highway 401/97 Employment Area designation 514668 Page 10 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 Commercial Policies Areas of Regional interest include ~ Direct new commercial centres (greater than 10,000 sq. m.) Community Core Areas, Regional to Urban Growth Centres, Major Transit Station Areas, Shopping Centres, and Power Centres Reurbanization Corridors and Major Local Nodes. Traditional planning approach ~i.e., retail ~ Expansions of commercial centres over 42,000 sq. m. must impact and transportation studies) not have a negative affect on the planned function of areas cited above New or expanded commercial centres must not have a negative affect on existing or planned Regional infrastructure Urban Boundary Expansions Incremental, ROPP amendment approach ~ Considered only through five-year comprehensive review Land-use specific (e.g., residential versus ~ Stricter criteria for urban expansions ~e.g., must meet industrial expansions) density and reurbanization targets) Direct future urban expansions to Urban Reserve Countryside Line defines a fixed, long-term urban boundary Agriculture Urban expansions permitted into prime ~ New Protected Countryside designation agricultural areas where necessary and ~ Beverly area residential severance policies under review justified ~ Consider minor expansions to Rural SettlementAreas or Allowfor consideration of rural residential Rural employmentAreas to accommodate future lots in Beverly area employment, recreational or institutional needs Stronger support for on-farm businesses and agri-tourism Aggregate Extraction ~ More rigorous technical studies (e.g., hydrogeological ^ Limited groundwater/source water studies) to better identify and address potential protection policies groundwater and cumulative impacts Prohibit new aggregate extraction within a two year time of travel capture zone within Wellhead Protection Areas 1,2 and 3 Housing Support a wide range and mix of housing ~ Condominium conversion policies to preserve affordable rental housing Restrict demolition of Special Needs and Community Housing Economic Development Broad support for economic development ~ More emphasis on collaborative partnerships between the Jointly prepare an Economic Strategy with Region, Area Municipalities and business community ~e.g. the Area Municipalities Canada's Technology Triangle, Home Builders Association, local universities and colleges) Promote vitality of downtowns Greater recognition of relationship between quality of life and economic prosperity 514668 Page 11 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 Cultural Heritage Resource Policies Encourage the conservation of cultural ~ Specific development criteria to better conserve heritage heritage resources resources Encourage the development of cultural ~ Require the development of cultural heritage inventories heritage inventories ~ Support the adaptive re-use of historic buildings Cultural Heritage Landscape policies under consideration Groundwater Protection Focus on urban well-head protection areas ~ Enhanced source water protection policies forwellheads, regional recharges areas and surface water intakes Greater protection for rural recharge areas (i.e., Waterloo, Paris, and Galt Moraines) through new Protected Countryside designation Reflects stronger source water protection legislation (i.e., Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act) Greenlands Network Focus on protecting individual natural areas ~ Emphasis on "natural systems" approach (i.e., network of (e.g., wetlands, natural habitat areas, and natural areas rather than "Islands of Green") environmentally sensitive areas) ~ Greenlands Network consists of Core Areas, Landscape Level Areas, and Supporting Areas Protects Significant Woodlands New requirement for "enhancement" of key natural areas Environmental Planning Require watershed studies for large ~ Require watershed studies prior to permitting significant greenfield communities, for areas identified areas of new Greenfield development in the Region as "priority areas" only ~ Stronger Environmental Impact Statement requirements Require Environmental Impact Statements ~ New protection policies Significant Woodlands for new development Air QualitylEnergy No specific policies ~ Plan for a compact urban form with a wider mix of uses Design communities that supportwalking and cycling Consideration of renewable energy production systems Consideration of alternative energy systems Infrastructure Prescribes an Integrated Infrastructure ~ Prepare separate Master Plans (e.g., water, wastewater, Staging Plan transportation) to improve land-use and infrastructure Allow water/wastewater communal systems coordination Regional Roads focus on motor vehicles ~ Prohibit new communal systems Emphasis on multimodal (i.e., walking, cycling, transit) Transit Identify existing and proposed transit ~ Implement new rapid transit system corridors ~ Stronger recognition of Grand River Transit Limited references to Grand River Transit ~ New policies linking land-use and certain transit corridors and Rapid Transit (i.e., Reurbanization Corridors) New transit-oriented development principles Parking No specific policies ~ New transit supportive parking policies 514668 Page 12 of 13 September 30.2008 Report: P-08-093 Transportation Demand Management No specific policies ~ Specific transportation demand management policies regarding marketing and education initiatives to promote the benefits of walking, cycling and transit. Area Municipal Partnerships Support Area Municipal partnerships ~ Greater emphasis on Regional/Area Municipal partnerships (e.g., shift in policy language from "consultation" to "collaboration.") Hold joint public meetings with Area Municipalities, where possible Implementation Guidelines Limited policies ~ New policy references to Implementation Guidelines to help shorten the Plan by vesting implementation details in other Regional Plans and guidelines. Should help reduce the number of future ROP amendments Complete Applications Recently added policies through ROPP ~ No change Amendment No. 29 Public Consultation Public consultation reflects minimum ~ Exceed minimum legislative requirements, where possible legislative requirements 514668 Page 13 of 13