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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-109-09~~ w~~ REPORT PLANNING SERVICES Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION MEETING ~es~ (u-f-i'~N ~-~ (~ pY~t- lQI6 -D `f Date: Monday, November 16, 2009 Report #: PSD-109-09 File #: PLN 38.1 By-law #: Subject: RELEASE OF OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW DISCUSSION PAPER ONE Let's Have a Discussion...lmproving our Built Environment and the Planning Process RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: THAT Report PSD-109-09 be received for information; and 2. THAT the Region of Durham and all interested parties listed in this report be advised of the release of the Discussion Paper. Submitted by: Reviewed by: David rome, MCIP, RPP Director of Planning Services ~~/ LB/COS/df !TU 11 November 2009 CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830 Chief Administrative Officer REPORT NO.: PSD-109-09 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 .The Planning Services Department began the Official Plan Review with the release of the Introductory Discussion Paper on April 30, 2008. This was followed by a Special Meeting of Council (May 12, 2008). Community sessions were then held in June in six communities - Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono and Solina. Meetings were also held with five stakeholder groups -Agricultural Advisory Committee, Living Green Community Advisory Committee, Clarington Board of Trade (CBOT), Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) and the Visual Arts Centre Board to discuss the Official Plan Review. Staff reported back to Council in October 2008 with a summary of the First Phase of public consultation. 1.2 The two objectives of this report are to announce the pending release of the latest Official Plan Review discussion paper, "Let's Have a Discussion...lmproving our Built Environment and the Planning Process" and to provide information on the proposed public consultation process associated with the discussion paper and the resulting proposed amendment of relevant Official Plan policies. . 2.0 LET'S HAVE A D/SCUSSION...fMPROVING OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE PLANN/NG PROCESS 2.1 The Discussion Paper Let's Have a Discussion...lmproving our Built Environment and the Planning Process is the second in the series of discussion papers that will be prepared throughout the course of the Official Plan Review. This discussion paper will focus on changes to the Planning Act through the Planning and Conservation Land Stature Law Amendment Act, 2006 (Bill 51). As you will recall the changes to the Planning Act were intended to make the planning rules clearer, to make more information available early in the process and available to residents, and to give municipalities more tools to meet redevelopment, compact form and sustainable development goals. Improving our Built Environment: A major component of the discussion paper will focus on architectural control. This legislation has given municipalities the ability to regulate the external design of buildings through the site plan process. This means that the quality and characteristics of a proposed development can be taken into consideration to ensure positive contributions are made to the physical appearance of neighbourhoods. The Planning Process: Another focus of this paper is to discuss the broadening of the range of information available for approval authorities to consider when reviewing planning applications. This improved, "upfront" planning system increases community awareness, improves municipal decision-making and enhances development proposal information. In addition, changes made to the Ontario Heritage Act will be addressed. REPORT NO.: PSD-109-09 2.2 The Process PAGE 3 This particular discussion paper largely focused on general development polices and planning administration. Following the release of the paper, staff will host only one public information session, in Bowmanville at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, North Hall on December 9 to present the discussion paper to the public and to obtain comments regarding the proposed policy directions. The discussion paper will also be posted on the Municipality's Official Plan website and printed copies will be available in all our Library Branches. This will be followed by a Public Meeting at the General Purpose and Administration Committee on a proposed amendment in February 2010. A staff report including the proposed Official Plan amendment will follow in May 2010. Chart 1 -Public Consultation Process 3.0 OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW PROJECT UPDATE 3.1 Municipal staff and the team of consultants led by Dillon Consulting have been progressing well a variety of Official Plan review sub components. These include: • Population and Employment forecasts, • Developing Growth Scenarios, • Growth Patterns and Built Form, • Identification of residential intensification sites, and • Developing a Sustainability Framework including sustainability indicators. The Transportation and Infrastructure Master Plan, the Courtice Main Street Study and the Tooley and Robinson Watershed Study have also begun. NO.: PSD-109-09 PAGE 4 3.2 A Special General Purpose and Administration Committee meeting is scheduled for December 14, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at the Newcastle and District Recreation Complex. Staff and consultants will present background materials on the Official Plan Review. List of Interested Parties to be notified of Council's decision: Sue Coolahan Louis Bitoni, MMAH Carolyn Bonta Greg Walsh Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ministry of Natural Resources Ken Sherbanowski, M.T.O. Durham Region Works Department Durham Region Planning Department Clarington Board of Trade Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority Peter Pitino Sharon Dionne Wayne Hooey William Tonno Construction Ltd. Freeman Planning Solutions Kirkup Realty Corporation Brokerage Municipal & Utility Relations, Simcoe- Grey, York, Durham Rogers Cable Communications Inc. Veridian Connections Inc. John P. Shewchuk C.N. Rail Hydro One Networks Inc. Bell Canada Peterborough-Victoria Northumberland Clarington R.C. Separate School Board Conseil Scolaire De District Catholique Centre-Sud Conseil Scolaire De District du Centre- Sud-Quest Peter Petriw CMHC Enbridge Gas Distribution Victor Suppan Kawartha Pine Ridge District Public School Board Canadian Pacific Railway Building Industry and Land Development Association Delta Urban Inc. Durham Region Tom Van Camp Colleen Musick Police Services Doug Rombough Keigh and Lois Worden Hannu Halminen R.M. Larocone Kelvin Whalen Nick Mensink Angie Darlison Peter Evans Mike Domus Mary Anne Martin Glenn Genge Robert Schickedanz James Bujak Bill Cawker Kerry & John Meydem Bryce Jordan Ed Vanhaverbeke John Colville William S. Colville Jordan Clements Jeremy Holkema Mike Ricciuto Bill Humber Katie Tuma Lisa Robinson John Stephenson Libby Racansky Rita Kostyan Michael Hackenberger REPORT NO.: PSD-1 Natalie Boodram Tim Tufts Tom Albawi Sheila Costanzi Carol Laing Templar N. Trinaistich Althea and Greg Chaffey Marlene Stacey Debbie Dunham Sherry Robinson Sandra McInnes Katherine Krizsan Kim Little Mary Lofthouse Anne Taylor Scott Karina Isert Marg Zwart Elva Ried Susan MacMillan Padre David & Marion Saunders Pete DeJong Maralynn Cherry Nakda Hooframp Jane Eccles Jacqueline Vaneyk Elaine Wotten Walter Frail Dave Davidson Clare Werry Paul Sobil Peter & Joyce Erb Viola Ashton Liz Yellowlees Judith & Tony Maxwell Gillian Bellefontaine Gord Weir Amy Burke Shawn Lumsden Craig Murdoch Louis Bertrand Ruby Ingleton Tom Barrie Annie Krabi Joe Fracz Mark Foley Arlen Hugo Dalby Natalie Greg Milosh Richard Neshevich Terri McCabe Rob Nisbet Luigi D. Mastroianni Allan Kirby Elizabeth Gillin Kevin Singh Edward Oegema David Lukow Eid Attia Bryan DeCunha PAGE 5 Attachment 1 to Report PSD-109-09 Let's Have a Discussion...lmproving our Built Environment and the Planning Process EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Municipality of Clarington is currently in the process of reviewing its Official Plan which was originally adopted in 1996. Since that time, Clarington has experienced rapid growth, the Provincial government has introduced major legislation affecting the land use planning process, and the Durham Regional Official Plan has been amended. The Municipality is required to conform to these new Provincial and Regional planning policies. This Discussion Paper discusses the implications of these new policies for Clarington, and identifies proposed directions in response. It is on these proposed directions that we will be seeking public input. Official Plan amendments are proposed to reflect that Community Improvement Plans are now permitted to address energy efficiency and construction, and to better define the eligible costs for which a municipality can provide grants and loans. A number of CIPs currently identified in the Official Plan are proposed to be modified or eliminated. One new CIP area is proposed in Courtice along Highway 2 between Townline Road to east of Courtice Road, while two new project areas are proposed in the eastern section of Bowmanville. To encourage the creation of more community-based employment, the Province has provided stronger policies to protect employment areas from conversion to non- employment. Municipalities are also required to achieve higher employment densities. As a result, Chapter 11 (Employment Areas) of the Official Plan is proposed to be amended to, among other matters, restrict the development of low intensity industrial uses on serviced or serviceable industrial lands, include criteria for employment area conversions, and clarify the process for the development and servicing of industrial land Amendments to the Official Plan are proposed to enable the Municipality to authorize increases in the height and density of a development that are greater than otherwise permitted through the zoning by-law in return for community benefits. Community benefits that could be realized through this provision include public squares or parks, walkways, public parking, and community facilities. The proposed amendments would define when the increase in height/density may be considered, and where the use of community benefits may be permitted. The Official Plan Review is also seeking to take adesign-oriented approach to development, with a greater emphasis on urban design and the quality of the built environment. New policies will be incorporated that would expand the matters that the Municipality can address through site plan control, specifically exterior building design and the provision of sustainable design elements within a road right-of-way, such as -z - plantings and street furniture. In addition, additional urban design policies are proposed that would address such matters as integrated urban and community structure, roads, street patterns and streetscapes, and safety and accessibility. The existing policies in the Official Plan may be strengthened to take advantage of recent changes to provincial legislation that will provide the Municipality with a more consistent and stronger basis to conserve cultural heritage resources. Policies to protect key heritage areas from incompatible development may also be added, including the possible identification of additional heritage conservation districts such as the historic downtowns. A number of administrative changes related to the development review and approval process .are also proposed. Recent changes to provincial legislation allow a municipality to specify the information and studies that must be submitted at the beginning of the development review process in order for an application to be considered complete. Changes to the process for the preparation of Environmental Impact Studies (EIS) are also proposed. The Municipality would no longer be responsible for the administration of these studies, although it would still have the authority to ensure the quality of the work undertaken. This change would make the process for EIS preparation similar to those for other required studies. However, it is proposed that the Municipality continue to administer EIS preparation for subdivision applications on the Lake Iroquois Beach