HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-114-98r DN: PD-114-98
Meeting:
Date:
Report #:
Subject:
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
REPORT
General Purpose and Administration Committee
Monday, October 5, 1998
PD-114-98 FILE #: PLN 2.4.3.8
VICTORIA COUNTY DRAFT OFFICIAL PLAN
FILE: PLN 2.4.3.8
Recommendations:
File #-~p~ ;
Res. #C,p{4 - ,53C> - 9~
By-law #
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report PD-114-98 be received ;
2. THAT Report PD-114-98 be adopted as the Municipality's comments with respect to
the update of the Victoria County Official Plan;
3. THAT the Victoria County Planning Department be requested to forward any further
Pevisions to the Victoria County Official Plan to the Municipality of Clarington
Planning Department; and
4. THAT the Victoria County Planning Department be forwarded a copy of this report
and be advised of Council's decision.
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 On August 13, 1998 the Municipality of Clarington received correspondence from
the County of Victoria Planning Department. They provided a consolidation of the
text of the Victoria County Draft Official Plan incorporating the proposed textual
amendments. The Municipality of Clarington was asked to review the proposed
amendments and provide our comments.
1.2 Victoria County held a Public Meeting on September 4, 1998. They requested our
comments be received no later than September 11, 1998. However, due to
Council's summer recess Staff could not provide a Council position before
September 11, 1998. On September 10, 1998 Staff forwarded Victoria County a
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REPORT NO.: PD-114-98
PAGE 2
letter advising of our preliminary comments and noted that a Council resolution
would be forwarded.
1.3 The purpose of this report is to provide a Council position with respect to the
Victoria County Draft Official Plan. The following review of the Official Plan was
scoped to deal only with the designations and corresponding policies which would
have an impact on Clarington
2. VICTORIA COUNTY OFFICIAL PLAN POLICIES
2.1 Natural Features/Sensitive Areas
2.1.1 The northern portion of Clarington, along the Manvers boundary is designated "Oak
Ridges Moraine" within the Clarington Official Plan. The Ganaraska Forest
Conservation Lands and adjacent forested areas have been identified as a Tableland
woodlot on "Map C -Natural Features and Land Characteristics" within the
Municipality's Official Plan.
2.1.2 In the existing and proposed update of the Victoria County Official Plan, the
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority lands have been recognized and remain
designated "Open Space". The County is proposing that the remainder of the lands
along the Clarington/Manvers border, except for the lands subject to aggregate
licences, be designated "General Agriculture". Most of this land is forested and
only a portion is used for agricultural activities.
2.1.3 The Ganaraska Forest is much larger than the lands owned by the Conservation
Authority. The Forest comprises a contiguous forest area greater than 7500 hectares
(Attachment No. 1). Contained within this forest are many other related
environmental features. This large forest area is unique in southern Ontario and
deserves special recognition. The forest lies within four different municipal and
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REPORT NO.: PD-114-98
PAGE3
regional/county jurisdictions. To ensure its continuity, a co-ordinated approach is
required.
Accordingly, the Municipality requests the following changes:
• the Ganaraska Forest should be identified as an "Environmentally Sensitive
Area" and a "Significant Natural Heritage Feature" on Schedule B -Sensitive
Areas.
• the County should examine whether portions of the Ganaraska Forest qualify as
"Environmental Protection Areas"
• the lands within the Ganaraska Forest, as shown on Attachment No. 2 should be
designated as "Oak Ridges Moraine -Open Space" or in the very least, "Open
Space".
These changes would promote consistency across jurisdictional boundaries and
would be in keeping with the declared Provincial Interest in the Oak Ridges
Moraine as a significant landscape feature deserving special recognition and
policies.
2.2 Aggregate Resource Areas
2.2.1 The 1980 Victoria County Official Plan has two land use designations with respect
to Aggregate Resources. They are "Pits and Quarries" which identifies existing
licensed aggregate pits and quarries. The second designation is "Resource Reserve"
which identifies areas considered to have aggregate extraction potential.
2.2.2 The proposed update to the Victoria Plan identifies a "Resource Reserve
Designation" on the existing land use schedules. This designation is applied to
those lands that have a high potential for aggregate extraction as well as access to
major market areas. Development of the lands are not permitted with the exception
of agriculture, forestry and open space uses, thereby preserving the resource for
future use. A separate Appendix has now been added to the Victoria County
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REPORT NO.: PD-114-98
PAGE4
Official Plan which identifies Pits, Quarries, Sand and Gravel Deposits and
Limestone Deposits. New policies are incorporated for each of these areas.
2.2.3 The Municipality does not object to the change in format and the general approach
to the Victoria County Official Plan. It is noted, however, that a significant portion
of the Ganaraska Forest lands south of Highway 115 are proposed to be identified
as "Sand and Gravel Deposit" on Appendix "A" and "General Agriculture" and
"Open Space" on the Land Use Schedule for Manvers Township. The County
should give consideration to Provincial Policy requirements to balance the
significance of the woodlots such as the Ganaraska Forest versus the need to
identify lands as a sand and gravel deposit.
3. CONCLUSION
3.1 Staff recommend that the comments contained within this report be adopted by
Council as the Municipality of Clarington's comments on the Victoria County Draft
Official Plan. A copy of this report shall be forwarded to the Victoria County
Planning Department.
Respectfully submitted,
Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Planning & Development
Reviewed by,
V.H. Stockwell,
Chief Administrative Officer.
HB*DC*FW*cc
30 September 1998
Attachment No. 1 - Ganaraska Forest
619
ATTACHMENT 11
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