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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-89-94V` THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON THE N STL DN: STAGE3.GPA REPORT Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee Date: Monday, July 18, 1994 Report #: PD -89 -94 File #: PLN 32.3.1 File # Sy -Law # Subject: STAGE THREE - PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRES AND PUBLIC MEETINGS FILE: PLN 32.3.1 Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD -89 -94 be received for information. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 The Draft Clarington Official Plan was released on May 16, 1994 at which time Council authorized Staff to advertise and hold Public Information Centres and Public. Meetings with respect to the Draft Official Plan. The purpose of this report is to provide an initial summary of the public participation process and the comments received at the meetings. A comprehensive summary of all issues raised at these meetings and through written submissions will be prepared in the fall. 1.2 Public Information Centres Four Public Information Centres were held between June 6th and June 9th to present the draft Official Plan and to answer questions and review comments. The Public Information Centres were held at the following locations: June 6, 1994 - Newcastle Village Community Hall (3:00 - 9:00 p.m.) June 7, 1994 - Orono Arena (3:00 - 9:00 p.m.) June 8, 1994 - Bowmanville Recreation Complex (3:00 - 9:00 p.m.) ....2 EC ER R PAPE�R E YR CLE t154 PR'44EDC4RECYMDPAPER REPORT NO. PD -89 -94 PAGE 2 June 9, 1994 - Dr. Emily Stowe Public School (Courtice) (4:00 - 9:00 p.m.) 1.3 Public Meetings Three Public Meetings were held by the General Purpose and Administration Committee to hear comments and to receive written submissions concerning the Draft Official Plan. The Public Meetings began at 7:00 p.m., but, prior to the meeting, the public had another opportunity to review the Draft Official Plan and speak with Planning Staff. The Public Meetings and Information Session were held at the following locations: June 21, 1994 - Bowmanville Recreation Complex June 22, 1994 - Newcastle Village Community Hall June 23, 1994 - Dr. Emily Stowe Public School (Courtice) 2. PUBLIC NOTICE Residents of the Municipality of Clarington were informed of the Public Information Centres and Public Meetings by two methods. Newsletter All residents who were on the mailing list received a copy of the May newsletter which summarized the Draft Official Plan and announced the time and location of the various Public Information Centres and Public Meetings. Advertisements Notices for the Public Information Centres and Public Meetings were placed on May 18th, May 25th, and June 1st in the following newspapers: Clarington This Week, Canadian Statesmen, Orono Times, and Courtice News. 3. FORMAT Each Public Information Centre was arranged in an informal walk - through format, although Staff were on hand to answer questions. Eighteen (18) panels displayed information on a number of areas. ....3 JJI REPORT NO. PD -89 -94 PAGE 3 • Introductory panels welcomed Clarington citizens, introduced the purpose of an Official Plan, and described the organization, basis and principles of the Draft Official Plan. • Several panels provided an overview of the "Strategic Directions" portion of the Plan presenting information regarding urban growth management, environmental resource management, housing, economic development, and heritage conservation. • A number of panels highlighted the "Land Use" polices on residential areas, central areas, employment areas, rural settlement areas, aggregate resources, green space system, special policy and special study areas. • One panel described policies for "Infrastructure and Services" policies including: the transportation system, park system, and storm water management and utilities. • Various secondary plans were presented on one panel. • A number of panels displayed maps related to the above panels. • The last two panels described how the Draft Official Plan is to be interpreted and implemented and the remaining stages of the Official Plan Review. 4. ATTENDANCE 4.1 Members of the public were encouraged to register as they entered the Information Centres and the Public Meetings. The attendance figures for these sessions are noted below: • Public Information Centres (June 6 - 9, 1994) - Newcastle Village - 30 - Orono - 29 - Bowmanville - 73 - Courtice - 60 192 • Public Meetings (June 21 - 23, 1994) Bowmanville - 78 Newcastle - 60 Courtice - 80 218 ....4 REPORT NO. PD -89 -94 PAGE 4 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS 5.1 Residents were encouraged to provide Staff with written and verbal comments which are summarized below under various topics. The comments may be from a single person or may have been expressed by many in attendance. Growth and Urban Boundaries • Population growth is happening too quickly (particularly in Courtice) to be absorbed in a healthy manner. • The type of housing that is being built is not reflective of the community's heritage. Clarington is turning into a suburb which is indistinguishable from any other community. • More lands should be within the twenty year timeframe. • Official Plan does not address how to achieve a 70/30 assessment ratio. • The urban boundary in the Official Plan should consider land assembly costs and the time required to assemble it. • Orono needs more development; Orono is "going to sleep" and businesses are leaving for Bowmanville and Oshawa. • Quality of life is non - existent if people have to drive out of the area to work. • Promote greater "mixed -use" in future developments. Residential Areas • Clarington needs a few grade -level apartment units for the independent elderly who wish to move from rural areas to hamlets or who wish to continue to live in hamlets. • There is too much planned medium density housing which will change the character of the area, particularly with respect to residential uses existing in areas now in the "rural" portions of Courtice. • Affordable housing and group housing should be kept to a minimum to ensure that the cost to the tax payer is not excessive and to prevent crime. ....5 JDJ REPORT NO. PD -89 -94 PAGE 5 Industrial Areas • There should not be any industrial land around Orono. • Boundary in Orono should be extended to include land associated with Ply Design. Commercial Areas • The Courtice Main Central Area should extend to the north side of Highway No. 2. Medium density residential uses are not appropriate in this area as proposed. • The Newcastle Village Main Central Area should be extended along the south side of King St. E. to the extension of Arthur St. to square the area off. This represents good planning because there will be commercial designations along both sides of King St. to Arthur St. • There is some question as to whether too much land has been designated in the Newcastle Village Main Central Area for commercial purposes; Newcastle Village cannot support a large amount of retail activity because the necessary population base is not present. • The idea of a Main Central Area should be dropped because it is a planner's fiction. • Concern was expressed about the Main Central Area boundary in Orono and the impact it may have on existing residential homes which are on the primary list for designation. Residents would like to see the boundary trimmed back. Green Space, Natural Resources, Parks • Policies on the Ganaraska headwaters are good, but, there needs to be a definition of which area this is to apply to. • There are concerns that some warm water streams, creeks and woodlots have or have not been identified properly. • Concern was expressed over the dedication of woodlots over and above the required parkland dedication. ....6 REPORT NO. PD-89-94 PAGE • • When will the Community Park in South Courtice be developed. It should be within the 20 year boundary. • Concern was expressed that the Draft Official Plan does not do enough to protect the environment, particularly since Courtice will be growing quickly; the Official Plan is an "environmental disaster." • Clarington needs to have policies in the Official Plan to ensure that tree clear - cutting is controlled. • Clarington need more parks and green spaces in the Local Central Areas. Schools • Some residents object to the location of the proposed Public Secondary School on Prestonvale Road. They felt that the school location would postpone any development from occurring. • Schools are over crowded. Aggregates • Concern was expressed about the prohibition of extraction activities in the Ganaraska Headwaters area. If aggregate extraction is permitted the eventual rehabilitation of the site could improve the bio- diversity of the forest by introducing hardwoods, etc. This could be accomplished by phasing the extraction and rehabilitation. • Official Plan should prohibit aggregate extraction in Wilmot Creek, Soper Creek and Bowmanville Creek. • Official Plan should ensure that aggregate extraction, especially in the Leskard area, should be a difficult process. • Council cannot wash their hands of the St. Mary's issue. They have a responsibility to present residents' position and to take matters into their own hands. ....7 �)JJ REPORT NO. PD-89-94 PAGE 7 Infrastructure and Services • Highway 407 should be shown to Highway 35/115; Council should recognize the reality of Highway 407. • Highway 407 should not be approved or built. • General inquiries as to the possibility of GO Transit being extended into Bowmanville. • Some residents along Prestonvale Road oppose Type "C" arterial designation. • Concern was expressed about the requirement for sidewalks on both sides of the street for local roads. • A range of 23 - 26 metres should be provided for the right -of -way standard for collector roads. • Will the inclusion of North Courtice result in the extension of full services, or at least water, to residents along Pebblestone Rd.? Waterfront • Why is Port Darlington Marina such a mess? • Clarification requested on the shoreline erosion setback limit. • Urban development in the Black and Farewell Creek watersheds will have a significant impact on the Second Marsh. • The West Side Creek Marsh should be preserved and should not be included in the "Special Policy Area "B"11. • The Cove Road and Cedarcrest Beach communities should be recognized before adding new residential communities along the waterfront. They should not be included as "Waterfront Greenway ". • Clarington needs more access to the waterfront, particularly in Bowmanville. Agriculture • Agricultural land should be preserved. r. REPORT NO. PD -89 -94 PAGE 8 • More severances should be permitted in rural areas, particularly on land which is not viable for agricultural purposes. Rural Areas Clusters Hamlets • The criteria used to define clusters are inappropriate but there still needs to be tighter controls on the establishment of any future residential development in the predominantly rural areas. • Maple Grove should be allowed to develop; the Hamlet Secondary Plan process was flawed. • Clarington should finish the Hamlet Secondary Plan Study for Mitchell's Corners in order to allow residential development. Heritage Conservation • The Plan should not allow significant buildings to be torn down. • Downtowns should be cleaned up and preserved. Tourism, Recreation • Policies on the Tourist and Recreation Nodes of Mosport and Kirby Ski Area should be clarified to exclude chalets and residential development. • Clarington should place a stronger emphasis on tourism and promoting local communities and attractions. Contents and Implementation of Official Plan • Concerned that the time period between the approval of this current Official Plan and the next comprehensive review may exceed 5 years. • Draft Official Plan was well written and understandable for the lay person. • Watershed planning should be integrated into the Official Plan. ....9 v REPORT NO. PD -89 -94 PAGE 9 5.2 The comments of residents and development interests to the General Purpose and Administration Committee are recorded in the Committee minutes and therefore are not duplicated here. 6. SUMMARY The third phase of the Official Plan Review attempted to engage residents in the discussion of Draft Official Plan polices. Additional discussions are ongoing with residents, groups and agencies. Staff have begun an analysis of each comment and will be reporting to Council on all public submissions prior to finalizing the recommended Official Plan. Respectfully submitted, i Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P. Director of Planning and Development TH *DC *FW *cc July 8, 1994 Reviewed by, W. H. Stockwell Chief Administrative Officer