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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-021-15 Clarington Planning Services If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Municipal Clerk at 905-623-3379 ext. 2102. Report To: General Purpose and Administration Committee Date of Meeting: March 30, 2015 Report Number: PSD-021-15 Resolution: GPR-a�� File Number: PLN 38.12 By-law Number: Report Subject: Release of the Proposed Changes to the Clarington Official Plan Recommendations: 1. That Report PSD-021-15 be received for information. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Page 2 Report Overview The Proposed Changes to the Clarington Official Plan is released today for public review and comment. It is provided under separate cover. The Clarington Official Plan is the Municipality's key planning policy document designed to manage growth and development decisions today and into the future. This report provides an update on Clarington's Official Plan Review process and introduces the proposed changes to Clarington's Official Plan. 1 . Official Plan Review Process and Community Consultation The Planning Act of Ontario, requires that an Official Plan be reviewed every five years to ensure that it conforms to, or does not conflict with, Provincial Plans and policies. In addition to the Planning Act, the Province has implemented several Provincial Plans to provide more guidance for development in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. The provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe provides a framework on how municipalities are to plan for their forecasted growth up to the year 2031. The provincial Greenbelt and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan provide the framework for the protection of agricultural lands and our natural heritage system. The policies in these Plans are applicable to Clarington and the proposed changes presented in Clarington's Official Plan will bring the current Clarington Official Plan into conformity with the Planning Act and the respective Provincial Plans. It should be noted that the Clarington Official Plan is already in conformity with the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. 1.1 Summary of Official Plan Review Process 1.2 The proposed changes to the Clarington Official Plan were developed through a process that combines Provincial and Regional policy direction with local community input and technical expertise. Throughout the process there were several community consultation sessions and 9 Discussion Papers. The diagram below gives an overview of the Clarington Official Plan Review process. 1.3 Summary of Public Consultation The public consultation began with defining the main issues of importance to the community through two separate surveys, one for the residents and one for the business community. Stakeholder meetings were also held to discuss some of the main issues. Staff has presented 9 discussion papers, 16 Council reports, and two Official Plan Amendments to the public and Council. 460 people and businesses participated in the process through community surveys, and over 600 people attended workshops, public information centres, and statutory public meetings. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Page 3 Series of Launch Discussion Papers Official Plan released and Public Adoption of Appeal Period to Review numerous Public We are here Information Official Plan the Ontario Workshops held Centres by Clarington Municipal Board Council Release of Proposed Official Final Official Identify Issues Proposed Plan Amendment Approval Plan in effect and Trends Changes to to Council and By Official Plan Public Meeting Region of Durham Discussion papers were developed for each theme identified in the public consultation process. The discussion papers were intended to highlight key challenges and opportunities in Clarington. A number of public sessions were held after the release of each discussion paper to discuss the findings and recommendations and to answer any questions and obtain feedback from the public. The discussion papers released since the start of the Official Plan review process are summarized in Attachment 3. Staff also designed a website specifically for the Official Plan review www.clarington.net/ourplan/. All information related to the Official Plan Review has been posted on this website. Thousands of visits have been recorded for the website since the launch of the site in 2010. 2. Changes to the Clarington Official Plan During the Official Plan Review process, Staff also prepared two Official Plan Amendments which were adopted by Council and approved by the Region of Durham. The policies of these Amendments are now in effect: • Official Plan Amendment 77, incorporated the requirements and permissions afforded to the Municipality as a result of Bill 51 (provincial amendments to the Planning Act); and • Official Plan Amendment 89, implemented the policies for the Courtice Main Street Secondary Plan. Part of this study included a background discussion paper and Master Development Plan report. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Page 4 Planning Staff have now completed the remaining changes to the Official Plan necessary to be in conformity with the Region of Durham Official Plan. A "redline" version of the Official Plan containing the proposed changes is being released for public review and comment. The proposed policies are grouped in the following five themes and are summarized in the attached companion guide. 1. Protect the Environment and Climate Change Adaptation 2. Build Compact and Efficient Communities 3. Build the Local Economy 4. Design and Build Complete and Vibrant Communities 5. Moving People and Goods 2.1 Protect the Environment and Climate Change Adaptation Residents have stated many times, most recently in the 2015-2018 Strategic Plan surveys, the importance of the natural environment. The natural heritage of Clarington is the foundation for designing healthy communities. The proposed changes to the policies will further protect the natural environment and resource areas (including agriculture and aggregates) by enhancing the natural connections (or corridors) between the heritage areas to promote the movement of wildlife between their habitats. They will also maintain the buffers around these areas in an attempt to mitigate any adverse impacts that may occur from development. The natural heritage features and systems have always been protected through the policies of the Clarington Official Plan. This system has been updated with the most recent information from the Conservation Authorities. This has now been reflected in the proposed maps to the Official Plan. In addition to the benefits that we can observe today, these policies will be critical to improving our ability to withstand climate change impacts and natural hazards in the future. 2.2 Build Compact and Efficient Communities Creating compact communities starts with defining the urban boundaries and containing urban development within it. The Region of Durham has approved two new expansion areas to Clarington's Urban Boundaries in their Official Plan; one in Courtice, the other in Newcastle. The Municipality is able to accommodate its urban growth targets assigned by the Region of Durham within the newly expanded urban boundaries. In fact, growth in Clarington has been lower than forecast and demonstrates the need for a prudent, cautious approach to managing growth. No further expansion to the urban boundaries are needed within the life of this Plan. Further growth will be achieved by creating more compact communities at higher densities in designated locations. It allows for a more efficient use of land and infrastructure and optimizes the use of public transportation plus continues to protect agricultural lands. The four main areas for concentrating development at increased densities are the Urban and Village Centres, Regional and Local Corridors, and the "built up" areas of Bowmanville, Courtice and Newcastle. New urban growth will be phased through Secondary Plans to promote orderly development. For the rural areas, the proposed policies of the Official Plan allow for some rounding out of the Hamlet Boundaries. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Page 5 2.3 Build the Local Economy Creating a complete community, through a balance of jobs and residents, is key to a strong local economy. The proposed changes will continue to support the long-term viability of designated employment areas by protecting industrial land from conversion to other uses, such as residential and commercial. The proposed changes to the policies will also further emphasize and support the protection of prime agricultural farmland from conversion to non-farm uses to ensure the long term sustainability of the agricultural sector. 2.4 Desiqn and Build Complete and Vibrant Communities Complete and vibrant communities are a place where people can work, and access services in close proximity to where they live. The policies proposed will provide for a diverse range of housing types, a variety of land uses, the creation of employment opportunities, and an urban form that fosters healthy lifestyles. These policies are intended to facilitate active transportation choices where people have the choice to rely less on their car. The proposed changes to the Official Plan policies will also promote land use patterns that improve the ability to withstand climate change impacts and reduce energy use by building a compact urban form that supports transit, walking and cycling with an emphasis on infill and redevelopment, higher densities, and having trails that connect to nature. Using green building practices to reduce energy use and thinking about site design to reduce impacts on the environment are all part of being sustainable. The policies proposed encourage the development of programs and/or incentives to implement green development standards. 2.5 Moving People and Goods Having an efficient and cost-effective transportation system that supports a variety of transportation modes can move people and goods productively and reduce resident's reliance on a private motor vehicle. This is the key to the success of maximizing investment in infrastructure and minimizing environmental impacts. The proposed policies encourage a compact built form in an effort to make public transportation viable and incorporate active transportation infrastructure such as trails, bike lanes and pedestrian connections. The proposed changes to the Official Plan introduce a shift in transportation planning by focusing on future transportation priorities such as public transit and active transportation. Clarington residents will need a well-connected network of roads, public transit, bike lanes, sidewalks and pedestrian pathways in order to address the congestion challenges that face Municipality. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Page 6 3. Current Provincial Initiatives 3.1 Bill 73 — Proposed Smart Growth for Our Communities Act The Ontario Government recently introduced Bill 73, proposing an amendment to the Development Charges Act and the Planning Act through Bill 73. The proposed changes to the Planning Act are intended to give the public more opportunities to provide their input into how their community will grow, set out clearer rules for land use planning and give municipalities more independence to make local decisions and resolve disputes. Should the Bill be enacted, some minor procedural changes may be incorporated into the Official Plan. 3.2 2015 Coordinated Review for the Four Provincial Plans Over the years, the province has produced four Provincial Plans, The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, The Greenbelt Plan, The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, and the Niagara Escarpment Plan. These four Plans guide municipalities on how to accommodate growth in a smart, sustainable way that uses land more efficiently and protects resources, while distinguishing between urban and rural areas. These Plans work together to set the long-term planning framework for the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Although the four Plans were developed at different times, the review of the four Plans jointly as a coordinated review, acknowledges the need to balance competing interests and reinforce common policy and goals. Clarington's Official Plan will eventually need to be brought into conformity with the changes to these four Plans, however it will not be completed during this Official Plan Review timeframe. Once the provincial review is complete the Regional Official Plan will need to be revised first to provide policy direction to local municipalities. 4. Next Steps: Circulation and Public Consultation 4.1 Public Information Centres The next step in the Clarington Official Plan Review process is to circulate the proposed changes to the Official Plan to agencies for their review and comments and undertake a public consultation program. Four Public Information Centres are scheduled to allow the public an opportunity to learn more about the proposed policies and speak with staff about the changes. The information centres will be held in late May to early June 2015. We anticipate having several of the Secondary Plans updated in time for these sessions. 4.2 Preparation of Draft Official Plan Amendment The redline revision of the proposed Official Plan shows the entire Official Plan for discussion purposes. The next step involves preparing for formal amendment to the Official Plan. 4.3 Statutory Public Meeting After the feedback from the public and development industry has been received, staff will prepare the proposed Official Plan Amendment to be presented at a statutory Public Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Page 7 Meeting. The Public Meeting provides a formal opportunity for residents and business owners to inform Council of their comments on the proposed Official Plan Amendment. 4.4 Recommended Official Plan Amendment After the statutory public meeting and consideration of the comments received, the final Official Plan Amendment will be brought back to Council for adopting. Planning Staff will report back to the General Purpose and Administration Committee with a comprehensive recommendation report and Official Plan Amendment. 4.5 Regional Review and Approval Our Council adopts the Official Plan Amendment. It will then be forwarded to the Region of Durham for approval. It is anticipated that the review will take approximately 6 months. Following Regional approval, a 20 day appeal period will commence. If there are no appeals, the Clarington Official Plan will be in effect. 5. Conclusion Over the years we have undertaken a number of significant updates to the Official Plan. These included the Environmental and Aggregates Policy Review (2001), the Oak Ridges Moraine Conformity Amendment (2003), the Commercial Policy Review (2006) and the earlier phases of this Official Plan review. The proposed changes to the Official Plan are the first comprehensive rethinking of the Municipality's planning framework. They incorporate the vision and guiding principles required to conform to Provincial Policy and issues that emerged from the public consultation process. These policies will guide Clarington as it transitions towards a more mature urban environment while still maintaining and enhancing our community's unique identity and character and protecting natural heritage systems and agricultural lands. Submitted by: Reviewed by: Da ' Crome, MCIP, RPP Franklin Wu, Director of Planning Services Chief Administrative Officer Staff Contact: Carlos Salazar, Manager of Community Planning & Design 905-623-3379 ext. 2409 or csalazar(a-),clarington.net Attachments: Attachment 1 — Proposed Changes to the Official Plan (under separate cover) Attachment 2 — Companion Guide to the Proposed Changes to the Official Plan (under separate cover) Attachment 3 — Discussion Papers and Reports List of interested parties to be notified of Council's decision is on file in the Planning Services Department. DJC/NG/sn i Attachment 3 to Municipality of Clarington Report PSD-021-15 Discussion Papers and Reports I The following discussion papers have been released since the start of the Official Plan Review process: Discussion Papers and Description _5e ports to Council E I An Introductory This discussion paper provided a summary of the Discussion Paper major issues and trends that will be examined through __..._......_...__ __the Official Plan review process. Let's have a This discussion paper contained two major sections — Discussion...Improving Planning Tools and Policy and Planning I our Built Environment and Administration. The Planning Tools and Policy section the Planning Process examined the tools that have been provided to j municipalities to create better communities while the Planning Administration section focused on the administrative changes such as__complete applications. Courtice Main Street The Courtice Main Street Study was a special project of the Clarington Official Plan Review to shape the policies of a new Secondary Plan area. The study j examined the Highway 2 corridor in Courtice to replace the Courtice West Shopping District Secondary Plan. There were two papers released as part of this study j 1) Courtice Main Street Study Issues Review Paper, 2) Master Development Plan Report. The purpose was to develop a new vision for redevelopment and intensification in light of recent planning goals towards more compact development. This study resulted in a final Secondary Plan and will be further implemented through a zoning by-law for this area. _._._..............__.... - _...... - _... Economic Base and This discussion paper provided background r Employment Lands information to address economic development issues. j Discussion Paper (2010) Information and analysis included Clarington's role in the context of the GTA economy, including its share of and employment in the Region. It highlighted Clarington's t `Economic Base and employment sector growth, projected employment Employment Lands levels, available employment lands, and policy issues Analysis' update report that need to be addressed to maximize economic i.._(2014 development potential. ........_..._._._)____._..__ . .. -_ .. __.__..___.......__..____-_.____....._....._.__. ...................----_------------- ..............._.-_..__ E Intensification Discussion This paper discussed opportunities and constraints in Paper Clarington for residential intensification. It assisted in develo in a strate for intensification and policies. _.... ._..__..._--........ __..._............... ............_..__._.__...._P__._9__ ----------9y......._._....__ ..._......_....._..---......__........._._.----......_...-..------.P.__.._. ._..--- i ......_... Discussion Papers and Description j Reports to Council I Growth Management In order to plan for Clarington's growth effectively, this Discussion Paper discussion paper presented and evaluated three different growth scenarios to illustrate the potential f implications for qrowth. Natural Heritage This discussion paper provided educational Discussion Paper background information regarding Clarington's natural f heritage areas and recommended how to update the existing natural heritage system policies and the associated mapping ._.__._..._._._....... _ ...------------ --- Parks, Open Space and The Parks, Open Space and Trails Discussion Paper Trails Discussion Paper updated the 1992 Recreation and Leisure Services Master Plan which informed the current Municipality of Clarington Official Plan (1996) in regard to parks, open ! space and trails. The Parks, Open Space and Trails Discussion Paper identified areas where existing policy could be improved or further developed, evaluated existing and forecasted parkland supply, and discussed current trends and concepts derived from provincial policy. _ Countryside Discussion This paper examined Clarington's Countryside, Paper providing an evaluation of the effectiveness of rural E and agricultural policies in achieving the goals and objectives of the Official Plan. It also addressed how to I modify policies to address provincial policy including the Greenbelt Plan. - _...---- ..............._._..................--........................................._.._......_....-..._............. ._. j Growth Management and This report presented a draft residential land budget j Draft Land Budget Report analysis for Clarington's three main urban areas. It examined the residential land capacity and demand in Clarington and evaluated the Municipality's ability to meet the Provincial and Regional population and I household targets. __..........- — _............__.._.... --....- -- -.__......._._....__..._ ._....-................... ...--......_..____..__.._.._..__..._...--- -.............-...----.......... ..--......._....... Clarington Community Hemson Consulting was retained by the Municipality to Forecast Population and prepare the growth forecasts for Clarington. The Employment Projections forecast focused on population, households and (2010) employment to 2031 and examined each of these components at a community level for Bowmanville, and Courtice, Newcastle, and the rural areas within Clarington. Updated Clarington Community Population and Household Forecast (2013). . _ _ i - __.... .. ...._..... Discussion Papers and Description Reports to to Council Commercial Market This report conducted a market study analysis to Analysis, Municipality of evaluate the appropriateness of the existing retail and Clarington service floor space thresholds in the Clarington Official Plan and assess whether there is sufficient commercial j land designated in each of the urban areas to accommodate demand until 2031. I f