BACKGROUND, ISSUES AND OPTIONS DISCUSSION · BACKGROUND, ISSUES AND OPTIONS DISCUSSION ... (April – May 2014) ... • Option 2 – Maintain a 2031 planning horizon and allocate

BACKGROUND, ISSUES AND OPTIONS DISCUSSION | County of Dufferin | November 2013

BACKGROUND,

ISSUES AND OPTIONS

DISCUSSION

COUNTY OF DUFFERIN

OFFICIAL PLAN PROJECT NOVEMBER 26, 2013

Steering Committee


1. Project Purpose and Impetus

2. Process and Schedule

3. What We’ve Heard

4. Managing Growth

5. Countryside Area

6. Planning Administration

7. Public Consultation

8. Next Steps

Outline


• Province amended a regulation under the Planning Act

requiring Dufferin County to adopt an Official Plan

• Intent of the Official Plan is to provide over-arching

policy direction on matters of County significance:

• Growth management and community structure

• County economic development

• Countryside development and activities

• Natural heritage and natural hazards

• Infrastructure, servicing and transportation networks

• Planning coordination, administration and cross-

jurisdictional issues

1. Project Purpose and Impetus


2. Process and Schedule

Phase 3

Final County Official

Plan

• Consultation Report (June

2014)

• Presentation to Local &

County Councils (June

2014)

• Final Draft of County

Official Plan (July 2014)

• Statutory Public Meeting &

Council Adoption of Official

Plan (August 2014)

Phase 2

Draft County Official

Plan

• Draft County Official Plan

tabled (late March 2014)


County Councils (April –

May 2014)

• Public Open Houses (late

May 2014)

Phase 1

Background, Issues and

Options Report


County Councils

(November 2013)

• Public Open Houses

(January 2014)

• Presentation of the Report

(February 2014)

September 2013 August 2014


• Planning approvals delegation regime required by the Planning Act, and how

to deal with it moving forward.

• Administration structure at the County to implement the County Official Plan

and administer planning approvals.

• Some local municipalities expressed concerns with County growth

management strategy, projections, allocations, and achieving minimum

intensification targets.

• All municipalities referenced the weighted voting and governance framework

at County Council as an issue (can not be addressed in the Official Plan).

• County Official Plan should be a high-level policy document.


Local Municipal Council Meetings


1. Balance:

• local autonomy with County level

planning issues

• economic development (land

based)

2. Importance of Agriculture/

Environment:

• preserve farmland

• economic development

opportunities

• natural heritage preservation

3. Strategic Vision for County:

• coordinated direction

• planning administration

• County governance

• manage change

4. Coordination:

• County and local planning

initiatives

• economic development

• cross jurisdictional matters


Stakeholder’s Group


• Establishes population and employment projections for the County:

4. Managing Growth

Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

Population Employment Population Employment

2031A 2031A 2031B 2036 2041 2031B 2036 2041

County of

Dufferin

80,000 27,000 80,000 81,000 85,000 29,000 31,000 32,000

Total GGH 11,500,000 5,560,000 11,950,000 12,740,000 13,480,000 5,650,000 5,930,000 6,270,000


• Based on the outcome of

the County’s Growth

Management Study, 2009

(GMS) the Province

allocated population and

employment forecasts to

2031, and a set of

alternative density and

intensification targets by

local municipalities.

• Identified an unallocated

population of 4,000 persons

to 2031.

4. Managing Growth (cont’d)

Ministry Approved Forecast and Targets

• Ministry Approved Population and Employment Forecasts and

Alternative Density/Intensification Targets (2031)

Alternative

Density Target

Intensification

Target

(minimum)

Population

Forecast to

2031

Employment

Forecast to

2031

Amaranth NA NA 4,680 810

East Garafraxa NA NA 3,150 570

Grand Valley 44 residents

and jobs/ha

12% 5,740 1,190

Melancthon NA NA 3,410 380

Mono NA NA 9,770 2,020

Mulmur NA NA 4,290 820

Orangeville 46 residents

and jobs/ha

50% 36,490 14,740

Shelburne 41 residents

and jobs/ha

38% 8,400 3,560

Future allocated

growth in County

- - 4,000 -

Total for the

County of Dufferin

44 residents

and jobs/ha

40% 80,000 27,000**


• The hamlets/village and rural settlements may accommodate modest growth

• Local municipal planners have provided input on settlement identification


Secondary Settlements

Municipality Hamlets Defined

Boundary

Township of

Amaranth

Laurel

Waldemar

Farmington

Yes

Yes

Yes

Township of East

Garafraxa

Marsville

Orton

Yes

Yes

Town of Grand

Valley

Colbeck

Monticello

Yes

Yes

Township of

Melancthon

Horning’s Mills

Corbetton

Riverview

Yes

Yes

Yes

Town of Mono

Cardinal Woods

Purple Hill

Hockley Village

Camilla

Mono Centre

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Township of Mulmur

Mansfield

Terra Nova

Honeywood

Rosemont

Primrose

Violet Hill

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes


• Approach to County GMS, 2009 growth forecasts:

• Consistent with Growth Plan forecasts to 2031, 2036 and 2041

(Amendment #2).

• Implement Ministry approved forecasts/allocations to 2031 and

minimum alternative density target and intensification target.

• Consider allocation of the unallocated population of 4,000 persons

to 2031.

• Consider allocation of growth beyond 2031, to provide for a 20-year

planning horizon (to 2036).


Key Considerations (Growth Forecasts):


• Direct significant population growth to the three urban centres.

• Province requires that any additional allocation to the urban centres be

supported by servicing feasibility:

• Orangeville able to accommodate 36,940 persons to 2031 forecasts,

but have identified significant servicing constraints beyond this.

• Grand Valley urban area may accommodate 6,050 persons.

• Shelburne anticipates accommodating a population of 10,000 persons,

but it is recognized that further servicing work is required.

• Allocation of the unallocated population of 4,000 persons to 2031, to the

three urban centres.






Population 2011

(Stats Canada)

Population

Forecast to 2031

(PTG)

County

Allocations based

on Assimilative

Capacity (2031)

Population

Forecast to 2036

Population

Forecast to 2041

Orangeville 27,975 36,490 36,490 36,490 36,490

Shelburne 5,846 8,400 10,000 10,000 10,000

Grand Valley Urban 1,481 4,165 6,050 6,050 6,050

Grand Valley Rural 1,245 1,575 1,575 1,600 1,625

Grand Valley Total 2,726 5,740 7,625 7,650 7,675

Amaranth 3,963 4,680 4,680 4,710 4,840

East Garafraxa 2,595 3,150 3,150 3,180 3,290

Melancthon 2,839 3,410 3,410 3,430 3,540

Mono 7,546 9,770 9,770 9,890 10,340

Mulmur 3,391 4,290 4,290 4,340 4,520

Future allocated growth

within the County of

Dufferin

4,000 585 1,310 4,305

Sub-Total (Excluding

Unallocated) 75,930 79,415 79,690 80,695

Total for the County of

Dufferin 56,881 80,000 80,000 81,000 85,000

May include some future unallocated portion, subject to servicing and assimilative capacity feasibility


Options:

• Option 1 – Maintain a 2031 planning horizon, and do not allocate the

unallocated population of 4,000 persons

• Option 2 – Maintain a 2031 planning horizon and allocate the unallocated

population of 4,000 persons to the 3 primary settlements (subject to

approved servicing feasibility)

• Option 3 – Establish a 20-year planning horizon (i.e., 2036) and allocate

the unallocated population of 4,000 persons to 2031 and additional 1,000

persons to 2036 (subject to approved servicing feasibility)

• Include a framework in the Official Plan for the future allocation of the

unallocated population (i.e., local municipal comprehensive review).


Options for Consideration (Growth Forecasts):


• County to plan for an overall minimum intensification target of 40%

(assigned intensification targets for: Grand Valley – 12%; Orangeville –

50%; Shelburne – 38%).

• As infill and intensification occurs, available opportunities will decline.

• Anticipated that reduced intensification targets will be required.

Options:

• Option 1 – Wait until Province’s review of the Growth Plan (2016) to consider

alternative intensification targets

• Option 2 – Request and provide justification to the Minister to support

alternative intensification targets at this time


Options for Consideration (Intensification Targets):


• Community Structure: OP should

establish clear settlement hierarchy:

• Primary Settlements (Orangeville,

Shelburne, Grand Valley)

• Secondary Settlements (Hamlets,

Villages)

• Delineate settlement boundaries vs.

conceptually identify settlements and

rely on local Official Plans for precise

delineation.

• Primary Settlements should be

clearly defined, however, Secondary

Settlements may be identified

conceptually.


Key Considerations:


• Uses and activities in the broad countryside area of

the County (in no particular order):

• Agriculture;

• Rural/estate residential;

• Aggregate resource extraction;

• Natural heritage conservation;

• Other rural industrial and commercial

activities, and uses secondary to agriculture.

5. Countryside Area

Countryside Land Uses


• Develop an appropriate set of land use policies to deal

with the uses and activities in the countryside area.

• Note that renewable energy projects are dealt with

under the Green Energy Act, which is outside of the

jurisdiction of the County’s Official Plan.

5. Countryside Area (cont’d)

Key Considerations:


• Division between:

• Prime Agricultural Areas

• Rural Areas

Agricultural Uses



• Addressing natural resources in the

policies of the Plan:

• Aggregate Resources

• Petroleum Resources


Natural Resources


• Conserving Natural Heritage

features and Water Resources

• Identify significant features based

on existing local Official Plans

• Conceptual delineation, particularly

within urban areas (i.e., overlay

approach)

• Consider a framework for a natural

heritage systems strategy

Natural Heritage & Water



• Today:

• Province is the approval authority for local OPs, OPAs

and plans of subdivision (except for Orangeville and

Mono which have delegated approvals from the

Province).

• Once County Official Plan is Approved:

• County is the approval authority for local OPs, OPAs,

and plans of subdivision.

• The County’s ability to exempt approval of lower-tier

OPAs may only occur once the County is prescribed by

regulation under the Planning Act.

• County may delegate subdivision approval by by-law.




Current Approval

Authority and Delegated

Planning Approval

Authority

Approval Authority

Once County Official

Plan is Approved

Available Delegation of Planning

Approval Authority Once County

Official Plan is Approved by

Province

Local Official Plan Amendment

(S. 17)

MMAH

Mono and Orangeville:

Local Council

County Local Council (only if County is

prescribed by Provincial Regulation)

Local Official Plan Amendment

(S. 26 – 5-Year Review or

Provincial Plan Conformity)

MMAH County Not Available

Plan of Subdivision (S. 51) MMAH

Mono and Orangeville:

Local Council

County Local Council (by County By-law)

Severances (Consent) (S. 50) Local Council or

Committee

County Local Council or Committee (by

County By-law)

Zoning By-law Amendment or

Site Plan Approval

Local Council No Change

Summary of Approval Authority



Delegation Framework for Discussion:

To return to status quo, County Council may:

• make formal request to Minister for Orangeville and Mono to be exempt from

approval of local OPA’s (County must be prescribed through regulation under

the Planning Act).

• pass a by-law to delegate plan of subdivision approval to Orangeville and

Mono.

• pass a by-law to delegate consents to all local municipalities.



Delegation Framework for Discussion:

To consider further responsibilities/delegation, County Council may:

• pass a by-law to delegate plan of subdivision approval to other local

municipalities, currently without delegated approval, and subject to sufficient

resources.

• make a formal request to the Minister for the councils of the other local

municipalities to be granted exemption of approval for OPA’s (S. 17).

• However, based on preliminary discussions with MMAH, such a request

would likely not be approved. Province supports County oversight/approval,

and would only consider under unique circumstances.

• Sufficient justification would need to support the request (i.e., adequate

municipal resources, County’s planned administration of the County OP,

overall context for implementing the County OP).



Key Considerations for Discussion:

• What role should the County play in administering the County planning function

(approval authority responsibilities)?

• Local municipal exemption from County approval of OPA’s

• Delegation of draft plan of subdivision approval to local municipalities

(criteria for considering delegation)

• How will the County administer the new Official Plan (i.e., County Planning

Department, Contracted Services, Support from local municipalities)?


7. Public Consultation

Key Considerations:

• Public Open Houses (tentatively January 7, 2014 in Shelburne and January 15,

2014 in Orangeville)

• Consideration of Saturday meetings to engage weekend residents/visitors.


• Prepare the Background, Issues and Options Report for

review (late November 2013)

• Public Open Houses (tentatively January 7, 2014 in

Shelburne and January 15, 2014 in Orangeville)

• Present Final Background, Issues and Options Report

to County Council (February 2014)

• Draft Official Plan (Spring 2014)

• Local Municipality and Council Presentations (Spring

2014)

• Public Open Houses (Spring 2014)

8. Next Steps


THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

For further information:

Tracey Atkinson, Project Manager

Dufferin County Official Plan

Phone: 519-941-2816 ext. 2508

Toll Free: 1-877-941-2816 ext. 2508

[email protected]

www.dufferincounty.ca/planning/

Documents

BACKGROUND, ISSUES AND OPTIONS DISCUSSION · BACKGROUND, ISSUES AND OPTIONS DISCUSSION ... (April – May 2014) ... • Option 2 – Maintain a 2031 planning horizon and allocate