File No. 2011 Official Plan Review Planner: G. BARRETT TO ... · process is Council’s approval of the “Growth Planning Review”, the “Urban Structure Plan”, and completion

Agenda Item # Page #

File No. 2011

Official Plan Review Planner: G. BARRETT

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TO: CHAIR AND MEMBERS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MEETING ON OCTOBER 4, 2011

FROM: J. M. FLEMING DIRECTOR, LAND USE PLANNING AND CITY PLANNER

SUBJECT: DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE

2011 OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW

RECOMMENDATION That, on the recommendation of the Director, Land Use Planning and City Planner, the following actions BE TAKEN with respect to the 2011 Official Plan Review process:

(a) that, on the recommendation of the Director, Land Use Planning and City Planner, the

Draft Terms of Reference, attached in Appendix ‘B’, for the 2011 Official Plan Review process BE RECEIVED and circulated for public review and comment;

(b) that the Director, Land Use Planning and City Planner BE DIRECTED to bring back the Terms of Reference for the 2011 Official Plan Review at a Public Participation Meeting be held before the Strategy and Policy Committee in December 2011 following consultation with various stakeholders including, but not limited to: the public; Urban League; development industry; relevant government ministries and agencies; and adjacent municipalities; and,

(c) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to initiate a Request for Proposal to retain a consultant to develop and oversee a communication and consultation program for the 2011 Official Plan Review, noting that the Request for Proposal for the consultant will not be let until Council confirms the need to review the Official Plan.

IT BEING NOTED THAT, following the public consultation process for the Terms of Reference, Municipal Council will consider the need for an Official Plan update pursuant to Section 26(1) of the Planning Act.

PURPOSE The need for a Council to revise its Official Plan at least every five years is mandated by the Province under the provisions of Section 26.1 of the Planning Act. While current provincial legislation does not require annual updates, it does require that the municipality investigate the need for modification in light of emergent local issues and evolving matters of provincial interest. The last Official Plan review commenced in 2006, and was approved with modifications by the Province on December 17, 2009 as Official Plan No. 438. With the exception of certain appeals to the plan, on January 7, 2010 Official Plan No. 438 came into force and effect. While the comprehensive amendments to the current Official Plan have only been in force and effect since January 2010, the need to undertake a review of the Official Plan is considered to be appropriate at this time to provide a strategic growth framework for the City, and to incorporate a strategic vision and urban structure plan to better describe the future form of the City. Emerging economic development opportunities along Highways 401 and 402, and a


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review of the City’s land needs will be major components of this Official Plan review process. An enhanced program of public consultation and engagement is also intended to be a major element of the Official Plan review. The need to shape the vision for the future development of London through a meaningful process of consultation and engagement is essential in creating a new Official Plan that can articulate that vision in both text and images is fundamental to the proposed Official Plan review process. The focus of this report is to address the following:

1. Advance a preliminary work plan, including a public consultation process and timeline, with flexibility to incorporate public issues that are raised as part of the public consultation process for the Terms of Reference of the 2011 Official Plan Review.

2. Outline of the public engagement and consultation program for the Terms of Reference of the 2011 Official Plan Review.

These two parts fall within Phase 1 – Setting the Stage of the Official Plan Review, as outlined in the June 8, 2011 planning report for Built and Natural Environment Committee (see Appendix ‘A’).

PREVIOUS REPORTS PERTINENT TO THIS MATTER

June 8, 2011 – Planning report to Built and Natural Environment Committee regarding the preliminary approach and timeline for the 2011 Official Plan Review.

BACKGROUND The information report, dated June 8, 2011 from the Director of Land Use Planning and City Planner, is attached as for further background concerning the preliminary approach for the 2011 Official Plan Review (see Appendix ‘A’). The June 8th report outlines the statutory requirements for conducting a review of the Official Plan every five years after the plan comes into effect. While the existing Official Plan is current with all Provincial Plans and Provincial interests, and is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, a review and update of the Official Plan would allow for the following:

• Add new policies and approaches to address current challenges and emerging opportunities;

• Address more effective ways of engaging the public in the planning process; • Establish a clearer vision of London for the future; • Compliance on emerging growth opportunities; • Add greater flexibility and new implementation tools to streamline the approval process; • Link transportation and land use planning; • Establish an “Urban Structure Plan” for the City; and • Support intensification and infill development in more comprehensive ways.


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PROPOSED WORK PLAN 2011 OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW

The proposed work plan for the 2011 Official Plan Review is proposed to include five major phases as outlined in the June 8th planning report to Built and Natural Environment Committee. Each phase results in a product or document that would serve as a “lead in” to subsequent phases. A “sign-off” on major tasks at Planning and Environment Committee will serve to frame the process and identify points of consensus and concurrence. If approved by Council to proceed with the OP Review, it is planning staff’s intent to develop an Official Plan that is simpler to follow, more visual and user-friendly document. The five major phases of the work plan, as previously identified in the June 8th planning report, are provided below. The attached Appendix ‘B’ provides the detailed Terms of Reference for consideration. Phase 1 - Setting the Stage

• Terms of Reference Official Plan Review tabled at Council (September, 2011) • Request for Proposal - community consultation and Council approval (September 2011-

November 2011) • Retain Consultants (December 2011)

Phase 2–Establishing the Vision and Planning Framework (January, 2012-September, 2012)

• Community Consultation on the Vision o Indentification of Community Values

- Social, Environmental, Economic, Other o Establish the Vision of London

- What will London look like as we move forward? o Establish the framework for the OP document

- How will the new Official Plan achieve that vision? o Council Priorities

- How do we integrate Council’s priorities?

• Growth Discussion o Growth Forecasts o Boundary Adjustments and Phasing of Growth o Urban Structure Plan o Possible strategic growth plan

• Goals, objectives and strategies for the Plan

• Issues identification and confirmation

Phase 3-Background Studies and Research (June 2012-February 2013)

• Collect information required to complete the Plan o Issues-based research o Best Practices o Emerging trends o Extensive consultation


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Phase 4-The Plan (January 2013-April, 2013)

• Vision and images • New policies • New land use designations and mapping • Revised format and layout • Possible new implementation tools

o Form-based Code & Performance Standards o Conditional Zoning

Phase 5-Confirmation and Final Approval (April 2013-June 2013)

• Checking in with the Community • Final Approval/Adoption of the Plan

OVERVIEW OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE 2011 OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW

Public Engagement and Consultation Program: Public engagement at the outset and throughout the Official Plan Review process is integral to the project. Especially, given that long-range planning requires understanding, support and participation of the community. Other major elements integral to the Official Plan Review process is Council’s approval of the “Growth Planning Review”, the “Urban Structure Plan”, and completion of the City’s growth forecast with the preparation of the “Land Needs Study”. Council’s decision on these key discussions/reports will have significant relevance to the scope of this Official Plan Review project. Establishing a public engagement program through comprehensive marketing and communication is being recommended for this project. It is the intent to explore and tap into a range of resources as a new way of interfacing with the public to set a vision in Phase 2 through to the completion of Phase 5. It is Planning staff’s preference that a consultant be retained to assist in the preparation of the public engagement program and to ensure that community discussion between each Phase of the review process is adequately captured, to tie each part of the process together and communicate to the public how the issues have been or will be addressed. Utlimately, the consultant will assist to guide the public participation process and “weave” the connections of issues raised between each of the process review phases. It is the expectation Planning Division staff will guide the larger 2011 Official Plan Review process, similar to past OP Reviews. The proposed Terms of Reference serves to outline the scope of work, define the general tasks to be undertaken, and identify the sequence and anticipated timing of these tasks for public circulation and comment. It is anticipated that the work plan will be modified, as required, based on public input. Each of the subsequent Phases will be further defined in the final work plan for consideration by Council, and further refined, as necessary, upon commencement of each Phase in the project. Following public input on the draft Terms of Reference, the work plan will be submitted to Council for final consideration and confirmation for approval to proceed with the Official Plan Review. Also, it is the intent that the final Terms of Reference and associated budget for consulting services will be submitted to Council for approval. The attached Terms of Reference (see Appendix C) serves to provide the preliminary details of the above work plan for the 2011 Official Plan Review over an 18 month timeframe, commencing with the Public Vision and Planning Framework in January 2012.


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Land Needs Background Study and Discussion Paper: An important element of the vision exercise in Phase 2 will be a “Growth” discussion of how we grow as a City and what does that growth look like. To support the growth discussion, an evaluation is necessary to determine the need for additional land that may be required to maintain an adequate supply of land designated for urban growth to accommodate the projected community and industrial growth requirements for the City of London. Policy 2.5.5. of the Official Plan provides a framework for the evaluation of land requirements to accommodate forecasted growth in population, housing and employment. The three ways in which growth is to be accommodated are through intensification of land uses within existing urban areas; the development of vacant, designated lands within the limits of the existing Urban Growth Boundary; and, the identification of lands that are suitable for urban area expansion to accommodate community and industrial growth needs. Section 2.6 of the Plan provides a policy framework for growth management in the City including specific policies that are identified under Growth Forecasting and Monitoring (2.6.5.); Land Requirements Forecasting (2.6.6.) and Identification of Growth Areas (2.6.7.). Policy 2.6.6. establishes a target range of a fifteen to twenty year supply of vacant land designated for urban growth. In the five rear review of the Official Plan undertaken in 2006, the need for an expansion to the Urban Growth Boundary was reviewed and it was concluded that the City is adequately supplied with vacant land to support population, housing and employment growth over the 20 year planning period. At that time it was estimated that the City’s vacant land supply could accommodate growth for approximately 55 years. Council and staff have received other site specific requests for adjustments to the Urban Growth Boundary which have been referred to the 2011 Official Plan Review for consideration. These requests will be evaluated and considered if it is determined that adjustments to the Urban Growth Boundary are warranted at this time. In light of the recent completion of the 2006 Official Plan Review, it is unlikely to find that a significant expansion to the Urban Growth Boundary is warranted. Notwithstanding, a review is required to confirm the land requirement projections, identify priority areas for development based on cost – effective servicing considerations and Industrial Land Development Strategy, and evaluate the merits of individual requests for adjustments to the Urban Growth Boundary.

CONCLUSION Provincial legislation, and the policies of the Official Plan, provides the opportunity for Council to review its Official Plan. While this does not mean that an Official Plan review and update is necessary, the June 8, 2011 report and this report have identified possible reasons that Council may consider another review for the purpose of policy development and/or refinement. Recognizing the recent adoption and completion of the final OMB Hearings of the 2006 Official Plan review, Council may consider a limited scope of review for the 2011 Official Plan Review. It is proposed that the proposed work plan and timeline advanced by way of this report be circulated to the Council, the public and identified stakeholders for the purpose of refinement and clarification. Based upon input received, the draft Terms of Reference will be modified and submitted to the Strategy and Policy Committee at a statutory public meeting.

or¡c¡a¡T¡råJfu3i"liPlanner: G. BARRETT

Acknowledqements:

The strategic vision of this Draft Terms of Reference was prepared in consultation with thePlanning Division steering group comprised of the Director, Land Use planning and CityPlanner; 9ity Planning & Research Section with Gregg Barrett (Team Lead), ChuckÞarker andHeather McNeely; and Community Planning & Urban Design Section wittr Jím yanchula (Co-Team Lead), Sean Galloway, Mike Tomazincic, and Kerry Kiilen.

PREPARED BY:

HEATHER McNEELYSENIOR PLANNERCITY PLANNING & RESEARCH

SEAN GALLOWAY IURBAN DES|GNER ICOMMUNITY PLANNING & URBAN DESÍGN

SUBMITTED BY:

MANAGER, CITY PLANNING &RESEARCH

MANAGER, COMMUNITY PLANNING &URBAN DESIGN

y:\shared\policy\2011 OP Review\Reports\CoW 11Oct4 -2011 OP Review Draft ToRSeptember 26,2011GB/hmcn"Attach'

APPENDIX'A'- June 8,20'11 Planning Report outlining the Preliminary Approach and TimelineAPPENDIX 'B'- Draft Terms of Reference for the 2011 Official Plan Review

Copy: Pat McNally, Executive Director, Planning, Environmentaland Engineering ServicesDavid Ailles, Managing Director DABU

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TO: CHAIR AND MEMBERS BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

MEETING ON Wednesday, June 8, 2011

FROM: J.M FLEMING DIRECTOR OF LAND USE PLANNING AND CITY PLANNER

SUBJECT: OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW PROJECT PRELIMINARY APPROACH AND TIMELINE

RECOMMENDATION That, on the recommendation of the Director of Land Use Planning and City Planner, the following report BE RECEIVED for information, and that a Public Participation Meeting BE SCHEDULED for September, 2011 to consider the Work Plan and Draft Terms of Reference for an Official Plan Review.

PREVIOUS REPORTS PERTINENT TO THIS MATTER

None

BACKGROUND The City’s Official Plan is Municipal Council’s statutory document regarding land use planning, and contains Council’s policies that guide the physical growth and development of the City. The Official Plan represents Council’s and the London community’s vision for the City. Section 24 of the Planning Act requires that all municipal public works and all by-laws must conform with the Official Plan. The current Official Plan was first adopted by Municipal Council on June 19, 1989, and replaced the City’s 1971 Official Plan. Official Plans are adopted under the authority of the Planning Act. The Act describes the contents of an Official Plan as follows:

16. (1)

(a) goals, objectives and policies established primarily to manage and direct physical change and the effects on the social, economic and natural environment of the municipality or part of it, or an area that is without municipal organization; and

An official plan shall contain,

(b) such other matters as may be prescribed.

(2) An official plan may contain,

(a) a description of the measures and procedures proposed to attain the objectives of the plan;

(b) a description of the measures and procedures for informing and obtaining the views of the public in respect of a proposed amendment to the official plan or proposed revision of the plan or in respect of a proposed zoning by-law; and

(c) such other matters as may be prescribed. The Act also provides for the revision of the Official Plan.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/french/elaws_statutes_90p13_f.htm#s16s1�




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26. (1)

(a) revise the official plan as required to ensure that it,

If an official plan is in effect in a municipality, the council of the municipality that adopted the official plan shall, not less frequently than every five years after the plan comes into effect as an official plan or after that part of a plan comes into effect as a part of an official plan, if the only outstanding appeals relate to those parts of the plan that propose to specifically designate land uses,

(i) conforms with provincial plans or does not conflict with them, as the case may be,

(ii) has regard to the matters of provincial interest listed in section 2, and

(iii) is consistent with policy statements issued under subsection 3 (1); and

(b) revise the official plan, if it contains policies dealing with areas of employment, including, without limitation, the designation of areas of employment in the official plan and policies dealing with the removal of land from areas of employment, to ensure that those policies are confirmed or amended.

As a result of the annexation in 1992 of the Town of Westminster, and portions of the Townships of London, West Nissouri and North Dorchester, there was a significant amendment made to the Official Plan to implement the results of the Vision ’96 process. That amendment, known as Official Plan Amendment 88 (OPA 88), was adopted by Council in 1996, and brought forward significant new policies regarding the natural environment, agriculture and growth management. OPA 88 also added the Urban Growth Boundary as a line to define the lands that would be required to support urban development through the planning period. Recognizing the extent of the revisions that were made to the Plan through the adoption of OPA 88, the first policy of the current Official Plan states: This document constitutes the Official Plan for the City of London, prepared and enacted in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13. It replaces the Official Plan for the City of London Planning Area, adopted in 1971, and all amendments to that Plan. For the lands annexed to the City of London by the London-Middlesex Act, 1992, it also replaces the Town of Westminster Official Plan, the Township of London Official Plan, the Township of West Nissouri Official Plan and the Township of North Dorchester Official Plan. The Plan also sets forth the planning period for the Official Plan. Policy 1.4 states: It is intended that the Official Plan should provide guidance for the distribution, development and planning of land uses for a period extending to the year 2016. This Plan anticipates that the population of the City will be 385,300 people by the end of the planning period. The format of the current Plan follows the traditional model, with a set of policies and maps (referred to as Schedules). The policies of the current Plan are contained in five Sections: Section I-Introduction and Planning Framework, Section II- Land Use Policies, Section III- Amenity, Urban Design and Environment, Section IV- Servicing, and Section V- Implementation. The Plan also contains five Schedules, or maps. Schedule A-Land Use, Schedule B1-Natural Heritage Features, Schedule B2-Natural Resources and Natural Hazards, Schedule C-Transportation, and Schedule D-Planning Areas. Why Review the Official Plan Now? In February, 2006, Council approved the terms of reference for a five year review of the Official Plan. That review resulted in the Council adoption of OPA 438 in March, 2008. As a comprehensive review, this amendment required approval by the Province, and on December 17, 2009, the Province approved OPA 438. This amendment came into force and effect on January 7, 2010. The next five year review of the Official Plan would commence in 2011, if Council deemed it to be necessary.




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While the existing Official Plan is current with all Provincial Plans and Provincial interests, and is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, a review and update of the Official Plan would allow for new policies and approaches to address current challenges and emerging opportunities. Among the opportunities is the growing interest in providing employment opportunities along the 401/402 corridor, more effective ways of engaging the public in the planning process, establishing a clearer vision of London for the future, streamlining the approval process by adding greater flexibility, and adding new implementation tools. There is an opportunity to link transportation and land use, establish an urban structure and support intensification and infill in more comprehensive ways. While the format of the current Plan has been effective in guiding the growth and development of the City, it does not readily lend itself to some of the more innovative planning tools that many municipalities are now using to implement their land use policies. The primary implementation tool used by the City is the zoning by-law. Where the Official Plan contains broad policies for the nature of development that could occur within the various land use types (designations) that make up the City, it is the zoning by-law that sets out the regulations that governs what can actually occur on any parcel of land within the City. For example, the policies for permitted uses within the Low Density Residential designation state:

The primary permitted uses in areas designated Low Density Residential shall be single detached; semi-detached; and duplex dwellings. Multiple-attached dwellings, such as row houses or cluster houses may also be permitted subject to the policies of this Plan and provided they do not exceed the maximum density of development permitted under policy 3.2.2. Residential Intensification may be permitted subject to the provisions of policy 3.2.3. Zoning on individual sites would not normally allow for the full range of permitted uses.

The policies further state:

Uses that are considered to be integral to, or compatible with, residential neighbourhoods, including group homes, home occupations, community facilities, funeral homes, and office conversions, may be permitted according to the provisions of Section 3.6.

Parcels within the Low Density Residential designation may be zoned, however, to allow for just a very limited range of uses. For example, within the R1 zone variation, which permits single detached dwellings only, there are 17 variations that outline different regulations for the R1 zone to recognize variations in such things as lot size, height, and building setbacks for lots line, etc.. Similarly, some lands within the Low Density Residential designation may be zoned to permit a wider range of uses, such as office conversions. A challenge with the format of the current Official Plan and implementing zoning by-law is that it limits the City’s ability to use such emerging implementation tools as Performance Zoning and/or Form-based Codes. The traditional Official Plan may be seen as “prescriptive”, in that it prescribes, or sets forth explicit policies for how lands may develop in the City. This prescriptive approach limits the ability to use implementation tools that rely more on performance standards and building form as a means of minimizing land use impacts between uses, as prescriptive policies would result in a more regulatory approach to mitigate land use impacts. In the same way, the approach of the current Official Plan results in the need to develop explicit or specific policies to attempt to address either special situations or newly emerging land use issues, since the implementing zoning must be consistent with the policies of the Plan. This has resulted in such things as the growth in the number of policies in Chapter 10-Policies for Specific Areas, and new policies for specific areas in Chapter 3-Residential and Chapter 4-Commercial. Chapter 10 alone contains 142 site specific policies. Chapter 3 contains policies for 21 specific residential areas of the City, and Chapter 4 contains policies for 18 different commercial areas within the City. The challenge for any new Official Plan is to provide sufficient policy direction to achieve the goals that Council sets for the growth and development of the City over the 20 year planning period, while also providing policy direction that is flexible enough to recognize that not all forms


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of development or unique land use circumstances can be fully described in policy. Proposed Approach and Timing In order to provide an Official Plan document that may better address future opportunities, and to be a more strategic and visionary document, it is intended that the new Official Plan begin from the perspective of defining the Vision for the City. In simple terms, develop an image, in both text and graphically, of what we want London to look, function and be like at the end of the 20 year planning horizon. This process would include broad public and political input, and would be accomplished through such mechanisms as a series of open houses, community forums and charettes, and modelling or imaging of alternatives. New, innovative approaches for engaging the public will also be explored, using mechanisms such as social media. The intent is to make the Official Plan review process a community discussion about our future, rather than an exclusively land use planning exercise. Fulsome, open and on-going community engagement and dialogue would be the underlying premise of this exercise. While the final approach will require additional input and confirmation through a public review process, the proposed approach is built upon creating a vision of where the community wants London to be at the end of the planning period. In establishing this vision, it will be important to stress that the ultimate measure of the success of implementing the Plan should not be whatever visual image is created to illustrate the vision, but rather to ask, have the land use decisions that we have made through the planning period contributed to the vision, and perhaps as importantly, have any of our land use decisions precluded or prevented us from achieving that vision? The approach would include five major phases as outlined below and summarized in the attached table: Phase 1-Setting the Stage

• Terms of Reference tabled at Council (September, 2011) • Terms of Reference-community consultation and Council approval (September 2011-

November 2011) • Retain Consultants (December 2011)

Phase 2–Establishing the Vision and Planning Framework (January, 2012-September, 2012)

• Community Consultation on the Vision o Indentification of Community Values

- Social, Environmental, Economic, Other o Establish the Vision of London

- What will London look like as we move forward? o Establish the framework for the OP document

- How will the new Official Plan achieve that vision? o Council Priorities

- How do we integrate Council’s priorities?

• Growth Discussion o Growth Forecasts o Boundary Adjustments and Phasing of Growth o Urban Structure Plan

• Goals, objectives and strategies for the Plan

• Issues identification and confirmation


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APPENDIX ‘B’ - Preliminary Work Plan Summary and Terms of Reference 2011 Official Plan Review Product • Terms of Reference

• Consultants Retained

• Vision Statement • Urban Structure

Plan • Goals, objectives

and strategies • Growth strategies

• Issues papers • Background

Studies • Best practices

review

• Vision and images • New policies • New land use

designations and mapping

• Goals, objectives and strategies

• New Official Plan

Phase 1-Setting the Stage Phase 2-Vision and Planning Framework

Phase 3-Studies and Research

Phase 4-The Plan Phase 5-Confirmation and Approval

Process Consultation • Public solicitation • Internal and external

stakeholders • LDI/LHBA • Urban League

• Public solicitation • Internal and external

stakeholders • LDI/LHBA • Urban League

• CMHC • OPPI/CIP • Urban Land

Institute • Best practices

• Public • Province • Internal and

external stakeholders

• Province • Public

Communication • Social media • Public forums • Meetings • Blogs • Newspaper/Rogers • Web • Flash Mobs and other

marketing techniques/social media

• Social media • Public forums • Charettes • Meetings • Blogs • Newspaper/Rogers • Web

• Social Media • Web • Blogging • Solicit input

through Living in the City

• London Hydro inserts

• Social media • Web • Blogging • “Brand” the

process and product

• Traveling Road Show/Meetings in neighbourhoods

• Public Open House

• Flash Mobs

• Reinforce the Strategy/ Brand Name

• Launch Planning Brand

• Hold events for Launch

• Celebrate the document

• Get Press, furthers the brand

• Flash Mobs • Launch with

Police/LTC

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Draft Terms of Reference 2011 Official Plan Review Embarking on a Different Official Plan Review Process The proposed approach of the 2011 Official Plan Review process is built upon a vision of the type of London the community wants to be in the future. The intent is to make the Official Plan review process a community discussion about our future, rather than an exclusively land use planning exercise. Fulsome, open and on-going community engagement and dialogue to create a “community buzz” would be the underlying premise of this exercise. This extensive community discussion would be accomplished through traditional mechanisms, such as a series of open houses, community forums and charettes, and modelling or imaging of alternatives. In addition, the City will embark on the use of new, innovative approaches, including various forms of social and digital media, and public engagement tools. Background Details The City of London is undertaking a review of its Official Plan. As mandated by the Planning Act, if Council deems necessary, this review can occur every 5 years. The Official Plan is the overarching document that provides the vision for the future of the municipality. This comprehensive planning document identifies infrastructure requirements, growth strategies, transit delivery methods, built form design requirements and land use designations for all lands within the municipal boundary. Ultimately, the Official Plan guides the formation of the municipal implementation tools such as, the zoning by-law, site plan by-law and other municipal documents. This review requires Municipal Council direction to move forward and at this time is considered a multi-phase process. The attached Terms of Reference is an outline of the entire review process. Reporting Structure and Working Groups Presentations to the Committee of the Whole (Strategy and Policy Committee after December 1, 2011) will be conducted at major milestones of the OP Review to facilitate direct dialogue with staff and the public. The Built and Natural Environment Committee (Planning and Environment Committee after December 1, 2011) will act as the oversight committee for the review process. Reports relating to the Official Plan review process will be vetted through the Built and Natural Environment Committee (Planning and Environment Committee), who will then forward their recommendations to Council. Working groups (composed of City staff, technical experts from various organizations, agencies and ministries, consultants, and members of the public) will be formed to provide input in the preparation of Background Studies and Discussion Papers, and the formulation of the Plan. It is proposed that Working Groups be established along the following “interest” streams:

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• A Community Working Group; • A Development Industry Working Group; and, • Provincial/agency/area municipalities Working Group. The work of each group will be coordinated by City Planning staff. Working Groups will: • Review information from the related Background Studies;

• Review input from the community consultation process and identify key issues and priorities arising from them; • Assist with developing the vision for the City, including strategic directions and key initiatives; • Evaluate alternative strategies for the resolution of identified issues; and, • Provide input and review Discussion Papers. Where appropriate, Working Groups may participate in focus group sessions to obtain input from key external agencies and interest groups that will have a stake in the outcome of the review process. The Working Groups will remain in place until the completion of the Official Plan Review process. Public Consultation Perhaps the most important component of any Official Plan Review process is public consultation. A community public engagement program will be designed to: • Inform groups, agencies and the general public about the Official Plan Review Process; • Involve as many Londoners as is reasonably possible in the process through a variety of traditional and innovative consultation techniques that will maximize accessibility and

input; • Fulfil all requirements of the Planning Act for public information, notice and meetings;

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• Seek public involvement in all stages of the planning process. Input on issues, ideas and priorities will be important in the early stages of the program and the feedback from the review of the Background Studies and Position Papers will assist in the refinement or re-direction of objectives and/or policies; and,

• Provide for the careful documentation and reporting of all community input such that it is clearly understood and documented. Process and Timelines Process: Figure 1 illustrates the proposed Official Plan Review process. The process anticipates that a request for issue identification be circulated to identified stakeholders for consideration and comment. Following this consultation period, a refined Terms of Reference would be prepared and brought forward to a statutory public meeting of the Planning Committee for confirmation and adoption. Visioning and establishing a Planning framework, followed by Issue identification would be completed in Phase 2 as part of the public engagement and consultation program. Background Studies will be undertaken in Phase 3. Discussion Papers, which will include summary recommendations outlining a proposed policy framework, will be prepared as an addendum to Background Studies. Individual Background Studies will be brought forward to the Strategy and Policy Committee as they are completed. The Studies will subsequently be released for public review and comment. Upon completion of all of the Background Studies, Planning staff will set about to prepare a draft comprehensive Official Plan Amendment in Phase 4. The draft comprehensive amendment would be “rolled out” through a series of issue specific Public Forums, as determined/warranted by the Public Engagement & Consultation Program, wherein input would be solicited. In the last phase of the review, Phase 5, the draft Official Plan Amendment would be subsequently refined and thereafter brought forward to the Statutory Public Meeting of the Built and Natural Environment Committee for confirmation and approval. Timelines: It is anticipated that the Official Plan Review process will take approximately 18 to 20 months to complete, commencing with Phase 2 in January 2012 with the public vision & planning framework, and issue identification, and seeking confirmation and final approval in April 2013 to June 2013. This time frame is based on the possible range of issues that may be raised by the public in Phase 2; the completion and outcome of a land needs study; consulting services that may be required for certain component studies; and an exhaustive, interactive public engagement program throughout the process. The following is an overview of each Phase, including a draft timeline for the anticipated work program. The timeline may be refined subject to the identification of additional issues, or needs, through the initial and subsequent public consultation components. The scheduling of the public consultation component and the summer holiday schedule is factored into the development of the project timeline.

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Figure 1 – Official Plan Review Process

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Phase 1 – Setting the Stage Project Details Project Components Resource Deliverables Timeline Preliminary Terms of Reference

In-house Draft document for public circulation September 2011

Final Terms of Reference In-house Document for Council consideration and Confirmation to Proceed with OP Review

December 2011

Growth Forecasting for Land Needs Evaluation

Outsourced Population and Employment, Housing and Non-Residential Projections

December 2011

Scope of Work Planning Staff to undertake & prepare Terms of Reference: > Indentify the preliminary scope for the work plan, deliverables and proposed timelines > Emphasis on the public engagement program through consultation and communication methods to reach the public > Data collection and report preparation and finalization for the Built and Natural Environment Committee/Council. The consultant will assist City Planning staff in the following: > Review the City’s forecasts for population, housing and land requirements, and confirm that they are accurate and current for the 2011 Official Plan Review. Phase 2 – Vision and Planning Framework Project DetailsPject Components Project Components Resource Deliverables Timeline Communications and Consultation Strategy

Strategy Preparation Outsourced/Staff Public Engagement Program January 2012 – February 2012

Brand Development Outsourced Logos, Project Naming, etc January 2012 – February 2012 Technology Development Outsourced Website Engagement Tool

/Social Media/Mobile Apps and other January 2012 – February 2012

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technology oriented services Material Preparation Outsourced Print Materials (ie brochures, email blasts,

pdfs, event invitations, etc) January 2012 – February 2012

Strategy Implementation Outsourced Delivery of recommended deliverables from the Communications Strategy (ie Event coordination, marketing, media coordination, online services, etc)

February 2012 – June 2013

Public Engagement – Vision Setting

Public Outreach Outsourced/Staff Facilitating and operating a Public Open House and other forms of public consultation to identify “Vision” as it relates to the following: - How & Where does City grow, - What does the City look like, and - a User-friendly OP document

February 2012

Data Collection and Report Development relating to public engagement process

Outsourced/Staff Collect and decipher data from the public review process. Prepare report for BNEC/Council with identified community issues and other data collected through the process

February 2012 – September 2012

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Public Engagement – Issue Identification

Public Outreach Outsourced/Staff Facilitating and operating a Public Open House and other forms of public consultation to solicit issue identification

May 2012


Outsourced/Staff Collect and decipher data from the public review process. Prepare report for BNEC/Council with identified community issues and other data collected through the process

May 2012 – September 2012

Lands Needs Background Study

Confirm the land requirement projections, identify priority areas for development based on cost – effective servicing considerations, and evaluate individual requests for adjustments to the Urban Growth Boundary

Outsourced/Staff Review and evaluation of data projections prepared by consultant; if needed, develop criteria to be considered in evaluating and prioritizing lands for inclusion in the Urban Growth Boundary.

January 2012 – March 2012

Growth Plan and Urban Structure Plan

Develop a growth plan and Urban Structure Plan.

Outsourced/Staff Review and evaluation of data received through public vision session, and develop criteria, if needed, to be considered in evaluating and applying hierarchy to certain lands through a nodes & corridor study.

February 2012 – September 2012

Scope of Work Communications and Consultation Strategy The consultant will assist City Planning staff in the following: > Develop and implement a public engagement program, including the possibility of a website engagement tool, that encourage Londoners to get involved with creating a future

vision for their City, including:

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o community vision for the City of London over the next 20 year planning horizon, o current planning issues within the City of London.

> Identifying a preliminary community vision, based on public feedback, for the City of London over the next 20 year planning horizon. > Identifying current planning issues, based on public feedback, within the City of London. > Data collection and report preparation and finalization for the Built and Natural Environment Committee/Council. > Oversee each Phase of the Official Plan Review, and integrate public issues that are raised in each Phase of the project to ensure the issue is addressed/signed-off before

proceeding with next Phase, or as part of completing the last Phase - Confirmation and Final Approval. Land Needs Background Study The following specific tasks are proposed to be completed by City Planning staff and the Consultant: > Review the 2005 Provincial Policy Statement as it directly and indirectly relates to land needs, in particular Section 1.1.3 (Settlement Areas), and formulate revised policies

that may be required in the Official Plan to ensure consistency with the provisions of the PPS; > Review the City’s forecasts for population, housing and land requirements, and confirm that they are accurate and current for the 2011 Official Plan Review; > Review and update the Vacant Residential Land Inventory and the Vacant Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Land Inventory so that they are accurate and current as of

January 1st, 2012; > If needed, develop criteria to be considered in evaluating and prioritizing lands for inclusion in the Urban Growth Boundary; and > Itemize, define and evaluate proposals that have been referred by City Council, or received directly from landowners, for adjustments to the Urban Growth Boundary. Growth Plan and Urban Structure Plan The following specific tasks are proposed to be completed by City Planning staff and the Consultant: > Evaluate public input from Vision sessions on growth for the City; > Review the 2005 Provincial Policy Statement as it directly and indirectly relates to growth planning, in particular Sections 1.1 and 1.2 (Managing and Directing Land Use to

Achieve Efficient Development and Land Use Patterns, and Coordination), and formulate revised policies that may be required in the Official Plan to ensure consistency with the provisions of the PPS;

> Review, with area municipal planners and the Provincial officials, the need for regional growth strategies; > If needed, develop criteria to be considered in evaluating and establishing hierarchy of certain lands through a nodes & corridor study; > Formulate criteria and graphics to identify and prioritize areas for future development, based on corporate priorities and cost-effective servicing considerations; and > Itemize, define and evaluate proposals that have been referred by City Council, or received directly from landowners, for priority growth areas.

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Phase 3 – Studies & Research Project DetailsPject Components Project Components Resource Deliverables Timeline Best Practices Review

Validate the issues raised through the public engagement program in Phase 2.

In-house Prepare report for BNEC/Council with identified community issues and other data collected through the process.

June 2012

Issues Papers Confirm information required to complete the Plan.

In-house Review and evaluate identified issues based on public input; prepare implementation strategy, if necessary, for the evaluation and prioritization of lands for inclusion in the Urban Growth Boundary.

June 2012 – November 2012

Background Studies

Confirm information required to complete the Plan.

Outsourced (as required) /Staff

Review and evaluation of study components, raised through the public review process, including servicing, transportation, natural heritage, and cultural heritage.

June 2012 – November 2012

Public Engagement Public Outreach Outsourced/Staff Facilitating and operating various forms of

public consultation methods as it relates to issue papers and background studies, above.

December 2012/January 2013


Outsourced Collect and analyze data from the public review process. Prepare report for BNEC/Council with identified community issues and other data collected through the process.

February 2013

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Scope of Work Public Engagement Program The consultant will assist City Planning staff in the following: > Identify public issues in response to issue papers and background studies. > Data collection and report preparation and finalization for the Built and Natural Environment Committee/Council. > Oversee each Phase of the Official Plan Review, and integrate public issues that are raised in each Phase of the project to ensure the issue is addressed/signed-off before

proceeding with next Phase, or as part of completing the last Phase - Confirmation and Final Approval.

In-house and Outsourced Background Studies and Issues Papers The Official Plan represents the City of London’s blueprint for the future. Adding, deleting and modifying policies through the Official Plan Review process is critical in aligning this blueprint with Council’s goals and objectives for the future. Given the myriad of issues to be addressed through the Official Plan Review process, consulting services will be required to supplement staff resources. The proposed Work Plan anticipates that consultants will be retained to assist in the preparation of the Land Needs Background Study, and certain planning, design, environmental, natural heritage or cultural heritage studies. It is proposed that upon completion of issue identification, in Phase 1, specific Background Studies for this review be further refined to provide a detailed description of the scope of work to be undertaken by the Consultants and the relevant deliverables. A Request for Proposals will be prepared, issued and reported to Council.

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Phase 4 – The Plan Project Details Components Project Components Resource Deliverables Timeline Policy Development and Formulation

Identify, evaluate and develop new policies, new land use designations and associated policies, a revised format and layout of the OP document, and new implementation tools.

In-house Review and evaluate public feedback, background studies and best practices for the preparation of new policies, new land use designations and mapping, if applicable and incorporate new implementation tools, such as form-based code & performance standards, and conditional zoning.

January 2013 – April 2013

Public Engagement Public Outreach Outsourced/Staff Facilitating and operating various forms of public consultation methods for public feedback on the draft OP document.

March 2013


Outsourced Collect and decipher data from the process. Prepare report for BNEC/Council with identified community issues and other data collected through the process

March 2013 – April 2013

Scope of Work Public Engagement Program The consultant will assist City Planning staff in the following: > Identify public issues relating to the draft OP document, including format, layout and readability. > Data collection and report preparation and finalization for the Built and Natural Environment Committee/Council. > Oversee each Phase of the Official Plan Review, and integrate public issues that are raised in each Phase of the project to ensure the issue is addressed/signed-off before

proceeding with next Phase, or as part of completing the last Phase - Confirmation and Final Approval. Policy Development and Formulation The final product to be generated from the Official Plan Review Process is an Official Plan Amendment. The Official Plan Amendment would reflect the summary

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recommendations advanced by way of the various Phase 3 Background Studies, public feedback and best practice review. The Amendment may propose the replacement or modification of existing Official Plan policy or may propose new policy that more accurately reflects the priorities that have been identified through the review process. Once prepared in draft form, the policies will be released to the public for review. Public forums will be held to provide an opportunity for feedback and comment. It is anticipated that issues may arise with respect to some of the proposed policies, or the need identified for some additional policies to address detailed or site specific concerns. Phase 5 – Confirmation & Approval Project Details Components Project Components Resource Deliverables Timeline Committee/Council consideration of the Plan

Material Preparation and Mapping

In-house Planning report and Official Plan Amendment

June 2013

Statutory Public Meeting In-house Facilitate the Statutory Public Meeting June 2013 Scope of Work Public Engagement Program The consultant will assist City Planning staff in the following: > Oversee each Phase of the Official Plan Review, and integrate public issues that are raised in each Phase of the project to ensure the issue is addressed/signed-off before

proceeding with next Phase, or as part of completing the last Phase - Confirmation and Final Approval. Committee/Council Consideration of the Plan Following public input and any identified issues from Phase 4 have been addressed, a statutory public meeting of the Built and Natural Environment Committee will be held at which the final draft Official Plan Amendment will be tabled for consideration and Council Approval.

Documents

File No. 2011 Official Plan Review Planner: G. BARRETT TO ... · process is Council’s approval of the “Growth Planning Review”, the “Urban Structure Plan”, and completion