At the City of Waterloo we have begun a review of our Official Plan. An Official Plan is a municipality’s primary strategic document for guiding land use and development. Our Official Plan contains the goals and objectives of the community and establishes the policies that direct the form, extent, nature and rate of growth and change of our City. Official Plans are generally designed to guide community decisions for a set period of time – usually 20 years.
In December 2007 Staff took a report to Council that outlined the final objectives for the new Official Plan (download a copy of Report DS-07-58). Since that time, City Staff has been drafting proposed Official Plan policies that build upon the Objectives in the following key theme areas:
a) City Form;
b) Networks;
c) Arts, Culture, Heritage, Recreation and Leisure;
d) Environment and Energy;
e) Economy (including Knowledge and Technology);
f) Land Use Designations; and
g) Implementation of the Plan.
Progress to Date
Staff have tabled a total of 6 Discussion Papers with Council in 2009 and 2010. These Discussion Papers present draft policies on 5 key theme areas. Discussion Papers tabled to date include:
• City Form Discussion Paper (DS-09-08), April 2009;
• Arts, Culture, Heritage, Recreation and Leisure (DS-09-30), May 2009;
• Networks and Transportation System Discussion Paper (DS-09-22), June 2009; and,
• Economy Discussion Paper (DS-09-44), September 2009.
• Environment, Energy and Mineral Aggregates (DS-09-63) January 25, 2010 (New)
• Plan Introduction and Implementation (DS-09-56) January 25, 2010 (New)
In addition to the Discussion Papers above, 2 Background Studies have been prepared that support the Official Plan Review. These documents are:
• Commercial Policy Review, April 2009; and
• Employment Areas Review (DS-09-62), August 2009.
To view these documents, please click here.
Staff report DS2010-022 “Plan it Waterloo: Process Update“ http://www.city.waterloo.on.ca/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=1685 was received by Council on May 10, 2010. This report recognized new timelines for the Official Plan Review Process. The revised timelines and process is as follows:
Revised Process
1) Tabling the Land Use Policies Discussion Paper with Council
With the Land Use Policies Discussion Paper tabled on June 21st, all Discussion Papers will have been released for public input, and the public consultation phase will begin.
2) Open Houses and other Meetings
Open Houses are scheduled; for June 23 (Wednesday) and June 29 (Tuesday). These Open Houses will not include staff presentations, but rather information will be available to view (and take home), staff will be available to answer any questions, and comment sheets will be available to leave comments. Both Open Houses will take place in the Council Chambers at City Hall, during the following times:
In addition to these Open Houses, staff will be meeting with landowners, Committees of Council, regulatory agenices, and any other stakeholder (inclucing individulas) who wish to discuss the Official Plan Review. These meetings will occur throughout the summer and into the fall.
3) Preparation of a final Official Plan for Council/ Statutory Public Meeting- Staff will review, summarize, and where appropriate, incorporate comments into the Official Plan over the winter months of 2010, and anticipate to hold a Statutory Public Meeting for Counci consideraton of a new Official Plan in early 2011.
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