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Topic: Council approves Regional Official Plan

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Marc Xuereb Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:46 am	On June 16, 2009, Regional Council approved the final draft of the Regional Official Plan (ROP), with a few amendments which asked the province to defer approval of certain sections. The province has 180 days from the date of the ROP's approval to decide whether to approve or reject the Plan in whole or in part, and anyone who made a written or oral comment on the Plan then has 20 days to appeal the province's decision. If there are no appeals, the ROP becomes law the day after the appeal period (approximately January 2010). After much discussion, Council voted to ask the province to defer approval of the Protected Countryside designation as a whole until further public consultations with affected landowners are conducted in the Fall. It also voted to ask the province to defer approval of the Regional Recharge Area and Protected Countryside designations for Southwest Kitchener pending further information from the Grand River Conservation Authority and the forthcoming Regional Transportation Master Plan. The new section on Access to Healthy and Local Food was approved as part of the motion approving the entire document. I will post a reply to this message with highlights of the motions passed at the Council meeting and the final approved text of the Access to Healthy and Local Foods sections. Full minutes of the Council meeting, including summaries of comments from delegations and Councilors and full text of motions, can be read here: http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/20d9d740d781bb27852575dd006e6b66!OpenDocument. The staff report to the meeting which explains staff's rationale for what was included in the final draft can be read here (see report P-09-061 and attachments): http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/f778148d6363ee1b852575d30053cf5f!OpenDocument. The full text of the final ROP can be read here: http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/4ecb64102988c6c0852574c8006c8800!OpenDocument. The Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable made comments on both the first and second drafts of the ROP. First draft: http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/files/www/WR%20FOOD%20SYSTEM%20ROUNDTABLE%20ROP%20RESPONSE.pdf Second draft: http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/files/www/ROUNDTABLE_2ND_DRAFT_ROP_RESPONSE.pdf
Marc Xuereb Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:49 am	Below are some highlights of the June 16, 2009 Council meeting at which the final version of the ROP was approved. It starts with the main motion, then two amendments to the motion are voted on, and then finally the vote on the main motion. Full minutes can be read at http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/20d9d740d781bb27852575dd006e6b66!OpenDocument. MOVED by J. Wideman SECONDED by J. Brewer THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo approve the following with regard to the proposed new Regional Official Plan, as explained in report P-09-061 dated June 16, 2009: Enact a By-law to repeal the existing Regional Official Policies Plan, as amended, and adopt the proposed new Regional Official Plan as set out in Attachment 1 as amended; Direct staff to prepare and issue a Notice of Adoption of the new Regional Official Plan in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act, and forward this Notice to all persons and public bodies that made an oral submission at one of the Regional Official Plan public meetings, made a written submission to Regional Council before its decision to adopt the new Regional Official Plan, or had previously requested a copy of such Notice; Forward the new Regional Official Plan and all required information to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for consideration; Modify Table 1 to show the 2029 population for the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo as 313,000 and 137,000, respectively; and Request that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing defer consideration of any land use designation on the ROP maps as they relate to the lands legally described as Lots 3,5,6,7 and 8, Parts of Alley, Registered Plan No. 593 and Part of Lot 44, GCT, City of Waterloo, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, designated as PARTS 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 11, Plan 58R-9681. TOGETHER with a right-of-way over Part of Lot 44, GCT, City of Waterloo, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, designated as PART 5, Plan 58R-9681 (known locally as the McNally Lands), to permit the City of Waterloo, through its Official Plan process, to determine appropriate local area designation for the lands. MOVED by T. Galloway SECONDED by C. Zehr THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo defer consideration of the adoption of the Regional Recharge Area and Protected Countryside designations in southwest Kitchener, more particularly depicted on Maps 4, 6g and 7, and bounded by the Kitchener Urban Area boundary, New Dundee Road and Trussler Road, pending Council’s review of the Grand River Conservation Authority’s Tier 2 Integrated Water Budget and Stress Assessment process for the Grand River Watershed, including the application of a regional-scale coupled groundwater/surface water model and any associated information and analysis affecting or potentially affecting this area as well as the Regional Transportation Master Plan. CARRIED Yeas: K. Denouden, T. Galloway, R. Kelterborn, W. Roth, K. Seiling, J. Smola, B. Strauss, S. Strickland, J. Wideman, C. Zehr. Nays: J. Brewer, D. Craig, J. Haalboom, B. Halloran, C. Millar, J. Mitchell J. Wideman introduced a motion requesting the Minister to defer approval of the protected countryside described in policy 6B and shown on Map 7. He expressed his concern for due process, citing the example of the ESL lands. That process resulted in a stronger ESL policy, after the policy was revised following community engagement. Members of Council expressed that the Region needs to execute the protected countryside policy such that it is correct in every way, and an extensive consultative process is needed because it is so important to the ROP. They emphasized that this motion does not seek to weaken the protected countryside. Members of Council asked for how long the approval would be deferred. It was noted that the Ministry would take approximately six months to approve the ROP, and the consultation would occur in that time. Members of Council emphasized that this process would be consultative in nature. Some members of Council expressed concern that this deferral might be weakening the hard line. Members of Council indicated that they seek to strengthen the countryside line, and that consultation would help in that regard. MOVED by J. Wideman SECONDED by W. Roth THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo adopt, but request the Province to defer approval of the Protected Countryside, described in Policy 6.B and shown on Map 7, and all references thereto in order to provide additional information and consultation with the community, including all affected property owners, of the implications of implementing this designation. CARRIED MAIN MOTION CARRIED, as amended Yeas: J. Brewer, D. Craig, K. Denouden, T. Galloway, B. Halloran, R. Kelterborn, J. Mitchell W. Roth, K. Seiling, J. Smola, B. Strauss, S. Strickland, J. Wideman, C. Zehr. Nays: J. Haalboom, C. Millar
Marc Xuereb Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:56 am	Below are excerpts from the final version of the ROP approved by Regional Council on June 16, 2009. Chapter 2 - Shaping Waterloo Region's Urban Communities General Development Policies 2.D.1 In preparing or reviewing planning studies, or in reviewing development applications or site plans, the Region and/or Area Municipalities will ensure that development occurring within the Urban Area is planned and developed in a manner that: ... (g) facilitates residents’ access to locally grown and other healthy foods in neighbourhoods; Transit Oriented Development Policies 2.D.2 In addition to the general development provisions described in Policy 2.D.1, the Region and Area Municipalities will apply the following Transit Oriented Development provisions in reviewing development applications or site plans, on or near sites that are served by existing or planned rapid transit, or higher frequency transit to ensure that development: ... (c) provides an appropriate mix of land uses, including a range of food destinations, that allows people to walk or take transit to work, and also provides for a variety of services and amenities that foster vibrant, transit-supportive neighbourhoods; Urban Designated Greenfield Areas 2.D.17 Area Municipalities, in collaboration with the Region, will ensure that development occurring in Urban Designated Greenfield Areas will be planned and developed to: ... (c)establish a network of continuous sidewalks, community trails and bicycle pathways that provide direct, safe, comfortable and convenient linkages within the neighbourhood and externally to other neighbourhoods, including linkages to transit stops, employment areas, school sites, food destinations and community facilities; Chapter 3 - Liveability in waterloo Region 3.F Access to Locally Grown and Other Healthy Foods The regional food system consists of the chain of activities related to the production, processing, distribution, consumption and eventual disposal of food. A strong and diverse regional food system provides many benefits to the community. It facilitates peoples’ access to locally grown and other healthy foods, which contributes to healthier eating choices and the achievement of broader public health objectives. It also encourages a range of food destinations within easy walking distance of where people live and work. Such a system helps shorten the distance that food travels and that people travel to buy food, thereby reducing the demand on transportation infrastructure and the growth in vehicle emissions. As well, a strong regional food system supports local farmers and contributes to the vitality and economic strength of rural communities and Waterloo Region as a whole. For these reasons, this Plan seeks to strengthen and diversify the regional food system. 3.F.1 The Region will support the development of a strong regional food system through the policies in this Plan that: (a) establish a Countryside Line to protect the countryside for long-term agricultural use; (b) permit a full range of agricultural uses, farm-related uses and secondary uses to support the economic viability of local farms; (c) provide for a mix of land uses, including food destinations, within close proximity of each other to facilitate residents’ access to locally grown and other healthy food products; and (d) provide a range of human services including affordable housing, subsidized daycare, employment and income supports that seek to ensure all residents have adequate incomes to be able to afford to buy locally grown and other healthy food products. 3.F.2 Area Municipalities will establish policies in their official plans to permit temporary farmers’ markets, wherever appropriate, in existing and newly planned neighbourhoods, particularly in areas where access to locally grown food and other healthy food products may currently be limited. 3.F.3 Area Municipalities will establish policies in their official plans that encourage community gardens and rooftop gardens. 3.F.4 The Region will support community gardens, wherever feasible, by granting access to Regional lands, and by providing rain barrels, composting bins, compost, wood mulch or other forms of in-kind support. 3.F.5 The Region will collaborate with stakeholders to continue to implement initiatives supporting the development of a strong regional food system. 3.F.6 The Region supports food system planning as a means of improving the regional food system.