Hello, I have prepared these…

Hello, I have prepared these comments as a response to ERO # 019-6813, Review of proposed policies adapted from A Place to Grow and Provincial Policy Statement to form a new provincial planning policy instrument.

I have reviewed the material and I am in general agreement with urban intensification and many other aspects outlined in the proposal.

To keep this succinct, I will just comment on aspects which I have concerns with, and I will provide some suggestions for consideration.

1. I disagree with anything that allows municipalities more flexibility in developing rural properties. In many rural areas of the province, we have monster houses being built with long driveways. This is not appropriate use of our land, resources, and labour. Let's focus on urban intensification.

2. Under the Natural Heritage System, section 4.1(3), Ecoregion 5E should also include the identification of Natural Heritage Systems. I would suggest even further that we should be considering the same provision for Ecoregion 1E to 7E. I think we would have a better respect for the area that live/work/play.

3. I don't understand Figure 7 and what the Natural Heritage Protection Line is. It appears it's limited to Ecoregion 5E, but that does not seem correct with Section 4.1.

4. Section 4.3.3: I disagree with allowing up to three (3) lots to be created on farmland, or prime agricultural land for that matter. I do agree with intensifying housing units on agricultural lands, but I draw the lines as severances and lot creation.

Some suggestions for consideration:

A. Restrict the size of homes. Nobody needs anything greater than 3000 sq.ft., perhaps even 2500 sq.ft. This would save on building materials, labour, and build time.

B. Create a maximum setback distance for homes and buildings. This would create better land use and encourage the creation of ecological corridors.

C. Give people a sense of love and belonging to the natural world. Historically we have not been so disconnected from the environment. But now we run the risk of losing the cultural connection to the earth, water, and sky. We're losing the earth due to urban expansion and sprawl, we're losing our cool clean water resources, and we're losing our sky by illuminating these new developments with light pollution. We are losing are connectedness.

With all due respect, listen to the people. We love farmland, we love the Greenbelt, we love healthy ecosystems, and we love Communities that can coexist with all of these.