INTENSIFICATION AND DENSITY…

INTENSIFICATION AND DENSITY TARGETS

Staff Comments
Proposed Amendment 1 clarifies the Greenfield Density Target policies for lower tier municipalities. ‘Alternative Targets’ approved by the Minister would remain in effect until such time that the County of Simcoe undertakes it’s next Municipal Comprehensive Review and finalizes it’s Official Plan policy to implement the MCR.
Amendment 1 further alters the new targets Simcoe County must implement through the next County MCR process from 80 Residents and Jobs per Hectare to 40 Residents /Jobs per Hectare for lower tier municipalities, which is a more achievable target.
Township staff are satisfied with the proposed changes of Amendment 1, which amends the requirement from 60% of new growth occurring with the Designated Built-up Area to ‘Maintain or improve current minimum target’, which is 15% for Springwater. Township Staff are not recommending or requesting any changes to the proposed intensification and density targets of Amendment 1.

SETTLEMENT AREA BOUNDARY EXPANSIONS

Staff Comments

The above noted changes to Section 2.2.8 provide the Township with increased flexibility for limited expansions of Settlement Area Boundaries in advance of a Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR).
While the Province is providing Municipalities with greater flexibility, Township staff encourage the Province to reconsider the changes to policy 2.2.8.3, which remove the requirement for Environmental Assessment and Agricultural Impact Assessment as part of a settlement area boundary expansion as these policies conflict with the Provincial mandate to protect high quality agricultural land and the environment, which has not changed. As such, expansions should only be permitted where Prime Agricultural lands and significant Natural Features have been reviewed to determine the impacts associated with such expansions.
Lower and Upper tier municipalities are required to complete a Land Inventory and a component of that exercise is determining whether there is excess land available for development. Staff is concerned that revised policy 2.2.8.4 does not provide sufficient criteria to warrant a settlement expansion and is of the opinion that excess land within a settlement should be considered prior to expanding settlement area boundaries outward.
In addition, Township staff request additional clarification from the Province related to changes in policies 2.2.8.5 and 2.2.8.6 as it is unclear whether the maximum expansion size of 40 hectares applies to each settlement area individually or as a total for each Municipality.

EMPLOYMENT PLANNING

Staff Comments

Given the long-term protection afforded to Employment Lands generally found within Provincial Planning legislation, Township staff are concerned about the impact that such significant revisions could have on the Township’s industrial land supply. Enhanced pressure for employment conversions could limit the ability of the Township to meet job and employment targets.

RURAL SETTLEMENTS

Staff Comments

The addition of a “Rural Settlement” definition will give greater clarity and status to existing estate residential developments across Ontario. While Township staff do not encourage or support the development of new Rural Settlements on private services, there may exist opportunities to intensify these areas with minimal impact on the natural and agricultural system.
As such, the Provincial language found within policy 2.2.9.7, which allows for a “minor adjustment” to “round out” the Rural Settlement boundary is a practical approach provided additional criteria is available to better define what constitutes ‘Minor’.

NATURAL HERITAGE AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Staff Comments

The Province is proposing to amend the previously implemented top-down approach to Agricultural and Natural Heritage Mapping to a process that allows more refined Local and County mapping to inform the Provincial level prior to the next Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR), which provides clarification with respect to implementation.
These changes will ultimately result in more accurate Agricultural and Natural Heritage system mapping by allowing more detailed local data to be relied upon instead of generalized Provincial mapping. These changes reflect Township comments sent to the Province on October 2, 2017 which requested that the mapping incorporate local knowledge and provide for transition.

MAJOR TRANSIT STATION AREAS

Staff Comments

Township staff have no comments related to Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) as no such areas exist within the Township of Springwater.