Council Orientation: Amendment No. 128 to the Durham Regional - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Council Orientation: Amendment No. 128 to the Durham Regional Official Plan (ROPA 128) December 1, 2010

ROPA 128 Meeting Agenda

• Provide background regarding the Provincial

Growth Plan and the Growing Durham Study

• Provide an overview of ROPA 128 and the

Provincial Decision and Non-decision

• Identify issues of concern to Oshawa
• Outline next steps
• Question and Answer session

Provincial Growth Plan

ROPA 128 Provincial Growth Plan

• June 2006: Provincial Places To Grow:

Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

• Regional and local municipalities are to

manage growth by:

– Directing a portion of growth to built-up areas through intensification; and – Planning development in greenfield areas to achieve increased densities

ROPA 128 Provincial Growth Plan

• Specific targets:

– Region and its area municipalities to provide for 960,000 persons and 350,000 jobs by 2031 – Urban Growth Centres (e.g. Downtown Oshawa) to achieve a target of 200 people and jobs per hectare by 2031; – 40% of new residential development is to occur within built-up urban areas starting in 2015; and

ROPA 128

– Greenfield development is to achieve a target of 50 people and jobs per hectare.

• Region and City must amend their Official

Plans to implement the Growth Plan

ROPA 128

Growing Durham Study

ROPA 128 Growing Durham Study

• In August 2007 Region initiated the Growing

Durham Study to bring the Regional Official Plan into conformity with the Provincial Growth Plan

• Urban Strategies Inc. and C.N. Watson and

Associates were the Region’s consultants

ROPA 128 Growing Durham Study

• Study looked at scenarios for Region to

accommodate:

– 960,000 people by 2031 – 350,000 jobs by 2031

• 3 scenarios identified and assessed:

– Continuing a Dominant Western Anchor – Focusing on a Central Hub for Durham – Reinforcing Existing Communities

ROPA 128 Growing Durham Study

• “Reinforcing Existing Communities” scenario

selected

• Key aspects of “reinforcing” scenario for

Region:

– Balanced future growth across the shoreline area municipalities – Measured future growth in northern municipalities – Hwy 407 flanked primarily by future Employment Areas from Pickering to Oshawa

ROPA 128 Growing Durham Study

• Key aspects of “reinforcing” scenario for City:

– Columbus Area considered as designated Greenfield lands – Future Employment Area expansion (2031) on both sides of Hwy 407 centered on Simcoe Street, and flanking Harmony Road south of Hwy 407 – Central focus on Downtown Oshawa Urban Growth Centre

ROPA 128 Growing Durham Study

• The “reinforcing” scenario and policy

directions involve fundamental changes to the way development and growth has

• ccurred up to now, e.g.:

– more intensive development and higher densities in greenfield areas – Increased infill development at higher densities – Greater emphasis on a balanced mix of uses to achieve “complete communities”

ROPA 128 Growing Durham Study

• Comments were provided to the Region by

Oshawa throughout the study

• City Council supported the recommended

“reinforcing” Growth Scenario and general policy directions

• No fiscal impact analysis was undertaken as

part of the Growing Durham Study

Adoption of ROPA 128

ROPA 128 Adoption of ROPA 128

• Regional Council supported the Growing

Durham Study and it was converted to a ROPA in order to ensconce the principles of the study into the Regional OP

• On June 3, 2009 ROPA 128 was adopted by

Regional Council to implement the recommendations of the Growing Durham Study

ROPA 128 Adoption of ROPA 128

• Population & Employment Forecasts:

– ROPA 128 proposes the following forecasts for Oshawa by 2031:

• Population

197,005

• Households

82,590

• Employment

90,795

• City Council supported these forecasts

ROPA 128 Adoption of ROPA 128

• Intensification Allocations:

– ROPA 128 proposes area specific intensification allocations – For Oshawa, 39% of all new residential units are to be developed within the built boundary annually from 2015 to 2031

• City Council supported this intensification

allocation

ROPA 128 Adoption of ROPA 128

• Living Areas

– ROPA 128 proposes to:

• Redesignate lands from Employment Area to Living Area in

northeast Oshawa (Kedron Planning Area) due to the northerly shift of the Highway 407 corridor; and

• Expand the Urban Area boundary and approve a Living Area

designation in the Columbus area. These lands were proposed to be designated as Living Area in the DROP since 1993 but deferred by the Province

• City Council supported these changes

ROPA 128 Adoption of ROPA 128

Existing Durham Official Plan ROPA 128 Changes Adopted by Regional Council

ROPA 128 Adoption of ROPA 128

• Employment Areas:

– ROPA 128 proposes to:

• Expand the urban area boundary and add Employment

Areas in northeast Oshawa (Kedron area) on both sides of Harmony Road North and on the east side of Ritson Road North

• Expand the urban area boundary and add Employment

Areas for most of the remaining lands north and south of Highway 407, east and west of Simcoe Street North

• City Council supported these changes

Provincial Draft Decision on ROPA 128

ROPA 128 Provincial Draft Decision

• On March 12, 2010 Province released its

draft decision on ROPA 128

• In May 2010 City staff prepared a report on

Province’s draft decision which recommended:

– Supporting the Employment Area lands on both sides

• f Harmony Road North

– Objecting to the inclusion of housing unit allocations by area municipality

ROPA 128

– Objecting to the inclusion of separate minimum density targets for Employment Areas and non- employment lands – Objecting to the prohibition of certain uses, such as

• ffices and business parks, from Employment Areas

– Introducing new policies for the Columbus area including buffering, restricting types of Employment uses permitted in the gateway area and phasing – New policies for the Columbus area including buffering, restricting types of Employment uses permitted in the gateway area and phasing

ROPA 128 Provincial Draft Decision

• On June 25, 2010 City Council referred the

report to back staff pending Provincial decision

Formal Provincial Decision on ROPA 128

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

• On October 27, 2010 Province released its

final decision on ROPA 128

• Province chose to:

– Approve parts – Deny parts – Issue non-decision on parts (i.e., more consultation required)

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

ROPA 128 as Adopted by Regional Council Provincial Decision/Non-decision

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

• Key elements supported by the City that were

delivered include:

– recognition of key economic drivers such as UOIT/Durham College, and Highway 401 and 407 – Support for a target ratio of jobs to population of 50% – Permission to consider major retail uses along the north side of Taunton Road West between Goodman and Oshawa Creeks

• However, City did not get everything Council

supported

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

• Accordingly, on November 16, 2010 staff

appealed the Province’s decision and non- decision on ROPA 128 because:

– Population & Employment Forecasts:

• The Province withheld a decision with respect to the

population and employment forecasts for Oshawa and those

• f Durham’s other lakeshore municipalities

– Intensification Allocations:

• The Province withheld a decision on the intensification

allocations

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

• Living Areas:

– The Province withheld a decision on the Urban Area Boundary expansion and Living Area designation in the Columbus area

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

• Employment Areas:

– The Province:

• Refused the Urban Area Boundary expansion and

Employment Area designations in northeast Oshawa (Kedron area)

• Withheld a decision with respect to Employment Area

designations in the vicinity of Simcoe Street North, both north and south of Highway 407

ROPA 128 Formal Provincial Decision

• The overall effect of the Provincial refusals

and non-decision with respect to urban boundary expansions leaves the City with no approved urban boundary expansions and with a net loss of Employment land supply

• The Province’s actions do not implement the

Provincial Growth Plan, are not in the City’s best interests and do not represent good planning

Appeals to OMB Re: ROPA 128

ROPA 128 Appeals to ROPA 128

• City has appealed
• Approximately 70 appeals to the OMB have

been submitted by others

• The Provincial decision is not final until the
• utstanding appeals are dealt with by the

Ontario Municipal Board

ROPA 128 and City Official Plan

ROPA 128 Appeals to OMB

• New Regional Urban Area Boundary expansions are

important for future flexibility

• Policies can be included in the Oshawa Official Plan

to ensure a phased approach to the extension of the Urban Area Boundary (as part of the City’s own conformity exercise)

• For instance, criteria can be implemented to ensure

that development of lands within the Urban Area boundary is optimized prior to consideration of an expansion.

Highway 407 and ROPA 128

ROPA 128 Highway 407

• ROPA 128 is a long-term planning document,

with a 2031 timeframe

• The phased construction of Highway 407 to

Hwy 35/115 is anticipated to occur within this timeframe

• Phasing of 407 does not impact ROPA 128

Next Steps

ROPA 128 Next Steps

• Staff will monitor and analyze all appeals
• Staff will prepare a report to the Development

Services Committee and Council in the new year

Thank you and Questions and Answers