DRAFT Official Plan Amendment COPA 2021-0001 - Statutory Public Meeting April 26, 2021

DRAFT Official Plan
Amendment COPA 2021-0001
      Statutory Public Meeting
           April 26, 2021

The purpose of this Public Meeting is to
introduce a Municipally initiated DRAFT
    Official Plan Amendment for the
 purposes of obtaining input/comment
             from the public.

No decisions will be made regarding the
 DRAFT Official Plan Amendment this
               evening.

Council Direction
                    Council Resolution #C-058-21,
                    February 8, 2021.

                    “That Staff issue the necessary notices for
                    a public meeting under the Planning Act to
                    be held on April 26, 2021, for the
                    consideration of the deletion of Special
                    Study Area 2 from the Clarington Official
                    Plan.”

Official Plan policies proposed for deletion:
 13.3.12 The Municipality supports the expansion of the Greenbelt Plan Area to provide long term protection of
prime agricultural land.

17.3 Special Study Area 2 - Greenbelt Expansion
17.3.1 Special Study Area 2 is all of the lands east of Highway 418 south and east of the Greenbelt boundary,
north of Highway 401 and outside of the urban area boundaries in Clarington.
17.3.2 In May 2015, Clarington Council requested that the Province undertake an appropriate science-based
study of agricultural capability to identify high yielding agricultural lands to be added to the Greenbelt for
permanent protection.
17.3.3 The draft Greenbelt Plan (2016) identifies that the Government of Ontario will lead a process to identify
potential areas to be added to the Protected Countryside of the Greenbelt. The Province will work with
municipalities and others using a systems approach considering the connections with the Agricultural, Natural
Heritage and Water Resource systems of the plan. Where it is determined that identified areas would benefit
from Greenbelt protection, the Province may initiate amendments to the Greenbelt Plan.
17.3.4 Special Study Area 2 identifies the lands which the Municipality considers appropriate as an area for
the future Greenbelt expansion study.

Notice of Public Meeting

                    Sent +1400 Notices, promoted in social media, 143
                    unique website visitors, advertised three times in each
                    of the two local newspapers and twice in the Planning
                    E-update.

Agency Comments

No objection to the DRAFT OPA
• Enbridge Gas Distribution
• Ministry of Transportation
• Bell Canada
• Region of Durham
• Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority

Public Comments – Keep the OP policies
• Valuable prime agriculture lands and soil deserve
  appropriate studies and consideration for protection.
• It is important for the Municipality of Clarington to be part
  of the process with the Province
• Urban separators should remain undeveloped and
  integrated into the Greenbelt.
• Greenbelt is the only way to protect and sustain our future
  source of food.

Public Comments – Delete the OP policies

• There has been significant investments in infrastructure
  (407, GO Train, Hospital) and these lands are going to be
  needed in the next 30-40 for the growing population.
• Clarington does not need more Greenbelt.
• A special Greenbelt study is not required.
• Do not want government interfering with their land.

Other Inquiries
• How is their property affected by the policies?
• What do the policies mean?
• What does it mean if the policies were either kept or if they were deleted

Agricultural Advisory Committee Comments
• Asked if the DRAFT OPA would change either the land use designation or
  zoning of a subject property
• Discussion around the suggestion that lands designated Prime Agricultural
  may warrant more protection than lands designated Rural
• Comments made about the importance of protecting valuable agricultural land
  from development

Next Steps

• May 3, 2021 - Council Ratification of tonight’s decision
• May 17, 2021 - Recommendation Report Considered at a Planning
               and Development Committee
• May 25, 2021 - Council Ratification of Committee Decision
• May 27, 2021 - Notice of Decision to interested parties
• June 17 , 2021 - Appeal period ends (20 days after notice)
• June 18, 2021 - OPA comes into full force and effect

Thank you

Keep them in reserve

Clarington Official Plan
  Map A1 Land Use