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Public Meeting re 200 Elizabeth Street – Staff outlined a Zoning By-law amendment application that seeks approval for the development of four semi-detached dwelling units fronting on Ada Street, and an 80 square metre convenience retail store fronting on Elizabeth Street. The lands are zoned Neighbourhood Commercial (C2) with Special Provision 24.46A and permit convenience retail and dwelling units on upper floors. The application seeks to amend the zoning to permit convenience retail along Elizabeth Street and semi-detached dwellings along Ada Street.

Arleigh Hack of Glen Schnarr and Associates outlined the location, size and existing use of the subject property and outlined that the Zoning By-law amendment application seeks to amend the zoning by-law to allow for the development of four semi-detached dwelling units fronting on Ada Street and an 80 square metre convenience retail store fronting on Elizabeth Street. 

Council posed questions about the proposal and received a comment from the public about the appearance of the proposed development. The staff report was received.

Official Plan Review Open House – On April 19, 2021, the Town held a Public Open House to introduce proposed updates to its Official Plan. Manager of Planning Brandon Ward and Senior Planner Larysa Russell gave a presentation about the scope of the Town’s Official Plan Review and policy updates being considered through this process. The Town must review and update its Official Plan periodically to make sure it stays consistent with Provincial planning policies and continues to reflect the Town’s own planning interests. The Town's Official Plan Review exercise is divided into two phases: Phase 1 - Housekeeping Review and Phase 2 - Growth Management. Phase 1 has been broken into five key review themes -- housing, community character, services, healthy environment and managing change.

The housing review theme is considering additional policy direction for affordable housing, additional direction for second unit permissions and support for housing formats geared to seniors.

The second review theme is community character. Proposed policy updates in this theme will provide more direction for identifying and protecting heritage resources, support more activity within and adjacent to the downtown, including new emphasis on encouraging uses that support cultural and hospitality activities. New policies would also enable the use of new tools to support reduced on-site parking for commercial areas. More policies to strengthen strategies, guidelines and standards for improved urban design are also proposed. 

The third key review theme relates to services (i.e. infrastructure) which will enhance existing policies to improve pedestrian mobility (walking and cycling) and increase support for the concept of "complete streets". Policy updates will also strengthen stormwater management approaches to enhance current practices for improving stormwater infiltration. Existing references to the Town’s current water supply and wastewater treatment capacity will also be updated.

The fourth key theme is healthy environment, which will strengthen policies to support mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development environments that stimulate healthy lifestyles. Updated policies would also clarify criteria for parkland dedication through the development process. New policies would also provide more support for climate change adaptation initiatives, strengthened sustainability measures with more direction for construction waste reduction, energy conservation and water consumption efficiency. Policy updates would also incorporate source water protection policies into the Official Plan and ensure natural heritage policies align with protection framework prescribed by the County and Province.

The fifth key theme area relates to managing change, which looks at interpretation and implementation aspects of the Plan. Policy updates considered as part of this theme would ensure preamble content is updated to reflect current times and ensure interpretation and plan administration policies are clear and easily understood. New or updated policies will enhance the Town’s ability to use existing or new implementation tools including temporary use by-laws, site plan control, holding symbol, pre-submission consultation, increased density/community benefits, land acquisition and community improvement areas.

At the Public Open House, Council members asked questions about the various key themes and certain policy updates being considered. Mr. Ward outlined next steps for the Official Plan review including consultation with Town departments and external public agency stakeholders on background review information and proposed updates, an Official Plan Review Steering Committee, as well as a future Statutory Public Meeting and initiating the growth management Phase 2 of the review.