Burlington Committee Requests Region Exclude Clearview/Queen Mary/St. Matthews Neighbourhood from Aldershot GO MTSA in Halton’s Official Plan Review

UPDATE: Approved at Sept. 28 Council meetingMy thanks to my council colleagues and residents who supported my motion to ask the Region to consider excluding the Clearview/Queen Mary/St. Matthews neighbourhood from the Aldershot GO Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) boundaries.Removing this neighbourhood will help reduce the pressure for overdevelopment, and is consistent with how we treat established neighbourhoods around other GO station areas - they are excluded from the MTSA boundaries.The motion was unanimously approved by the Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee, with Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith declaring an interest and not voting on the item (due to living on Queen Mary) and another member of council absent. It will go to council Sept. 28 for a final vote.This motion will then go to Halton Region for consideration as they update the Regional Official Plan for Halton and Burlington. Details on that process (called a Municipal Comprehensive Review) and background on the Aldershot GO MTSA are below and in my Mayor’s report and PowerPoint (linked below).Background:At yesterday's (Sept. 22) Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee meeting, we received a staff report on Burlington's submission on Halton Region's Official Plan Discussion Papers.City of Burlington Staff Recommendation:

Direct the Director of Community Planning to submit the appendices to Community Planning Department report PL-28-20 as the City of Burlington Submission on the Region of Halton’s Official Plan Discussion Papers by the comment submission deadline of September 28, 2020; and

Direct the Director of Community Planning to provide any additional comments to the Region, if any, upon Council approval on September 28, 2020.

I brought forward the following amendment that CPRM Committee carried to the Sept. 28 Council meeting for final approval.

Request that the Region consider, during their Municipal Comprehensive Review, adjusting the Major Transit Station Area boundaries around the Aldershot GO station to exclude the Clearview/Queen Mary/St. Matthews neighbourhood.

Here was the rationale for my motion via a PowerPoint presentation: Mayor's Motion - Aldershot GO MTSA.In short, it revolved around the following:

• CONSISTENCY: Established low-density neighbourhoods near Burlington GO and Appleby GO MTSAs are not included within the MTSA boundaries.
• EVOLVING I: Since 2017, the planning for this precinct has been evolving to protect established neighbourhoods. This motions seeks to complete that.
• EVOLVING II: Most recent proposal from Region excludes the Grove Park neighbourhood in the East from the MTSA.

Rationale:

Under the Planning Act, municipalities are required to have an official plan and to update that official plan on a regular basis. The Halton Region Official Plan (ROP) is an important document that guides decisions related to growth, development and community investment across Halton Region.The Planning Act requires municipal official plans to be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (2019) and to conform to applicable Provincial Plans. In Halton, this includes the Growth Plan, the Greenbelt Plan, the Niagara Escarpment Plan, and applicable Source Protection Plans.Regional Official Plan Review -- In April 2014, through Report No. LPS28-14, Regional Council authorized the commencement of a statutory five-year review of the Halton Region Official Plan, referred to as the Regional Official Plan Review (ROPR). Regional staff developed a Work Plan, Communications and Engagement Strategy, and Directions Report to guide the ROPR through Report No. LPS110-16 which was delivered to Regional Council in October 2016. The Directions Report was the culmination of Phase 1 of the ROPR and identified a high-level work plan for subsequent phases.The Regional Official Plan Review (ROPR) is currently in Phase 2 focused on research, analysis and a set of Discussion Papers on five key theme areas. The Discussion Papers explore issues and present options for achieving conformity with Provincial direction:

• Regional Urban Structure (Integrated Growth Management Strategy): Urban system and growth management policies to guide population and job growth.
• Rural and Agricultural System: Agricultural policies to support the agricultural system in Halton.
• Natural Heritage: Natural heritage system policies to preserve the natural environment and protect source water.
• Climate Change: Land-use policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.
• North Aldershot Planning Area: Implications of growth management, natural heritage and a rural and agricultural system in North Aldershot.

DOCUMENTS:

• Staff report: PL-28-20 Submission on Region of Halton's Official Plan Discussion Papers
• Appendix A - PL-28-20 Appendix A - City of Burlington Submission
• Appendix B - PL-28-20 Appendix B - Schedule B Urban Structure
• Appendix C - PL-28-20 Appendix C - Burlington Agricultural and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee Submission