Halton Region Releases Notice of Decision Approving the new Burlington Official Plan, Endorsed by City Council
*Please see below a media release issued by the City of Burlington.
Burlington, Ont. — Dec. 1, 2020 — On Nov. 30, Halton Region released a final Notice of Decision approving the new Burlington Official Plan, as modified and previously endorsed by Burlington City Council on Nov. 26, 2020. With the final Notice of Decision, a twenty-day appeal period has begun, running from Nov. 30 to Dec. 21, 2020. Information about how to file an appeal is available in the Notice of Decision.The Notice of Decision from Halton Region considers that the new City of Burlington Official Plan conforms to, or does not conflict with, the Regional Official Plan, is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement 2020, and conforms to, or does not conflict with, the applicable Provincial Plans and policies.The modifications presented in the final Notice of Decision address the issues of non-conformity, changes to Provincial Plans and policies, and Official Plan Amendments and the need to balance Regional and Provincial conformity requirements. In addition, the modifications capture endorsed policy modifications related to two areas identified by Council for re-examination and refinement. The policies of the Official Plan with the recommended modifications establish a comprehensive policy framework to a planning horizon of 2031.For a detailed description of the modifications, please refer to staff report PL-22-20. To view a complete listing of the modifications to the adopted Burlington Official Plan (2018), please refer to the final Notice of Decision.To learn more about Halton Region’s decision, including how to file an appeal, please refer to the Notice of Decision.
"The City’s new Official Plan is the result of a process based on extensive public engagement and cross-agency collaboration. Throughout the Regional approval process, alignment with the Official Plan’s original vision and underlying principles remained a key consideration, in addition to conformity with Regional and Provincial policies.As a result of community input, policies affecting the Downtown area have been refined to clarify the community’s vision for growth. The findings of the Interim Control ByLaw Land Use Study (OPA 119) have also been incorporated to strengthen transit-supportive policies within Major Transit Station Areas. In addition, Burlington’s agricultural policies have been revised to better support on-farm diversification and rural economic viability.Regional modifications, developed in partnership with City staff, bring the City’s plan into conformity with the Regional Official Plan and significantly advance the City’s position with respect to Provincial conformity. The new Plan provides a basis for communicating Burlington’s long-term vision for sustainable growth, as well as priorities regarding intensification, climate change and the wise use of resources. This vision will inform the City’s participation in the ongoing Regional Official Plan Review, while continuing to grow and evolve through ongoing community feedback." -- Heather MacDonald, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility, City of Burlington
Next Steps:Sections of the Official Plan where a Notice of Appeal has not been filed as of Dec. 21, 2020, will come into effect on Dec. 22, 2020. At the appropriate time, through consultation with City legal staff, planning staff will bring forward a repeal bylaw for the former Burlington Official Plan.For more information, visit the new Official Plan website at burlington.ca/newop.MAYOR MEED WARD'S TAKE:This is a journey that started in 2011 and saw many twists, turns and bumps, and a municipal election based on dissatisfaction from the public with our Adopted Official Plan (OP). I heard the call for change from across our city, and we did it. Our revised new OP includes stronger protections for green space, heritage, jobs, our rural community, established low-density neighbourhoods and, of course, a special focus on preserving the character of the downtown. We have scaled back the overdevelopment proposed in the 2018 plan by focusing height closer to the GO station, protecting Village Square (once proposed for a 17-storey building), capping height at 3 storeys along Brant and Lakeshore, and stepping back to mid-rise, among other changes.Thank you for coming on this journey with us and contributing to this great outcome that is grounded in extensive study, analysis, planning rationale and feedback. This was a truly collaborative process with our community, including residents, developers, partner agencies, Regional and City staff, and our Council. We can see ourselves in this plan and an OP that continues to conform to Provincial policies and plans.There is more to come, especially as we provide input to the Region’s Official Plan Review, currently underway. We expect appeals, and we will vigorously defend our new plan. This plan will inform our decision-making on future applications until it comes into full force and effect.Links and Resources:
--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist