No need to rush approval of Burlington’s Official Plan

Analysis & Opinion: Ever since council approved (5-2) the 23 storey building at the North East corner of Brant & James, people have become more aware of the proposed changes in the new Official Plan to the downtown, and elsewhere in the city including the neighbourhoods surrounding the Aldershot, Burlington and Appleby GO stations.I have heard from residents across the city, and the majority have said they aren’t happy with the proposed changes, especially for the downtown, and the entire Official Plan process seems rushed. They are asking for more time to review the most recent draft Official Plan and revised downtown policies (released in November), the track changes, comments and supporting documents, as well as additional analysis and mapping for the downtown released in mid-January 2018 - all of which is more than 2000 pages.Though the Official Plan began in 2011, it started as an update, and the downtown was not included in the scope. See below for a list of the OP related reports since 2011.On Oct. 31, 2016, the project changed from an update to a rewrite of the Official Plan. The first draft of the Official Plan was released in April 2017. The downtown policies were not ready. The new downtown policies were first released in September 2017, with a revised draft in November. The revised draft Official Plan was also released in November. The mobility hubs were discussed at committee for the first time in December.So, we’ve had less than three months to digest and make the best decisions for the downtown, the mobility hubs and the city.We need to give ourselves and the community more time to make the right decision for our city. Residents also want to put the Official Plan to the test of democracy by postponing approval till after the October municipal election and asking candidates to campaign on the OP. I will be bringing a motion to that end to the Jan. 23 Planning & Development committee, along with several other motions to modify the downtown plans. Read more here: Eight motions proposed for balanced growth, not overintensification downtown and here: Innovation district, strategic employment area proposed for downtown, GO stationsThere is no need to rush. Municipalities are required to review our Official Plan every five years, but there is no deadline for completion. We’ve been at our OP for six years without penalty, so what’s a few more months? City business has continued throughout the review, receiving and processing development applications. Nothing stops while we work to get it right.Finally, our Official Plan won’t be binding anyway till approved by Halton Region as part of their own Regional Official Plan review which begins in 2019.  Staff noted this in the “transition policies” section of their Nov. 30 staff report (pg26) as follows:Transition Practices for Development ApplicationsUpon Council adoption of the proposed new Official Plan, the following will apply to the processing of development applications in the Downtown Mobility Hub:

• Complete development applications submitted after Burlington Council adoption, but prior to Regional Council approval, will continue to be processed under the in force and effect Official Plan (1994, as amended), but during the review of the application, staff will be referring to the objectives and encouraging the applicant to consider the objectives applicable to the Downtown Mobility Hub in the proposed new Official Plan.
• Complete development applications submitted after Regional approval must conform with the proposed new Official Plan, with exception of any policies that are under appeal.

The detailed area specific policies for the downtown aren’t ready. These policies and the mobility hub policies are proposed to be incorporated into Burlington’s new Official Plan with a future amendment during the Region’s Official Plan review in 2019. So, why not wait and do it all together?We have plenty of time to let the new council complete the city’s Official Plan and fit into the Region’s timing.

Reports 2011-2016

Of the 40 reports that have come forward in the six years since the Official Plan was launched, the biggest group of them dealt dealt with employment lands and commercial strategy (nine in total) followed by reports related to the scope and work plan (seven in total). Other topics:

• Six related to character area studies in Roseland, Indian Point and Shoreacres, and subsequent changes to site plan control, which have since been incorporated into the existing Official Plan, and upheld on appeal by the Ontario Muncipal Board
• Two dealt with mobility hubs, but without the detailed mapping introduced in November 2017
• Two dealt with a heritage district in Mount Nemo, which has since been abandoned
• Two dealt with the Old Lakeshore Road area, which has been excluded from the new Official Plan for study at a later date
• One dealt with rural, natural heritage and sustainable policy directions (released in December 2016)
• One related to the urban structure of where growth should go and shouldn’t
• One dealt with public engagement to date
• One dealt with the downtown policies (to council Oct. 2017)
• One dealt with the Bridgewater area of North Aldershot
• There were two policy briefs - uptown and road allowances, one report on policy directions related to drive-through facilities, and two submissions from the Halton Area Planning Partnership (which includes Burlington) to the province on inclusionary zoning and land use planninng

The list of reports is in Appendix C to staff Report PB-50-17, on the Nov. 30 Planning and Development agenda.

Have Your Say

You can register as a delegation by noon Jan. 22 to speak at the Jan. 23 Planning & Development committee. Note which session, 1 or 6:30, you wish to speak at.Additional days are scheduled Wed. Jan. 24, and Thurs. Jan. 25 at 1 and 6:30pm if we are not finished with delegations, questions of staff and motions. All meetings are open to the public to attend, and are live webcast and archived on the city website with the agenda and meetings for the meeting. (Search for the meeting date on the city calendar to see agenda, minutes and webcast).