Next steps identified in the process for Burlington’s proposed new Official Plan

Burlington, Ont. – Jan. 4, 2018— Discussion with Burlington City Council about the city’s proposed new Official Plan, including the proposed new Downtown Precinct Plan, will continue at a series of upcoming committee meetings.

The meeting dates are as follows:

A meeting to recommend adoption of Burlington’s new proposed Official Plan will be scheduled for a committee meeting during the first week of April.

Burlington is one of Canada’s best and most livable cities, a place where people, nature and business thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at www.burlington.ca/enews.

Background
On Nov. 30, a staff report providing an overview of the proposed new Official Plan (PB-50-17), and a staff report with an overview of the proposed new Downtown Precinct Plan (PB-81-17), were presented to Burlington City Council as part of the Planning and Development Committee. Public delegations were considered during the afternoon and evening sessions of the meeting and a subsequent meeting was held during the afternoon of Dec. 1 to provide members of council the opportunity to ask questions of staff.

At the conclusion of the meeting, City Council made the following recommendations:

• Direct the Director of Planning and Building to consider the feedback received through the statutory public meeting process related to the proposed new official plan (version November 2017), and to make appropriate revisions prior to bringing forward the recommended proposed revised new Official Plan for Council adoption; and

• Direct the Director of Planning and Building to advise council at the earliest opportunity of the nature and scope of recommended revisions, including timelines for delivering the revised new official plan.

The schedule of meetings identified for 2018, listed above, outlines the next steps in the process for bringing the proposed new Official Plan back to Burlington City Council for further discussion and questions.

Quote

Mary Lou Tanner, Deputy City Manager

“Following the Nov. 30 Planning and Development committee meeting, city staff and council have heard from the community that there should be more opportunity to influence the process and outcome of both the development of the new Official Plan and the Downtown Precinct Plan. These meetings will provide opportunities for more discussion.”

Quick Facts

• An Official Plan is a statutory document required by the Province of Ontario that describes a city's land-use strategy. It addresses things that are needed for a growing city such as the location and form of new housing, industry, offices, shops, and anticipated needs for infrastructure like streets, parks, transit and community recreation centres.
• Burlington’s proposed new Official Plan is the city’s community vision and will guide decision-making on how we use land, manage growth and invest in infrastructure to 2031 and beyond.  The policies in the plan reflect the key directions in Burlington’s Strategic Plan 2015-2040, approved in April 2016. Through the strategic plan, Burlington City Council has made the decision to grow up in key parts of the urban area of the city instead of growing out.
•  Under the proposed new Official Plan’s current growth management strategy, only five per cent of Burlington will experience significant growth. The majority of this growth is targeted in the areas around the city’s GO stations and in downtown Burlington. These areas are called Mobility Hubs.
• 2016 Census data shows:

            - Burlington's population is growing. Between 2011 and 2016, Burlington  grew by 7,535 people - a 4.3-per-cent overall growth rate.

           - The average housing price in Burlington is $632,556, which represents an increase of 177 per cent since 2001.

Links and Resources

• Watch a video recording of the statutory public meeting held on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2017.
• View the meeting package for the Nov. 30 statutory public meeting
• View the proposed new Official Plan (November 2017)
• View the new Official Plan project website
• View the Downtown Mobility Hub website
• Ask Grow Bold - find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about a growing Burlington at www.burlington.ca/askgrowbold
• Learn more about Burlington’s Strategic Plan 2015-2040

Image

Burlington’s proposed new Official Plan

-30-