Background Report: Policy Options and Directions
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Background Report: United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Athens Policy Options Augusta and Directions Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Elizabethtown-Kitley Front of Yonge Leeds and the Thousand Islands Merrickville-Wolford North Grenville Rideau Lakes August 2014 Westport UNITED COUNTIES OF LEEDS AND GRENVILLE Official Plan Project TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Project Purpose and Impetus ...................................................................................... 1 1.1 United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Context ............................................................ 1 1.2 Project Process and Schedule......................................................................................... 2 1.3 Community Engagement and Consultation ..................................................................... 4 1.4 Report Purpose and Format ............................................................................................ 7 2.0 Counties Strategic Directions...................................................................................... 8 2.1 Integrated Community Sustainability Plan, 2012............................................................. 8 2.2 2013 Economic Development Report Action Plan and Strategic Alignment .................. 9 3.0 Provincial Plans, Policy and Legislation ................................................................11 3.1 Planning Act ................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Provincial Policy Statement, 2014 ................................................................................. 12 3.3 Conservation Authorities Jurisdiction and Regulations ................................................. 14 4.0 Managing Growth ..........................................................................................................17 4.1 Provincial Policy Directions ............................................................................................ 17 4.2 Growth and Settlement Analysis.................................................................................... 19 4.3 Employment Lands Supply Analysis.............................................................................. 25 4.4 Housing and Affordability ............................................................................................... 36 5.0 Community Settlement Structure .............................................................................39 5.1 Urban Settlement Areas................................................................................................. 39 5.2 Rural Settlement Areas .................................................................................................. 40 5.3 Employment Areas ......................................................................................................... 41 5.4 Agricultural and Rural Areas .......................................................................................... 42 5.5 Local Municipal Official Plans ........................................................................................ 43 5.6 Community Settlement Structure – Key Issues and Policy Options ............................. 43 6.0 Countryside Area ..........................................................................................................45 6.1 Prime Agricultural and Rural Areas ............................................................................... 45 6.2 Aggregate, Mineral and Petroleum Resources ............................................................. 49 6.3 Local Municipal Official Plans ........................................................................................ 50 6.4 Countryside Area – Key Issues and Policy Options ...................................................... 51 BACKGROUND REPORT – POLICY OPTIONS & DIRECTIONS | MMM Group | August 2014 i UNITED COUNTIES OF LEEDS AND GRENVILLE Official Plan Project 7.0 Natural Heritage and Water Resources...................................................................53 7.1 Natural Heritage System Strategy ................................................................................. 53 7.2 Natural Heritage Features.............................................................................................. 55 7.3 Water Resources and Source Water Protection ........................................................... 58 7.4 Local Municipal Official Plans ........................................................................................ 59 7.5 Natural Heritage and Water Resources – Policy Options ............................................. 60 8.0 Natural and Human-made Hazards ..........................................................................62 8.1 Natural Hazards ............................................................................................................. 62 8.2 Human-Made Hazards ................................................................................................... 63 8.3 Land Use Compatibility .................................................................................................. 64 8.4 Climate Change Adaptation ........................................................................................... 64 8.5 Local Municipal Official Plans ........................................................................................ 65 8.6 Natural and Human-made Hazards – Policy Options ................................................... 66 9.0 Cultural Heritage ...........................................................................................................67 9.1 Built Heritage and Cultural Heritage Resources............................................................ 67 9.2 Archaeological Resources ............................................................................................. 68 9.3 Local Municipal Official Plans ........................................................................................ 68 9.4 Cultural Heritage – Key Issues and Policy Options....................................................... 69 10.0 Infrastructure, Servicing and Transportation ........................................................70 10.1 Infrastructure and Servicing ........................................................................................... 70 10.2 Transportation ................................................................................................................ 72 10.3 Local Municipal Official Plans ........................................................................................ 75 10.4 Infrastructure, Servicing and Transportation – Policy Options ...................................... 76 11.0 Existing Planning Administration.............................................................................77 11.1 Current Status of Delegated Planning Approvals .......................................................... 77 11.2 Existing Planning Administration – Key Issues and Policy Options .............................. 78 12.0 Next Steps .......................................................................................................................79 References .................................................................................................................................80 ii BACKGROUND REPORT – POLICY OPTIONS & DIRECTIONS | MMM Group | August 2014 UNITED COUNTIES OF LEEDS AND GRENVILLE Official Plan Project EXHIBITS Exhibit 4-1: Historical and Forecast Total Population by Member Municipality, 2006-2031 ................ 22 Exhibit 4-2: Historical and Forecast Occupied Housing Units by Member Municipality, 2006-2031 ... 23 Exhibit 4-3: Historical and Forecast Total Place of Work Employment by Member Municipality, 2006- 2031 ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 Exhibit 4-4: Identified Clustered and Designated Industrial and Business Parks................................. 27 Exhibit 4-5: Remaining Land Supply in Designated Employment Areas .............................................. 28 Exhibit 4-6: Remaining Supply in Designated Employment Areas and Designated Highway Commercial Areas ................................................................................................................................. 29 Exhibit 5-1: Rural settlement areas within the Counties ....................................................................... 40 Exhibit 10-1: Summary of Settlement Area Servicing Characteristics.................................................. 71 DRAFT SCHEDULES (included at end of Report) Draft Schedule A – Community Structure and Land Use Draft Schedule B1 – Mineral Aggregate Resource Areas, Constraint Areas and Waste Disposal Sites Draft Schedule B2 – Wildland Fire Hazard Areas Draft Schedule C – Natural Heritage Features and Areas Draft Schedule D – Natural Heritage System Strategy Draft Schedule E – Transportation Appendix A – Synopsis of Local Municipal Official Plans Appendix B – Employment Area Supply Appendix C – Community Settlement Areas BACKGROUND REPORT – POLICY OPTIONS & DIRECTIONS | MMM Group | August 2014 iii UNITED COUNTIES OF LEEDS AND GRENVILLE Official Plan Project 1.0 PROJECT PURPOSE AND IMPETUS The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville is one of only a few upper-tier municipalities in the Province that does not currently have an Official Plan in place. In accordance with recent amendments to Regulation 352/02