R E P O R T T O T H E L I B R A R Y B O A R D MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

Session: Public Session Subject: City of London Draft Official Plan - The London Plan Prepared By: Susanna Hubbard Krimmer Presented By: Susanna Hubbard Krimmer Purpose of Report: For Approval 

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the Library Board receive this report and officially endorse the City of London’s draft Official Plan “The London Plan”.

ISSUE/OPPORTUNITY

The City of London is undertaking the planning process for its new Official Plan.

The current Official Plan for the City of London was adopted by the Municipal Council on June 19, 1989 and replaced the 1971 Official Plan. The Official Plan contains City Council’s objectives and policies to guide short and long-term physical development of all lands within the boundary of the municipality. The objectives and policies also have regard for relevant social, economic and environmental matters. The longer term plan evolves over the planning period and is subject to periodic scheduled review to ensure that it conforms to provincial plans, takes into account matters of provincial interest; and is consistent with provincial policy statements.

The City of London planning process has a direct link with and impact upon library services and planning.

BACKGROUND & REVIEW

ReThink London Planning Process

ReThink London was established in 2012 as the planning process to review and update the City of London’s Official Plan and to do so with significant input from the community and other stakeholders. The City has described ReThink London as: “A community conversation to create the plan that will shape London’s future. Together, we’ll set the vision for the future and create the roadmap to get us there”.

At the May 22, 2014 meeting of the City of London Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee, City staff introduced the draft Official Plan “The London Plan”, for preliminary review and comment. The Plan is a 20 year plan that sets out the vision, principles, priorities, strategies, policies and directions to the year 2035. http://www.london.ca/business/Planning-Development/Official-Plan/Pages/The-London- Plan.aspx

Public Participation

Consideration of the new draft Official Plan is being done in accordance with Ontario’s Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990 c. 13. that requires public notice and public meetings prior to adoption of the new Official Plan.

The Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee heard initial comments and preliminary feedback from the public on the draft Official Plan at a public participation meeting on June 23, 2014. The public and other stakeholders were also invited to call in, mail, e- mail or fax comments to the City of London, Planning Services, until August 1, 2014. Refinements are being made to the plan based on this preliminary input.

The next step will be a public participation meeting required under the Planning Act, which is anticipated to be held in September of 2014 before the Planning and Environment Committee. The timing of the consideration by Council for final approval will be determined by Council depending upon the nature of the feedback received through the consultation process.

Growth Planning

Growth projections for population, employment, housing and non-residential construction (industrial commercial and institutional) to the year 2041 were prepared and presented in July of 2012 as part of the planning work. http://www.london.ca/business/Planning-Development/Official- Plan/Documents/RethinkLondon/OPgrowthprojections-june18-pec-5.pdf The City of London website states that:

The growth forecasts provide an important foundation for City initiatives including:

 the Official Plan (including growth plan and land needs study);  the 2014 Development Charges Study;  the Industrial Land Development Strategy;  facilities planning (e.g., recreation centres, community centres, libraries);  engineering master servicing plans; and,  for business planning purposes.

London Public Library participates in most of the above planning processes including the recently completed Development Charges Study, for example.

The London Plan

The community and stakeholder input and the background planning reports have shaped the draft of The London Plan and its vision: London 2035: Exciting. Exceptional. Connected.

The London Plan is designed to address and plan for the new challenges and opportunities London faces: net projection of 77,000 new people, managing the costs of growth, a growing seniors population, preferences of the “Millennials”, growing diversity, critical importance of transportation, new demands for urban living, economic restructuring, infrastructure gap, affordability challenges, protecting our farmland, climate change, and shaping our city for prosperity.

The following excerpts from the draft plan (page 8) speak to the vision for building an outstanding city in which to live:

A prevailing message that emerged during the ReThink London process centered on prosperity. All Londoners want our City to be prosperous so that it can offer opportunity, employment, quality of life and wellness.

It is important to understand that the way we build our city over the next 20 years will have a direct impact upon our prosperity as a community.

Recognizing this, it is important that we build our London with exceptional downtown, vibrant urban areas, outstanding neighbourhoods, attractive park spaces and natural areas, exciting recreational, entertainment and cultural opportunities and a quality transit service connecting all of these amenities.

The London Plan also states that for the Plan’s vision to be fully achieved the broad community must have a sense of ownership on the Plan and participate in its implementation. This includes London Public Library support and participation.

Library Services and Facilities

A review of The London Plan reveals that it has a direct link with and impact upon library services and planning. There is alignment between The London Plan and the LPL Purpose Statement, Values, Service Excellence Model and 2014-2017 Strategic Plan: Library Space is Community Place.

Values: The LPL community and corporate values align with those in the Plan with LPL’s values incorporating the 5 put forward in The London Plan.

Strategy: The overall planning directions, along with specific outcomes/actions included under each direction that are relevant to LPL and library planning and development, have already become part of our planning model and new Strategic Plan.  Direction #1: Plan strategically for a prosperous city, e.g. create strong civic image by improving the downtown and creating great neighbourhoods, establishment of asset management plans, support a knowledge-based economy;  Direction #2: Connect London to the surrounding region, e.g. collaborate with regional partners to develop plans and strategies;  Direction #3: Celebrate and support London as a culturally rich, creative and diverse city, e.g. consider and support new Canadians in planning, celebrate London’s cultural communities, provide facilities, programs and spaces that foster inclusiveness and diversity, protect our cultural heritage, invest in and promote public art, revitalize London’s downtown and neighbourhoods to serve as hubs of the cultural community ;  Direction #4: Become one of the greenest cities in Canada, e.g. reduce our human impact on the environment, promote green development standards such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental design LEED, minimize waste, conserve water and energy;  Direction #5: Build a mixed use compact city, e.g. continue to revitalize downtown, build quality public spaces that support walking;  Direction #6: Place new emphasis on creating attractive transportation choices, e.g. plan new facilities to be served by and support integration with walking, cycling, rapid transit;  Direction #7: Build strong and attractive neighbourhoods for everyone, e.g. implement placemaking strategies and design, create social gathering places; support programs that give communities the ability to improve neighbourhoods in creative and positive ways; programming which encourages interaction, cohesiveness and community building;  Direction #8: Make wise planning decisions, e.g. plan for sustainability;  think big picture; genuinely engage the general public and stakeholders in planning and meaningfully use that input to shape planning decisions.

City Building Policies

Specific mention of libraries is made in various sections of this part of The London Plan. Libraries are included in the section on “Public Facilities and Services” (pp. 145-148) with specific references being made throughout. There is support to encourage:

 The location of public facilities in the Downtown, Transit Villages, and along Rapid Transit Corridors and Main Streets;  Co-location of public facilities to create community hubs;  Mixed use development that contain public facilities; and  Partnerships with other services and government agencies, where appropriate.

The above are consistent with the planning approach that LPL has used for a number of years.

There is also direct reference to the Library in the section on “Culturally Rich and Diverse City” (pp. 177-180) with actions to identify and incorporate London’s public libraries, along with community centres, as important cultural hubs in plans and planning applications. This is in direct alignment with the findings, outcomes and actions of the City of London Cultural Prosperity Plan.

Urban London Place Types

The London Plan provides for a number of urban and rural “Place Types” which represent “a mosaic of outstanding places in which to live, work, shop, recreate, and be a part of. These places will have their own unique functions and identities and will offer a multitude of benefits to those that experience them”. There is reference to cultural institutions, in general, and libraries, specifically in the sections on the Downtown, Transit Village, Rapid Transit and Urban Corridors, Main Street and Neighbourhoods. There is reference to “recreational use” in the Rural Neighbourhood Place Type which refers to hamlets or residential settlement areas located outside of the Urban Growth Boundary. There is no reference to cultural spaces and/or libraries in this type.

Conclusion

The London Plan creates a model for the planning and design of an exciting, exceptional and connected city.

As stated at the outset of this report to the Library Board, the City of London planning process has a direct link with and impact upon library services and planning.

The review of The London Plan shows that consideration has also been given in the planning process to the role that libraries play in community development and the contribution that London Public Library can play in the prosperity of London and Londoners as the City meets the opportunities and challenges of the next 20 years. LPL can and will continue to make a meaningful contribution.

One of the “big ideas” from the ReThink process is planning for exceptional places and spaces. This is a significant component of LPL’s 2014-2017 Strategic Plan: Library Space is Community Place and our strategies and actions align with those of the City of London.

Thus, it makes sense that the Library Board gives formal support to the draft City of London Official Plan The London Plan.

NEXT STEPS

Should the Library Board so direct, the Chair and CEO will correspond with the City of London to advise that the Library has formally supported The London Plan.