On January 10, 2013, the Federation of Citizens’ Associations organized a workshop on the Official Plan review. It was attended by about 35 people from all over the city. FCA has two representatives on the City’s “Community Panel” which was to have its first substantive meeting on January 23.
Please go to the FCA web site for an overview of the outcome of the workshop. Remarkable in the summary of participant comments is that, when each of six tables was asked to identify its top three priorities, four of the six included an environmental issue. Yet, the environment is nowhere to be seen on staff’s agenda!
The FCA web page has many links to all the staff material issued to date.
The Greenspace Alliance distributed a document listing what it has identified to date as on the “environmental agenda” for this Official Plan review.
In summary:
1. Official Plan review
(a) Country Lot Estates; prohibit or…;
(b) identify & protect natural [eco-] corridors [linkages];
(c) revise the definition of “significant woodland”;
(d) modify Schedules L1, L2 and L3 (Natural Heritage System overlay) to differentiate between the various components of the NHS. The source and vintage of data also should be included;
(e) despite the recent Council decision, demands to expand the urban boundary need to be watched;
(f) another watching brief is for the “Land Evaluation and Area Review” (LEAR) update (re-assessment of what is agricultural land);
(g) as well, we should watch closely what comes out of the Aggregate Resources review (taking place in conjunction with the Province’s review of the Aggregate Resources Act).
2. Development Charges review
(a) the DCs should be more area-specific than Urban Inside/Outside the GB and Rural;
(b) there should be less of a deduction for “benefits [to residents inside the GB] to existing” for road expansion.