[All] Region of Waterloo Staff Report on ROP Growth Scenarios

Wed Nov 3 12:09:51 EDT 2021

HI GRENers,

I don't know if it helps to see this on a map (below), but it does for 
me. I took a screen shot, and some of the detail got lost in order to 
include the entire protected countryside line.

Legend:

Yellow - built up area

Pink - designated greenfield (future growth)

---- protected countryside line

Blue - endorsed regional employment area

Darker blue/green - ION

But you can go to this link to enlarge and separate out the above 
elements for greater detail: 
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9259ed5880e94f3e9ef9f879249dc4e2

Scroll down to Basis of the Preliminary Regional Structure.

Kevin - does this map reflect or change the 2015 OMB decision? Details 
in this Record article: 
https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2015/06/18/omb-accepts-settlement-of-regional-land-dispute.html

"As part of the settlement, five expansions of the countryside line were 
approved. The boundary was the region's attempt to curb urban sprawl and 
encourage intensification in city cores. The settlement will see 257 
hectares available for development immediately. Another 200 hectares 
will be opened up to meet provincial growth targets put in place since 
the Official Plan was originally approved in 2009. As well, the region 
will study how to designate 200 hectares of land in the southwest of 
Kitchener. Eby said that does not commit the region to designating the 
land for development.

Regional Chair Ken Seiling said he was pleased with the settlement 
because it included acceptance of the boundary for development around 
the region and groundwater protection policies. "I think it's quite a 
good decision, and if we hadn't defended this then I think we would be 
wide open to urban sprawl," he said.

Regional officials want to focus growth in city cores, and originally 
planned to open about 80 hectares of new land for development. 
Developers argued for hundreds more. Board officials disagreed with the 
region and ordered the two sides to negotiate a compromise, endorsing 
the developers' formula for calculating the amount of new land that 
should be available - up to 1,053 hectares. They settled nearly in the 
middle, with more than 450 hectares of land to be open for new 
development by 2019."

Susan K

On 11/2/2021 6:23 PM, Kevin Thomason wrote:
> Hello GREN members,
>
> Attached below please find a PDF of the Region of Waterloo Staff 
> Report on the Preferred Scenario for the Regional Official Plan Update 
> that was just released this afternoon.
>
> As anticipated, it is very disappointing to see Staff recommending 
> Scenario #2 - an unambitious level of long-term intensification of 60% 
> and 60 people and jobs per hectare for the next 30 years that:
>
> - is below the rate that we are already currently achieving,
>
> - will require over 1,000 hectares of our local farmland to be 
> destroyed and developed for sprawling subdivisions and low density 
> employment lands,
>
> - uses up most of our remaining land reserves threatening the 
> Countryside Line in many ways,
>
> - may be so low that future phases of iON Light Rail Transit could be 
> difficult to support,
>
> - ends our historic SmartGrowth leadership in Ontario with numerous 
> other municipalities choosing more ambitious future goals,
>
> - seems out of synch with Canadian's demands that our governments to 
> undertake bold actions to address our climate crisis.
>
>
> Staff will be presenting the Report and their recommendation to 
> Council on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 9th.  Hopefully, there 
> will be a variety of delegations who will send a strong message to 
> Council that these unambitious targets are not good enough and that we 
> need to do better.
>
> I have not been able to learn the revised timeline for when Council 
> will be expected to make a final decision on this Preferred Scenario 
> that will then lock us into this growth plan for 30 years until 2051. 
>  Hopefully there will be adequate time for vigorous community 
> consultation and engagement on how we want to grow and our visions for 
> the future.  So much of our future success as a community is going to 
> be determined by these pending decisions for the Regional Official 
> Plan that is permanent and unappeallable at the OMB/LPAT or any 
> provincial court once approved by Council.
>
> Hopefully our citizens and community groups will be able raise 
> awareness, share information, help to educate our community, and do 
> all that we can to ensure the best possible outcomes.  This could 
> include webinars, informational materials, delegations to Council, 
> meetings with Councillors/Staff, working with the media, letters and 
> e-mails to elected officials along with other activities.
>
> Please share any questions, ideas, and ways you might be able to help 
> as we may not have much time before final decisions are to be made.
>
> Sincerely,
> Kevin.
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> *Region of Waterloo Staff Report on the Preferred Scenario for the 
> Regional Official Plan Update:*
>
>
>
>
> *Additional Information on the Regional Official Plan Update being 
> required by the Province by July 2022:*
>
> https://www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan
>
>
> -------------------------------------
>
> Kevin Thomason
>
> 1115 Cedar Grove Road
> Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4
>
> Phone: (519) 888-0519
> Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
> Twitter: @kthomason
> E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com <mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>
>
> -----------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> All mailing list
> All at gren.ca
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