[All] Regional Official Plan Public Consultations - Wed, July 13th, 14th, 19th

[Kevin Thomason]

GREN Folks,

A reminder that there are both virtual and in-person public consultation events coming up over the next week for the Regional Official Plan and the Recommended Approach to Growth for the next 30 years.

We can’t underestimate the level of opposition to this bold, visionary plan from very disappointed land speculators and developers.  It is essential that we do everything possible to ensure that it receives strong support from citizens and groups across our community and it is approved in the coming weeks ahead of the upcoming autumn municipal elections.  Already efforts are underway to seek delays, field developer supported candidates in the election, and prepare for appeals to the OMB by opponents.

At these upcoming public consultations there will be an overview presentation by Regional Staff on the sustainable plan that is being proposed for residential/community lands and employment lands that would see a minimal amount of farmland loss and then opportunity for questions and feedback.  

If you are unable to attend these events in-person or online, I urge you to e-mail your support to Regional Council and Staff.  It is so important that we speak up now for the future that we want to see.

Please share any questions or ideas.

Sincerely,
Kevin.

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1) Upcoming Dates:

Wednesday, July 13th 2:00pm to 4:00pm - In-Person Public Information Meeting - Wilmot Recreation Centre, Baden 
				6:00pm to 8:00pm - In-Person Public Information Meeting - Wilmot Recreation Centre, Baden 

Thrusday, July 14th 6:00pm to 7:30pm - Virtual Public Information Meeting - Register - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIufumtrDsoH9UPjQjkFVeKgfxN9OtHqK10 <https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIufumtrDsoH9UPjQjkFVeKgfxN9OtHqK10>

Tuesday, July 19th 2:00pm to 4:00pm - Statutory Public Open House at Regional Headquarters - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener
		6:00pm to 8:00pm - Statutory Public Open House at Regional Headquarters - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener

Wednesday, July 27th 3:00pm - Statutory Public Meeting on the Regional Official Plan Update

Thursday, August 18th - Final vote and approval of the 2051 Regional Official Plan

Monday, October 24th - Municipal Elections


2) Key Data Points of the Recommended Approach to Growth:

	- Intensification rate: 61%
	- Density: 59 pj/ha
	- Community Area Expansion: 150 ha
	- Employment Area Expansion: 456 ha

This is much less Community Area (residential) greenfield farmland loss than former Option #2’s 376 ha of farmland loss, and even less than the 220 ha proposed back in December or the 180 ha of farmland loss proposed November.  While ideally we would see 0ha of farmland loss we’ve known from the onset that additional employment lands were required, a solution would have to be found for Wellesley Township’s land needs, and there were situations were rounding out or adding a few acres of expansion could help to complete a community or provide space for needed/missing services.  

Learn more at: https://www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan


3) Contact Regional Councillors and Staff - Please Show Your Support and Speak Up for the Future You Want to See:

Write all Regional Councillors at: regionalcouncillors at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:regionalcouncillors at regionofwaterloo.ca>

Or contact individual Councillors at:

Karen Redman (Regional Chair) - kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:kredman at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Kathryn McGarry (Mayor, Cambridge) - kmcgarry at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:kmcgarry at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Karl Kiefer (Regional Councillor, Cambridge) - kkiefer at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:kkiefer at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Helen Jowett (Regional Councillor, Cambridge) - hjowett at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:hjowett at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Berry Vrbanovic (Mayor, Kitchener) - bvrbanovic at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:bvrbanovic at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Tom Galloway (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - tgalloway at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:tgalloway at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Geoff Lorentz (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - glorentz at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:glorentz at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Michael D. Harris (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - mharris at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:mharris at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Elizabeth Clarke (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - eclarke at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:eclarke at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Dave Jaworsky (Mayor, City of Waterloo) - djaworsky at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:djaworsky at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Jim Erb (Regional Councillor, City of Waterloo) - jerb at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:jerb at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Sean Strickland (Regional Councillor, City of Waterloo) - sstrickland at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:sstrickland at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Les Armstrong (Mayor, Wilmot Township) - larmstrong at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:larmstrong at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Joe Nowak (Mayor, Wellesley Township) - jnowak at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:jnowak at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Sandy Shantz (Mayor, Woolwich Township) - sshantz at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:sshantz at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Sue Foxton (Mayor, North Dumfries Township) - sfoxton at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:sfoxton at regionofwaterloo.ca>

Contact Regional Staff at:

Bruce Lauckner - CAO - blauckner at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:blauckner at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Rod Reiger - Commissioner - Planning, Development and Legislative Services - rregier at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:rregier at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Danielle DeFields - Director, Community Planning and Development - DDeFields at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:DDeFields at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Brenna MacKinnon - Manager, Development Planning - bmackinnon at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:bmackinnon at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Cushla Matthews - Principal Planner - CMatthews at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:CMatthews at regionofwaterloo.ca>
John Lubczynski - Principal Planner - jlubczynski at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:jlubczynski at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Kate Daley - Environmental Sustainability Specialist - KDaley at regionofwaterloo.ca <mailto:KDaley at regionofwaterloo.ca>

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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

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