[All] Regional Official Plan Growth Option Deadline - Fri, May 27th, Other Updates

Thu May 26 00:10:38 EDT 2022

Hi GREN Folks,

This coming Friday, May 27th is the deadline to get Regional Staff your feedback and comments on the proposed 3 Growth Options proposed for the Regional Official Plan.  As outlined in the document below it is felt that all three options are insufficient and overly complicated.  A 4th Growth Option has been proposed and we hope that you will speak up in favour of it with its simple intensification approach, consistency with the Smart Growth path we are already on, and no farmland loss.

Regional Staff are expected to present a preferred Growth Option at their June 15th meeting which could either be a progressive option like #3 or #4 with intensification and no farmland loss or a a regressive option resulting in thousands of acres of farmland destroyed forever.  We all need to speak up for the best possible outcomes - particularly if we are to meet any of our climate change goals.

Municipal Recommendations to Region

All area municipalities also have to get their preferred Growth Option to the Region as soon as possible which is causing serious issues due to the extremely short timelines:

Wellesley Township - Last night at Wellesley Township some developers, Kevin Eby, Mark Reusser, Neil Lackey and myself delegated at a very lengthy and intense meeting where Staff and the Mayor's Recommendation for Option #2 was not approved by Council who instead voiced support for our Option #4 and have directed Staff to come back on June 7th with a new report better addressing a sustainable future plan for the Township.

Wilmot Township - Wilmot Staff just released their Staff Report tonight that doesn’t consider our Option #4 and instead surprisingly recommends Option #1’s massive population growth to increase their population by over 50% in the next 30 years - as much as their sewage plant capacity will allow.  We need Wilmot residents to speak up and send letters to their Councillors expressing concerns about this approach and instead suggesting a more moderate and sustainable growth option such as #4.  The Council meeting to approve this Staff Recommendation is this coming Monday, May 30th.

Woolwich Township - has announced in newspaper ads and letters to the community that their Council will consider their Staff Report at the June 6th Council meeting.  More details are below.

City of Waterloo - has announced that they will be bringing forward their Staff Recommendations at their June 13th Council meeting which is confounding because it is well past the date by which Regional Staff will have had to make their decision and publish their Recommended Growth Option.

We are still trying to learn about the plans/timelines for Cambridge, Kitchener, and North Dumfries Township.

Please share anything that you can learn and be prepared to write letters and perhaps even delegate in your municipality as these reports come forward and we try to ensure the most sustainable Regional Official Plan possible.

Cheers,
Kevin.

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1) Option #4 - Full Document

2) Wilmot Staff Report on ROP Growth Options

3) Woolwich Notice of Council Meeting - Regional Official Plan Land Needs Assessment

4) Upcoming Dates

Friday, May 27th - Deadline for feedback to Regional Staff on Growth Options

Friday, May 27th - 7pm Doug Ford Protest at Bingeman’s 

Monday, May 30th - Wilmot Council Meeting for ROP Growth Option, MZO motion, and Built It Right Motion

Thursday, June 2nd - Provincial Election - Be sure to vote for the environment!

Monday, June 6th - Woolwich Council Meeting for ROP Growth Option Decision

Tuesday, June 7th - Wellesley Special Council Meeting to approve Revised Staff Report/Recommendation

Monday, June 13th - City of Waterloo Council Meeting for ROP Growth Option Decision

Wednesday, June 15th - Regional Council Meeting for Staff Recommendation on Preferred Growth Option

Late June - Regional Council Decision on Preferred Growth Option

Wednesday, July 20th - Formal Public Hearing on Regional Official Plan Update

Late August - Final vote and approval of Regional Official Plan until 2051

Wednesday, October 26th - Municipal Elections

-------------------------------------

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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