<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">GREN Folks,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">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.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">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.<br class=""><div class="">
<meta charset="UTF-8" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">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. </div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">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.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Please share any questions or ideas.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Sincerely,</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Kevin.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">-------------------------------------</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><div class=""><b class="">1) Upcoming Dates:</b></div><div class=""><b class=""><br class=""></b></div><div class=""><div class="">Wednesday, July 13th 2:00pm to 4:00pm - In-Person Public Information Meeting - Wilmot Recreation Centre, Baden </div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>6:00pm to 8:00pm - In-Person Public Information Meeting - Wilmot Recreation Centre, Baden </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thrusday, July 14th 6:00pm to 7:30pm - Virtual Public Information Meeting - Register - <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIufumtrDsoH9UPjQjkFVeKgfxN9OtHqK10" class="">https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIufumtrDsoH9UPjQjkFVeKgfxN9OtHqK10</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Tuesday, July 19th 2:00pm to 4:00pm - Statutory Public Open House at Regional Headquarters - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>6:00pm to 8:00pm - Statutory Public Open House at Regional Headquarters - 150 Fredrick Street, Kitchener</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Wednesday, July 27th 3:00pm - Statutory Public Meeting on the Regional Official Plan Update</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thursday, August 18th - Final vote and approval of the 2051 Regional Official Plan</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Monday, October 24th - Municipal Elections</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><div class=""><div class=""><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><b class="">2) Key Data Points of the Recommended Approach to Growth:</b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Intensification rate: 61%</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Density: 59 pj/ha</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Community Area Expansion: 150 ha</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Employment Area Expansion: 456 ha</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">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. </div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Learn more at: <a href="https://www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan" class="">https://www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">3) Contact Regional Councillors and Staff - </b>Please Show Your Support and Speak Up for the Future You Want to See:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="">Write all Regional Councillors at: <a href="mailto:regionalcouncillors@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">regionalcouncillors@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Or contact individual Councillors at:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Karen Redman (Regional Chair) - <a href="mailto:kredman@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">kredman@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Kathryn McGarry (Mayor, Cambridge) - <a href="mailto:kmcgarry@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">kmcgarry@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Karl Kiefer (Regional Councillor, Cambridge) - <a href="mailto:kkiefer@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">kkiefer@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Helen Jowett (Regional Councillor, Cambridge) - <a href="mailto:hjowett@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">hjowett@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Berry Vrbanovic (Mayor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:bvrbanovic@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">bvrbanovic@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Tom Galloway (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:tgalloway@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">tgalloway@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Geoff Lorentz (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:glorentz@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">glorentz@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Michael D. Harris (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:mharris@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">mharris@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Elizabeth Clarke (Regional Councillor, Kitchener) - <a href="mailto:eclarke@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">eclarke@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Dave Jaworsky (Mayor, City of Waterloo) - <a href="mailto:djaworsky@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">djaworsky@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Jim Erb (Regional Councillor, City of Waterloo) - <a href="mailto:jerb@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">jerb@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Sean Strickland (Regional Councillor, City of Waterloo) - <a href="mailto:sstrickland@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">sstrickland@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Les Armstrong (Mayor, Wilmot Township) - <a href="mailto:larmstrong@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">larmstrong@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Joe Nowak (Mayor, Wellesley Township) - <a href="mailto:jnowak@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">jnowak@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Sandy Shantz (Mayor, Woolwich Township) - <a href="mailto:sshantz@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">sshantz@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Sue Foxton (Mayor, North Dumfries Township) - <a href="mailto:sfoxton@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">sfoxton@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Contact Regional Staff at:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Bruce Lauckner - CAO - <a href="mailto:blauckner@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">blauckner@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Rod Reiger - Commissioner - Planning, Development and Legislative Services - <a href="mailto:rregier@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">rregier@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Danielle DeFields - Director, Community Planning and Development - <a href="mailto:DDeFields@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">DDeFields@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Brenna MacKinnon - Manager, Development Planning - <a href="mailto:bmackinnon@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">bmackinnon@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Cushla Matthews - Principal Planner - <a href="mailto:CMatthews@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">CMatthews@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">John Lubczynski - Principal Planner - <a href="mailto:jlubczynski@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">jlubczynski@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class="">Kate Daley - Environmental Sustainability Specialist - <a href="mailto:KDaley@regionofwaterloo.ca" class="">KDaley@regionofwaterloo.ca</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">-------------------------------------</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><img class="photo_big" style="max-width:100%; display:block; margin: 0 auto;" alt="MicrosoftTeams-image (9).png" apple-inline="yes" id="025B4F73-A3C5-46E6-9C60-3DEF0980A0C5" src="cid:8B699089-EEA8-4E25-988F-659E08124791"></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div><div class="">
<meta charset="UTF-8" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br class=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">-------------------------------------<br class=""><br class="">Kevin Thomason<br class=""><br class="">1115 Cedar Grove Road<br class="">Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2J 3Z4<br class=""><br class="">Phone: (519) 888-0519<br class="">Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648<br class="">Twitter: @kthomason<br class=""><a href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com" class="">E-mail: kevinthomason@mac.com</a><br class=""><br class="">-----------------------------------------</div></div></div>
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