[GREN-Exec] Regional Official Plan Review Update Report - December 15, 2021

[Kevin Thomason]

Hi GREN Executive and Franz,

Look what just landed into my mailbox at 7:00pm tonight!  Just after Franz and I spoke at noon today, trying to figure out what is next with the Regional Official Plan and when, it seems that Regional Staff have been working late and pushing things forward. 

Interestingly, it seems that they are rejecting the Council motion and request for Scenario #4 and #5 at 65% and 70% densities and instead have re-written the original three scenarios into three new alternatives at higher densities that they will be studying instead.  I don’t know if Staff can ignore a Council request but I guess they aren’t really ignoring it, they are just reconfiguring everything which may not be a bad thing particularly if the “middle of the road” alternative now is no boundary expansion similar to Hamilton.  The high intensification scenario is actually taking designated land out of the urban envelope and putting it back into the countryside which is certainly an extreme option (and from what I’ve heard a very ugly process since no developer wants their existing land approvals rolled back….).

This is going to be coming to Council quickly - this Wednesday, Dec 15th but then for public consultation in January so I’m not too worried about this first timeline unless there is a feeling that we need to have radically different scenarios being investigated.  From my first glance these seem to be good and cover a broad range.  In fact, most of the wording seems to be against the demands of the developers and their lawyers and in favour of what the community has been asking for.

Interestingly there is a new Director of Community Planning (Danielle De Fields) listed as reviewer of this report.  This would mean that they have finally replaced Michelle Sergi who left for Niagara, ironically with someone who appears to have come from Niagara and York Region.  I will have to see what we can learn about her and meet with her as soon as possible.

You can learn more at:  www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDfE-2BZ7fcrTm0c5PaNLGu1mMZtiKkke1YKc74LaJ1wHjUmO-2FchtNwirIp8YOMkNihC30wSDh11UY15EHZ78-2BBb-2FlXiGN5UxPrq9BDVi-2BvRe82Lv-2FBzAPwLrYCQQnOK6anh4bYTYYA7FX589c49zuuoYgitKgNX-2FYxXB0EcL1Gp-2FaEssSbg4Y263amByDg9ABPpDKNpvbZ4U9g6pTGcmLe-2FT98pfMMHNyh-2BbqMCWghkZvFzMYG9IyikESAb4Hpies273ynnAwUuoVsKJBlaS-2Ba2S4-3DSJva_p5ZQ9mQ8XWiPBAEDaKxGg-2BE4mDdF1QeDBttQrh58TSkXFD1eQDex6FIAO2gcA8EJXADSc-2BcCAoqZ1IBir-2Fp-2F6MvvWYOWU1Lc6tw1ylPb2sWIER2w9ckLz-2FO6ubCNdO-2FHtWWtC7-2BSK7Gtz1wuWeyjJRWVI7OZBtjvvjaDoYSW46whbYLOTlhrccQlnU0SlQQ0omzjdlC7D17BF4EHZqxRUIRaBL3Jd-2B3cw4E1BCrb-2BCWO9vTz8si-2B6CJdUUU5G5RANhce0FEW7ze-2B2WCC2XNchQ-3D-3D>.

I have attached a copy of the Staff Report below.  I will reach out to Kevin Eby and other experts for insights this weekend and circulate these new regional materials to the interested local groups and people that have been engaged in ROP activities in recent weeks.

Let me know any thoughts or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin.



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

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

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

> 
> Hello ROPR Stakeholder Committee Members,
> 
> The Regional Official Plan Review team has added a project update to the Engage page that summarizes a recommendation report (CPL-PDL-21-49) that will going to Regional Council on December 15, 2021.  
> 
> At the November 9, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting, we heard concerns about the Region’s general approach to completing the Land Needs Assessment and a desire to consult on a growth scenario that has more ambitious intensification rates and density targets.  As a result, staff have drafted a recommendation report that presents a revised approach to address these various concerns.
> 
> To view the newly added item, please visit the Project Update tab at www.engagewr.ca/regional-official-plan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDfE-2BZ7fcrTm0c5PaNLGu1mMZtiKkke1YKc74LaJ1wHjUmO-2FchtNwirIp8YOMkNihC30wSDh11UY15EHZ78-2BBb-2FlXiGN5UxPrq9BDVi-2BvRe82Lv-2FBzAPwLrYCQQnOK6anh4bYTYYA7FX589c49zuuoYgitKgNX-2FYxXB0EcL1Gp-2FaEssSbg4Y263amByDg9ABPpDKNpvbZ4U9g6pTGcmLe-2FT98pfMMHNyh-2BbqMCWghkZvFzMYG9IyikESAb4Hpies273ynnAwUuoVsKJBlaS-2Ba2S4-3DSJva_p5ZQ9mQ8XWiPBAEDaKxGg-2BE4mDdF1QeDBttQrh58TSkXFD1eQDex6FIAO2gcA8EJXADSc-2BcCAoqZ1IBir-2Fp-2F6MvvWYOWU1Lc6tw1ylPb2sWIER2w9ckLz-2FO6ubCNdO-2FHtWWtC7-2BSK7Gtz1wuWeyjJRWVI7OZBtjvvjaDoYSW46whbYLOTlhrccQlnU0SlQQ0omzjdlC7D17BF4EHZqxRUIRaBL3Jd-2B3cw4E1BCrb-2BCWO9vTz8si-2B6CJdUUU5G5RANhce0FEW7ze-2B2WCC2XNchQ-3D-3D>.
> 
> Please feel free to contact the ROPR team with any questions.
> 
> Sincerely, 
> The ROPR Team
> 

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