HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD 09-06
From:
Subject:
REPORT TO
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
027
Report Number: PO 09-06
Date: January 24, 2006
Neil Carroll
Director, Planning & Development
Places to Grow - Better Choices. Brighter Future.
Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
November 2005
EBR Registry Number: XR05EOO02 - Informational Notice
Recommendation:
4.
That Pickering Council RECEIVE Report PO 09-06 on the Proposed Growth Plan
for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, prepared by the Ministry of Public
Infrastructure Renewal, dated November 2005;
That Pickering Council ADVISE the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal that
it continues to support:
(a) a growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe;
(b) Pickering's inclusion within the sub-area that includes the Greater Toronto
Area and Hamilton;
the identification of downtown Pickering as an urban growth centre; and
protection of designated employment lands from conversion to
non-employment or major retail land uses;
That Pickering Council REQUEST the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal to:
(a) amend the final Growth Plan to identify the Cherrywood Community as a
designated greenfield area and to coordinate with the Minister of Municipal
Affairs and Housing the removal of this area from the Greenbelt Plan; and in
the absence of this,
amend the final Growth Plan to identify lands in the northeast sector of
Pickering, having an area equivalent in size to the Cherrywood Community,
as a designated greenfield area instead of Greater Golden Horseshoe
Growth Plan Area; and
respond in writing to Pickering Council regarding the Minister's rationale for
his decision on this matter;
That Pickering Council REQUEST the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal
to incorporate the following recommended changes into the final Growth Plan for
the Greater Golden Horseshoe, such that:
(a) the adequacy of the designated urban land supply in the Growth Plan is
reviewed at least every five years;
(b) lower-tier municipalities, in addition to the upper and single-tier
municipalities, are formally consulted on the:
(i) reviews of the population, household and employment forecasts;
(ii) undertaking of sub-area assessments;
1.
2.
(c)
(d)
3.
(b)
(c)
Report PO 09-06 Date: January 24, 2006
(I}2~bject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Page 2
(iii) delineation of the built boundary;
(iv) identification of the boundary for and scale of development in
Pickering's urban growth centre;
(v) determination of the timing for and location of future designated
greenfield areas;
the content of sub-area assessments are refined to focus on regional scale
infrastructure, economic development, transportation and transit, and
urban boundary expansion matters and that the identification of the natural
system, prime agricultural and rural areas are the responsibility of upper,
lower and single-tier municipalities;
a schedule identifying the sub-areas is re-introduced;
a new policy is added to section 2.2.3 - General Intensification, allowing
the Minister to permit achievement of the 40% intensification in Durham
Region at a point in time after the year 2015, following review of the
current intensification opportunities and supply of existing approved
greenfield developments;
the term "municipality" in policy 2.2.32., (which requires those
municipalities currently achieving an intensification ratio of higher than
40% within their built-up area to continue to achieve that ratio), is clarified
to refer to an "upper or single-tier municipality" only, and that it is not to be
applied at the lower-tier municipal level;
the employment to population ratio is increased to 50% (one job for every
two persons) for Durham Region;
the employment areas along Highways 407 and 401 within Durham
Region are recognized and identified as provincially significant in the
Growth Plan;
the transportation system is revised to:
(i) add a proposed higher order transit route along Taunton Road and
Kingston Road;
add a proposed higher order transit route on the CP Belleville rail
line through Durham Region;
(iii) add a proposed higher transit route from the Pickering GO Station
to the Highway 407 transitway; and
(iv) extend Highway 407 easterly to Highway 35/115 in the pre-2031
timeframe, and add a proposed higher order transit route on
Highway 407 through Durham Region;
That Pickering Council continues to REQUEST that, prior to finalizing the Growth
Plan, the Province release details of the fiscal, regulatory and other tools that will
be made available to properly implement the Growth Plan policies at the local level;
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
5.
(ii)
That Pickering Council AUTHORIZE staff to prepare and bring back to Council
for authorization, terms of reference for a "Downtown Pickering Urban Growth
Centre Study" to determine the scope, scale and nature of the downtown centre,
in consultation with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal and the Region
of Durham; and
6.
Report PO 09-06
Date: January 24, 2006
Subject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Page 3
7.
That the City Clerk FORWARD a copy of Report PO 09-06 to the Minister of
Public Infrastructure Renewal, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the
Region of Durham, Durham area municipalities, and Wayne Arthurs, MPP,
Pickeri ng-Ajax -Uxbridge.
Executive Summary: The Province has released a Proposed Growth Plan for the
Greater Golden Horseshoe, following public consultation on its earlier Draft Growth
Plan. Copies of the Proposed Growth Plan were distributed to Council late in 2005.
The Province requests comments on the Plan by January 27, 2006.
The essential elements of the Proposed Growth Plan remain unchanged from the Draft:
directing growth to built-up areas including urban growth centres (such as downtown
Pickering); directing new greenfield development to designated growth areas (such as
Seaton); establishing growth targets for built-up areas, the urban growth centres, and
designated greenfield areas; and promising Provincial support for the Growth Plan with
investment in public transit and infrastructure, and provision of new fiscal and regulatory
tools for municipalities to implement the Plan.
However, the concerns raised by the City in our earlier comments on the Draft Growth
Plan have not been addressed by the Province in the Proposed Growth Plan (the text of
Report PO 12-05 on the Draft Growth Plan is included as Attachment #1). This Report
(PO 09-06) recommends that Council reiterate its concerns: requesting explicit
reference to consultation with lower-tier municipalities by the Ministry as it continues to
lead all subsequent work; increasing Durham Region's jobs to population ratio from
1 :3 to 1 :2; releasing fiscal or regulatory tools essential to achieve intensification; and
reconsidering the magnitude and timing of intensification targets. Clarification is
required on a new intensification provision that could constrain Pickering's ability to
approve new development in Duffin Heights and Seaton if applied at the lower-tier level.
In the absence of the Province amending the final Growth Plan to incorporate the
Cherrwood Community as a designated greenfield area as requested yet again, staff
recommends lands of an equivalent size be incorporated in the final Growth Plan as a
designated greenfield area in northeast Pickering.
In anticipation of the Province's proposed work on urban growth centres, the City should
commence its own review of the downtown. It is recommended that staff be authorized to
prepare terms of reference for a "Downtown Pickering Urban Growth Centre Study" to
determine the scope, scale and nature of the downtown centre, and report back to
Council. It is also recommended Council request the Minister of Infrastructure Renewal to
incorporate the changes identified in this Report in the final Growth Plan.
Financial Implications: There are no financial implications to providing comments on
the Proposed GroWth Plan. Significant staff time will be required to review Provincial
initiatives arising from the Growth Plan including delineating the built boundary and
completing the sub-area assessments. The 2006 budget submission to Council will
address funding for the recommended Downtown Pickering Urban Growth Centre Study.
03 (keport PO 09-06
Date: January 24, 2006
Subject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Page 4
Background:
1.0
Discussion
1.1
Pickering's initial concerns with the specific provisions of the previous
Draft Growth Plan have not been considered in the Proposed Growth Plan.
The Provincial Growth Plan's vision of managing growth and developing stronger
transit-supportive communities continues to be supported. However, the
Proposed Growth Plan continues to focus much of the responsibility for land use
planning to the provincial and regional levels of government. There is no specific
recognition of the local municipal authority for land use planning in the
Proposed Plan. A new tier of plans crossing both local and regional boundaries
will be created for each of the sub-areas, although the Proposed Growth Plan
notes that sub-area assessments are not intended to duplicate local official plans
and policies. Official plans are required to conform to the Growth Plan within
three years of the date of approval of the final Growth Plan.
A chart has been prepared outlining staff's comments on the schedules attached
to the Draft Plan, with an indication of whether they were incorporated or not, is
provided as Attachment #2 to this Report.
1.2
The employment forecasts for Durham Region should be revised in the
final Growth Plan to establish a job to population target of 1:2 (50%).
Staff had previously recommended that the employment forecasts for Durham
Region be increased to achieve jobs to population ratio target of 1:2 (50%) to be
consistent across the GT A-Hamilton sub-area, and with the current target of the
Durham Regional Official Plan. Durham Council shares this position. The
employment projections on Schedule 3 of the Proposed Growth Plan continue to
indicate a jobs to population ratio target of approximately 1:3 (36.5%) for
Durham Region for 2031.
Staff recommends the Growth Plan establish a more balanced jobs to population
ratio target of 50% throughout Durham Region if it is to achieve the Plan's
objective of creating complete communities that make more efficient use of the
existing and proposed infrastructure.
1.3
A formal process to permitting extensions to the 2015 timeframe for
achieving the target of a minimum 40% intensification in built-up areas
should be added to the final Growth Plan.
Although staff generally supports intensification within the existing built-up areas,
we are concerned that there may not be sufficient land or adequate infrastructure
within the built-up area of Durham Region to accommodate the Proposed Growth
Plan's 40% intensification target on an annual basis by 2015.
Report PO 09-06
Date: January 24, 2006
031
Subject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Page 5
1.4
1.5
Using Pickering as an example, with the development of Duffin Heights and
Seaton, a significant increase in the rate of growth in the designated greenfield
area is anticipated outside the current built-up area. Further, much of Pickering's
growth in recent years has been through infill and intensification projects within the
built-up area, further limiting additional opportunities for redevelopment and/or
infilling. In addition, the Proposed Plan fails to mention any specific incentives to
landowners to develop and/or redevelop land within existing built-up areas.
Staff recommends that the final Growth Plan be amended to permit the Minister
to grant an extended time frame to meet the 40% intensification target in built-up
areas subject to detailed review of the opportunities and approved growth within
the upper or single-tier municipalities.
Further, staff requests a clarification that the policy requiring a "municipality" to
continue achieving a higher intensification rate if it is already doing so
(policy 2.2.3 2.) is referring to "upper or single-tier" municipalities. It would be
inappropriate to apply this policy at a lower-tier municipal level.
Formal recognition of the need to consult and involve lower-tier
municipalities in the subsequent activities (including the built boundary,
sub-area assessments, future designated greenfield areas, and urban
growth centres) should be incorporated into the final Growth Plan.
The Proposed Growth Plan continues to exclude lower-tier municipalities as a
formally recognized body to be consulted in such important activities as
verification and delineation of the built boundary, the assessment of the need for
future designated greenfield areas, the determination of the scope and scale of
urban growth centres and completion of the sub-area assessments.
Although technical background papers issued by the Ministry indicate that
consultation with relevant lower-tier municipalities would occur, staff requests
that the final Growth Plan recognize lower-tier municipalities as a formal
participant in these subsequent Provincial activities. Further, a schedule showing
the boundaries of the sub-areas should be added to the final Growth Plan.
A funding or assistance toolkit should be incorporated into the final
Growth Plan, or released at the same time as the final Plan, to ensure
appropriate levels of infrastructure can be provided in accordance with the
Growth Plan's objectives.
Staff continues to request that the final Growth Plan include additional information
on the fiscal and regulatory tools that will be made available by the Province to
facilitate the implementation of the Growth Plan at the lower-tier municipal level.
Alternatively, a companion document could be released at the same time. A
significant investment in community infrastructure will be required to accommodate
the intensity of growth in built-up areas and urban growth centres identified in the
Proposed Growth Plan. In the absence of a source of funding to address the
infrastructure deficit, achievement of targeted intensification is doubtful.
03 2 Report PO 09-06 Date: January 24,2006
Subject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Page 6
Prior to releasing the final Growth Plan, the related implementation toolkit must
be established and released either as an integral component of the Plan, or as a
companion document to the Plan.
1.6
Transportation system modifications, as requested previously, should be
incorporated into the final Growth Plan to enable achievement of the level
of transit service envisaged by the Plan.
The transportation system of the Proposed Growth Plan continues to exclude the
higher order transit routes through Durham Region that Council previously
requested. These revisions would support intensification as well as improve
transit linkages throughout Durham Region.
Staff recommends that the final Growth Plan be revised to add a proposed higher
order transit routes along Taunton Road, Kingston Road, the CP Belleville rail
line through Durham Region as well as from the Pickering GO Station to the
Highway 407 transitway. Staff also request that a proposed higher order transit
route be added on Highway 407 and that Highway 407 be extended easterly to
Highway 35/115 prior to 2031.
1.7
The Cherrywood Community, or an area of land equivalent in size in
northeast Pickering, should be included in the final Growth Plan as a
designated greenfield area, and the adequacy of the supply of designated
greenfield areas should be reviewed every five years.
Both the City and the Region of Durham have identified that Pickering does not
have a 20-year supply of designated urban land. The City's Growth
Management Study properly assessed growth options and recommended a
settlement boundary expansion to address the supply issue. The Study meets
the criteria that are set out in the Proposed Growth Plan. The final Growth Plan
should add the Cherrywood Community as a designated greenfield area, and the
Ministers of Public Infrastructure Renewal and Municipal Affairs and Housing
should coordinate the removal of the Cherrywood Community lands from the
Greenbelt.
In the alternative, the final Growth Plan should include an area of land in
northeast Pickering, equivalent in size to the Cherrywood Community, as
designated greenfield area, to address the City's urban land supply shortfall.
The Proposed Growth Plan maintains there is an adequate supply of designated
urban land to accommodate the population and employment forecasts for 2031.
The Plan sets out that the Ministry will lead the review of the need for future
designated greenfield area. This review should be undertaken in consultation
with lower-tier municipalities (not just upper and single-tier municipalities), and
should occur at least every five years in conjunction with proposed reviews of the
population, household and employment forecasts, and with proposed monitoring
intensification targets.
Report PO 09-06
Date: January 24, 2006
033
Subject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Page 7
1.8
The City should commence a "Downtown Pickering Urban Growth Centre
Study", to define the scale, scope and nature of our downtown centre, and
to inform the Ministry's initiatives.
Pickering's vision for its downtown has been that of an area with the highest mix
and intensity of development. The Plan's concept of downtown Pickering as an
urban growth centre is consistent with our vision. The Growth Plan's
intensification target for urban growth centres by the year 2031, of an average of
200 residents and/or jobs per gross hectare, is three to four times current
average density levels. Significant investment in both hard and soft infrastructure
will be required to meet this level of redevelopment.
Pickering has been working on a number of initiatives related to sustainability,
including the plans for Seaton, the Partners for Climate Protection project, the
Sustainable Neighbourhood Plan (Phase 3 of the Growth Management Study),
and the more recently initiated Benchmarking for Sustainability. Pickering's
vision for an urban growth centre should be viewed in light of these broader City
initiatives.
It is recommended that staff be directed to prepare terms of reference for a
"Downtown Pickering Urban Growth Centre Study" to define the scale, scope and
nature of the downtown centre, and bring them back for Council's consideration
in the spring. Provision will be made for this work in the 2006 budget submission
to Council.
1.9
Staff will continue to monitor the Growth Plan and advise Council of
significant events or information.
It is anticipated that the next Growth Plan released will be the final Plan, with no
further opportunity for review. Staff will follow-up with the Province respecting
Council's comments on the Plan, and will continue to advise Council of significant
matters about the Provincial Growth Plan.
Attachments:
1.
Text of Report PO 12-05 on the Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden
Horseshoe, February 2005
Comparison chart of the Proposed Growth Plan and the previous Draft Growth Plan
2.
O~port PO 09-06
Date: January 24, 2006
Subject: Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Page 8
Prepared By:
Approved I Endorsed By:
1lL ~' ~
Rick Cefaratt'
Planner II
//~
/' I
~:.
Neil Carroll, P
Director, Planning & Development
~Ii-
Catherine Rose, MCIP, RPP
Manager, Policy
RC:ld
Attachments
Copy: Chief Administrative Officer
Director, Corporate Services & Treasurer
Director, Operations & Emergency Services
Division Head, Corporate Projects & Policy
Recommended for the consideration of
Pickering Cit cil
,/~ ~"
,//
C¡tJ¡ 01
ATTACHMENT # / TO
REPORT # PO CR -0"
REPORT TO
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
@J;5
Report Number: PO 12-05
Date: March 31,2005
From:
Neil Carroll
Director, Planning & Development
Subject:
Places to Grow - Better Choices. Brighter Future.
Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
February 2005
Recommendation:
1.
That Pickering Council RECEIVE Report PO 12-05 on the draft Growth Plan for
the Greater Golden Horseshoe, prepared by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure
Renewal, dated February 2005;
That Pickering Council ADVISE the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal that
it supports:
(a) the concept of a growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe;
(b) Pickering's inclusion within the 'Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton
Sub-area'; and
the identification of downtown Pickering as an 'urban growth centre'.
2.
(c)
3.
That Pickering Council REQUEST the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal
to coordinate the transfer of the Cherrywood Community from the Greenbelt Plan
to the Growth Plan under a 'Designated Growth Area' category, consistent with
Pickering's approved Growth Management Study;
4.
That Pickering Council REQUEST the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal
to incorporate the following recommended changes into the final Growth Plan for
the Greater Golden Horseshoe, such that:
(a) upper, lower and single-tier municipalities are engaged as full participants
in the preparation of the work program for their respective sub-area growth
strategy and that all municipalities be included as members of the sub-
area growth strategy working teams in addition to the Province;
local municipalities are provided with the authority to determine the way in
which intensification is achieved in their respective areas;
a meaningful public consultation process to inform and obtain comments
from residents and landowners in all parts of each sub-area is included as
an integral component of the sub-area growth strategy work program;
(d) the content of sub-area growth strategies is refined to focus on the
broader cross-boundary issues such as infrastructure, economic
development, transit, and urban boundary expansions with less emphasis
on rural, agriculture and natural heritage matters;
(e) the timeframe for achieving the intensification targets in the Growth Plan is
extended from 2015 to a longer timeframe;
(b)
(c)
03IDIReport PO 12-05
ATTACHMENT # ( TO
REPOR1 # PO Dq -Ole
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 2
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
5.
the employment to population ratio is increased to 50%( one job for every
two persons) for Durham Region;
the transportation system is revised to:
(i) add a proposed higher order transit route along Taunton Road and
Kingston Road;
add a proposed higher order transit route on the CP Belleville rail
line through Durham Region;
(iii) add a proposed higher transit route from the Pickering GO Station
to the Highway 407 transitway; and
(iv) extend Highway 407 easterly to Highway 35/115 in the pre-2031
timeframe, and add a proposed higher order transit route on
Highway 407 through Durham Region;
That Pickering Council REQUEST that, prior to finalizing the Growth Plan, the
Province release a comprehensive package of Greater Golden Horseshoe
initiatives including details of the fiscal, regulatory and other tools that will be
made available to properly implement the sub-area growth strategies, the
Transportation Strategy, and the 10-year Strategic Infrastructure Investment
Plan; and
(f)
(g)
(ii)
6.
That the City Clerk FORWARD a copy of Report PO 12-05 to the Minister of
Public Infrastructure Renewal, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the
Region of Durham, Durham area municipalities, and Wayne Arthurs, MPP,
Pickeri ng-Ajax -Uxbridge.
Executive Summary: The Province has released a draft Growth Plan for the
Greater Golden Horseshoe following public consultation on its earlier Places to Grow -
Better Choices. Brighter Future. Discussion Paper.
In the draft Growth Plan, growth is directed as infill and redevelopment to built-up areas
especially the urban growth centres, such as downtown Pickering. New greenfield
development is directed to designated growth areas, such as Seaton. The Province is
proposing to support the Growth Plan by investing significantly in public infrastructure,
public transit, assuming stronger Provincial authority, and providing new fiscal and
regulatory tools for municipalities to implement the Growth Plan. A summary of the draft
Growth Plan is provided as Attachment #1 to this Report and the specific provisions of
the Growth Plan for Pickering are discussed in Section 1.1 of this Report.
Comments have been made on the draft Growth Plan relating to: the shift in
responsibility for land use planning matters from municipalities to the province; the need
for municipalities to be equal partners in the preparation of the sub-area growth
strategies; the need to extend the timeframe from 2015 to a longer timeframe in order to
achieve the minimum intensification targets; the need to increase the employment
forecast for Durham Region; and the need for further information on possible new fiscal
and regulatory tools to implement the Growth Plan.
Report PO 12-05
ATTACHMENT # I TO
REPORT # PO 0 Cf -()V;¡
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 3
@37
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
It is recommended that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal incorporate
Pickering's comments into the final Growth Plan. Further, the Province should release a
comprehensive package of all of its Greater Golden Horseshoe initiatives for further
consultation, prior to finalizing the Growth Plan.
Financial Implications: There are no financial implications to providing comments on
the draft Growth Plan. However, significant staff time will be required in order to have
meaningful participation in the Provincial process.
Background:
1.0
1.1
Discussion
The specific provisions of the Growth Plan relating to employment
projections, intensification targets and transportation system components
are problematic.
A summary of the provincial draft Growth Plan is provided as Attachment #1 to
this Report. A full copy of the draft Growth Plan was previously provided under
separate cover to members of Council.
Specific provisions of the draft Growth Plan for Pickering are identified in the
chart below. Comments are also noted. Key issues are discussed in more detail
in the remaining sections of this Report.
Disagree. A more balanced live-work
relationship of one job for every two
persons is required for Durham Region,
particularly for urban lands within the
GTA and Hamilton sub-area (50% jobs
to 0 ulation ratio.
Support identification of downtown
Pickering.
. Actual limit of centre to be identified in
sub-area rowth strate.
. Schedule 4 shows a built-up area. Actual limit of built-up area to be
enerall for south Pickerin . identified in sub-area rowth strate.
. Schedule 4 shows a designated. Support identification of Seaton.
growth area for Pickering (Seaton). . Actual limit of growth area to be
identified in sub-area growth strategy.
. Add the Cherrywood Community to
the 'designated growth area' for
Pickerin .
Draft Growth Plan
Schedules
. Schedule 3 (see Attachment #2) .
indicates an employment forecast of
350,000 jobs for Durham Region at
2031 (36.5% jobs to population
ratio ).
Staff Comments
. Schedule 4 (see Attachment #3) .
identifies Downtown Pickering as an
'urban growth centre'.
0 3 ~eport PO 12-05
ATTACHMENT #
REPORT # PO
I TO
Oq -olo
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 4
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Draft Growth Plan
Schedules
Staff Comments
. Schedule 4 identifies
'designated non-urban area'
northeast Pickerinq.
. Schedules 5 and 6 (see.
Attachments #4 & #5) shows the
future proposed Pickerinq airport.
. Schedule 5 shows the CP Havelock.
Railway to Peterborough as a
proposed higher order transit to
2031.
. Schedules 4 and 7 (see Attachment. Lands west of West Duffins Creek and
#6) shows the 'draft' greenbelt lands. north of the CP Railway, the former
Lake Iroquois Shoreline and the East
Duffins Creek are within the greenbelt
lands; final Growth Plan should
include updated Greenbelt Plan map.
. Transfer the Cherrywood Community
from the Greenbelt Plan to the Growth
Plan.
the. Lands within a 'designated non-urban
in area' would not be considered for
urban purposes until after 2031.
Consistent with the Places to Grow
Discussion Paper.
. Schedule 6 shows Highway 407 .
East of Brock Road as Future
Economic / Transport Corridors.
Add a proposed higher order transit
route along an easterly extension of
Highway 407 before 2031.
. Add a proposed higher order transit
route along Taunton Road and
Kingston Road.
. Add CP Belleville Railway as existing
higher order transit.
. Add a proposed higher transit route
from the Pickering GO Station to the
Highway 407 transitway.
. Clarify that the higher order transit
route for the CP Havelock railway is of
lesser priority than other transit and
transDortation projects within PickerinG.
Extend Highway 407 corridor easterly
to Highway 35/115 and clarify the
priority of the 407 extension within the
2031 planning horizon. The Growth
Plan down plays the importance of
extending Highway 407 through
Durham Reaion.
Support the inclusion of Pickering in
the GTA and Hamilton sub-area.
. Extensive area consisting in total of
43 municipalities, regions, and
conservation authorities.
. Schedule 8 (see Attachment #7) .
shows Pickering within proposed
Sub-area 1 - GT A and Hamilton.
Report PO 12-05
ATTACHMENT # / TO
REPORT II PO Dq -0(0
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 5
l?1'¡3'9'
ll: ),,'
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
1.2
1.3
1.4
The provincial Growth Plan and sub-area growth strategies for the Greater
Golden Horseshoe create a new higher level planning document to which
all municipal official plans will have to conform.
The provincial Growth Plan's vision of managing growth and developing stronger
transit-supportive communities is generally supported. The preparation of a
sub-area growth strategy for the GT A and Hamilton provides an opportunity to
directly engage the Province in maximizing infrastructure investments and attracting
investment in downtown Pickering, which is recognized as a 'urban growth centre' in
the draft Growth Plan document. As well, the 'urban growth centre' designation
provides an opportunity to enhance Pickering's downtown as a strategic gateway
between Durham Region and Toronto. Previously, the Places to Grow discussion
paper identified downtown Pickering as an 'emerging urban centre'.
However, the provincial Growth Plan appears to represent a significant shift in
responsibility for land use planning matters from local and regional levels to the
provincial level. A new tier of plans crossing both local and regional boundaries
will be created for each of the sub-areas. The Growth Plan notes that sub-area
growth strategies are not intended to duplicate local official plans and policies.
However, official plans will be required to conform to the Growth Plan.
The Province should ensure that municipalities are equal partners in
preparing the work program for their respective sub-area growth strategy
and as members of their respective sub-area growth strategy working team.
Although the Growth Plan notes that the Province jointly with municipalities will
prepare sub-area growth strategies, the municipal role in this process must be
strengthened. Local municipalities must be provided with the authority to
determine the way in which intensification is to be achieved in their respective
areas. To ensure that municipal issues are brought forward for consideration, it
is requested that the Province engage municipalities as full participants both in
the preparation of a work program for their respective sub-area growth strategy
and in the sub-area growth strategy working team. As a minimum, lower-tier
municipalities identified as urban growth centres and upper-tier municipalities
should be active participants in the Provincial exercise.
The sub-area growth strategy should focus on the broader cross-boundary
issues instead of detailing local level matters.
The growth strategies are intended to be comprehensive in scope addressing a
wide range of topics for each sub-area. A more strategic focus on the broader
cross-boundary issues such as infrastructure, transportation, economic
development, transit and urban boundary expansions is recommended. There
should be less emphasis on the agricultural system, rural areas, and mineral
aggregate resources outside of urban areas as these matters are more
appropriately addressed through local official plans. Without refining the scope of
sub-area growth strategies, staff is concerned that the process could take several
years from initial inception to approval for the large geographic sub-areas.
040 Report PO 12-05
ATTACHMENT#~TO
REPORì # PO --c¡::¡::o~
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 6
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
1.5
The timeframe to achieve the minimum intensification requirements in the
draft Growth Plan should be extended from 2015 to a more realistic
timeframe.
The draft Growth Plan requires a phased increase in the amount of residential
intensification occurring within existing built-up areas, such that by 2015, 40% of
all new residential development occurring annually shall be within today's
build-up area. It is our understanding that Durham Region will be responsible for
increasing the current intensification target of 20% incrementally until it reaches
40% by 2015 and that all municipalities will be required to meet the 40% target.
Considering the high residential growth rates anticipated for Seaton (outside the
built-up area) over the next 15 years, a 40% annual intensification rate for
Pickering would be hard to achieve by 2015. This means that if we have 2,000
new residential units constructed annually by the year 2015 in Pickering, 40% or
800 units would have be constructed in today's built-up area. Our concern is that
there may not be sufficient land and adequate infrastructure within the built-up
area to accommodate the 40% intensification target on annual basis.
As well, intensification areas are to be generally planned to achieve not less than
200 residents and jobs per net hectare. Staff is concerned that this level of
intensity cannot be achieved in such a short time. As an example, the newly
constructed OPG building on Brock Road is approximately 16,150m2 (6-storey
building) on 4 hectares of land with a projected 750 jobs being accommodated.
This translates into 187.5 jobs per hectare, which is below the Growth Plan
density.
1.6
Although infill and intensification within the existing built-up areas is supported, it
should be recognized that municipalities can only provide opportunities for higher
densities but no landowner can be compelled to develop. Intensification and
redevelopment is not a one-time process, but rather an ongoing evolution of a
community. A more gradual implementation of the density over 20-30 years,
rather than 10 years, would provide a more realistic timeframe for the market to
respond with higher density development.
The employment forecasts for Durham Region should be increased to
achieve jobs to population ratio of one to two rather than one to three, to
be consistent across the GT A-Hamilton sub-area.
Schedule 3 of the draft Growth Plan indicates an employment forecast of
350,000 jobs (36.5% jobs to population ratio) for Durham Region at 2031. This is
lower than the employment forecast presented in the Durham Regional Official
Plan Review (423,000 jobs or 40.1 % jobs to population ratio for 2031), and less
than Durham's current jobs to population ratio target of 50%. A lower
employment forecast is not supportive of Durham Region's direction to balance
population growth with employment. A more balanced live-work relationship of
one job for every two persons is required in Durham Region if it is to achieve the
Report PO 12-05
ATIACHMENT II ( TO
REPORT II PO ()q -[fo
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 7
@41
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
1.7
Growth Plan's objective of creating compact, transit-supportive communities that
make more efficient use of existing and proposed infrastructure.
Public consultation should be included as an integral part of the
preparation sub-area growth strategies in the Growth Plan.
The preparation of a sub-area growth strategy includes no public consultation
process. To ensure that the Province undertakes a meaningful consultation
process, it is recommended that the Province enshrine a public process in the
Growth Plan to inform and obtain comments from residents in all parts of each
sub-area as a component of the sub-area growth strategy process.
1.8
Details on fiscal and regulatory tools to support municipal efforts to
implement the draft Growth Plan are lacking in the draft Growth Plan
document.
Details on fiscal and regulatory tools referenced in the original Discussion Paper,
are not provided in the draft Growth Plan. A representative of the Ministry of
Public Infrastructure Renewal has advised that information relating to a wide
variety of fiscal tools that may be used to implement the Growth Plan is currently
being prepared but these tools will not be finalized prior to the Growth Plan being
approved. An appropriate financial toolbox is essential to enable implementation
of the Growth Plan in municipalities and to assist the public in making appropriate
housing choices. It is essential that the Province provide further information on
these fiscal and regulatory implementation tools for municipal review and
comment, prior to finalizing the Growth Plan.
1.9
More information on the role and structure of the Greater Toronto
Transportation Authority (GTTA) is required.
No details are provided on the role and structure of the previously announced
establishment of a Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) with
sub-area growth plans, provincial funding ministries and municipal transit
operators. Although there is merit in provincial coordination of broader transit
planning and funding, the Province is requested to provide further information on
the GTTA's relationship to local transit providers.
1.10 Staff will continue to monitor the Growth Plan and advise Council of
significant events or information.
Staff will follow-up with the Province respecting Council's comments on the Plan,
and will advise Council of significant matters about the final Growth Plan.
04 ~eport PO 12-05
A II ALH¡ViElìlT # I TO
HEPOR1 # PO oq -CXo
Date: March 31, 2005
Page 8
Subject: Draft Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
ATTACHMENTS:
1.
2.
Summary of the draft Growth Plan
Schedule 3 - Distribution of Population,
Greater Golden Horseshoe 2001-2031
Schedule 4 - Urban Growth Centres
Schedule 5 - Moving People
Schedule 6 - Moving Goods
Schedule 7 - Draft Greenbelt Plan
Schedule 8 - Proposed Sub-area Concept
Households and Employment in the
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Prepared By:
Approved I Endorsed By:
ORIGINAL SIGNED BY
RIGINAL SIGNED BY
Grant McGregor, MCIP, RPP
Principal Planner - Policy
Neil Carroll, MCIP, RPP
Director, Planning & Development
ORIGINAL SIGNED BY
Catherine Rose, MCIP, RPP
Manager, Policy
GM:ld
Attachments
Copy: Chief Administrative Officer
(Acting) Chief Administrative Officer
Division Head, Corporate Projects & Policy
Recommended for the consideration of
Pickering City Council
ORIGINAL SIGNED BY
Thomas J. Quinn, Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT' 2 TO
AEPORT , PD~ - C>~
Chart Comparing the Draft and Proposed Growth Plans
Draft Growth Plan
Schedules
. Schedule 3 proposes
an employment forecast
of 350,000 jobs for
Durham Region at
2031 (36.5% jobs to
population ratio).
. Schedule 4 identifies
Downtown Pickering
as an urban growth
centre.
. Schedule 4 shows a
built-up area
(generally) for south
Pickering.
. Schedule 4 shows
Seaton as a designated
growth area for
Pickering, but not the
Cherrywood
Community.
. Schedules 4 and 7 .
show the draft
greenbelt boundary.
. Schedule 4 identifies.
the designated non-urban
area in northeast
Pickering.
Proposed Growth
Plan Schedules
. No change.
. No change.
. No change
. No change.
Schedules 4, 5 .
and 6 now
show the
greenbelt
lands.
Schedule 4.
identifies land
in northeast
Pickering as
part of the
Greater Golden
Horseshoe
Plan Area.
. Schedules 5 and 6 . No change.
show the future
proposed Pickering
airport.
043
Staff Comments
. Continue to disagree. A more
balanced live-work relationship
of one job for every two
persons is required for
Durham Region (50% jobs to
population ratio).
. Continue to agree. Support
identification of downtown
Pickering.
. Built boundary to be
established by MPIR;
request formal consultation
with lower- tier municipalities.
. Continue ~ support
identification of Seaton.
. Continue to request addition
of the Cherrywood Community
as a designated growth area,
or alternative lands of same
size in northeast Pickering.
Continue to request addition
of the Cherrywood Community
as a designated growth area
for Pickering, and deletion
from Greenbelt Plan.
Lands within GGH Plan
Area, but not currently
designated for urban
development, are classed as
not required for urban
purposes until after 2031 ;
. Request 5-year reviews of
need for future designated
greenfield areas.
. No comment.
ATTACHMENT '~TO .
REPORT I PD~
W44 Chart Comparing the Draft and Proposed Growth Plans
Page 2
Draft Growth Plan
Schedules
. Schedule 5 shows the.
CP Havelock Railway
to Peterborough as a
proposed higher order
transit route to 2031 .
. Schedule 6 shows
Highway 407 East of
Brock Road as Future
Economic / Transport
Corridors.
. Schedule 8 shows.
Pickering within
proposed Sub-area 1
- GTA and Hamilton.
Proposed Growth
Plan Schedules
Deleted
proposed higher
order transit
route as requested
. No change.
No change to .
the sub-areas.
However, the
sub-areas are
no longer
shown on a
schedule.
Staff Comments
. Continue to recommend
adding the following:
0 a proposed higher order
transit route along an
easterly extension of
Highway 407 before
2031;
0 a proposed higher order
transit route along
Taunton Road and
Kingston Road;
0 a future higher order
transit on the CP
Belleville Railway;
0 a proposed higher transit
route from the Pickering
GO Station to the
Highway 407 transit way.
. The Growth Plan downplays
the importance of extending
Highway 407 through Durham
Region;
. Continue to recommend
adding Highway 407 corridor
easterly to Highway 35/115
and identify the high priority of
the 407 extension.
Re-introduce a schedule
illustrating Pickering within
GT A-Hamilton sub-areas.