OFFICIAL PLAN 5-YEAR REVIEW & TAKE ACTION FOR SUSTAINABLE HURON

Huron County Official Plan 5 Year Review Responding to Written and Verbal Comments

Purpose of Today Provide some background on planning and the Five Year Review Develop a common understanding of the draft Official Plan Review comments received and the resulting recommended changes Give direction to staff on final changes Prepare the draft for adoption by Council in the coming month(s)

Huron County and Planning… A Forty Year History First County in Ontario with an approved Official Plan (early 1970’s) Recognized as a national leader for the planning system and related policy

Late 1960’s – 20??

Provincial Involvement Foodland Guidelines and a series of Provincial Policy Statements throughout the 1970’s

Connected Documents Planning Act – mandates a five year review - Adopted Plan requires Ministry approval Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) -“shall be consistent with” (s. 3(5) PA) Take Action for Sustainable Huron - voluntary, action-oriented planning and development

Community Engagement In 2008:63 presentations / input sessions Fall 2008:4 workshops May 2009:1 st draft released Jun 2009:5 Open Houses (1 required) Oct 2009:1 Public Meeting (required) Feb 2010:2 nd draft released Mar/Apr 2010:CotW deliberation May 2010:Council deliberation (today) Total Number of Participants: 1,700 +

Major Changes from the Existing 1999 County Official Plan General –strong community support to continue with existing policy directions –support for the readable format –support for “high level” policy approach –2005 PPS –an amendment, not a whole new Plan

Major Changes Agriculture –Prime agricultural areas include prime and non-prime land –Exclusion studies required for other uses –Minimum criteria for surplus residences –Source water protection –Renewable energy systems

Major Changes Community Services –Cultural plan –Heritage protection –Transportation, alternative modes –Accessibility plan –Renewable energy

Major Changes Economy –Four pillars –Infrastructure planning –Economic development partnerships Extractive Resources –2005 Aggregates Strategy –Impact studies for development within 300 m of an operation or deposit –Commercial water taking

Major Changes Natural Environment –Natural Heritage Plan –Environmental Impact studies –Source water protection –Forest management

Major Changes Settlement Patterns –Growth allocation targets –Affordable housing targets –Housing intensification targets –Comprehensive reviews –Employment areas –Heritage protection –Accessibility –Clean air, water, soil

Major Changes Implementation –Complete application requirements Resource Maps –Agriculture – similar –Extractive – from Aggregates Strategy –Natural Environment – same, except PSW –Settlement Patterns – updated from local OP –Watersheds - same

The Five Year Review and Balancing Competing Interests

Essentially, Comments received fall into 2 categories- Recommended and Not Recommended RecommendedNot Recommended

For Many Issues there are varying Perspectives…. and many Unknowns… If we look at Surplus Residences for example…. Agriculture Long-Term Advantage or Disadvantage Short-Term Advantage or Disadvantage Community Municipal …rural schools to affordable housing … land values to land use compatibility …farm size to long-term flexibility … cost of transportation to impact on hamlets and villages …cost of servicing to service provision … assessment to Local Economy Issues Ranging From

… And now to the specifics…