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Recommendation: That, on the
recommendation of the Director, Land Use Planning and City Planner, and based
upon the legislative requirements of Section 26(1) of the Planning Act
and the public consultation process to date, the following actions be taken
with respect to the five-year review of the City of London Official Plan:
a) pursuant
to Section 26(1) of the Planning Act, the need for an Official Plan
update BE CONFIRMED, and the Civic Administration BE REQUESTED
to initiate such a review;
b) the
attached revised Terms of Reference for the Official Plan Review
(Appendix A), as revised based on comments received from various stakeholders
including the public, the development industry, and relevant governmental
agencies and ministries BE ADOPTED;
c) the
January 30, 2012 report detailing the public input received on the draft
Terms of Reference for the Official Plan review BE RECEIVED;
d) a
corresponding financial policy BE DEVELOPED through the Official Plan
review process that will support a sustainable financial plan; and
e) appropriate
measurables BE DEVELOPED for the Official Plan;
it being noted that pursuant to Section
26(1) of the Planning Act, a public open house was held on December
13, 2011;
it being further noted that the Strategic
Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) heard the attached presentation
from the Director of Land Use Planning and City Planner, and the Manager,
City Planning and Research, with respect to the draft Terms of Reference for
the Official Plan review;
it being also noted that the following
written communications were received by the SPPC:
a)
a
communication dated January 20, 2012 from B. McCall, RN, Public Health Nurse,
Chair, Healthy Communities Partnership Middlesex-London; and
b)
a
communication dated November 25, 2011 from L. Cowie, Southeast London
Community Council;
it being pointed out that at the public
participation meeting associated with this matter, the following individuals
made an oral submission in connection therewith:
- Bernadette McCall, RN, Public Health
Nurse, Chair, Healthy Communities Partnership Middlesex-London, and D.
Szoller, Thames Region Ecological Association, Physical Activity Policy
Action Team – providing the attached presentation in support of
facilitating healthy living through effective land use planning policy.
- Mary Lou Albanese, RN, BScN, MSA,
Manager, Healthy Communities and Injury Prevention, and Iqbal Kalsi,
Manager of Environmental Health, Middlesex-London Health Unit –
requesting that the City of London’s Official Plan incorporate policies
that will enhance the overall health of the community through healthy
community design and land use planning; emphasizing the importance and
need for having health professionals and planners work together to
achieve health promoting features of land use, community, environment
and transportation planning; indicating support for the adoption of the
draft Terms of Reference and the involvement of the Health Unit as the
review moves forward; noting that under the Ontario Public Health
Standards 2008 Health Hazards Prevention & Management requirements
#3 and #4 “the Board of Health shall increase public awareness of public
risk factors and shall assist the community partners to develop healthy
policies related to reducing exposure to health hazards”, which would cover
such areas as built environment (land use planning), climate change,
indoor air quality, ambient air quality, extreme temperatures and other
measures, as emerging health issues arise; and indicating that given the
mandated direction from the Province, it is imperative that the Health
Unit be included as a member of the Official Plan, as is the case with
many other Ontario communities such as Region of Peel, Region of
Waterloo, etc., who actively work with their municipal planning
officials to improve the health of their citizens in the community.
- Lynda Cowie and Kathleen Nurse,
Southeast London Community Council – providing the attached
presentation; indicating that with the input of local citizens an
Official Plan can be developed which will truly make London the “City of
Opportunity” and a place of healthy and safe neighbourhoods in which to
work, play, worship and grow; and emphasizing the need to make every
effort to engage the public.
- Tony Fonseca, Southeast London
Community Council – indicating that the Elected Officials need to
oversee the review process in order to ensure the voice of all Londoners
is heard and represented in order to facilitate a collaborative approach
to the review process; stating that the process should address and
respond to concerns, such as policies that facilitate the demise of
small commercial plazas; noting that engaging residents to determine
what uses they favour and allowing sufficient flexibility for property
owners/developers to accommodate community needs will result in more successful
development; and lastly reiterating the need for task objectives that
will result in procedures for the items detailed in Ms. Cowie’s letter
dated November 25, 2011.
- Jim Kennedy, London Development
Institute – commending the City for its new approach to the Official
Plan review; noting the last review resulted in approximately 500
amendments, which was in large part due to the fact that the background
for the review was so prescribed, there was little choice but to seek
amendments; indicating that it will be important for neighbourhoods to
appreciate the need for flexibility; and lastly expressing that he is
looking forward to the public dialogue with respect to the review.
- S. Pompilii, speaking on behalf of
Farhi Holdings Corporation and Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan, landowners – indicating
that he was extensively involved in the current Official Plan review
process, as well as the Vision ’96 process; noting that there was not
much change arising from the Vision ’96 process; indicating that there
are 24 landowners in the area of Dundas Street/Crumlin Side Road/CNR
tracks and the easterly limits of the City of London that would like to
see the urban growth boundary expanded; noting that Farhi Holdings
Corporation has 137 acres and the Flannigans have 50 acres of property
in the vicinity that they would like to see move from rural settlement
and agriculture and noting that the request is not a new one.
- Sandy Levin, Urban League of London –
indicating there are two questions that the Municipal Council needs to ask:
first, where do advisory committees fit into the process and second, how
does the new community engagement policy apply to this review; and
noting that there is a need for continued public engagement.
- Mike White, Lambeth resident – enquiring
about by-laws and building permits; indicating that he has only heard
“no” or “you can’t do that”, rather than being aided through the permit
process; advising that health issues have made it necessary for him to
build an accessible home and he would like to sever his property in
order to build such a home on his existing property; and noting that
while there is talk about the community and flexibility, the City is not
really meeting the needs of the community.
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