Pg 1 of Report PB-52/11 DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE DIVISION Planning and Building Department TO: Chair and Members of the Community Development Committee SUBJECT: Draft Halton Region Official Plan Amendment No. 39 (ROPA No. 39) Regional Development Phasing to 2031 and Draft Best Planning Estimates (2011 to 2031) Report Number: PB-52/11 Report Date: May 31, 2011 Author(s): John Conn Date to Committee: June 20, 2011 Telephone: 335-7600 Ext. 7641 Date to Council: July 4, 2011 Ward(s) Affected: 1 2 3 4 5 6 All File Number(s): 150-09-1 APPROVALS: Department Head General Manager City Manager To be completed by the Clerks Department Committee Disposition & Comments Council Disposition & Comments 01 Approved 02 Not Approved 03 As Amended 04 Referred 05 Deferred 06 Received & Filed 07 Withdrawn 01 Approved 02 Not Approved 03 As Amended 04 Referred 05 Deferred 06 Received & Filed 07 Withdrawn 1.0 RECOMMENDATION: THAT Burlington identify support for Draft Halton ROPA No. 39 Regional Development Phasing to 2031 dated May 16, 2011 and the Draft Halton Best Planning Estimates Update (2011 to 2031) dated May 2011; and THAT a copy of PB-52/11 and Council Resolution be forwarded to the Region of Halton for consideration. File: 150-09-1
Pg 2 of Report PB-52/11 2.0 PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to provide a summary and comments regarding Draft Halton ROPA No. 39 and the Draft Best Planning Estimates Update (2011 to 2031) documents for consideration by the Region of Halton. 3.0 BACKGROUND: 3.1 Draft Best Planning Estimates Update Halton Region and the 4 Local Halton Municipalities have jointly prepared Best Planning Estimates containing population, dwelling unit and employment growth forecasts since 1997. The intent of producing these estimates is to provide a consistent set of land use data and forecasts for use by public and private agencies and individuals requiring this data for civic, business or personal use. The Best Planning Estimates are used by both the Region and the local Municipalities in studies such as transportation master plans, solid waste, water and wastewater master plans and the preparation of Development Charges By-law studies. They are also used by external agencies (MTO, Ministry of Health, etc.) and the private sector in market research. The current Best Planning Estimates document was prepared in 2007 and reflects growth forecasts within Halton to the year 2021. Year 2021 at that time matched the planning horizon date identified in each of the Halton Municipal Official Plans. The 2007 Best Planning Estimates identified a City year 2021 population of 182,000 and employment of 108,000. Since 2007, the Region and Local municipalities have collaborated on the Sustainable Halton planning exercise and their own respective Official Plan Reviews towards implementing the Places To Grow Provincial Growth Plan which has a 2031 horizon year. The Council Approved growth forecasts in these Growth Plan Conformity Official Plans have been used in the May 2011 Draft Best Planning Estimates Update document. Excerpts from the May 2011 Draft Best Planning Estimates document pertaining to Burlington are attached as Appendix A. Places To Grow introduced new rules for development pertaining to lands within the existing Built Boundary part of Urban Areas and for Greenfield lands. As a result, the Draft Best Planning Estimates has introduced dwelling unit and employment forecasts by Municipality by Traffic Zone to enable development tracking within the rules for development Built Boundary and Greenfields lands identified through Places To Grow. The growth forecasts from the May 2011 Best Planning Estimates Update have been utilized in the preparation of Regional Phasing Amendment ROPA 39 and both documents reflect the growth targets identified in the adopted Halton and Local Municipal Official Plans. The May 2011 Draft Best Planning Estimates document when finalized will replace the current 2007 Best Planning Estimates version.
Pg 3 of Report PB-52/11 3.2 Draft ROPA 39 Halton Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 38 (ROPA 38) was adopted by Regional Council in December 2009 and included new urban areas to 2031 located in the Towns of Halton Hills and Milton. The policies of ROPA 38 require Regional staff to undertake a process to determine the phasing of growth in accordance with the population and employment distributions of Table 1 of ROPA 38 and to amend Map 5 of the Official Plan to show the Regional development phasing to 2031. These requirements are addressed in ROPA 39. Draft ROPA 39 dated May 16, 2011 is attached as Appendix B. There were no Burlington lands added to the Halton Urban Area shown in the Halton Regional Plan through ROPA 38. As a result, Burlington Urban Lands will continue to be shown as Urban Area with Regional Phasing to 2021 similar to the phasing identified in the current approved Halton Regional Plan. This approach is acceptable from the City s perspective as all Regional infrastructure necessary for new development between 2021 and 2031 will be in the ground by 2021. 3.3 Public Consultation Halton Region undertook a series of Public Information Sessions on this proposed Regional Plan Amendment and the Draft Best Planning Estimates Update in April. The Burlington Information Session was held at Holy Rosary School on April 21 st. The Burlington Session was attended by Halton and City Planning Department staff and several Burlington Councillors. No members of the Public or the Development Industry attended. 4.0 DISCUSSION: 4.1 Draft Best Planning Estimates As noted in the Background Section to this Report, Halton Region and the 4 Local Halton Municipalities have jointly prepared Best Planning Estimates containing population, dwelling unit and employment growth forecasts since 1997. The current 2007 Best Planning Estimates document has a horizon year of 2021 which corresponded to the horizon year in the respective Halton Official Plans. The Provincial approval of Places To Grow with a year 2031 growth projection date and the corresponding inclusion of 2031 as the planning horizon date in the respective Halton Official Plans necessitates that the Best Planning Estimates document be updated to reflect both the Provincial Growth Plan and the Halton Official Plans. The Draft Best Planning Estimates contain the following Tables showing Population, Occupied Dwelling Unit and Employment Growth:
Pg 4 of Report PB-52/11 It is noted that the Population identified in Table 1 does not include the Census Undercount which is estimated to be approximately 4%. The 186,169 year 2031 population for Burlington with 4% added for the Census Undercount equals the 193,000 year 2031 populaton projection identified in both the Halton Official Plan and Burlington Official Plan documents. As the City s growth in dwelling units, population and employment identified in the above Tables is consistent with the growth identified in Burlington OPA No. 73 (Growth Plan Conformity Amendment) and Halton ROPA s 37 and 38, the Best Planning Estimates Update raises no issues of major concern.
Pg 5 of Report PB-52/11 4.2 Draft ROPA 39: Burlington staff has reviewed this proposed amendment to the Regional Plan and are in overall support of it. The Amendment will identify Urban lands where development may occur to 2021 and Urban lands where development will occur between 2021 and 2031. The basis for this amendment (attached as Appendix B) can be found in Section 77(16) which states that it is the policy of the Region to: Require the Local Municipalities to phase development to the intermediate target year of 2021 in accordance with Map 5, Regional Phasing Map, and the policies of this Plan. The progression from one phase to the subsequent phase within a municipality is independent for employment and residential lands. The Region will, in consultation with the Local Municipalities, modify Map 5 to show phasing for all Designated Greenfield Areas, by amendment to this Plan. As stated in the Background section of this Report, Urban lands within Burlington are not identified in ROPA 39 as: Urban Area with Regional Phasing between 2021 and 2031. They are identified in the current Regional Official Plan as Urban Area with Regional Phasing (For Development to 2021). ROPA 39 which identifies where Regional servicing will be provided between 2021 and 2031 does not impact the phasing of urban development within the City in regards to Regional servicing. This approach is acceptable from the City s perspective as all Regional infrastructure necessary for new development between 2021 and 2031 will be in the ground by 2021. Table 2a Regional Phasing of ROPA 39 identifies the following growth forecast for dwelling units and employment making reference to the geographic terms put in place through Places To Grow, the Provincial Growth Plan: Table 2a Regional Phasing (excerpt) Burlington 2012-2016 2017-2021 2022-2026 2027-2031 Units in Designated Greenfield Area 428 432 133 221 - Low Density Units 287 302 106 123 - Medium & High Density Units 141 130 27 98 Units inside the Built Boundary 2525 2758 2669 2659 Employment 3055 4136 1299 1204 The majority of the Burlington Urban Area is within the Built Boundary as defined in Places To Grow. There is only a small area (primarily Alton Community) within the Greenfield definition of Places To Grow and as a result the amount of Greenfield growth in Burlington is quite small.
Pg 6 of Report PB-52/11 The City s growth in dwelling units, population and employment identified in proposed Table 2a of R.O.P.A. No. 39 is consistent with the growth identified in Burlington OPA No. 73 (Growth Plan Conformity Amendment) and Halton ROPA s 37 and 38. On this basis, Draft ROPA 39 does not raise issues of major concern to the City. 4.3 Comments Relevant to Both Documents Regional Planning staff has indicated that there may be minor revisions shown in the numbers contained in both Draft ROPA 39 and the Draft Best Planning Estimates documents. It is expected that these revisions would be minor in nature and would in Burlington s case be extremely small. Staff expects that any proposed revisions to be made will be discussed and agreed upon before revisions to the current draft documents are released. 5.0 CONCLUSION: The Draft Best Planning Estimates Update, May 2011 identifies Burlington growth to 2031 in dwelling units, population and employment consistent with the growth identified in Burlington OPA No. 73 (Growth Plan Conformity Amendment) and Halton ROPA s 37 and 38. Draft ROPA 39 Regional Phasing to 2031, May 16, 2011 does not affect Urban Lands within Burlington. Burlington Urban Lands continue to be shown in ROPA 39 as Urban Area with Regional Phasing to 2021 similar to the phasing identified in the current approved Halton Regional Plan. It is recommended that the City identify support for these 2 Regional Planning documents. Respectfully submitted, John Conn Planner Policy Copy filed: s:\inet\ Appendices: Appendix A.: Draft Best Planning Estimates of Population, Occupied Dwelling Units and Employment, 2011-2031, May 2011 Appendix B.: Draft Amendment No. 39 to the Halton Regional Plan (2009) Regional Development Phasing to 2031, May 16, 2011
Pg 7 of Report PB-52/11 Staff / Others Consulted: Name Telephone Alan Gummo (905) 335-7600, ext.7477 Notifications: Name Mailing or E-mail Address Ron Glenn Director of Planning Region of Halton Haiqing Xu Halton Region Planning Department Special Instructions:
Pg 8 of Report PB-52/11 APPENDIX A: Excerpts from Draft Best Planning Estimates of Population, Occupied Dwelling Units and Employment 2011-2031 May 2011
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Pg 30 of Report PB-52/11 APPENDIX B: Draft Amendment No. 39 to the Halton Regional Plan (2009) Regional Development Phasing to 2031, May 16, 2011
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Pg 41 of Report PB-52/11 PART C. THE APPENDICIES The following Appendix does not constitute part of Amendment No. 39, but is included as information supporting the Amendment. Appendix I Appendix II Appendix I Appendix II (to be prepared) (Notice of Public Meeting)