Item - 2019.PH11.4

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan substantially in accordance with the recommended Official Plan Amendments appended as Attachments 1 and 2 to the report (November 7, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council adopt the Terms of Reference for the Block Context Plan complete application requirement appended as Attachment 5 to the report (November 7, 2019) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the recommended Official Plan Amendments and Terms of Reference as may be required.

4. City Council declare by resolution to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing that these Official Plan Amendments conform with Provincial Plans or do not conflict with them; have regard to the matters of Provincial Interest in Section 2 of the Planning Act; and are consistent with policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a Statutory Special Public Meeting on December 10, 2019, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report presents the recommended amendments to Section 3.1.1, Public Realm, Section 3.1.2, Built Form and Section 3.1.3, Built Form - Tall Buildings, of the Official Plan. The recommended changes are the result of extensive public and stakeholder consultations conducted as part of the Five Year Review of the Official Plan.

The recommended Official Plan amendments appended to this report as Attachments 1 and 2 are intended to strengthen the existing policies and provide greater clarity through new policies that describe the public realm, built form and built form types. The policies reflect the continuous evolution of the application of urban design principles to achieve critical city-building objectives, defining the roles and relationships of the public realm and new development to ensure that buildings and their surrounding public spaces work together to achieve a high standard of design and help create a high quality of life for people of all ages and abilities.

Attachments 3 and 4 to this report demonstrate how the proposed amendments will be incorporated into Sections 3.1.1, 3.1.2 and 3.1.3 of the Official Plan. A proposed terms of reference for a Block Context Plan complete application requirement is appended as Attachment 5 to this report.

Pursuant to Section 26 of the Planning Act and in accordance with Planning and Housing Committee's direction, a statutory public open house was held on October 16, 2019 to discuss the revised policies tabled at the July 3, 2019 Planning and Housing Committee meeting. The recommended policies attached to this report have been refined to respond to additional stakeholder, public and provincial feedback received since July 2019. 

The proposed policies are also intended to address the recently released A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2019), which includes new and revised policies and definitions for Complete Communities, Complete Streets, the Public Realm and Compact Built Form that emphasize a high-quality, vibrant public realm, the efficient use of land, the integration of green infrastructure, social equity and quality of life, and a well-connected network of walkable neighbourhoods and destinations that encourage active transportation.