Item - 2019.PH2.4

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning gave a presentation to City Council on the Proposed Amendments to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017 - City Comments.

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that:

1. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to introduce language which clearly states the Province's intention to authorize municipalities to allow the conversion of lands designated Employment Areas, that are not identified as "Provincially Significant Employment Zones" in the Growth Plan, during the course of a municipally-initiated one-time window of opportunity only, as described on the Province's webpage at http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page20926.aspx.

2. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 of the Growth Plan, 2017 policies and mapping to recognize and include additional "Provincially Significant Employment Zones" in the City of Toronto, (including the City's major office parks).

3. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to recognize the Ontario Food Terminal as a Provincially Significant Employment Zone which plays a pivotal role in the provincial agri-food network.

4. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan by using the previous definition of “Office Parks” in the Growth Plan, 2017, in order for Office Parks to continue to be designated as Employment Areas in the Official Plan. 

5. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to recognize all five of Toronto's "Office Parks" as "Provincially Significant Employment Zones".

6. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to:

a. Allow municipalities to require an applicant to retain space for employment uses, where employment uses had previously existed, as part of their development application, where the municipality has in-effect official plan policies indicating where and under what redevelopment criteria (location, size, use, phasing of development) such an employment replacement policy would apply, and

b. Allow municipalities to also set minimum employment space thresholds for new development in mixed use areas where no employment uses previously existed.

7. City Council advise the Province of its support to remove "Prime Employment Area" references from the Growth Plan, 2017.

8. City Council advise the Province of its support to change the Growth Plan, 2017, to remove the mandatory requirement that each municipality develop an employment strategy and replace this requirement with amended policies that require municipalities to adopt official plan amendments prescribing a number of employment related actions ensuring their protection. 

9. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to reinstate the Growth Plan definition of a Major Transit Station Area by removing the reference to a proposed 500 to 800 metre radius range and reinstating the 500 metre radius requirement.

10. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, wording for Policy 2.2.4.4.b. by deleting the word "high" from the proposed policy so that "high ridership" is not a qualifier for lower density target consideration.    

11. City Council request the Province to include a new policy in the Growth Plan to clarify that where an overlap occurs between the City's designated Employment Areas and potential Major Transit Station Areas, the Growth Plan's Employment policies take precedence and the established minimum density targets for Employment Areas, required by proposed policy 2.2.5.13.a would prevail over any other established density target, including those for Major Transit Station Areas and others, in order to ensure the protection and preservation of the City of Toronto's finite employment land base.

12. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017 to reinstate Growth Plan Policy 2.2.2.4.a. which makes reference to encouraging intensification to achieve the desired urban structure instead of Policy 2.2.2.3.c. proposed in Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017.

13. City Council request the Province to revise Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, 2017, to reinstate Growth Plan Policy 2.2.1.4.e., which ensures the development of a high quality compact built form, an attractive and vibrant public realm through site design and urban design standards.

14. City Council request the Province modify O. Reg. 311/06 to add Official Plan Amendment 231 as a matter in process that was approved under the previous Growth Plan, 2006, as amended in 2013, but is currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

15. City Council request the Province modify O. Reg. 311/06 to add any decision made by Toronto City Council on the day before the enactment of the proposed Growth Plan Amendment, except those matters (Official Plan Amendment 231) identified in Recommendation 14 above as matters in process that are subject to the current Growth Plan 2017, but are currently under appeal at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

16. City Council forward this item, and any other related item on this matter, that is before City Council on February 26, 2019, to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing by the Province's commenting deadline of February 28, 2019.

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to report directly to City Council with regard to identifying the additional Provincially Significant Employment Zones at the February 26, 2019 City Council meeting.    

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning gave a presentation on Proposed Amendments to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017 - Preliminary City Comments.

This report provides staff preliminary comments and recommendations on Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017 announced by the Province on January 15, 2019.  Economic Development and Culture and Legal Services staff were consulted in the preparation of this report.

Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan will affect where the City will experience growth and development pressures and will require legislated updates to the City’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law through a mandatory Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR).  Given the timing of the proposed amendments to the Growth Plan, the City's recommended requests to the Province described in this report, are in keeping with previous Council decisions and seek to ensure the integrity of the City’s Official Plan. 

Any major policy amendments to the Official Plan would require a consultative and extensive effort that is intended to take place during the City’s next MCR.  The Province's commenting deadline on Proposed Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan is February 28, 2019.