Official Plan Review
The City of Toronto Official Plan was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) in 2006. The statutory Five Year Review subsequently began in 2011. Due to the size of the City and the breadth of policy matters in the Official Plan, Council approved conducting the Official Plan Review in stages by thematic area in order to enable the public to focus more clearly on proposed Plan changes. The review for some thematic policy areas of the Official Plan is complete. The updated policies have been adopted by Council and are either in effect or are being adjudicated at the OMB. Certain thematic policy areas are currently in the review process.
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The City Planning Division, working closely with Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, consulted with the public and carried out fieldwork and policy development for the City’s employment lands as part of the Official Plan Review. The result was Official Plan Amendment 231 which was adopted by Council in December 2013. The Official Plan Amendment contains new economic policies and designations for Employment Areas. The intent of OPA 231 is to:
- preserve the City’s Employment Areas for business and economic activities
- limit sensitive uses that could affect the function of businesses within Employment Areas
- promote office space on rapid transit
- accommodate the growth of the retail and institutional sectors to serve the growing population of the City and region
Meetings, Events & Reports
The public consultation process for the Economic Health and Employment Lands Policies and Designations of the Official Plan is now complete.
A Special Statutory Public Meeting for the proposed official plan amendment was held on November 21, 2013 by Planning and Growth Management Committee. City Council adopted OPA 231 on December 16, 2013 with amendments. The details of both meetings including background information, reports and communications can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
OPA 231 was approved with minor modifications by the Province in July 2014. There were 178 appeals of that decision to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), including appeals of the entire Official Plan Amendment. The OMB has approved certain policies and mapping of OPA 231 including the Employment Areas land use designations, except as they pertain to lands that are subject to site-specific appeals. The appeal and approval process is ongoing. The OMB case details, along with OMB decisions can be viewed on the OMB website.
Contacts
Toronto & East York:
Steven Dixon, Senior Planner
Telephone: 416-392-0189
Email: Steven.Dixon@toronto.ca
Scarborough:
Christian Giles, Senior Planner
Telephone: 416-392-0881
Email: Christian.Giles@toronto.ca
Etobicoke:
Christina Heydorn, Senior Planner
Telephone: 416-397-4075
Email: Christina.Heydorn@toronto.ca
North York:
Gerry Rogalski, Senior Planner
Telephone: 416-397-4074
Email: Gerry.Rogalski@toronto.ca
Overview
The City Planning Division consulted with the public and developed policies pertaining to climate change and energy, the natural environment and green infrastructure. In addition, 68 new Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) were identified in the City. The result was Official Plan Amendment 262 which was adopted by Council in November 2015. The intent of OPA 262 is to:
- strengthen the existing environmental policies
- encompass new priorities that have emerged since the adoption of the last Official Plan
- designate new ESAs
Meetings, Events & Reports
The public consultation process for the Environmental Policies and Environmentally Significant Areas is now complete.
City Council approved OPA 262 in November 2015. Details of the meeting including background information, reports and communications can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
OPA 262 was approved by the Province in May 2016. There were no appeals to the amendment and it is now in full force and effect.
Contact
Jane Welsh, Project Manager, Environmental Planning, SIPA
Telephone: 416-392-9709
Email: Jane.Welsh@toronto.ca
Overview
The City Planning Division consulted with the public to strengthen the Official Plan policies pertaining to heritage. The result was OPA 199 which was adopted unanimously by Council in April 2013. The intent of OPA 199, which won the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals Award of Excellence in 2013, is to:
- improve heritage resource conservation practices throughout the City
- implement changes to the Provincial Policy framework
- add policies to the Public Realm section of the Official Plan to provide for the protection of important views
Meetings, Events & Reports
The public consultation process for the Heritage Policies is now complete.
City Council unanimously approved OPA 199 in April 2013. Details of the meeting including background information, reports and communications can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
OPA 199 was approved by the Province in November 2013 and subsequently appealed in its entirety to the Ontario Municipal Board. Through mediation a settlement was reached with appellants in April 2015 and the new heritage policies were brought into force in May, 2015.
Contact
Tamara Anson-Cartwright, Program Manager, Heritage Preservation Services
Telephone: 416-338-1083
Email: tamara.anson-cartwright@toronto.ca
Overview
The City Planning Division, working closely with the Affordable Housing Office and Legal Services, consulted with the public to identify several housing policies for review as part of the Official Plan Review. The result was Official Plan Amendment 214 which was adopted by Council in July 2013, and a proposed revision to the Official Plan definition for Affordable Ownership Housing which was considered by Planning and Growth Management Committee on April 6, 2016. The intent of OPA 214 and the proposed revision to the Affordable Ownership Housing definition is to:
- encourage the creation of a full range of new affordable housing
- provide for affordable ownership housing and rented-registered condominium units as eligible Section 37 community benefits
- make the definition for Affordable Ownership Housing more consistent with the housing market and income conditions
Meetings, Events & Reports
The public consultation process for the review of the Housing Policies and Affordable Ownership Housing definition of the Official Plan is now complete.
City Council adopted motions regarding new Section 37 policies related to affordable housing in response to reports from City Planning on April 3, 2013, June 11, 2013 and July 16, 2013.
Details of the Planning and Growth Management Committee meeting on April 6, 2016 regarding a new Official Plan definition for Affordable Ownership Housing, including background information, reports and communications can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
OPA 214 was approved by City Council in July 2013. The OPA is in full force and effect.
Contact
Deanna Chorney, Senior Planner, Community Policy, SIPA
Telephone: 416-392-5092
Email: Deanna.Chorney@toronto.ca
Overview
The City Planning Division consulted with the public to clarify, strengthen and refine the policies of the Official Plan pertaining to healthy neighbourhoods and the Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods land use designations as part of the Official Plan Review. The result was Official Plan Amendment 320 which was adopted by Council on December 9, 2015. The intent of OPA 320 is to:
- protect and enhance existing neighbourhoods
- allow limited infill on underutilised apartment sites in Apartment Neighbourhoods
- implement the City’s Tower Renewal Program
Meetings, Events & Reports
The public consultation process for the Healthy Neighbourhoods, Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods policies and designations of the Official Plan is now complete.
A Statutory Public Meeting for the proposed official plan amendment was held on November 16, 2015 at Planning and Growth Management Committee. City Council adopted OPA 320 on December 9, 2015 with amendments. The details of both meetings including background information, reports and communications can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
OPA 320 was approved with one modification by the Province in July 2016. There were 57 appeals of that decision to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), including appeals of the entire Official Plan Amendment. The appeal and approval process is ongoing. The OMB case details, along with OMB decisions can be accessed on the OMB website.
Contact
Gerry Rogalski, Senior Planner, Official Plan, SIPA
Telephone: 416-397-4074
Email: Gerry.Rogalski@toronto.ca
Overview
The City Planning Division consulted with the public, various City divisions and agencies through the “Feeling Congested?” initiative as part of the Official Plan Review. The result was Official Plan Amendment 274 which was adopted by Council in August 2014. The Official Plan Amendment revises the transportation policies, dealing primarily with pedestrian and cycling policies, goods movement and the promotion of “complete streets”. The intent of OPA 274 is to:
- strengthen the integration of the City’s land use and transportation policies
- create sustainable and complete communities
- support active transportation
Meetings, Events & Reports
The public consultation process for the transportation policies of the Official Plan is now complete.
A Special Statutory Public Meeting for the proposed official plan amendment was held on August 7, 2014 by Planning and Growth Management Committee. City Council adopted OPA 274 on August 25, 2014 with amendments. The details of both meetings including background information, reports and communications can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
OPA 274 was approved by the Province on December 31, 2014. There was one appeal of that decision to the Ontario Municipal Board, which was withdrawn. The amendment is now in full force and effect.
Contact
Michael Hain, Senior Planner, Transportation Planning
Telephone: 416-392-8698
Email: Michael.Hain@toronto.ca
Overview
As part of the Official Plan Review, the City Planning Division is undertaking a review of the urban design policies related to Built Form and the Public Realm, found in Chapter 3 of the Official Plan.
On August 7, 2014, Planning and Growth Management Committee (PGMC) directed City Planning Staff to consult with the public on urban design policy directions. Following the public consultation process, on May 14, 2015, PGMC directed City Planning Staff to develop draft policies for the purposes of public consultation, based on 11 urban design policy directions grouped into four content clusters:
1. Seeing the Bigger Picture
- providing the purpose and intent of urban design guidelines
- recognising that large and deep lots need additional planning
- refining the Avenue policies and Map 2 Urban Structure overlay
- promoting a walkable city
2. Prioritising the Public Realm
- clarifying the role of the public realm
- clarifying the need for new public streets as part of developments
3. Guiding Built Form
- development criteria for low-rise developments and mid-rise buildings
- encouraging thoughtfully designed tall buildings
4. Enhancing Parks and Open Spaces
- encouraging thoughtfully designed tall buildings
- maintaining sunlight on downtown signature parks and open spaces
- promoting and increasing privately owned publicly-accessible spaces (POPS)
Meetings, Events & Reports
Public consultation on draft policies is expected to being in 2018. No meetings have been scheduled at this time.
The April 16, 2015 staff report summarising the public consultation process on the 11 policy directions was considered by PGMC on May 14, 2015 and can be viewed in the agenda item history.
The July 3, 2014 staff report outlining the proposed policy directions for the urban design review was considered by PGMC on August 7, 2014 and can be viewed in the agenda item history.
Approval Process
Revised urban design policies are currently being drafted. There have not been any approvals at this time.
Contact
Steven Dixon, Senior Planner, Official Plan, SIPA
Telephone: 416-392-0189
Email: Steven.Dixon@toronto.ca
