Official Plan: 1999 Funding Allocation

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee recommends the adoption of the recommendations of the Budget Committee contained in the following communication (December10,1998) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Budget Committee on December 8, 1998 recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council the adoption of the report (November 27, 1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

Background:

The Budget Committee on December 8, 1998 had before it a report (November 27, 1998) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services recommending that Council approve funding in the amount of $700,000.00 from Transition funding for the preparation of a new Official Plan for 1999.

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(Report dated November 27, 1998, addressed to the

Budget Committee from the

Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services)

Purpose:

This report responds to Council's direction with respect to funding for the development of a new Official Plan for the City.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact:

Funds in the amount of $700,000.00 are being requested as part of the 1999 Capital Transition Costs.

Recommendations:

(1)That Council approve funding in the amount of $700,000.00 from Transition funding for the preparation of a new Official Plan (PUD-1 Urban Planning) for 1999; and

(2)that the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference/Background:

In April, City Council decided to develop a new Official Plan for the City of Toronto. Council also directed that,

"should the estimated funding of $250,000.00 not be provided as part of the 1998 Transition Costs, the Commissioner of Planning and Urban Development Services be requested to submit a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee demonstrating how these funds will be accommodated within the budget process."

Council also directed that an extensive public consultation process and a broad mandate for policy development be part of the plan's development. (Clause No. 17 of Report No. 4 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee).

At its meeting of July 29, 30 and 31, 1998, Council approved the New Official Plan as a Transition Project, but directed the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services to report back to the Budget Committee in October, if funding for this project could not be absorbed within the departmental operating budget. (Clause No. 1 of Report No. 15 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee). The total transition funding requested for the new Plan was $500,000.00 - $250,000.00 in 1998, and $250,000.00 in 1999. These were external costs to cover consultation and communications, research and council workshops.

The re-organization of the Department and appointment of the Manager of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law has taken longer than originally anticipated. Consequently, the Official Plan work program and associated budgetary requirements were determined during October and November, and are reflected in the current budget request.

Comments:

The new plan is not intended to be a simple amalgamation of the existing plans. It will be a completely different approach, reflecting the shared values and expectations of the new City. The Plan will be characterized by strategic policies that focus on quality of life as the key to a vibrant economically successful City. It will be a road map for public and private reinvestment opportunities in the City - an innovative plan that will unleash new investment and growth. The plan will help grow the City's economy. The budget for the new Official Plan is an investment in the City's future.

We are requesting $700,000.00 in transition funding, or about 34 cents per resident. This figure reflects revisions to the work program which take into account a thorough analysis of issues and an expanded consultation process, outreach program and communication process with various stakeholders, as directed by Council. Transition funding is being sought for the external costs of the new Plan as follows:

Research and data$ 50,000.00

Consultants Studies$200,000.00

Public consultation and communication$400,000.00

Council round tables$ 50,000.00

(workshops, visioning exercises)

In addition to the consultants, we are establishing a City Planning Division staff team to produce the Official Plan.

The funding requested will be good value for the money spent, especially compared with the costs of developing plans in other cities. Some recent examples are:

(i)Toronto's CityPlan '91 required $1.7 million over three years;

(ii)London, Ontario's Vision '96 project required $6 million of which $3.56 million was for studies;

(iii)The Region of York's Official Plan cost $1 million over one and a half years;

(iv)The Calgary Transportation Plan's public consultation cost $4 million over four years;

(v)Atlanta's recent Vision Project cost $1.1 million (US) for consultant studies, computer equipment, etc, plus $800,000.00 in in-kind donations;

(vi)Edmonton's new Official Plan cost $1.1 million; and

(vii)Vancouver's CityPlan's public consultation cost about $1.7 million.

Toronto's population is about 2.4 million. None of the cities listed above has more than a million.

Funding for the $700,000.00 in external costs cannot be absorbed in the Department's operating budget, for the following reasons:

(i)During 1998, the City Planning Division lost 25 per cent of its staff resources due to restructuring. As a result of reduced staff resources, outside expertise and consultant assistance will be required to undertake key planning studies to meet Council's April 2,000 completion target. In addition, the $700,000.00 being sought would represent a 33 per cent increase to the City Planning Division's non-salary operating budget, and absorbing it would undermine the Division's operating capability.

(ii)Consultation with the general public and stakeholder groups across the amalgamated City is costly but essential to achieving public confidence in a new Plan.

(iii)The budgets for the previous municipal planning departments did not provide for a project of this nature, so it was not provided for in the amalgamated City Planning Division's budget.

The new Official Plan qualifies as a transition project because the need for a new Plan arises as a result of amalgamation. There are clear benefits to having an Official Plan that addresses the new city as a single municipality. The existing Official Plans, containing over 2,000 pages of differing policies, do not offer a clear direction or a workable planning framework for the new amalgamated City.

The benefits of a new Official Plan include:

(i)enabling Council to articulate its vision for the growth of the City and the protection of established neighbourhoods and communities;

(ii)positioning the City to capture economic growth and sustain a high quality of life;

(iii)providing a guide to make the best and most effective use of public and private investment in the City in these times of financial constraint;

(iv)allowing more effective use of our limited staff resources: a new Plan providing for a consistent policy direction will enable staff to move easily from one location to another; and

(v)providing better customer service: by eliminating confusing and in some instances contradictory policies from one location to another, a new Plan for the new City will enable Council and staff to provide better service for all stakeholders in the City, and will enhance the investment opportunities for the City.

If the Plan is not funded as a transition project:

(i)we will not be able to carry out the broad consultation directed by Council;

(ii)we will have to forgo external consultation and expertise that will be required in order to ensure that we take advantage of lessons learned elsewhere and are able to conduct specific studies within a short time frame;

(iii)we will not be able to complete the OP in the time frame envisaged; and

(iv)we may lose the momentum that is starting to build around this project - particularly the interest being shown by a wide range of stakeholders, through their input to Task Forces and other committees.

We will be reporting in January on the framework for developing the new Plan and the time frame and milestones that lie ahead in order to have it adopted by Council during this term.

Conclusion:

Council has recognized the benefits of developing a new Official Plan and has approved its funding as a transition project. In order to provide an extensive public consultation and broad analysis of issues, as directed by Council, $700,000.00 in transition funds are required.

Contact Name:

Kerri Voumvakis, Toronto Metro Hall, Telephone: (416) 392-8126, Fax: (416) 392-3821 .