On February 6 Council agenda there is a staff report proposing amendments to zoning bylaws to address the impact  of Bill 23 on the municipality’s ability to protect the ecological value of the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM). As presented in an earlier report Bill 23 prohibits the use of a planning tool called Site Plan Control, for  development activity on lands in the Oak Ridge Moraine when the activity is for less than 10 residential units. Although the proposed zoning review process is not perfect I think it is a good solution as it can be implemented quickly and it does offer flexibility with an opportunity to improve it. I believe there is urgency to provide this authority as history proves that it is very desirable to create new homes and country residential estates in the ORM. The process of doing such development presents significant risk to the ecological health of the ORM and its various natural heritage features such as wetlands, woodlots and water courses.

As I have said the new Zoning Review Process is not perfect or perhaps better said it does not fully replace the scope of our authority with Site Plan Control. With the latter there is agreement whereby we can enforce compensation measures; we don’t have that authority. I know from discussions with Staff various possibilities are being assessed.

The Zoning Review process is only for applications for less than 10 residential units.  Site Plan Control too will continue to be used for more than 10, agricultural and commercial projects and institutional ones such as long term care.  A project being assessed under the Zoning Review Process is still subject to other zoning bylaw restrictions such as height.

I am very appreciative of the feedback provided during the public meeting on January 30th. I think that it was a value to our planners who have made some modifications to the original proposal; but also, it is of great value to persons like myself who learn from the responses from the planners.  Accordingly I do recommend that you read the last several pages of the report where the feedback and staff responses is documented.

I do have questions about the proposed fee; I don’t understand why it is so low.

As always you can make comments or ask questions about this report.     Contact clerks@king.ca to register for making a deputation and/or send in your comments by email to clerks@king.ca by noon on Monday February 6 and they will be circulated to Council.  And I welcome you to contact me directly or make a comment on my blog.