Official Plan ‘Housekeeping’ Amendment - Public Meeting Dec. 10

What is the purpose and impact of the ‘Housekeeping’ Official Plan Amendment?

The purpose and effect of the proposed official plan amendment is to fix some errors and omissions that were missed prior to the new Official Plan being approved by the Province.  This includes formally recognizing previous official plan amendments that were adopted by County Council but were not incorporated into the new Official Plan.  These include the following previously adopted official plan amendments:

1. Raco OAP 126, Township of Georgian Bluffs
2. Skyline OPA 134, Township of Georgian Bluffs
3. Gibraltar Pit OPA 135, Town of The Blue Mountains
4. Hensall Coop OPA 136, Township of Southgate
5. Van Dolder OPA 139, Municipality of Meaford
6. Orchard Pit OPA 142, Township of Southgate
7. Schaus OPA 144, Municipality of West Grey

With respect to the Gibraltar Pit OPA 135, the Town and the Applicant have requested further revisions to the proposed extraction area which would make the extraction area smaller.

In addition to formally recognizing previously adopted OPA’s, the following additional errors are proposed to be fixed through this housekeeping amendment:

• Redesignating an area southeast of the settlement area of Walter’s Falls that was inadvertently designated as Secondary Settlement Area when it should have been designated as Rural
• Designating lands as Space Extensive Commercial/Industrial that have been designated as Rural Employment Lands in the Town of The Blue Mountains Official Plan and scoped to the uses in the Town’s Official Plan
• Clarifying that lot creation within Settlement Areas is permitted subject to an EIS for new lots proposed within a ‘Linkage’ identified on Schedule C – Natural Heritage Systems Cores and Linkages
• Clarifying Table 8: On-farm Diversified Use Size Criteria as it pertains to on-farm diversified uses being considered on non-farm sized lots within the Rural land use type.
• Clarifying the apparent conflict between Section 5.2.2(6) and 5.2.2(7) as it pertains to non-farm sized lot creation.
• Revising Schedule C – Natural Heritage System Core Areas and Linkages by removing Core Areas that overlap settlement area designations.

What to expect at the meeting

County staff will highlight the proposed ‘housekeeping’ changes to the Official Plan. After the presentation there will be a formal public question and comment period.  If you can’t attend the meeting you can also send your comments by email or mail to the Grey County Planning Department at the address listed below.

Draft ‘Housekeeping’ Amendment for Official Plan

Draft Housekeeping Amendment with Schedules   Lands Subject to Housekeeping Amendment

A copy of the proposed ‘Housekeeping’ Official Plan Amendment and additional background information can be found on Grey County’s website at www.grey.ca/planning-development. A hard copy can also be viewed at the Grey County Administration (address below) during regular business hours. A key map has not been provided because the ‘Housekeeping’ Official Plan Amendment covers various parts throughout the county.

If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the County of Grey to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the County of Grey before the proposed official plan amendment is adopted, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the County of Grey before the proposed official plan amendment is adopted, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

If you wish to be notified of the decision of the County of Grey on the proposed official plan amendment, you must make a written request to the County of Grey at the address listed below.