J. Cook presented a series of slides and commented on the GMS “Work Plan”:
- GMS study overview, accomplishments to date and current status.
- Anticipated Technical Report #1 in June/July 2022.
- Anticipated Technical Report #2 in December/March 2022
- Anticipated Final Draft of the GMS in May/June 2023.
Comments of Task Force members included:
- A brief summary of minutes taken for municipal Technical Advisory Committee meetings held to discuss technical details and coordinate efforts, and, for Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing meetings to monitor progress, will be made available to the Task Force.
- Analysis of the impact of the MZOs can occur at a higher level without projecting specific numbers and acknowledgement that discussion will occur on the impact of the Province’s approved MZOs.
- Acknowledgement of the possibility of future MZOs and forecast/factor for this possibility.
K. Martel presented on the GMS Communications and Engagement Plan and its objective to create an inclusive and interactive public input primarily on line, through Council meetings, through the Task Force and the City’s JumpIn Web site. The Project is currently nearing the public launch of the Discussion Paper and will also include a survey for interested landowners, discussion questions to encourage feedback and ongoing monitoring of the Jump In Page.
Comments of Task Force members included:
- Participation through the Jump In Page should be supplemented with tools such as mailing lists, addition of widgets to the Jump In page to encourage a discussion board, survey questions to increase public input and to aid in validating positions taken/direction provided by the Task Force.
- Formal public consultation as set out in the Planning Act for amendments is not required or proposed as part of the GMS but will follow as part of the subsequent Municipal Comprehensive Plan Review and Official Plan update process.
- Task Force members were encouraged to provide specific examples of problems with the Jump In web page which was seen as not user friendly. Follow-up with Communications Division can provide information on performance indicators for the Jump In site and options such as social media “e-blasts” can encourage participation and flag a project that is being presented to Committee and Council.
- Strong recommendation that a public zoom meeting be arranged and newspaper notice published to encourage public participation with a lack of confidence expressed on the passive platform of the Jump In page being an ineffective method for public input and dialogue.
- Additional landowner input is occurring resulting from monitoring by staff in recent years of expressions of interest for development and planning inquiries/applications. A summary of these communications/dialogue would be provided to the Task Force.
- Task Force members use their individual local contacts to inform and encourage feedback on the GMS Project.
J. Cook presented on Background Information for the GMS noting the Provincial Policy context, mandatory land needs assessment methodology, the approach to assessing long-term urban land needs to 2051. The GMS will provide policy direction on rural areas but land budgeting will focus on the fully serviced urban system including Lindsay, Fenelon Falls and Bobcaygeon. The presentation noted challenges of meeting the Provincial intensification targets but indicated the greenfield targets of 40 people/jobs/hectare are achievable.
Comments of Task Force members included:
- Limits to development for serviced lands outside urban boundaries, in particular Fenelon Falls, will have a real impact on people’s lives and developers’ projects. The GMS will recommend urban boundaries, and will provide strategic policy recommendations, while the planning process is designed to accommodate expansions and growth plans are updated every ten years.
- The GMS should provide direction on a number of development issues including mixing of lot sizes in order to create incentives for new residents to locate in Kawartha Lakes and not compete with the Toronto/Whitby areas.
J. Cook presented on the technical components of the GMS including review of population, housing and employment trends, seasonal housing population, setting residential intensification and density targets, employment targets, review of urban land supply to 2051, the identification of urban expansion area requirements and planning policy for residential and non-residential lands.