It was a full house in Collingwood council chambers on Oct. 17 for a public meeting on the second draft of the town’s Official Plan, with 19 residents approaching the podium to provide comments.
Attendees spilled out into the hallways of the second floor of town hall on Tuesday night with overflow seating set up in a conference room down the hall with a video feed to the chambers.
Work continues on the plan, which is on its second draft, and has included several meetings, surveys, and other calls for public input over the past three years.
Ron Palmer, a consultant with The Planning Partnership who was retained by the town to oversee the Official Plan process, attended the public meeting on Tuesday night and went through an overview of the plan as it stands so far.
“I very much appreciate the effort put into the commentary,” said Palmer. “We’re getting close to the end. Every time we make adjustments, it gets better.”
“This is very helpful for me and your team,” he added.
The town's official plan (about 200 pages in its current draft form) guides land-use decisions in Collingwood and an update is completed every five to 10 years. The plan is the guide for the town’s 20-year growth and directs where, when and how growth should occur.
The town is expected to grow from a population of 22,500 people in 2016 to a projected population of 41,500 by 2041.
The first draft was presented to councillors in July 2022 and was the culmination of work first started in 2019. The second draft was presented to councillors on July 31.
New changes in the second draft include definitions for attainable and assisted housing. The plan notes the town may become involved in the supply of attainable/assisted housing through land acquisitions, use of surplus land, development partnerships and the provision of financial incentives. The plan also contemplates the establishment of a not-for-profit housing corporation.
Other primary changes between the first and second drafts include accommodating growth through minimum targets to be achieved for new residents and jobs, re-framing housing policies, prohibiting certain uses in industrial-focused employment areas, providing opportunities for added residential units in rural/agricultural areas, updating transportation mapping to ensure Collingwood is a walkable and bikeable community, and enhancing urban forest policies. Changes were informed by public consultation as well as Ontario-wide legislative and policy changes.
On Tuesday, Norm Sandberg brought forward concerns about the natural heritage map included in the plan, and the continuity of connectivity. Natural heritage refers to elements of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures.
“If you look at the light green area... it will result in isolated pockets of natural heritage areas, especially in the west end, but also the Silver Creek Wetlands,” said Sandberg. “I’m uncomfortable about how that would be managed.”
Sandberg also raised concern about preservation of the downtown heritage core, as he owns a home on Pine St.
“On the map, it’s an area for intensification. This typically means higher but more compact buildings. My main concern is... what protection will there be for, what has been noted as, one of the most complete downtown heritage districts within Ontario, if not Canada?” he said.
A woman who identified herself as Joanne spoke about stormwater management ponds, and her concern that developers leave them in disarray prior to the town taking them over once development is complete.
“There should be a standard of maintenance throughout the build-out of a development and an expectation that the ponds and surroundings are at an acceptable state prior to the town assuming,” said Joanne.
Margaret Mooy, representing the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and a member of Collingwood’s heritage committee, said the town should make every effort through the Official Plan to protect the town’s heritage. She also expressed opposition to allowing six-storey buildings in the downtown core.
“I think there should be an emergency plan included,” said Mooy. “We’ve seen in other communities the loss of heritage buildings, or a whole street. What is Collingwood’s plan if something like that happened to us?”
Nick Best and Kevin Marshman attended to express concern about a key change between draft one and draft two of the Official Plan. In the first draft, there were requirements included for the future conversion of golf courses in town. In the second draft, this sentence was added to those requirements: “The town may also consider conversion requests in extenuating circumstances that deliver significant community benefits such as affordable housing.”
Best noted there is no definition included of “extenuating circumstances.”
“In my mind, this gives this council an early exit to bypass the requirements set out,” said Best. “My recommendation is to delete this last sentence.”
Marshman said he was concerned this sentence would bypass planning processes and public consultation on any such proposed conversion.
“I strongly object to conversation requests that circumvent a robust and full planning and approval process,” said Marshman. “Projects that are a benefit to the community would be recognized as such during the full planning process.”
“I see potential harm through unintended consequences,” he added.
Doug Linton, chair of the affordable housing task force, attended Tuesday’s meeting to reiterate comments provided to the consultant from the task force as a whole.
“We are disappointed with an absence of a clear definition of affordable housing in the Official Plan, replaced in some instances by the term ‘attainable housing,’” said Linton, while acknowledging that the change is beyond the town’s control and is governed by the provincial policy statement.
Chair of the Collingwood Climate Action Team Catherine Daw spoke about the need to include climate action within the Official Plan.
“There’s an urgent need that what we build meets the highest standards of building today,” said Daw. “I propose the parts of the plan that refer to buildings and infrastructure specifically use the terms ‘sustainable’ or ‘green development standards’ rather than the terms ‘guidelines’ or ‘climate lens.’”
“Current standards are a minimum bar,” she added.
To read the entire second draft of the Official Plan, click here.
The town will be accepting feedback via email until Oct. 31. A final draft of the Official Plan, including changes inspired by public input and community consultation, is expected to come to council for approval by the end of 2023.
