This Plan is your Plan. This Plan is our Plan.
There was impressive participation in the City’s New Draft Official Plan Document over the past two days with more than 20 hours of meeting time and 94 delegations presenting their views on the City’s New Draft Official Plan. A variety of delegates provided presentations, followed by questions from committee and councillors, in making amendments to this planning blueprint for our city. There is still one more day to go. On Monday Planning Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee members in addition to other councillors will be examining the many amendments on this massive document for our planning future in neighbourhoods across the City. Many important issues will be reflected in proposed amendments such as more specific tree canopy targets for our city, keeping the NCC greenbelt surrounding the Moodie Station protected from future development, neighbourhood participation in the planning and development process and removing Sherbourne Road as a minor corridor from the Plan.
Last year the City of Ottawa made a commitment to having 60% of its development growth within current urban boundaries which means intensification in established neighbourhoods and 40% in new greenfield areas, that is new suburbs. As a result, Bay Ward will see intensification in almost all neighbourhoods, mostly with development on arterial routes or near transit with some infill housing particularly within inner-urban communities.
Over the past several months I have heard from many Bay ward residents, community associations, and social agencies throughout the City on their recommendations and concerns about the draft Plan. Many of these individuals and groups signed up as delegates and presented their input to the committee over the past two days. I want to thank everyone who made the time to engage in this very important document that will shape the future of our City.
For a copy on the New Draft Official Plan please click HERE.
Once all the pending motions are presented and voted on, I will provide the community with an up to date. The City’s New Draft Official Plan is intended to be tabled at City Council on October 27th, 2021.