ERIN – Council here has endorsed town comments to be submitted to the province in response to proposed changes to provincial planning policy.
When changes were suddenly proposed in April, baffled planning staff across Wellington County scrambled to interpret what the potential implications would be on the county’s rural communities before the province’s deadline for feedback, which was later extended to Aug. 4 from June 5.
The commenting deadline extension bides time not only for additional feedback, but also for the province to figure out what it’s doing between now and the fall, when a new provincial planning policy statement is expected to be released.
“The town’s planning and development department has taken advantage of this opportunity and has prepared a response to the proposed policy statement,” Angela Sciberras of MSH Planning told council on July 13.
Sciberras provided a brief overview of the comments to be submitted, saying “staff’s position is consistent with that of the county.”
“Concerns have been noted with respect to a number of points,” she continued, noting an earlier proposal to permit more housing on agricultural lands, which has since been walked back by the province, at least in writing.
“The province has suggested the removal of density targets and definitions of affordable housing,” Sciberras said, adding that move isn’t supported by Erin or the county.
“Allowing the establishment of new settlement areas is not supported,” she said, adding a less stringent process for boundary expansions also doesn’t have support.
The letter, signed by town planning and development director Jack Krubnik, will be submitted, and town staff will provide future updates to council on what the province does.
PD2023-24 Appendix A - Town Report on Provincial Planning Statement