The Bruce County Planning Department is aiming their focus on finishing a new Official Plan for the region.
The Official Plan is the groundwork for guiding the county until 2046.
Director of Planning and Development Jack Van Dorp updated county council, outlining the steps that have led to this point in the process.
When the new draft Provincial Planning Statement was released in April 2023, staff felt there was a need to update the current plan policies that could carry forward, rather than draft an entirely new official plan.
“All of the policies that have been carried forward from the current, in-effect plan – the agriculture, additional residential units, housekeeping amendments, implementation amendments, growth management – all of that work that… shows has already been done in this draft that we look forward to bringing forward for engagement.”
He explained that members of the public, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders would be able to provide input.
“We have also received some requests from municipalities or privately to look at adjustments or additions to the boundaries of settlement areas and also some rural recreational areas near the shoreline,” Van Dorp said. “We are anticipating presenting these requests as a separate package, as individual maps that reflect the requested changes, and not as part of the draft official plan schedules that would be presented for engagement.”
The updated Official Plan uses input through the Bruce GPS process, a Land Use Service Delivery and Official Plan best practices report, the Niagara Escarpment Plan, the current Provincial Policy Statement, and a proposed new planning statement.
Another update is expected in early September.