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 New Official Plan Home
 How We Sought Public Input
What is a Principle?
Why Do We Need OP Guiding Principles?
How Did We Come Up With the OP Guiding Principles?
After several public consultation sessions, the Official Plan Guiding Principles have now been approved by Council and are available below. The OP Guiding Principles will serve as the foundation on which to build planning policies and will give guidance to how we achieve the future land use vision for the Town. Read the staff report below for more details.
Official Plan Guiding Principles Staff Report - Official Plan Task Force Meeting - February 26, 2009 [PDF]
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Official Plan Guiding Principles
Complete Communities
- Create an integrated, vibrant and diverse community that provides a mix of land uses, including a balance of housing, employment, community services, parks and open spaces.
- Direct growth to built-up urban areas with existing infrastructure and services in a network of centres and corridors.
Environment
- Protect and enhance natural environmental systems, functions and resources over the long term.
- Incorporate and promote sustainable development practices and initiatives.
Economy
- Promote economic vitality and provide for a balanced and diverse range of employment opportunities.
- Protect employment areas over the long term.
Place-making
- Recognize and enhance the inherent and unique aspects of Richmond Hill and create focal points, gateways, experiences and landmarks.
- Strive for design excellence in the public and private realm.
Connectivity and Mobility
- Plan for transit and pedestrian oriented development.
- Promote connectivity, mobility and accessibility within and between neighbourhoods, employment areas, parks and open spaces.
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How We Sought Public Input
 Town staff held public consultation sessions to finalize the Guiding Principles utilizing the workbook below and through our on-line commenting form.
Draft Guiding Principles Presentation [PDF]
Draft Guiding Principles Workbook - Online Form [PDF]
Draft Guiding Principles Staff Report - Official Plan Task Force Meeting - January 22, 2009 [PDF]
What is a Principle?
A principle is a basic rule that guides or influences thought or action, by stating or describing what direction should be taken on a matter.
Through the OP policies, a principle can be translated into more tangible goals and objectives.
Why Do We Need OP Guiding Principles?
The OP is the most powerful public policy document that a municipality has to guide future growth and development and meet the needs of its community
OP policies must be:
– Strong enough to withstand challenges from many directions
– Flexible enough to implement approaches or tools that can adapt to changing circumstances
– Meaningful enough to provide sage advice to Council, planners, and the Town’s residents throughout the 25-year planning horizon
OP Guiding Principles are intended to:
– Provide us with clear guidance and direction for the planning policies we need to develop and the decisions we need to make
– Ensure that these public policies/decisions are based on what is best for the public good
If our planning principles are based on a solid foundation then the planning policies and decisions we make will be that much stronger
How Did We Come Up With the OP Guiding Principles?
The Official Plan Guiding Principles are rooted in core directions reflective of the community’s vision from People Plan Richmond Hill:
– Complete Communities
– Environment
– Economy
– Place-making
– Connectivity and Mobility
Consistent with the Top-Down, Bottom-Up Approach to developing the OP, key directions and principles recommended through the Strategic Plan (based on input from the community) and various background studies were considered
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