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Official Plan Update

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Home/.../Reports, Publications and Plans/Official Plan/Official Plan Update

More in this Section...

The City of Richmond Hill is updating the current Official Plan to guide land use and development to 2041. This update will continue to help transform our suburban communities into a more vibrant, complete community that serves the needs of all residents, businesses and visitors in Richmond Hill.

How You Can Participate

City Plan 2041 Vision and Urban Structure Survey

Take the Survey

Thanks to everyone who participated in or have viewed the Virtual Open House presentation. Now is your chance to share your thoughts about the future of our City. We invite you to take 20 minutes to learn more about the proposed Vision and Urban Structure for our City and to complete this survey.

EXTENDED: The survey will close on Sunday, March 7, 2021 at the end of the day.

Tell us your favourite places in Richmond Hill!

My Favourite Places App

When updating the Official Plan, we want to understand which places and spaces the community enjoys today. We’re asking residents, workers, and visitors to drop a virtual pin on the 'My Favourite Places' interactive map and tell us your favourite places in the city throughout the duration of the Official Plan Update process. Your comments will help shape our communities and inform our future direction.

The application will work best using Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers.

Other ways to participate

  • Attend future consultation events
  • Provide your input through future online surveys
  • Subscribe to this page for email updates (see below)
  • Submit your comments to OPUpdate@richmondhill.ca or call us at 905-771-8910

Latest Project Updates

Thank you to everyone who viewed and participated in the City Plan 2041 Virtual Open House on February 18 - we had a great turnout and lots of excellent questions! If you were unable to attend or wanted to view it again, the presentation slides and a recording of the presentation are available:

  • View the recording of the February 18, 2021 Virtual Open House
  • February 18, 2021 Virtual Open House presentation slides

Message from the Commissioner

"Thank you for wanting to be a part of Richmond Hill's future! Your involvement in building City Plan 2041 is critical to making sure we are evolving in a way that meets the future needs of our community. From housing and climate change to transportation and employment and more, your input on a variety of topics will help shape the future growth of our City."

Kelvin Kwan, MCIP RPP, Commissioner of Planning

The Official Plan Update project

What is an Official Plan?

An Official Plan is a policy document that applies to all properties within the municipal boundary. It guides how land is used, and how and where growth and development will take place in our city.

The current Richmond Hill Official Plan provides:

  • A vision for the future of the city
  • An approach for where and how development will occur
  • Direction for municipal servicing to meet the needs of our growing city
  • Protection of natural areas and ecosystems
  • Implementation tools
Why the Official Plan is being updated

The Province requires that an Official Plan update be completed 10 years after the preparation of a new comprehensive Official Plan. This ensures that the updated plan implements any changes to provincial policies, conforms with policies in the York Region Official Plan, responds to current urban issues and conditions, and considers new opportunities for shaping the City.

Richmond Hill’s current Official Plan was adopted by Council in July 2010 in order to guide development to 2031. This review will provide a clear vision for planning and development in Richmond Hill to 2041.

In addition to Planning Act requirements, the update of the Official Plan will look to better support long-term sustainable city building, respond to climate change, and create a better balance of jobs and residents in the City.

The Official Plan update process is occurring concurrently with York Region's Municipal Comprehensive Review. As such, the update will also ensure that policies and mapping conform with those of the Regional Official Plan.

Project Timeline
 
Preliminary Official Plan Amendments

Two proposed amendments to the Official Plan related to uses in Employment Lands were initiated by the City. These amendments aimed to coordinate with the work being undertaken by York Region with respect to their Municipal Comprehensive Review, to respond to Council direction, and to respond to site-specific concerns.

The amendments proposed were:

  • OPA 18.1 - Automotive uses in employment lands (city file D01-20005)
    • Draft Official Plan Amendment 18.1
    • OPA 18.1 Prescribed Information
  • OPA 18.2 - Conversion of Employment Area to permit new and/or expansion of existing institutional, office, and small-scale retail uses (city file D01-20006)
    • Draft Official Plan Amendment 18.2
    • OPA 18.2 Prescribed Information

OPA 18.2 was adopted by Council on September 23, 2020, and was approved by York Region and came into effect on December 25, 2020. The changes proposed as part of OPA 18.1 (automotive uses) will be considered as part of the overall Official Plan Update, and are no longer proceeding ahead of the overall Official Plan Update.

Meetings and Engagement Events

  • Virtual Open House - June 22, 2020
    • View the recording of the June 22, 2020 Virtual Open House
    • June 22, 2020 Virtual Open House presentation slides
  • Special Council Public Meeting - June 29, 2020
    • The Staff Report, its attachments, and a recording of the livestream are available on the meeting page.
  • Council Meeting - September 23, 2020
    • The Staff Report, its attachments, and a recording of the livestream are available on the meeting page. 
Phase 1 – Define Vision and Urban Structure
This phase focuses on the big picture thinking and generating ideas to inform a vision for the City in 2041. This phase also focuses on gathering feedback on the urban structure of the City.

Objectives:

  • Introduce the OP update
  • Receive input on Richmond Hill’s future vision and urban structure

Meetings and Engagement Events

  • Official Plan Update Committee meeting - November 24, 2020
    • View the recording of the November 24, 2020 OPUC meeting
    • November 24, 2020 OPUC Meeting presentation slides (note: 10MB file size)
  • Official Plan Update Committee meeting - January 19, 2021
    • View the recording of the January 19, 2021 OPUC meeting
    • January 19, 2021 OPUC Meeting presentation slides
  • City Plan 2041 Virtual Open House - February 18, 2021
    • View the recording of the February 18, 2021 Virtual Open House
    • February 18, 2021 Virtual Open House presentation slides
Phase 2 – Key Directions Report
During this phase, the City will gather feedback on key policy directions related to: height and density of buildings, intensification of development in transit supported areas, opportunities to increase employment and economic prosperity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, technical matters, and implementation tools.

Objectives:

  • Share our research and what we have heard
  • Gather feedback on key policy directions
Phase 3 – Policy Development and Approval
During this phase, the policies and mapping of the Official Plan will be presented to the community for feedback.

Objectives:

  • Share our research and what we have heard
  • Present proposed amendments to the Official Plan to the community for feedback
Other City initiatives related to the Official Plan Update

There are several City initiatives that will occur at the same time as the Official Plan update. These initiatives will develop tools that will be used to implement the policies of the Official Plan. There are also studies underway which will inform the Official Plan Update. Throughout this process, the existing approved Official Plan is in effect and guides decision making for the City.

The following is a list of City-led projects:

  • Affordable Housing Strategy
  • Community Energy and Emissions Plan
  • Comprehensive Zoning By-law
  • Richmond Hill Centre Secondary Plan
  • Socio Economic Study
  • Transportation Master Plan Update
  • Urban Forest Management Plan
  • Urban Master Environmental Services Plan
  • Yonge and Bernard Key Development Area Secondary Plan

Presentations

  • June 22, 2020 Virtual Open House presentation slides regarding proposed amendments to the Official Plan (OPA 18.1 Automotive Uses and OPA 18.2 Leslie Street Institutional Area)
  • November 24, 2020 OPUC Meeting presentation slides (note: 10MB file size) regarding vision considerations and public engagement
  • January 19, 2021 OPUC Meeting presentation slides regarding future readiness, vision, and urban structure
  • February 18, 2021 Virtual Open House presentation slides
Staff Reports
  • SRPRS.19.053 Official Plan Update initiation report (item 13.3 at the November 20, 2019 Council meeting)
  • SRPRS.19.181 Official Plan Update Committee Terms of Reference (item 11.19 at the December 4, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting)
  • SRPRS.20.003 York Region's Municipal Comprehensive Review (Part 1): Requests for Employment Area Conversions (item 13.9 at the February 26, 2020 Council meeting)
  • SRPRS.20.004 York Region's Municipal Comprehensive Review (Part 2): Major Transit Station Areas, Settlement Area Expansion, and Agricultural System (item 13.10 at the February 26, 2020 Council meeting)
  • SRPRS.20.097 Employment Land Conversions - OPA 18.1 Automotive Uses and OPA 18.2 Leslie Street Institutional Area (item 3.1 at the June 29, 2020 Special Council Public Meeting)
  • SRPRS.20.126 Request for Approval - City-initiated Official Plan Amendment 18.2 Leslie Street Institutional Area (item 13.2 at the September 23, 2020 Council meeting)
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