Access Richmond Hill
The Access Richmond Hill Contact Centre provides assistance for general inquiries, responds to questions or concerns regarding programs and services as well as accepts in person payments.
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905-771-8800
Hours of Service:
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Official Plan Update
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.
Latest Update (May 2022): Proposed Amendments
On May 18, 2022, a Council Public Meeting was held to receive comments on proposed amendments to the Official Plan. The recording of this meeting can be viewed here. Copies of the staff reports are also provided in the staff report section of this webpage.
On April 26, 2022, City of Richmond Hill staff presented Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 18.3 – Vision and City Structure and OPA 18.4 – Neighbourhoods at a virtual Open House. At this meeting, staff explained how the proposed changes to the Official Plan relate to matters such as the City’s 2041 planning vision and the overall planning structure for where and how to accommodate growth and development. Staff also explained how these amendments propose changes to the Official Plan relating to matters such as: building “15-minute communities”, providing affordable market housing, responding to climate change and prioritizing active transportation.
- View the recording of the April 26, 2022 Open House
- View the April 26, 2022 Open House presentation slides
These proposed amendments implement several key directions identified in the Council endorsed City Plan 2041 Key Directions Report. Additionally, OPA 18.3 and 18.4 are the first of multiple OPAs scheduled in Phase 3 – Policy Development of the Official Plan Update to take place throughout 2022 and 2023.
Drafts of the Amendments, Prescribed Material and Informative Videos
| OPA 18.3 – Vision and City Structure (city file D01-22002) |
| OPA 18.4 - Neighbourhoods (city file D01-22003) |
Tell us your favourite places in Richmond Hill
We’ve heard from the community that Richmond Hill residents are foodies, nature lovers and passionate about arts and culture. Tell us your favourite places in the city by dropping a pin or more on the 'My Favourite Places' interactive map.
Your comments will help shape our communities and inform our future direction as we continue the Official Plan update process.
Please note: The application will work best using Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers.
The Official Plan Update project
| What is an Official Plan? |
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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:
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| Why the Official Plan is being updated |
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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. |
| Other City initiatives related to the Official Plan Update |
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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:
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| Staff Reports |
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Project Phases
| Preliminary Official Plan Amendments |
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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 18.2 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
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| 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:
Meetings and Engagement Events
What We HeardFollowing the engagement that the City has conducted to the end of March 2021, LURA Consulting has prepared a "What We Heard" report. This report provides a summary of consultation the City has undertaken and the responses that have been received so far. This input will inform Phase 2 of the Official Plan Update process. |
| 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:
Meetings and Engagement Events
What We HeardFollowing the engagement that the City conducted as part of Phase 2 of the Official Plan Update process, LURA Consulting has prepared three "What We Heard" reports. The first two reports provide a summary of the consultation the City has undertaken to the end of May 2021 with the business community and on six Centres in Richmond Hill respectively. The third report summarizes the comments and feedback that were received by the City in the fall of 2021 as part of the Phase 2 consultations on the emerging Key Directions.
Planning for ChangeCity Plan 2041's visionary urbanist David Dixon and Stantec's Urban Places have prepared a report titled "Planning for Change", which will serve as a "playbook" to guide the Official Plan Update and its implementation. The "playbook" intends to inform the Official Plan Update, provide guidance to Council and Planning Staff to successfully implement the Official Plan, and adds additional perspective in terms of a path to take for planning complete communities.
Key Directions ReportThe Key Directions Report provides a framework for the updating of the Official Plan, to ensure that the proposed Vision and Urban Structure for City Plan 2041 can be achieved. The framework is informed by Provincial policy, emerging Regional policy resulting from the Municipal Comprehensive Review process that York Region is presently undertaking, other City initiated studies that are in-process or completed, and the City Plan 2041 consultation that has taken place to date. Accordingly, the Report provides the foundation for preparing future amendments to the City’s Official Plan during Phase 3 of this update process.
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| 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:
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Additional 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