Notice of Adoption - OPA 28

NOTICE OF THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NO. 28 TO THE

RICHMOND HILL OFFICIAL PLAN

PURSUANT TO THE PLANNING ACT

TAKE NOTICE THAT the Council of The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill adopted Amendment No. 28 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan on the 19th day of June, 2024 through the enactment of By-law 78-24 and in accordance with Sections 17 and 22 of the Planning Act, as amended.

AND TAKE NOTICE that an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal in respect of this Amendment may be made by filing a written notice of appeal with the City Clerk of The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill, no later than 4:30 p.m. on July 18, 2024. A Notice of Appeal will set out the reasons for the appeal and the specific part of the proposed official plan or plan amendment to which the appeal applies. A Notice of Appeal will be accompanied by a certified cheque or money order in the amount of $1,100.00, payable to the Minister of Finance and be accompanied by the processing fee prescribed under the Tariff of Fees By-law in the amount of $341.00 payable to the City of Richmond Hill. Certified cheques are not required when the cheque is from a law firm.

Council in making its decision on these matters took into consideration all written and oral comments received on the applications.

An explanation of the purpose and effect of the Amendment describing the lands to which the Amendment to the Richmond Hill Official Plan applies is attached.  A complete copy of Amendment No. 28 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan, including all background materials, is available by contacting Leigh Ann Penner, Senior Planner - Development, at (905) 771-2462 or by e-mail at leighann.penner@richmondhill.ca. 

The proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 28 is exempt from approval by The Regional Municipality of York. The decision of the Council of The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill is final if a Notice of Appeal is not received on or before the last day for filing a Notice of Appeal.

Dated at the City of Richmond Hill this 28^th day of June, 2024

Stephen M.A. Huycke, City Clerk
The Corporation of the City of Richmond Hill
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill ON  L4B 3P4
Phone: 905-771-8800
Fax:   905-771-2502
E-mail:  clerks@richmondhill.ca

Who Can File an Appeal: Specified person, public body or registered owner may appeal a decision of the municipality to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

No specified person, public body or registered owner shall be added as a party to the hearing of the appeal unless, before the plan was passed, the specified person, public body or registered owner made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the council or, in the opinion of the Ontario Land Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the specified person, public body or registered owner as a party.

Part One – The Preamble

1.1    Purpose

            The purpose of this Amendment to the Richmond Hill Official Plan is to amend the provisions under Policy 9.6.3.3 Neighbourhood Commercial of the Official Plan of the City of Richmond Hill respecting Chapter 9 – the North Leslie Secondary Plan, to permit medium density residential and live-work uses on the west side of Leslie Street, north of 19^th Avenue. This amendment will allow stand-alone street townhouse dwelling units, block townhouse dwelling units and live-work dwelling units as additional permitted uses on the subject lands.

1.2    Location

            The lands affected by this Amendment are located at the northwest corner of Leslie Street and 19^th Avenue, legally described as Part of Lot 31, Concession 2, E.Y.S., municipally known as 11546 Leslie Street. The lands are identified as Block 200 within the Deergate draft approved Plan of Subdivision 19T(R)-03013 and are situated at the southeast corner of the Deergate plan (the “subject lands”). The subject lands have a total area of approximately 0.48 hectares (1.186 acres) and are shown on Schedule 1 – Subject Lands attached hereto.

1.3    Basis

       The proposed amendment is considered by Council to be appropriate for the following reasons:

• The Provincial Policy Statement (“PPS”) provides policy direction on matters of Provincial interest related to land use planning and development, including providing direction for appropriate development while protecting resources of provincial interest, public health and safety, and the quality of the natural and built environment. In this regard, the PPS includes policies that encourage efficient land use and development patterns, support a range and mix of housing options, promote planning for open spaces, parks, trails and linkages, direct development away from natural hazards, and protect natural heritage systems, among other objectives.

        The proposed development is consistent with the principles and objectives of the PPS.

• The Greenbelt Plan (“Greenbelt Plan”) provides clarity about urban structure, how future growth should be accommodated and what must be protected for future generations. The subject lands are located within the boundaries of the Greenbelt Area by virtue of being located on the Oak Ridges Moraine, but are also situated within the Settlement Area of the Oak Ridges Moraine as defined by the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (“ORMCP”). In this regard, the Greenbelt Plan stipulates that the subject lands will continue to be governed by the policies and requirements of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.

The proposed development conforms with the policies of the Greenbelt Plan and the policies and requirements of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Act.

• The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“Growth Plan”) informs decision-making regarding growth management and environmental protection within the Greater Golden Horseshoe (“GGH”) and provides overall policy direction on matters of provincial interest. The Growth Plan builds upon the policy foundation provided by the PPS and establishes additional and more specific land use planning policies for the GGH. The Growth Plan provides an overarching vision for how and where growth shall occur, while accommodating forecasted growth within complete communities that support access to an appropriate mix of jobs and services, public service facilities, and a full range of housing options. To support the above objectives, the Growth Plan includes policies that direct growth within settlement areas, provide for a mix of uses and services, encourage housing options, protect natural heritage features and establish minimum intensification and density targets, among other matters.

The proposed development is consistent with the policy direction as set out within the Growth Plan.

• The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (“ORMCP”) designates the subject lands Settlement Area. The ORMCP is an ecologically based plan that provides land use and resource management planning direction on a Regional or City-wide scale on how to protect the Moraine’s ecological and hydrological features and functions. All uses, including the creation of new lots which are otherwise permitted under the City of Richmond Hill’s Official Plan and applicable Secondary Plans, shall be permitted within the Settlement Area, subject to compliance with the provisions of the ORMCP.

The development proposal conforms with the ORMCP, which designates the lands Settlement Area and permits urban uses subject to the policies of the North Leslie Secondary Plan and the York Region Official Plan.

• The York Region Official Plan (“ROP”) guides economic, environmental and community building decisions to manage growth within York Region and establishes policies that support more detailed and refined planning by local municipalities. The ROP contains policies that support the development of a diverse and compatible mix of land uses and intensification which is to be directed within strategic locations in the built-up area. The ROP also contains policies relating to fostering high-quality design, a mix and range of housing types, the protection of natural heritage features and safety in relation to natural hazards.

The subject lands are presently shown within the Urban Area in accordance with Map 1 (Regional Structure) and designated Community Area in accordance with Map 1A (Land Use Designations) of the ROP. The Urban Area and Community Area policies permit a full range and mix of urban uses while recognizing that the new community area of North Leslie has been planned in a comprehensive and coordinated manner consistent with the policies of York Region through the City of Richmond Hill’s Secondary Plan for the area. The proposal reinforces and supports the planned urban structure identified in the ROP by utilizing existing services to contribute to the creation of a complete community.

The proposal demonstrates consistency with the policy direction and objectives of the ROP.

• The subject lands are located within Chapter 9 – the North Leslie Secondary Plan (“Secondary Plan”), of the City of Richmond Hill’s Official Plan and designated Neighbourhood Commercial in accordance with Schedule A (Land Use Plan). The Secondary Plan promotes the protection of environmental features, surface and groundwater resources, and environmental functions and processes, forming the basis from which all other land use policies are derived. Subject to the environmental protection policy requirements being met, lands within the Secondary Plan Area are intended to provide development opportunities that include residential, employment, office, institutional, open space and other purposes that support the creation of a complete community.

The proposed development maintains the general intent and purpose of the goals, objectives and policies of the North Leslie Secondary Plan, including preserving the provision for neighbourhood commercial uses, as well as contributing to the projected population and employment growth of the City and York Region. The proposed development will also contribute to the diversified housing stock and provide mixed use commercial and retail opportunities in the form of live-work dwellings that provide employment opportunities to support the local neighborhood. The proposed development conforms to the specific policies within the North Leslie Secondary Plan.