NOTICE OF THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NO. 33 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. 33 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan on the 8th day of June, 2022 through the enactment of By-law 86-22 and in accordance with Sections 17 and 21 of the Planning Act, as amended.

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. 33 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan, including all background materials, is available by contacting Katherine Faria, Senior Planner, phone number 905-771-5543 or by e-mail at Katherine.faria@richmondhill.ca.

Dated at the City of Richmond Hill this 14th day of June, 2022

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

NOTE:    Any person or public body will be entitled to receive the Notice of the Decision from The Regional Municipality of York provided a written request to be notified with respect to Amendment No. 33 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan (including the person’s or public body’s address) is made to The Regional Municipality of York, Planning Department, 4th Floor, 17250 Yonge Street, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 6Z1.

Part One – The Preamble

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this Amendment to the Richmond Hill Official Plan is to permit a high-density residential development comprised of 20 and 15-storey apartment buildings and containing a total of 394 dwelling units on the subject lands.

1.2 Location

The lands affected by this Amendment are legally described as Part of Lot 38, Concession 1 W.Y.S. (Municipal Address: 8905 Bathurst Street). The lands, which are located on the east side of Bathurst Street, comprise the northern portion of the applicant’s land holdings and have an area of approximately 1.08 hectares as shown on Schedule 1 attached hereto.

1.3 Basis

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

1. 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.

2. 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 Growth Plan also provides specific policies that guide and prioritize development within Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs), which shall be identified in official plans and are generally defined as the area within an approximate 500 to 800 metre radius of a transit station. All MTSAs are required to be planned and designed in a manner that is transit-supportive. Furthermore, lands adjacent to or near to existing and planned frequent transit should support transit, active transportation and a range and mix of uses and activities. MTSAs that are served by light rail transit or bus rapid transit shall be planned for a minimum density target of 160 residents and jobs combined per hectare.

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

3. 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 Parkway Belt West Plan area in accordance with Map 1 (Regional Structure) of the ROP. As set out in Policy 8.4.10 of the ROP, the boundaries and policies of the Parkway Belt West Plan (“PBWP”), as amended, take precedence over the designation shown on Map 1 of the ROP. However, where the PBWP is amended to remove lands, the Regional land use designation of the abutting lands outside of the PBWP will apply without amendment to the ROP. In this regard, the subject lands are designated Urban Area in accordance with the ROP, which will accommodate a significant portion of the planned growth within the Region.

The proposal demonstrates consistency with the policy direction and objectives of the York Region Official Plan.

4. The subject lands are designated Parkway Belt West with a Greenway System underlay in accordance with Schedule A1 (Urban Structure) and Schedule A2 (Land Use) of the City’s Official Plan (“Plan”). Pursuant to Ontario Regulation 467/20, the Minister’s Zoning Order was removed along with the PBWP for the subject lands in August, 2020. In this regard, the applicant’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications affect only the lands that have been removed from the PBWP.

For lands that have been removed from the PBWP, Policy 4.10.8.3 of the Plan sets out four criteria that must be met, to the satisfaction of the City, with respect to an Official Plan Amendment submitted by the proponents of development. The proposed development conforms with the applicable criteria as established within the Plan.

At the time of preparation of this amendment, the City is undertaking an update to its Official Plan. As outlined in the Key Directions Report for the Richmond Hill Official Plan Update (the “Report”) endorsed by Council on February 9, 2022, the Bathurst and Highway 7 area of the City has been identified as an emerging Local Centre that is envisioned to support transit-oriented development comprising a mix of uses. Official Plan Amendment Number 33 seeks to implement site-specific exceptions to facilitate the proposed development within the existing Parkway Belt West land use designation. Once the Plan Update process has been completed, a new land use designation will be established for the area.