NOTICE OF THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NO. 38 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. 38 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan on the 25th day of January, 2023 through the enactment of By-law 2-23 and in accordance with Sections 17 and 21 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 February 21, 2023. 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 Tarriff of Fees By-law in the amount of $333.00 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. 38 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan, including all background materials, is available by contacting Giuliano La Moglie, Planner II, phone number 905-747-6465 or by e-mail at giuliano.lamoglie@richmondhill.ca.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 38 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 1st day of February, 2023

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:       Only individuals, corporations and public bodies may appeal a decision of the municipality to the Ontario Land Tribunal. A notice of appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group.  However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf.

No person or public body shall be added as a party to the hearing of the appeal unless, before the plan was passed, the person or public body 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 person or public body as a party.

Part One – The Preamble

1.1       Purpose

            The purpose of this Amendment to the Richmond Hill Official Plan is to re-designate the subject lands from “Employment Corridor” to “Medium Density Residential” on Schedule “A” – Land Use Plan to the North Leslie Secondary Plan in order to facilitate the construction of a townhouse development proposal on the subject lands.

1.2       Location

The lands affected by this Amendment are located on the east side of Leslie Street, south of 19^th Avenue and north of Elgin Mills Road East, legally described as Part of Lot 30, Concession 3, E.Y.S. and municipally known as 11491 Leslie Street (the “subject lands”). The subject lands have a total lot area of approximately 0.36 hectares (0.89 acres) and are shown on Schedule 1 attached hereto.

1.3       Basis

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

• The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS 2020) sets out the overall direction on the matters of Provincial interest related to land use planning and development, and includes policies stipulating that settlement areas shall be the focus of growth and development, and that an appropriate range and mix of housing options and densities shall be planned for and provided. The proposed development is consistent with the PPS. 

• The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan) sets out the overall policy direction for the Greater Golden Horseshoe on a wide range of matters including economic development, land use planning, urban form and housing. The Growth Plan directs growth and development to settlement areas, and supports the achievement of complete communities through a range of housing options and densities within greenfield areas. The proposed development conforms with the Growth Plan. 

• The new York Region Official Plan (ROP, 2022) designates the subject lands “Urban Area” and supports 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 proposed development conforms with the ROP, 2022. 

• The subject lands are located within Chapter 9 - North Leslie Secondary Plan, of the City of Richmond Hill’s Official Plan. The existing “Employment Corridor” designation of the subject lands permits a range of employment land uses such as industrial, institutional, retail, and personal type uses. The re-designation to “Medium Density Residential” maintains the general intent and purpose of the goals, objectives, and policies of the North Leslie Secondary Plan and contributes to the projected population and employment growth of the City and York Region. The proposed development will contribute to the establishment of the North Leslie Secondary Plan area as a complete community and will contribute to the Region meeting the density targets established.