NOTICE OF THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NO. 61 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. 61 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan on the 9th day of April, 2025 through the enactment of By-law 34-25 and in accordance with Sections 16 and 17 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 May 5, 2025. 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 $351.00 payable to the City of Richmond Hill.

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. 61 to the Richmond Hill Official Plan, including all background materials, is available by contacting Andrew Crawford, Planner II – Policy, at (905) 771-5528 or by e-mail at andrew.crawford@richmondhill.ca. 

The proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 61 is exempt from approval by The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 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 15th day of April, 2025

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 add policies that would authorize the continuation of existing uses within the City's designated employment lands, which would maintain the employment designation and associated protections from conversion requests.

1.2 Location

This Amendment would apply across the City of Richmond Hill; more specifically, it would mostly affect the City's designated Employment Lands, including the Beaver Creek, Headford, Barker, and Newkirk Business Parks, and designated employment lands within the North Leslie Secondary Plan area, as illustrated on Schedule 1 to this amendment.

1.3 Basis

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

1. The Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 ("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.

This proposed amendment is consistent with the PPS by continuing to allow for an appropriate mix and range of employment uses within the City's designated Employment lands, and continuing to preserve and protect those lands from encroachment by sensitive land uses or other nonemployment uses.

2. The York Region Official Plan, 2022 (''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.

This proposed amendment is consistent with the ROP as it aims to protect and maintain the long-term viability of the Employment Areas identified by the ROP. It would also permit the continuation of existing uses such as offices, associated retail and ancillary facilities that are permitted by the ROP, would help protect Employment Areas from conversions, and prevent the addition of non-permitted uses within Employment Areas.