The first draft of Simcoe County’s growth management plan will now be used as the basis for discussion at a series of public open houses next week.
On April 24, 25 and 29, Simcoe County will host forums to gather input on the plan that’s to be made public Tuesday (April 15), which makes several key recommendations: creating an economic enterprise zone along Highway 400 south of Barrie, concentrating population growth in Barrie, Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth and Wasaga Beach, and preserving rural areas as smaller, less-dense communities.
“We didn’t focus on the numbers; we set a framework,” said Simcoe County Warden Tony Guergis.
“Being in the outer ring of the GTA gives us the ability to make a recommendation for a lower density target (in some communities). I think that’s a responsible approach.”
Places To Grow, the province’s award-winning planning policy, calls for regions within the Greater Golden Horseshoe to plan economic and community development for the next 25 years – based on protecting the environment; building communities where people can live, work and play, and creating urban centres as hubs and service centres in these smaller regions.
Setting the county’s population at 667,000 by 2031, the province provided some direction as to where the people and jobs should locate, but required the county to apportion most of the numbers.
The county then had to consult with developers, environmental groups, citizens and municipalities about where growth should occur – then propose a plan as to how best direct development.
Key principles were made public April 9, as were a first round of population and employment targets.
Barrie’s population is pegged to grow by 51,500 to 185,000, while Innisfil would double, to 65,000. Other large population increases are projected for Bradford West Gwillimbury (growing by 24,700 to 49,700 people in 2031), New Tec (growing by 20,200 to 49,000) and Wasaga Beach (growing by 19,400 to 35,000).
The legislation requires Barrie as the urban growth centre to achieve a density target of 150 people and jobs per hectare, and other communities to achieve a density of 50 people and jobs per hectare.
Simcoe County is proposing concentrating the growth in the Highway 400 corridor, at a ratio of 50 people and jobs per hectare, to allow rural communities to stay rural. The 50-person-jobs target also would apply to Midland and Penetanguishene as urban centres in the north.
Countywide, the density would be 40 people and jobs per hectare, which would protect agricultural land and natural heritage features.
Clearview Township’s Deputy Mayor Alicia Savage said the plan will conform to the province’s guidelines, although it cannot be entirely called a local plan.
“This is a compliance growth plan, a made-in-Simcoe compliance plan,” she said, noting the county must update its Official Plan to confirm with P2G by June and lower-tier municipalities must do so by June 2009.
“If we did a made-in-Simcoe growth plan, it would be much different, but that’s not what it is. It’s a compliance one, and it’s good, helpful and doable. The key is that we’re flexible and have the ability to review (it) and have the tools (to implement it).”
The open houses will feature a formal presentation outlining the proposed plan, which will then be modified and presented to county council for approval in late May.
April 24: Midland, North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre, 5 to 8:30 p.m., with the formal presentation at 7 p.m.
April 25: Midhurst, Simcoe County Museum, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the formal presentation at 11 a.m.
April 29: Alliston, Nottawasaga Inn, Bordeaux Boardroom, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with the formal presentation at 7 p.m.
