Town, consultants hold open house on Official Plan review

By Ron Giofu

An update to the Town of Amherstburg’s Official Plan is underway and an open house was conducted on the matter last week.

The open house was held last Wednesday evening in the lobby of the Libro Centre with town planning officials as well as staff from Dillon Consulting on hand to make presentations and answer questions from residents. Manager of planning services Chris Aspila said the town and its consultants are still encouraging people to provide input on the Official Plan update. He noted a survey is available on the town’s “Talk the Burg” website through Aug. 6, with people able to pick it up at town hall or the Libro Centre as well.

The last time a full update of the Official Plan was done was in 2009.

“A lot has happened since that time in Amherstburg and in the province,” said Aspila.

Numerous legislative changes have come into effect and Aspila indicated the Official Plan has to incorporate and reflect those.

“The most important reason (for the update) is to talk to the people of the town to see how we address land use and development in Amherstburg,” said Aspila.

Dillon Consulting was represented at the open house by Amy Farkas, Joshua Babcock, Nicole Beuglet and Sophia Symons while planner Sarah French and economic development/communications officer Jen Ibrahim were among the town’s representation.

Farkas, who is the project manager, said an Official Plan is “a guiding policy document” that provides a framework for how a municipality grows, develops and protects built and natural heritage. She noted there have been five Official Plan amendments since 2009.

“We’re very early on in the process,” said Farkas.

Dillon Consulting was engaged by the town in May and the aim is to complete the new Official Plan in early 2024.

Farkas told the crowd the plan helps identify the town’s infrastructure and servicing needs for the next 25 years.

Like Aspila, Farkas stated there have been key changes to provincial policies that need to be addressed, adding the plan must also meet the needs of residents and businesses. Upon approval by town council, it would be subject to review by the County of Essex.

The Howard Industrial Park District Secondary Plan, discussed 24 hours earlier at a separate open house (see related story on Page 7), would be incorporated into the new Official Plan as would a transportation master plan, a heritage conservation district plan, a town structure plan, a targeted intensification land use study and an economic development community improvement plan.

Farkas stated there are six key policy themes for the new Official Plan.

Growth planning would study how much the town should grow, how people would move around in Amherstburg as the town grows and how is the community supported at all ages of life as it grows.

The housing theme would study opportunities to support long-term housing affordability across the town and how the municipality would encourage a mix of housing types as it grows.

Healthy communities is a theme that would address questions such as what people love about the town that they would like to see continue, how community members can be made safe and comfortable and what opportunities exists to encourage active transportation and linkages with natural heritage features.

The agriculture theme would ask how planning policies could support growth of agri-business and how agriculture and food security could be supported. Environment and climate change themes would address the integration of climate change adaptation considerations into the built environment and protection of the natural environment, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as the town grows and what protection from natural hazards are needed to support the longevity of the built environment.

Resident Bille Gardner asked how climate change policies would be governed and questioned how environmental issues would be addressed. She also asked about building and planning for new builds and how they would be strengthened, also questioning how emergency planning would be incorporated.

Aspila said they are taking note of climate change issues and “we’ll figure out how to incorporate them into climate change policies.” Issues will be detailed in the updated Official Plan.

Cultural heritage would address cultural places that need preserving, supporting reconciliation and Indigenous engagement in planning matters and how the town could improve public engagement for planning matters.

“The Amherstburg Official Plan is required to be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement,” said Farkas.

Local resident Paul McAllister asked how the Official Plan will deal with such legislation as Bill 23, but Aspila said additional provincial bills like Bill 108, Bill 109, and Bill 97 are among the legislation that has to be incorporated.

“All of these (bills) will result in changes to planning activities,” said Aspila.

More information and opportunities for public input can be provided at www.talktheburg.ca.

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