Back to SearchFirst draft of new Official Plan is now open for input and ideas; document will act as a blueprint to create a more walkable, complete community for future generations
“The Town’s Official Plan will act as a blueprint to create a more walkable, complete community for future generations. It will outline the kind of sustainable community we want to design and build for our kids and our grandkids,” said Mayor Brian Smith. “We want all our residents to participate in this process – to bring their thoughtful, forward-thinking ideas, innovation, creativity and concerns to staff – so that we end up with a solid plan that will guide this Council, and future Council’s, on a clear path to build a more vibrant, thriving, inclusive and sustainable community that will be our legacy.”
Wasaga Beach – The Town of Wasaga Beach has posted the first draft of its new Official Plan for public review on the Town’s public engagement portal, www.engagewasaga.ca.
Today, Council and staff are calling on residents to provide input to help design the future of Wasaga Beach and identify the principles that will guide planning, building and development in the community for the next ten to twenty years.
The Town’s Official Plan will act as a blueprint for achieving the kind of community that the citizens of Wasaga Beach envision over the next two decades; it will guide all future development to ensure that this vision becomes a reality.
To kick off this round of public engagement, the Town will have an Official Plan booth set up during the MyWasaga Community Service Events at the RecPlex, 1724 Mosley Street, Wasaga Beach this week. Members of the public are welcome to come out and learn more, speak with planning staff and share ideas:
- Thursday, May 23 from 6pm – 8pm
- Saturday, May 25 from 9am – 12 noon
More public engagement opportunities will be announced in the coming weeks.
Residents who wish to receive notices of future public engagement opportunities and updates on decisions regarding the new Town of Wasaga Beach Official Plan are encouraged to subscribe to the Official Plan Review page on the Engage Wasaga website.
Feedback received during this initial community engagement period will be compiled by Town planning staff, and a second draft of the new Official Plan will be prepared and shared for a second round of community engagement, later this year.
QUICK FACTS
- The Town of Wasaga Beach is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada and the largest community in the south Georgian Bay region.
- According to the last Canadian Census, the Town’s population is 25,000. It is expected to double over the next 30 years.
- The Town’s current Official Plan has not been updated in twenty years.
BACKGROUND
The Town’s Official Plan is a visionary document that paves the way for inclusive, forward-thinking, sustainable growth and development – it is also a practical document that will guide decisions by all future Councils to turn the community’s long-term vision for our Town, into reality. Once passed by Council, all future Zoning Bylaws passed and all Public Works undertaken by the Town must conform to the Official Plan.
The Town’s current Official Plan was adopted by Council on September 9, 2003 and approved by the County of Simcoe on June 22, 2004. Since then, the Town has experienced significant population growth and changing demographics. Since 2004, the Town’s population has grown over 65%. Other significant changes since 2004 include, but are not limited to:
- An increased need for more affordable and diverse housing options;
- An aging population with a corresponding need for age-friendly development and higher quality urban design in general;
- Recognition of the importance of sustainability and climate change adaptation and mitigation;
- Shifts in the local and regional economic landscape;
- Evolution of communications technology and planning best practices; and
- Extensive changes have also been made to Provincial legislation that impacts how development applications are evaluated and the content that must be included in an Official Plan.
These changes mean that the current Official Plan requires an overhaul to ensure that Wasaga Beach is effectively planned, and planning, for the future.
The new Official Plan process started in 2017 with a series of consultation initiatives and the preparation of topic-specific Discussion Papers. A Community Engagement & Consultation Summary Report, Growth Management Discussion Paper and Commercial, Retail and Tourism Discussion Paper are also available on the Official Plan review page on Engage Wasaga. Town staff have reviewed and considered all feedback received to date in the preparation of the first draft of the Town’s new Official Plan. This has set the stage for staff preparing the first draft, which is now open for input and ideas.
About the Town of Wasaga Beach
The Town of Wasaga Beach aims to be a place where people come to create memories that will last a lifetime. The work that staff are doing to create a new Official Plan supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to create opportunities to diversify the economy, create jobs and build a complete community. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, innovation and fun – a place with thriving businesses; safe, inclusive and complete neighbourhoods where we celebrate our rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
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Media contact:
Sandra Watts
Director of Strategic Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
For general inquiries:
Mark Bryan
Manager, Planning
Development Services Business Unit
T: 705-429-3847 x2283
Matt Ellis
Senior Planner
Development Services Business Unit
T: 705-429-3847 x2273
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