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TO: |
Mayor and Members of Council |
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FROM: |
Jim Baird, Commissioner of
Development Services Valerie Shuttleworth, Director Of
Planning & Urban Design |
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PREPARED BY: |
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DATE OF MEETING: |
2004-June-15 |
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SUBJECT: |
Comments on the Provincial
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RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the staff report entitled “Comments on the
Provincial Greenbelt Task Force Discussion Paper,” dated
THAT Council endorse the general direction of the May 2004 Provincial Greenbelt Task Force Discussion Paper entitled “Towards a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt” and support, in principle, the elements considered by the Greenbelt Task Force, as outlined and commented on in this report;
THAT Council request the provincial
government, through the Greenbelt Task Force, to:
·
finalize
a Growth Management Plan for the Golden Horseshoe and surrounding areas, including
its definitive approach to planning reforms, to provide a clear workable
context for:
(i) administrating and implementing a
permanent greenbelt protection plan within the
Golden Horseshoe growth management
area including the Town of
(ii) providing provincial policy
direction and guidance to future growth management studies and initiatives at
the local and regional municipal levels;
·
provide
a provincial policy framework that would support the Town of Markham’s current
efforts to define a linked system of significant natural heritage features and
functions, with a hierarchy of environmental protection, including further
changes to provincial policy and legislation to allow municipalities to fully
implement environmental protection of a linked natural heritage system;
· act on the recommendations of the
Eastern Markham Strategic Review particularly as they
relate to:
(i)
the
protection of key linkages to the Little Rouge Creek Corridor lands of the
Rouge
Park in
(ii) the protection of certain prime
agricultural lands identified in the in Eastern Markham Strategic Review, and
securement of agricultural use in
perpetuity through the use of special legislation and land trusts; and
(iii) the conservation of cultural and
natural heritage resources in
·
create a provincial task force on agriculture to
develop agricultural policies that will ensure a viable agricultural industry
across the greenbelt and the rest of
·
consider current planning
efforts for the future Pickering Airport within the context of provincial
growth management initiatives including the proposed growth management
plan and the proposed greenbelt
protection plan for the Golden Horseshoe; and
·
design approaches to ensure
coordination and collaboration between the province, municipalities and the
federal government in delivering transportation and infrastructure to reinforce
growth management and proposed greenbelt objectives;
THAT Council request the Greenbelt Task Force to include in its interim
advice to the Province, that a coordinated and comprehensive public and
stakeholder consultation process be established to bring forward concurrently,
the provincial government’s definitive approach to planning reforms, including
a revised provincial policy statement, and greenbelt protection within the
context of a final growth management plan and implementation framework for the
Golden Horseshoe growth management area;
THAT Council endorse the attached
report and submit it to the Greenbelt Task Force and to the Province as the
Town of
AND THAT the Clerk be requested to
forward a copy of this report to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing,
the Chair of the Greenbelt Task Force, the Minister of Public Infrastructure
Renewal, the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Smart Growth Secretariat, York
Region MPPs, and the Region of York.
PURPOSE:
The
purpose of this report is to outline the provincial Greenbelt Task Force’s
framework for consultation on a permanent Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt and
provide comments from the Town of
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Building Strong Communities
To support the creation of strong communities the Province has initiated a set of provincial growth management initiatives including a provincial growth management plan and implementation framework, planning reforms, and greenbelt protection. These initiatives are intrinsically linked and dependent on one and other to succeed. Overall, they constitute a provincial framework or policy context to guide municipalities in managing growth. A number of public and stakeholder consultations are simultaneously underway on these initiatives. Greenbelt Protection consultations are being coordinated and facilitated by a provincial Greenbelt Task Force.
Towards A Golden Horseshoe
In May and June 2004, the Greenbelt Task Force is holding public and stakeholder meetings on greenbelt protection and a number of proposed approaches for a permanent greenbelt in the Golden Horseshoe growth management area. The Task Force has released a discussion paper that outlines vision and goal statements for a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt and invites comments from the public on proposed approaches to environmental protection; agricultural protection; transportation and infrastructure; natural resources; culture, recreation and tourism; and implementation and administration.
The Greenbelt Study process has focused
provincial, municipal and public stakeholder attention on addressing key growth
management issues respecting greenbelt protection within the Golden Horseshoe
area. This process has assisted the
Province in gaining a further understanding of growth and development pressures
and major constraints to growth. It
would appear from the comments received by the Task Force that there is broad
public support for a balanced provincial growth management approach to
greenbelt protection which would safeguard elements of a natural heritage
system, agriculture and natural resources and enshrine diverse cultural,
recreational and tourism experiences.
Growth Management in the Golden
Horseshoe
Other growth management issues
respecting the allocation of population and employment growth in the Golden
Horseshoe and surrounding areas, the long term availability of land to accommodate a balance of population and employment
growth in the Golden Horseshoe particularly the Greater Toronto Area, and the long term protection and viability of
prime agricultural lands located outside of the greenbelt study area have not
been fully addressed by the Province.
Public comments to the Greenbelt Task Force have demonstrated the urgent
need for the provincial government to finalize a growth management plan and
implementation framework to inform the implications of greenbelt protection on
the Golden Horseshoe growth management planning area. It is essential that it be demonstrated how a
permanent greenbelt would be implemented within the context of an
implementation framework for future growth within the planning area.
Implementation Issues have been
Identified
From a municipal perspective, the
challenge to implement an integrated growth management approach encompassing
greenbelt protection is significant. In 2003, Markham Council undertook a strategic review of a range of
initiatives affecting land in
Through the Eastern Markham
Strategic Review (EMSR) process the Town identified that under the current
provincial planning regime, there is limited authority to implement greenbelt
protection objectives to protect significant natural features, valleylands and
woodlots including the ability to identify and protect adjacent lands to
support these features and their functions. The Town has also identified that greenbelt
protection may facilitate, but is not the sole solution, to the protection of
agricultural land, and that implementation of permanent agriculture land use
cannot be achieved without addressing the economic viability of the
agricultural industry.
Most
importantly, the Town has identified that the issues addressed by the Eastern Markham Strategic Review are complex
and touch upon many aspects of growth management requiring actions within
different levels of government, nearby municipalities, agencies, NGOs,
landowners and others.
Achieving
a Balanced Approach to Growth Management and
It
is imperative that any new policy and legislation to create a permanent
greenbelt be established
within
the context of a final growth management plan and implementation framework for
the
Golden
Horseshoe growth management area.
Implicit
in the discussion and work to date on a provincial growth management plan is
the first principle that population and employment growth will continue, and it
is appropriate to accommodate this growth in
A
permanent greenbelt would mark a significant step toward curbing urban sprawl
and protecting significant natural features. However, municipalities must also
be provided with a practical provincial growth management context, in order to
comment on the implications of a permanent greenbelt protection plan. For example, it is recognized that adopting
local growth management initiatives that concentrate new growth in an urban
downtown core – Markham Centre - and along the Highway 7 urban transit corridor
alone, will not be sufficient for the Town to achieve a balanced approach to
population and employment growth over time.
Recommended Council Actions
It is recommended that Council
endorse the general direction of the May 2004 Provincial Greenbelt Task
Force Discussion Paper entitled “Towards a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt” and support, in principle, the elements considered
by the Task Force for a proposed Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt and the
proposed approaches to environmental
protection; agricultural protection; transportation and infrastructure; natural
resources; and culture, recreation, and tourism as outlined and commented on in this
report.
It is recommended that Council urge
the provincial government to finalize its growth management plan and
implementation framework, including its definitive approach to planning
reforms, to provide a clear context for:
· administrating and implementing a
permanent greenbelt protection plan within the
Golden Horseshoe growth management planning
area including the Town of
· providing Provincial policy
direction and guidance to future growth management studies and initiatives at
the local and regional municipal levels.
It is further recommended that
Council request the Greenbelt Task Force to include in its interim advice to
the Province, a recommendation for a coordinated and comprehensive public and
stakeholder consultation process be established to bring forward concurrently
the provincial government’s definitive approach to planning reforms and
greenbelt protection, within the context of a final growth management plan and
implementation framework for the Golden Horseshoe growth management area.
BACKGROUND:O
Dec. 15th, Provincial Government introduced Bill 26, to
1. Growth Management Plan and
implementation framework for the Golden Horseshoe;
2. Planning Reforms including Bill 26
amendments to the Planning Act, revisions to the Provincial Policy Statement,
and further reforms to the Ontario Municipal Board; and
3. Greenbelt Protection including Bill 27
legislation to defer urban expansions and enable the
government to study
where greenbelt protection should be provided in the Golden
Horseshoe.
These initiatives are intrinsically linked and dependent on each other to succeed. They constitute an emerging overall provincial framework or policy context for municipalities to manage growth.
Building on the recommendations of the Central Ontario Smart Growth
Panel, the Province is currently developing a long-term Growth Management Plan
for the Golden Horseshoe and surrounding areas.
This provincial growth management plan is intended, among other things,
to:
·
direct balanced growth to a network of regional nodes and corridors
within the existing urban settlement areas of the Golden Horseshoe growth
management area in an effort to reduce the demand for new land, support compact
development, and optimize existing infrastructure;
·
outline the long-term infrastructure and service needs of Golden
Horseshoe communities and focus provincial priorities for public investment on
supporting existing urban settlement and a network of regional nodes and corridors
as areas to target for major capital upgrades and transportation and transit
investment; and
·
manage growth to ensure the long-term protection and viability of
natural heritage systems, water resources, agriculture, resource management,
cultural heritage, recreation and tourism in the Golden Horseshoe growth
management area.
Implicit in the discussion and work to date is the first principle that
population and employment growth will continue, and is appropriate to
accommodate in the Golden Horseshoe, particularly within the Greater Toronto
Area. Planning for this growth, managing the form that it should take,
providing its supporting infrastructure, and balancing these responsibilities
with a range of other objectives is the essential challenge for the
governments, agencies and industries involved.
A key component of the draft growth management plan will be the
development of an implementation framework that will enable municipalities to
deliver comprehensive and integrated growth management planning within their
communities and across the Golden Horseshoe growth management area. Several
actions have been initiated by the Province to support development of an
implementation framework, in consultation with local and regional
municipalities, including recent planning reform and greenbelt protection
legislation.
3. Greenbelt Protection
In
December 2003, the provincial government also introduced Bill 27 to create a
study area for protection of a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt within the Golden
Horseshoe growth management area. The
greenbelt study area comprises the Regions of Durham, Halton, Peel and York and
the Cities of Hamilton and Toronto as well as lands within the Niagara
Escarpment Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine area, and the tender fruit area of the
Region of Niagara. Bill 27 establishes a one-year
moratorium on urban development of rural and agricultural lands in the study
area to defer urban expansions and enable the government to study where greenbelt
protection should occur within the study area. It also establishes the grounds for
a comprehensive consultation process to gather public and stakeholder input on
key greenbelt issues. In this regard,
the Province has appointed a multi-stakeholder Greenbelt Task Force to
determine, among other things:
· the best approach to ensure the long term protection and viability of natural heritage systems, water resources, agriculture, resource management and tourism in the study area; which lands should be permanently included in a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt; and
· how the greenbelt should be implemented within the Golden Horseshoe growth management area.
On
April 28, 2004, the proposed Greenbelt Protection Act, 2003 (Bill 27) received
second reading in the legislature and was referred to the Standing Committee on
General Government to hold public hearings.
In addition, the Greenbelt Task Force is hosting public meetings and
stakeholder workshops across the Golden Horseshoe in May and June.
A number of public and stakeholder consultations are now underway on draft growth management initiatives intended to support the creation of strong communities, establish a permanent greenbelt, as well as enhance the quality of life, environmental protection and economic growth in the Golden Horseshoe growth management area, including:
· Growth Management Plan: small group discussions held by the Smart Growth Secretariat of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal on a draft growth management plan and implementation framework for the Central Ontario growth management area – May 2004;
· Planning Reforms: stakeholder workshops for municipalities to be held by the Provincial Planning and Environmental Services Branch of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on planning reforms to implement provincial growth management planning across the province including proposed Bill 26 amendments to the Planning Act, revisions to the Provincial Policy Statement, and further reforms to the Ontario Municipal Board mandate and procedures – June/July 2004; and
· Greenbelt Protection: public meetings and stakeholder workshops held by the Greenbelt Task Force focusing on opportunities for greenbelt protection including the scope, content and implementation of a permanent greenbelt within the context of a growth management plan for the Golden Horseshoe growth management area – May/June 2004.
Markham’s
Response to Provincial Growth Management Initiatives
Since the provincial election in October 2003, Markham Council has written to the Province on several occasions to express its support for the creation of a new provincial growth management vision for the Central Ontario growth management area, in consultation with municipalities. A summary of requests made to the current provincial government relating to growth management initiatives is attached as Appendix ‘B’ to this report.
At its meeting of October 28, 2003, Council urged the new provincial government to finalize a provincial growth management vision for the Central Ontario growth management area linking strategic provincial planning and policy regulation to strategic provincial investment and financial management. This was followed up by a January 27, 2004 letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting that the Province guide the overall framework or policy context for growth management, and that municipalities be given the authority, legislative tools and financial tools needed to manage growth within their communities and to establish proper infrastructure, urban design, and development controls. At its meeting of March 2, 2004, Markham Council supported in principle, the proposed planning reform and greenbelt protection legislation as an important component of the new initiative of the provincial government to create a growth management vision for the Central Ontario growth management area.
These submissions by the Town build on the requests to the Province arising from the EMSR forwarded in July 2003.
Markham Council has taken every opportunity to offer support and assistance to the Province in future growth management initiatives and/or panels, including political or senior staff representation on panels, committees or task forces. In particular, Council has specifically requested the provincial government and the Greenbelt Task Force to invite the Town to actively participate in future workshops related to the scope, content and implementation of a future Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt.
The
Chief Administrative Officer recently participated in a small group discussion
session seeking input on the Growth Management Plan for the Golden Horseshoe
and surrounding areas and a preferred approach to development of an
implementation framework. The
Commissioner of Development Services recently addressed a special session of
the Greenbelt Task Force for municipal representatives seeking input on what
the function of a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt should be and how it should be
implemented and administered. Staff have
also recently attended a forum on the greenbelt planning reforms.
DISCUSSION:
Greenbelt
Task Force Discussion Paper Released
The provincial Greenbelt Task Force is holding public and stakeholder meetings on greenbelt protection and a number of proposed approaches for a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt in May and June 2004. On May 13, 2004, the Task Force released a discussion paper that outlines vision and goal statements for a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt and invites comments from the public on proposed approaches to environmental protection; agricultural protection; transportation and infrastructure; natural resources; culture, recreation and tourism; and implementation and administration. A copy of the discussion paper entitled “Toward a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt” is attached as Appendix ‘C’ to this report.
The discussion paper is the product
of public information meetings and stakeholder working sessions hosted by the
Task Force this Spring to obtain input on key greenbelt issues. Throughout the initial consultation period,
common themes began to emerge that helped the Task Force shape a proposed
vision, form and function for the greenbelt.
Overall, a central theme was that the greenbelt should, and can only, be implemented and administered within
the context of the emerging growth management plan for the Golden Horseshoe and
surrounding areas and other provincial growth management initiatives.
The discussion paper provides a
framework for further public consultation on five “layers” considered for the
proposed greenbelt and a number of proposed implementation and administration
approaches to the development of a permanent Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt within
the context of provincial growth management.
It is the intent of the Task Force to consider
the views and ideas expressed at the public meetings, as well as written
submissions, and develop final recommendations on a preferred approach for
achieving a greenbelt for submission to the Province before the Summer. Following an inter-ministry review of the Task
Force advice, it is anticipated that the Province will identify a preferred
approach for a Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt in the Fall and allow for further
public input before the provincial government takes action and Bill 27 is
repealed on December 14, 2004.
The Task Force considered five “layers” for the proposed greenbelt. These functional categories are outlined in
the discussion paper and are not prioritized by order or content. Geographically, the Task Force recognizes
that different functions are likely to be more or less important or relevant in
different areas of the proposed greenbelt.
In addition, two overarching themes were considered by the task force
including the Province’s growth management and other related initiatives as the
context for development of a permanent Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt, and the
implementation and administration approaches for establishing and administering
a greenbelt.
Detailed Analysis of Greenbelt Task Force Considerations/Proposed
Approaches
An additional detailed analysis of the five “layers” and implementation
and administration approaches is provided in Appendix ‘A’. It includes a summary of Task Force
considerations including quotes from the Task Force report on proposed
approaches to each of the five “layers” and implementation and
administration. Appendix ‘A’ also
articulates Markham’s working experience in delivering strategic initiatives
and projects in each of the functional areas, and identifies appropriate
responses/actions from the Town to the Province in response to the Task Force
proposals. These responses/actions are
reflected in the recommendations at the beginning of this report and are
summarized below under each of the headings identified in the Task Force
discussion paper:
1. Environmental Protection
The Task Force is proposing a systems approach for environmental
protection in the greenbelt. The Province, in consultation with key
stakeholders, should define a system of natural and hydrological features and
functions with a hierarchy of environmental protection.
The Town of Markham has been recognized for
its leadership and significant achievements in the development of an
environmental policy framework for the protection of the Town’s natural
heritage system features and functions. Markham’s recent Rouge North Official Plan
Amendment has been recognized by awards from the Federation of Ontario
Naturalists and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Overall the Town’s environmental policy
framework for the protection of a linked natural heritage system has exceeded
the current scope of provincial policy and legislation. Under the
current provincial planning regime, however,
there is still limited authority for the Town to protect significant natural
features, valleylands and woodlots including the ability to identify and
protect adjacent lands to support these features and their functions.
From a policy perspective,
the Town of Markham can support, in principle, the Task Force proposal that the
Province provide a provincial policy framework that would support the Town’s
current efforts to define a linked system of significant natural heritage
features and functions, with a hierarchy of environmental protection. However, further changes to legislation based
policies, such as the Provincial Policy Statement, and regulatory legislation,
such as the Planning Act, are required to allow municipalities to fully
implement environmental protection of a linked natural heritage system.
Markham Council undertook a strategic review
of a range of initiatives affecting land in Eastern Markham in 2003, and
adopted a vision that retains and encompasses, environmental, agricultural,
heritage, and recreational activities within the concept of “countryside”.
Markham has requested, and is still awaiting, a
Provincial response to the Eastern Markham Strategic Review proposals. The Greenbelt Study process and the Task Force proceedings
is a welcome opportunity for the Province to become more engaged and respond to
the EMSR findings. Markham looks forward to this response demonstrating an understanding at the provincial level of
the need for provincial policy and legislation, and coordination of provincial
actions in support of municipalities implementing greenbelt protection.
The Task Force is proposing the
following approaches to protecting agriculture in the greenbelt:
·
a provincial task force on
agriculture be created immediately to develop agricultural policies that will
ensure a viable agricultural industry across the greenbelt and to provide an
interim report to address greenbelt issues, by October 2004;
·
agricultural lands should be
protected within the context of a provincial growth management plan to reduce
the pressure on prime agricultural lands, and before prime agricultural lands
may be considered for development, a comprehensive review should be required to
demonstrate that the existing designated urban areas lack a sufficient supply
of land available through intensification and redevelopment;
·
the entire Holland Marsh and
the tender fruit and grape lands should be permanently protected by restricting
settlement area boundary expansions;
·
other agricultural lands
that should be permanently protected in the greenbelt are prime agricultural
lands having contiguous area sufficiently large to support the integrity of the
agricultural economy. In making this determination, the Province should
have regard for fragmentation; urban/suburban encroachments; loss of
agricultural support mechanisms;
·
the Province’s growth
management initiative; and rural economic development; and
·
the Province should assess
potential changes to taxation policies and other financial tools to support
agriculture such as reviewing the property assessment system as it applies to
the valuing of farmland; and easements and land trusts.
In concert with a linked greenspace system, the Town of Markham supports
a balance of land uses in Eastern Markham, including agriculture and the Rouge
Park, to achieve a vibrant and thriving countryside. Eastern Markham has a rich agricultural
heritage and the potential to support agriculture over the long term with its
excellent soils, long growing season and proximity to diverse markets. However, there are currently a number of
significant constraints to agriculture including unresolved issues of future
ownership and tenure, high land values,
constrained water supply and an absence of long-term capital investment.
Nevertheless, the final report of the EMSR identifies several actions in
support of agricultural land use in Eastern Markham. Markham Council supports
the sale to tenants of certain Provincial lands, east of the Little Rouge Creek
(the Tenant Purchase Program) subject to their agricultural use being secured
in perpetuity through appropriate provincial legislation and/or land trusts. As
it currently exists, the Planning Act does not give the Town the power to
protect lands for agriculture in perpetuity.
Innovative use of current
legislation or new regulatory legislation, possibly also involving tools such
as agricultural easements or land trusts are
required to enable municipalities to provide permanent protection of
agricultural lands within the context of a local growth management plan. Furthermore, in order to optimise the use of
prime agricultural lands, there must be a stronger provincial commitment to
assuring their long-term productive capability and economic viability.
As for the balance of the
agricultural lands in Markham, the Town supports the use of these privately
owned lands for agriculture in accordance with the Regional and Town Official
Plans and Town zoning. Any future
changes would be in the context of a comprehensive planning process, in
accordance with the Planning Act and the Provincial Policy Statement, as
amended. In this regard, the Town urges
the provincial government to finalize the Golden Horseshoe growth management
plan and implementation framework to inform any future growth management
studies initiated by the Town and/or the Region of York.
3. Transportation and Infrastructure.
The Task Force is proposing the following approach for transportation and
infrastructure in the greenbelt:
·
infrastructure (including
highways, water, sewer, power, etc.) will be permitted in the greenbelt if it
is consistent with the Greenbelt Task Force vision and goals, the province’s
growth management plan and the coordination of provincial, regional and
municipal infrastructure planning.
While recognizing the proposed
greenbelt should not be used as a utility corridor, in Markham, there will be a
need for infrastructure to pass through the greenbelt at key locations. In practice, roads, water, sewer, power and
other infrastructure will be required to pass through the proposed greenbelt
(ie. the Oak Ridges Moraine or Rouge Park) to service approved growth areas
beyond Markham. Within the countryside
lands of the proposed greenbelt, there will continue to be a need for a system
of roads which facilitate local traffic including the movement of farm
vehicles.
The Town supports, in principle, the
Task Force view that proposed infrastructure should reinforce growth management and greenbelt
objectives. However, improved coordination and collaboration between the
province, local and regional municipalities and the federal government is
required to address the delivery of cross-jurisdictional infrastructure
planning and investment within the proposed greenbelt. For Markham, the widening of Steeles Avenue
and the Markham By-pass extension are a priority for managing growth and for
future greenbelt protection.
To date, current provincial planning
efforts have not recognized the significance of the future Pickering Airport as
a potential economic and transportation hub and
its potential impact on the proposed greenbelt and future growth management in
Markham.
4. Natural Resources
The Task Force is proposing the following approach to address future
resource needs in the proposed greenbelt:
·
high potential aggregate
areas should be a consideration for inclusion in the greenbelt and should be
protected from incompatible land use;
·
aggregate extraction in the
greenbelt should be subjected to a more rigorous approach to rehabilitation;
·
the Province should clarify
appropriate provincial and official plan policies surrounding new licenses for
aggregate extraction; and
·
the Province should review
the licensing process to facilitate new supply and ensure the integrity of
hydrogeological and ecological systems, features and functions, taking into
account the requirement to rehabilitate.
The potential for growth
in use of aggregate resources rests in capitalizing on their location and
ensuring there is adequate supply adjacent to high demand markets. Currently, there is only one pit in operation
in Markham and it is located in the urban area.
No new commercial pits and quarries are permitted except by amendment to
the Official Plan.
5. Culture, Recreation and Tourism
The Task Force is proposing that Culture, recreation and tourism opportunities
in the proposed greenbelt should respect and be compatible with other greenbelt
priorities (eg. agriculture, natural resources and ecosystem protection) and
should strengthen the vitality, integrity and profile of the greenbelt with:
·
recognized
and promoted cultural sites, districts and landscapes important for community
identity, history and character;
·
a
network of protected public open spaces where people can enjoy recreational and
leisure activities (ie. provincial parks, conservation areas…municipal parks
and forests);
·
private
lands with recreation, tourism and conservation uses;
·
a
system of trails on public and private lands; and
·
tourism
destinations that support and depend on farms, natural areas and rural
communities.
Markham Council
continues to support the Town’s rural area legacy of cultural and natural
heritage resources while, at the same time, providing for compatible
agricultural, recreation and tourism uses that contribute to the sustainability
of these resources:
In particular, Markham
Council has endorsed the recommendations of the EMSR that support the
conservation of cultural and natural heritage resources in Eastern Markham, and
among other things:
·
the
designation of Eastern Markham hamlets as Heritage Conservation District Study
Areas;
·
the
designation and pursuit of heritage easements for all properties of cultural
heritage value or interest in Markham;
·
the establishment of a linked greenspace system for
Eastern Markham based on a central corridor linking the Oak Ridges Moraine to
the Rouge Park and the provision of trail connections;
·
the establishment of the Rouge Park within the
corridor and on additional greenspace lands in Eastern Markham; and
·
the identification of an expanded range of
appropriate uses secondary to agricultural uses such as agri-trourism uses and
recreation and tourism uses that contribute to the vitality and character of
the Eastern Markham countryside.
Administration and Implementation
The Task Force is proposing the following approach to administration and
implementation of the greenbelt:
·
The
greenbelt should be implemented so as to ensure permanence, integrity and
consistency in policy application while having regard to regional differences;
·
Implementation
should be coordinated with the provincial growth management initiative and:
- be initiated through legislation
that creates a Greenbelt Protection Plan that knits
together the Niagara Escarpment Plan, the Oak
Ridges Conservation Plan, and other lands to
fulfil the objectives and goals of the
greenbelt;
- be administered by municipalities
outside of the Niagara Escarpment Commission
jurisdiction and incorporated into municipal
official plans in a consistent manner across the
greenbelt;
-
take
advantage of existing administrative structures and tools where possible;
-
have
an appellate tribunal which has the expertise to uphold the integrity of the
plan;
-
assist
municipalities with implementation work;
- include fiscal measures which fulfil
the objectives of the greenbelt, particularly concerning conservation and
agricultural viability;
- involve a working group to process
Greenbelt Task Force recommendations through to the creation of the greenbelt.
The working group would include municipal staff and other expert stakeholders
from across the greenbelt; and
-
be
subject to monitoring performance standards and a 10-year review.
The Province’s latest growth
management initiative to establish a study area and Task Force to provide
advice on greenbelt protection is a significant component in the development of
the Growth Management Plan for the Golden Horseshoe and surrounding areas. From Markham’s perspective, it is imperative
that any new policy and legislation to create a permanent greenbelt be
established within the context of a final growth management plan and
implementation framework for the Golden Horseshoe growth management area.
The Greenbelt Study process has focused
provincial, municipal and public stakeholder attention on addressing key growth
management issues respecting greenbelt protection within the Golden Horseshoe
area. This process has assisted the
Province in gaining a further understanding of growth and development pressures
and major constraints to growth. It would appear from the comments received by
the Greenbelt Task Force that there is broad public support for a balanced
provincial growth management approach to greenbelt protection which would
safeguard elements of a natural heritage system, agriculture and natural
resources and enshrine diverse cultural, recreational and tourism experiences.
At the same time, however, other
growth management issues respecting the allocation of population and employment
growth in the Golden Horseshoe and surrounding areas, the long term
availability of land to accommodate a balance of
population and employment growth in the Golden Horseshoe and particularly the
Greater Toronto Area, and the long
term protection and viability of prime agricultural lands located outside of
the greenbelt study area have not been fully addressed by the Province. Public comments to the Greenbelt Task Force
have demonstrated the urgent need for the provincial government to finalize a
growth management plan and implementation framework to inform the implications
of greenbelt protection on the Golden Horseshoe growth management planning
area. Additionally, it is essential that
it be demonstrated how a permanent greenbelt would be implemented within the
context of an implementation framework for that plan.
Markham should support, in
principle, the elements considered by the Task Force for a proposed greenbelt
as outlined and commented on in this report.
The challenge for the Province in
responding to the concerns of stakeholders, such as the Town of Markham, is to
put in place a coordinated and comprehensive consultation process to bring
forward concurrently, the provincial government’s definitive approach to
planning reforms and greenbelt protection, within the context of a final growth
management plan and implementation framework for the Golden Horseshoe growth
management area.
FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
There are no financial
considerations at this time resulting from the Greenbelt Task Force’s
discussion paper. If the Province were
to act on the Greenbelt Task Force proposals for a permanent Golden Horseshoe
Greenbelt there is the potential to create a provincial policy framework that would support the Town’s current
efforts to provide improved protection of natural features and green spaces as
components of a linked natural heritage system.
ENGAGE 21ST
CONSIDERATIONS:
Within the context of a final Golden
Horseshoe growth management plan and implementation framework, it is
anticipated that a permanent Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt will assist the Markham
in achieving its 20-year vision with a concerted focus on strategic plan initiatives
and projects. It is also anticipated
that a greenbelt protection plan, as a component of a provincial growth
management plan and implementation framework, will assist Council in guiding
growth management, environmental and agricultural protection and Official Plan
policy.
ATTACHMENTS:
Appendix ‘A’ - Detailed Analysis of
Greenbelt Task Force Considerations
Appendix ‘B’ - Summary of Markham Council requests to Province
Appendix
‘C’ - Greenbelt Task Force Discussion Paper
______________________________ _________________________________
Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P Jim Baird, M.C.I.P
Director of Planning and Urban Design Commissioner of Development Services
Document:
Q\Development\Planning\MISC\MI485\DSCGreenbeltJune and \Appendix A June 1 and Appendix B June 1
