Implementation

5. Implementation

This Plan builds upon the existing policy framework established in the Provincial Policy Statement, issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act , the Greenbelt Plan (Order-In-Council 208/2005) and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 (Order-In-Council 1221/2006).

This Plan should be read in conjunction with these documents, as well as other applicable land-use planning policies, regulations and/or standards, as amended from time to time. Except as otherwise set out in this Plan, the policies of the Greenbelt Plan (Order-In-Council 208/2005) are applicable for the lands included in the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve.

Except as otherwise set out in this Plan and as provided for in the Greenbelt Plan (Order-In-Council 208/2005), the policies of the Provincial Policy Statement are applicable for the lands included in the Development Planning Area. This Plan provides direction to deal with growth management matters in the Development Plan Area. These specific objectives and policies are intended to support the overall implementation of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006. The population and employment forecasts that have been established under this Plan for 2031 will be used by the Region when it is undertaking its conformity exercise with the Growth Plan.

This Plan relies on definitions contained in the Provincial Policy Statement, the Greenbelt Plan (Order-In-Council 208/2005) and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 (Order-In-Council 1221/2006) where those terms are used in this Plan. This Plan must be read in its entirety as existing or proposed land-uses may be subject to policies within different sections of the Plan.

5.1 Implementation process for the urban community

The achievement of the goals and objectives of the Central Pickering Development Plan will rely upon the effective implementation by public agencies at both the provincial and municipal levels and by that part of the private sector affected by the Plan. The development of the urban portion of the Central Pickering community will proceed with the preparation of detailed Neighbourhood Plans for each of the defined neighbourhoods based on the City’s planning policies and the land-use framework and policies defined by this Plan.

The implementation process for the urban community portion of this Plan will be as follows:

1. Neighbourhood Plans will conform to the policies of this Plan. The preparation of detailed Neighbourhood Plans, implemented by amendment to the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, will be required prior to or concurrent with the approval of individual plans of subdivision or other forms of development approvals.
2. As part of the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plans, the City of Pickering and development proponents shall have regard for Schedules 6, 7, 8 and 9, which are intended to provide guidance as to the nature and content of Neighbourhood Plans and, together with the policies of this Plan, provide a vision for achieving the goals and objectives of this Plan. These Schedules are not intended to be regulatory in nature, but rather serve as examples of the key principles and policies to be addressed by the Neighbourhood Plans.
3. It is a policy of this Plan that the scope of Chapter 11 of the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, which provides policies for each of the City’s 15 existing urban neighbourhoods, be amended to include the fifteen neighbourhoods in the urban portion of Central Pickering as shown on Schedule 2 of this Plan. The detailed Neighbourhood Plans will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of this Plan, the Official Plan of the Regional Municipality of Durham and the Official Plan of the City of Pickering. The Neighbourhood Plans will form the basis for amendments to the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, Part III – Chapter 11.
4. Neighbourhood Plans will be circulated to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for comment and review in order to assess conformity with this Plan. The Neighbourhood Plans, as amendments to the City of Pickering’s Official Plan, will be required to conform to this Plan and implement the provincial goals, objectives and policies as set out in this Plan.
5. It is a policy of this Plan to require, prior to the approval of the final plans of subdivision and/or the removal of holding symbols in the zoning by-law, the implementation of appropriate measures and financial agreements, such as front-ending agreements, cost-sharing agreements and/or development charges. The cost of development of community services and facilities should be fairly shared by all benefiting parties consistent with the results of a Fiscal Impact Study to be carried out by the City of Pickering and the Regional Municipality of Durham. Conditions to the approval of the plans of subdivision may be imposed or the use of holding symbols in the zoning-by law may be utilized to ensure that financial measures are in place prior to the beginning of construction.
6. It is a policy of this Plan that the preparation, review and approval of development applications within the Central Pickering community will be carried out with a view to achieving six broad sustainable community principles. These principles include:
   • fostering a healthy natural environment;
   • encouraging a healthy built environment;
   • ensuring economic health;
   • creating opportunities for education and public awareness
   • fostering social and cultural well-being; and
   • providing appropriate measures for monitoring and measuring success.

Neighbourhood Plans shall integrate these principles through the identification of short-, medium- and long-term actions that address these principles. Performance measures, which shall be established by the City of Pickering, in consultation with landowners and other interested stakeholders, should be incorporated in the Neighbourhood Plans and will play a role in the on-going assessment of the Plan’s success at achieving sustainability. These measures shall include benchmarks for energy conservation, building and community design, cultural heritage conservation, accessibility for the disabled, air quality, human health promotion and environmental net gain.

It is the intention of this Plan that the Neighbourhood Planning process and subsequent plan of subdivision approvals build on the existing local planning approval process and procedures and the local expertise in the implementation of planning documents.

5.2 City of Pickering’s official plan

This Plan has been prepared in anticipation of implementation through a series of amendments to the City of Pickering’s Official Plan land-use designations and policies were crafted in a manner to be consistent with the format and style of the City of Pickering’s Official Plan. Future amendments to the City of Pickering’s Official Plan as it relates to the urban community in Central Pickering will occur as the neighbourhoods are developed, requiring Neighbourhood Plans to be integrated into Chapter 11 of the City of Pickering’s Official Plan.

The Plan for Central Pickering’s urban community contains objectives that establish the provincial interest in the long-term development of the community.

The land-use designations in the current City of Pickering’s Official Plan that will implement this Plan are Local Nodes, Community Nodes, Mixed Corridors, Prestige Employment, Low Density Areas, Medium Density Areas, Active Recreational Areas, Agricultural and Natural Areas. The overall land-use structure found in the City of Pickering’s Official Plan as it relates to the new urban community is consistent with this Plan.

5.3 Regional municipality of Durham’s official plan

The Regional Municipality of Durham’s Official Plan is a high-level plan that helps coordinate and set the stage for more detailed land-use planning by area municipalities. As a high level plan, the primary concern is consistency between Durham’s land-use designation for Central Pickering and that found in this Plan.

Amendment to Durham’s Official Plan is not necessary prior to the approval of the City’s official plan amendments, plans of subdivision and zoning intended to implement the Central Pickering Development Plan.

The Region of Durham may wish to undertake a future amendment following the completion of the approval of the City’s official plan amendments or the Regional Environmental Assessment Process. Alternatively, the Region may wish to incorporate specific objectives or policies from the Central Pickering Development Plan in order to provide greater clarity in the Regional Plan. Any such amendment must conform with this Plan.

5.4 Accommodating and monitoring change

As described above, further detailed planning and technical work are anticipated and required in order to implement this Plan, including the Master Environmental Servicing Plan, Neighbourhood Plans, functional servicing studies and environmental assessments.

In the course of completing this work, information may become available that requires minor adjustments to the Schedules contained in this Plan. There may be linear facilities that require some relocation or alternative crossings or associated facilities that are not shown on the Schedules. These may require more or less area than that designated on the Schedules, such that the precise location and limits cannot be determined until detailed studies are undertaken.

It is a policy of this Plan that such adjustments may occur through the creation of Neighbourhood Plans without the need for an amendment to this Plan, provided that the proposed adjustment is necessary to:

• preserve natural vegetation or other environmentally significant features or functions
• preserve a cultural heritage resource
• accommodate stormwater management facilities
• accommodate sewer and water service;
• accommodate road improvements
• accommodate major transit routes or facilities

In addition, the boundaries and alignments of the land-use designations shown in Schedule 2 are approximate, and provided the general purpose and intent of the Plan is maintained, minor adjustments may be made without amendment to the Plan except where such boundaries are established by fixed features such as railways, highways and roads, lot and concession lines, or property lines.

As part of the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans, minor modifications to the land use boundaries may be considered to reflect differences in scale and levels of detail or to better integrate natural and urban land uses so as to achieve a more compact efficient urban form, provided such modifications do not negatively impact the Natural Heritage System or natural features and functions.

It is a policy of this Plan that the goals, objectives, policies and accompanying Schedules contained herein shall be reviewed every five years by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The purpose of this review will be to assess the relevance and currency of the Plan, including the scope of coverage of the Development Planning Area, in light of the changing market, demographic, social, environmental and economic conditions within Central Pickering.

The review should also consider what, if any, remedial or adaptive measures need to be undertaken through amendment to the Plan to address environmental and public safety conditions and any other appropriate matters that may have changed since the Plan’s approval based on experience in monitoring build out of the community.

Such monitoring shall be a shared responsibility of landowners, the Province, municipalities, relevant public agencies and interested members of the public. Subject to following the requirements of the Ontario Planning and Development Act, 1994, the need for an amendment to the Central Pickering Development Plan will be determined by, and at the sole discretion of, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

5.5 Implementation process for the Duffins Rouge agricultural preserve

The achievement of the agricultural goal, objectives and policies of this Plan will rely upon the effective implementation by public agencies at both the provincial and municipal levels and by that part of the private sector affected by the Plan. In this regard and to ensure that there is a model for implementation, the Regional Municipality of Durham shall give consideration to the matters outlined below that can serve as the basis for supporting a healthy and productive agricultural industry within the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve.

To assist in this regard, the Regional Municipality of Durham may call upon the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee to provide input regarding implementation of this Plan.

Specifically, the Region shall consider:

1. identifying partnerships to ensure the long-term viability of the Preserve designation and agricultural practices more generally in the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve through such means as co-operative initiatives, land securement mechanisms such as land trusts or easements, production of healthy products for consumers who value locally-grown food, promotion of agri-tainment opportunities, and identification of non-traditional products such as nutraceuticals and bio-based products
2. identifying ways to facilitate adoption of sustainable farm and forestry practices including mandatory and voluntary Best Management Practices, like Nutrient Management Plans and Strategies, Environmental Farm Plans and source water protection measures
3. promoting opportunities for the Duffins Rouge Agriculture Preserve to become a centre for excellence in the field of agricultural and related industry research
4. advising on strategies to connect producers within the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve with local markets, including retailers and restaurants
5. identifying strategies for ensuring safe movement of farm vehicles

In respect of identifying implementation actions and strategies that would achieve the intent of this Plan and the page matters, consideration shall be given to the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Plan dated February 2005.

Applications for planning approvals in the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve will proceed at the City or Regional level subject to conformity with this Plan.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing acknowledges the work of the following parties in the completion of this document:

• Planning Alliance Inc.
• Meridian Planning Consultants Inc.
• Brook Mcllroy Inc.
• North-South Environmental Inc.
• Philips Engineering Ltd.
• Poulos & Chung Ltd.
• Metropolitan Knowledge International
• Morrison Environmental Limited
• Toombs Consulting
• Bruce Kappel
• Will Dunning Inc.
• Unterman McPhail Associates
• Archaeological Services Inc.
• Urban Marketing Collaborative
• GLPi
• Tony Fuller and Charlotte McCallum
• Blair Kerrigan /Glyphics