The Official Plan is a key land use planning document that sets out the Town’s vision, urban structure, and policies for land use and design regarding matters such as the environment, housing, employment, transportation, infrastructure and services. The new Official Plan is intended to guide growth and development in Richmond Hill for the next 25 years.

Official Plan Guiding Principles (SRPD.09.021) for the Town’s new Official Plan, which were approved by Council in March 2009.

The Recommended Urban Structure (SRPD.09.036), which was endorsed by Council in July 2009

The Recommended Major Policy Directions (SRPD.09.086) and subsequent staff reports, which were endorsed by Council in October 2009 through March 2010

The Richmond Hill Draft Official Plan which was released on May 6, 2010 for public comment

The Richmond Hill Draft Official Plan staff report (SRPRS.10.071), received by Council on June 9, 2010,

Council Adopted Official Plan July 12, 2010

Richmond Hill’s new Official Plan represents a fundamental shift in the Town’s approach to land use planning through its emphasis on Environment First and Sustainability, City-Building, and Place-making. The Official Plan is one of the most powerful public policy documents that a municipality has to guide future growth and development and meet the needs of its community. It establishes land use policies for the physical, social and economic growth of the community, influencing how the community looks, feels and functions.

The new Official Plan now brings the Town’s land use policies into conformity with Provincial and Regional policy direction and replaces the current Official Plan, as amended, including the majority of the Town’s Secondary Plans.

The next step in the planning process is for the Town to submit its new adopted Official Plan to the Region of York for approval. Under Ontario’s current planning system, the Region of York as an upper-tier municipality has delegated approval authority from the Province to approve local municipal official plans within its jurisdiction.

Official Plan Approach

Environment First and Sustainability
Foremost, the new Official Plan recognizes the Town’s rich natural heritage both on and south of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Growth is directed away from environmental areas and a connected Greenway System is established throughout the Town in which important natural features will be enhanced over time along with linkages to urban open spaces. The policies also aim to provide leadership by fostering innovation in sustainable design through new development and redevelopment opportunities.

City-Building
The most significant underlying theme behind Richmond Hill’s new Official Plan is that it recognizes Richmond Hill is undergoing a transformation from suburban to urban, while respecting and enhancing the Town’s unique character and identity. Although this transformation will not happen over night, the policies seek to guide that transformation by balancing the community’s desire for managed growth at a scale that reflects the local context.

Based on the Town’s evolving urban structure, much of the Town’s future growth will take the form of mixed-use development concentrated in a network of centres and corridors supported by public rapid transit and infrastructure. These areas will contain predominantly “mid-rise” forms of growth and will be pedestrian-oriented, compact and human-scaled, with the objective of promoting walkability, fostering social interaction and ensuring compatibility with existing development. These centres and corridors will be connected to the neighbourhoods where limited development will be allowed to take place, provided that it is a “good fit” with the surrounding area.

Place-making
Perhaps the most unique and innovative feature of Richmond Hill’s new Official Plan is the direct integration of design and land use policies that focus on place-making. The policies accommodate intensification in a way that protects, promotes and enhances what people value about Richmond Hill. Each area of the Town, whether it be a business park, the Downtown or the Richmond Hill Centre, will continue to have an identifiable character and sense of place. The new Official Plan promotes the Town’s existing cultural and natural heritage features and encourages the creation of more unique gathering places, focal points and landmarks through connectivity and design excellence.

Key Milestones
At each stage of the process, staff met with representatives of various public agencies (i.e. York Region, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, school boards and transit authorities) and reported back to the Town’s Official Plan Task Force for approval or endorsement before proceeding to the next stage of developing the Official Plan vision. This integrated process laid the groundwork for developing land use and design policies for the Official Plan. Highlights of the outcome of the process include:

Official Plan Guiding Principles (SRPD.09.021) for the Town’s new Official Plan, which were approved by Council in March 2009. These 10 principles are the foundation of the new Official Plan and are rooted in core directions reflective of the community’s vision from People Plan Richmond Hill: complete communities, environment, economy, place-making, and connectivity and mobility;

The Recommended Urban Structure (SRPD.09.036), which was endorsed by Council in July 2009 as the spatial framework for directing growth and determining land use in the new Official Plan. Elements of the urban structure were identified based on Provincial and Regional policy direction, the background studies and input received from the public;

The Recommended Major Policy Directions (SRPD.09.086) and subsequent staff reports, which were endorsed by Council in October 2009 through March 2010 to guide the drafting of the new Official Plan. These key policy directions were the building blocks in the development of the Town’s new Official Plan; and

The Richmond Hill Draft Official Plan which was released on May 6, 2010 for public comment and the related staff report (SRPRS.10.071), received by Council on June 9, 2010, which articulated the process followed in developing the new Official Plan, a summary of its contents and how it conforms to Provincial and Regional requirements.

Council Adopted Official Plan July 12, 2010

Official Plan Implementation Process; This process starts with a comprehensive zoning by-law that will standardize rules in all neighbourhoods.

Secondary Plan Development; The next phase of Planning is secondary plan development for Oak Ridges and the Regional Centre and Yonge and Highway 7 (future home of the subway extension).

Master Plan Development; These master plans will take a detailed look at the Town Park, The Oak Ridges Moraine Corridor Park and a town wide greenway strategy.

A New Town Wide Parks Plan; This new plan will determine our parks needs for the future.  As we change our urban structure, our parks need to meet the needs of our residents and serve us well into the future.

A New Town Wide Recreation Plan; This new plan would enhance sports activities, community centre programming, guided trails for walking and leisure programs for personal growth for you and your family to enjoy.

A New Cultural Plan; It has been said that arts, culture and heritage are cornerstones in developing a vibrant, attractive, resilient, competitive and creative community.  This plan will identify our cultural, historic and community resources that will provide creative and competitive advantages for our citizens and businesses.

Continued Wise Management of Resources; This means more than continuing to be financially responsible with your tax dollars; it also includes wise management of resources such as people, time and the environment.

Focus on Communication; This focus will allow us to be more strategic in our efforts for continued community engagement with the Town. This also means raising awareness of the programs and services offered by the Town.

Strong Leadership will be required during this next term of Council.

I will continue to advocate for the extension of the subway to Highway 7 and Yonge Street.

I will continue conversation with you on the relocation of the Town Hall.

I am committed to the future growth of our hospital and the services it provides to us.

I will see that the David Dunlap Observatory and lands are respected in any development proposal.

I am that leader.

Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts; A fund that supports art and culture activities that take place within Richmond Hill undertaken by individuals or arts organizations in out town.

Appointment to GO Transit Board; First Mayor in Richmond Hill to ever be appointed to the only inter-regional transit system in the GTA by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Community Invited to Budget Discussions; Residents, Businesses and community groups have an opportunity to discuss service levels and priorities that matter most to them before the Budget Committee.

Special Community Presentations; Public Interest Sessions are held once a month at Council meetings on a variety of topics. Presentations by staff on the major projects we are undertaking in many areas including the environment, fire services and parks and recreation planning.

Strategic Initiative Studies; These studies reveal interesting facts and trends in our town. Growth, demographic, diversity, housing trends show us how to prepare for the present and future.

Fully Accessible Park; Crosby Park was re-designed for inclusive recreation for the able bodied, physically challenged, those with sensory and cognitive impairments to enjoy the simple pleasures of outdoor recreation.

The People Plan; The new Strategic Plan sets a course for our future. People came together to discuss connections, choices, vibrancy and managing our resources. This plan reflects our ideas.

One Stop Service for Local Businesses; BizPal provides the local business community a new online service to reduce time and paperwork to establish themselves and grow. Our Small Business Enterprise Centre is at your services for all small business needs.

Access Richmond Hill; Our customer service centre is designed to help you access services and information from the Town in a fast and friendly manner in more than 170 languages.

Conference Board of Canada Gives Richmond Hill an A; A for Attractive to people looking for a town to live, use their skills for innovation in business, education and being creative in the community. The only suburban community in the GTA to receive on A. Congratulations!

Fire Safety Improved; The opening of the Fire Training Centre that allows fire fighters to train in a realistic setting. The tower can provide a whole range of scenarios such as residential, commercial, high-rise, confined space and technical rope rescues.

Transportation Master Plan; Updated in conjunction with the Strategic and Official Plans, it promotes connectivity, mobility and accessibility between neighbourhoods, employment areas, parks and open spaces. It is a system that includes all travel modes to improve air quality.

Strengthening Business Ties; A trade mission to China showcased Richmond Hill to one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Many Richmond Hill’s businesses do business with China and many Chinese entrepreneurs are looking to invest in Richmond Hill. Contracts were signed creating more jobs for Richmond Hill residents.

Pedestrian & Cycling Master Plan; This part of the Transportation Master Plan will implement 145 km of signed bike routes throughout the Town. Cycling networks on streets and trails will connect to many areas of the town and provide a safe environment to explore our town.

Council Adopts a Code of Conduct; A Code of Conduct demonstrates Council’s continued commitment to openness and accountability. Residents, staff and Councilors themselves need a clear understanding of what we expect from each other. An Integrity Commissioner will be hired to monitor the Code.

New Economic Development Strategy; The new strategy sets the foundation for achieving our goal of attracting and retaining business and jobs in Richmond Hill. The new economy will focus on Richmond Hill’s strengths of a well educated and creative workforce and community.

New Environment Division; Environment Services is a new division of the town to build on the successes of protecting and supporting the environment in many ways in the recent past. Solar installations, wind turbines, storm water management improvements, high rise waste diversion initiatives, LEED building standards, use of bio-diesel fuel and energy management plans for all of the Town’s facilities will be a part and focus of this department

New Official Plan “Building our Kind of Urban”; A plan that will guide the Town’s transformation over the next 25 years from a suburban to an urban community. Based on the principles of environment first, sustainability, city building and place making, the plan maintains our unique identity, history and character of existing neighbourhoods. It reflects your stated values.

David Dunlap Observatory; A Heritage Conservation bylaw was created to protect the buildings and surrounding landscape.  A Conservation Management Plan will protect the forest area and wetlands from any development.  We await Provincial and Federal protections as well.

Mayor Dave Barrow 2010 Re-Election Campaign Launch [Photo courtesy of SNAP Richmond Hill

It was great to see everybody’s support and my speech was well received.
I reviewed what we have accomplished over the last 4 years and what I want our town to focus on over the next 4 years.

It is an honor to be the Mayor of our great town and I am reminded each and every day what a special place this is to live, work and raise a family.

I will conclude this post the same way I concluded my speech yesterday:

“I am Dave Barrow and I still want to be your Mayor!”

The business case for moving needs more work in order to understand the financial consequences of spending those dollars in this economy and the impact that it would have on future needs of our Town.  I look forward to more dialogue with you on this.

I was proud to initiate the award winning Road Watch Program. A dedicated group of community volunteers continue to make all of us aware of the consequences of speeding and disobeying stop signs in our own neighbourhoods.

We have established a Conservation Management Plan for the balance of the lands for natural areas protection and a set of principles established to see that these important lands are respected in any development proposal brought forward by the new owner. Neither the Federal nor Provincial government has indicated a willingness to provide us with any other protections.

Increases over the last two years have reflected the rate of inflation to respect the economic times we have all felt. Our annual operating budget is approximately $100 million and our annual capital budget is around $20 million.  My goal continues to be real value for your tax dollar.

The Conference Board of Canada recognized us as being a community of innovation, education, economy and a society attractive to people.  Let us “brand” that recognition and create both economic and cultural benefits for our town.

The Official Plan, the Parks Plan, the Culture Plan and the Recreation Plan will reflect the values we developed through this process.