CLOSED - Evaluation and Phasing

Evaluating Growth Options for Urban Boundary Expansion

The next phase of GRIDS2/MCR is to determine how potential expansion areas will be evaluated for feasibility, and how they will be phased over the next 30 years. There are two categories for potential urban boundary expansion that need to be considered in terms of determining an evaluation framework:

Whitebelt Lands Evaluation Framework and Phasing Criteria

Urban boundary expansion is prohibited in the Greenbelt Plan Protected Countryside (with a limited exception for Waterdown/Binbrook). Therefore, if an urban boundary expansion is required to support future population growth to the year 2051, the City’s Whitebelt Lands (rural lands not within the Greenbelt Plan area) will accommodate most of the urban expansion growth. The City must be able to do the following to plan for growth to 2051:

• Part 1: Determine WHERE to grow - Evaluate different areas of the Whitebelt using a series of provincial and locally determined criteria to determine their feasibility for expansion.
• Part 2: Determine WHEN to grow - Use a Phasing Analysis to figure out options for timing development over the next 30 years.

The City has hired Dillon Consulting to prepare a draft evaluation framework and phasing criteria. For more details, view the full report for the Draft Evaluation Framework and Phasing Criteria (Appendix A to Staff Report PED17010(j)).

Towns and Villages in the Greenbelt - 10ha expansions (Waterdown and Binbrook)

The Growth Plan provides an option to allow for small, 10 hectare urban boundary expansions to existing Towns and Villages that are within the Greenbelt Plan Protected Countryside area (Growth Plan Policy 2.2.8.3 (k)), which includes both Binbrook and Waterdown. Only 50% of the 10 hectare expansion area can be used for residential development. Because the size restriction for expansion of these areas, Planning staff need to use a special evaluation tool to consider any potential growth options in these areas. This will involve a two-phased approach:

• Phase 1: Screening Evaluation based on Growth Plan policy 2.2.8.3 k) i) through vi)
• Phase 2: If the criteria of Growth Plan policy 2.2.8.3 k) are met, additional criteria representing both provincial and local priorities will be used to identify a preferred expansion option, if any.

For more details, review the (External link)Draft Screening and Evaluation Tool (Waterdown and Binbrook) (Appendix B to Staff Report PED17010(j) on the proposed evaluation criteria for expansions to either Waterdown or Binbrook.