Framework for Processing & Evaluating Urban Boundary Expansion Applications
The City of Hamilton remains committed to a firm no urban boundary expansion and responsible growth, however, the Ontario government has introduced significant changes to municipal planning rules (Bill 185)(External link), including permissions for private landowners and proponents to propose urban boundary expansions. The new rules pose a direct challenge to a firm urban boundary and our existing, provincially approved Official Plans. The final decision on whether an urban boundary expansion application is approved now lays with the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) rather than municipal councils or the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as it was previously.
In response to these Provincial changes, the City of Hamilton has developed a Draft Framework for processing and evaluating Urban Boundary Expansion applications.
Additional Resources
- History of Hamilton's Urban Boundary(External link)
- The City's Response to Provincial Policy Changes(External link)
- Managing Provincial Policy Changes to Urban Boundary Expansion(External link)
We want your feedback!
We are actively seeking public input to shape the final version of the Urban Boundary Expansion Framework. The establishment of a Framework for urban boundary expansion applications does not detract from the City’s no urban boundary expansion strategy.
We're collecting information as part of this project
The City of Hamilton collects information under authority of Section 227 of the Municipal Act, 2001. Any personal information collected for Processing & Evaluating of Urban Boundary Expansion Applications will be used to refine the draft framework. More details and contact information can be found in the right column of this page under "Notice of Collection".
I am Counsel and Land Use and Land Development Program Manager for the environmental charity and think tank Environmental Defence. I am not in fact a resident of any Hamilton ward, but I am submitting at the request of multiple Hamilton residents who wish Environmental Defence to contribute technical support for their own submissions on the question of how to respond to requests for settlement area boundary expansion. The ward number reflects that of an individual who made such a request.
(1) All residents of the City of Hamilton should be provided with mailed notice of all requests for settlement boundary expansion - there should be no limit or reduction in weighting of input based on physical proximity. This is because greenfield development, by consuming construction capacity (e.g., labour, equipment time, including for infra) impacts the viability of infill housing development throughout the City of Hamilton, and by increasing the area of road and sewer and other infrastructure, undermines the future tax burden and the availability of funds to maintain, replace and upgrade infrastructure elsewhere in the city of Hamilton. However there should be intensive, proactive consultation in the form of in-person interviews with all tenant farmers and owner farmers both on the land where settlement boundary expansion is proposed. Where the farmers in question have a tenant relationship with the applicant or the owner of the subject lands, their identity should be kept confidential from the applicant and owner upon request, but nonetheless factored in.
(2) As part of any application for settlement boundary expansion, the applicant should be required to provide market and feasibility studies, as well as supporting site analysis, showing that with the requested settlement boundary expansion, and OP designation and zoning, and even factoring in the possibility of future rezoning or changes to OP designation, every hectare of the subject land will in fact be developed at and maintain for no less than 30 years density of no less than 100 residents per hectare (for residential and mixed use land) and at a density of no less than 100 jobs per hectare (for employment or commercial land).
(3) As part of any application for settlement boundary expansion, the applicant should be required to demonstrate through independent modeling conducted at the applicant's expense but directed and controlled and contracted or conducted by the City (and the above market and feasibility studies) that every hectare of the subject land that is in fact not permanently maintained as farmland or natural cover (and excluded from any residential or commercial lot) will in fact have an active transportation mode share of no less than 75% and with a public transit farebox recovery ratio of at least 68%.
(4) As part of any application for settlement boundary expansion, the applicant should be required to provide labour and equipment market studies and such other supporting research which demonstrate that there is sufficient unused construction labour within the relevant categories in excess of what would be consumed by build-out of all infill development permitted as-of-right (or which is likely to be permitted as of right upon conclusion of existing or planned city initiatives), assuming that all infill construction of six storeys and under would make use of conventional stick frame construction (and associated labour and equipment). Proponent should be required to demonstrate that proceeding with greenfield development would not increase construction costs or compete for labour and equipment time with infill development, even assuming construction of six-storey stick-frame mid-rise apartment buildings on all residential and mixed use lots on collectors and arterials, and construction of four-storey fourplexes on every existing residential lot that is sold or conveyed.
(5) Proponent should be required to demonstrate that there will be no reduction of land available to tenant farmers, and no adverse effects upon agricultural uses and operations elsewhere.
Please keep me informed if any new boundary expansion applications are received at joannejones9@gmail.com(External link)