9. BEYOND OTTAWA 20/20: CONSULTATION STRATEGY FOR THE OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW, THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN REVIEW AND INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN REVIEW

AU-DELÀ D'OTTAWA 20/20 : STRATÉGIE DE CONSULTATION POUR LA RÉVISION DU PLAN OFFICIEL, LA RÉVISION DU PLAN DIRECTEUR DES TRANSPORTS ET LA RÉVISION DU PLAN DIRECTEUR DE L'INFRASTRUCTURE

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

That Council approve the Consultation Strategy for the Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Infrastructure Master Plan reviews as outlined in this report.

Recommandation du Comité

Que le Conseil approuve la stratégie de consultation décrite dans le présent rapport pour la révision du Plan officiel, la révision du Plan directeur des transports, et la révision du Plan directeur de l’infrastructure.

Documentation

1. Deputy City Manager's report Planning, Transit and the Environment dated
25 July 2007 (ACS2007-PTE-POL-0035).

Report to/Rapport au :

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

and Council/et au Conseil

25 July 2007 / 25 juillet 2007

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager/

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Planning, Transit and the Environment/

Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Richard Kilstrom, Manager/Gestionnaire, Community Planning and Design/Aménagement et conception communautaire, Planning Branch/

Direction de l’urbanisme

(613) 580-2424 x22653, Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca

City-wide

Ref N°: ACS2007-PTE-POL-0035

SUBJECT:	BEYOND OTTAWA 20/20: CONSULTATION STRATEGY FOR THE OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW, THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN REVIEW AND INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN REVIEW
OBJET :	AU-DELÀ D'OTTAWA 20/20 : STRATÉGIE DE CONSULTATION POUR LA RÉVISION DU PLAN OFFICIEL, LA RÉVISION DU PLAN DIRECTEUR DES TRANSPORTS ET LA RÉVISION DU PLAN DIRECTEUR DE L'INFRASTRUCTURE

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council approve the Consultation Strategy for the Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Infrastructure Master Plan reviews as outlined in this report.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver la stratégie de consultation décrite dans le présent rapport pour la révision du Plan officiel, la révision du Plan directeur des transports, et la révision du Plan directeur de l’infrastructure.

BACKGROUND

In May, Council considered a report on the scope and timing of the Review of the Official Plan, the Transportation Master Plan and the Infrastructure Master Plan. At that time, staff indicated that another report would be brought forward with more information on the Consultation Strategy for these reviews. This report outlines the framework of that strategy which will evolve as we move through each stage.

The overall objective is to deliver a consultation program that:

• Solicits inputs before positions are entrenched, through the use of White Papers.
• Provides information on specific issues through the use of background reports.
• Builds from the exploratory stage to a detailed policy stage in distinct steps.
• Integrates, as much as possible, the various policy areas. This includes the 20-year plans and their integration with each other. The Economic Strategy and the Environmental Strategy will be updated in the same timeframe as the Official Plan and Master Plans. However, the other plans, such as the Arts and Heritage Plan, will be initiated somewhat later.
• Makes significant use of web-based tools that have grown dramatically in accessibility since the 2003 Official Plan.

DISCUSSION

STRATEGY – STAGE 1

Objective: To inform residents and businesses that the reviews are underway.

Timeframe: April-September, 2007

Deliverables/Activities:

• Report to Planning and Environment Committee (PEC), Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC), Transportation and Transit Committees on the Scope and Timing of the Official Plan (OP) Review (completed).
• Meet with Advisory Committees to inform and seek input on issues/process.
• Support community-based working groups on rural policy issues to deliver Discussion Papers (ongoing).
• Post information on ottawa.ca and keep it up to date, including FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions).
• Send notices to the Community Associations, Development Community, Business Associations and others.
• Communicate regularly with City staff.
• Prepare articles for local papers and Councillors on the process and opportunities for input.
• Establish interest-based mailing lists.
• Establish and distribute e-newsletter.

STRATEGY – STAGE 2

Objective: To engage the Councillors and the community in debate on the most important issues for which staff needs direction. Consultation at this stage is exploratory and positions have not been taken.

Timeframe: September-December, 2007

Deliverable/Activities:

• Revised growth projections for public consultation and review on September 11, 2007.
• Council decision on growth projection in October.
• White Papers identifying issues and options on a variety of key issues tabled on September 25, 2007.
• Background Papers in a few areas to ensure that the relevant information is available for informed discussion on September 25, 2007.
• Rural Discussion Papers prepared by the community-based working groups will be available for review.
• Information to mailing list on specific input required at this time.
• Information to local papers and Councillors’ websites on the process and the issues and opportunities for input.
• Web-based tools (currently being investigated)
• Post White Papers and others on ottawa.ca
• Establish a collaboration tool to exchange ideas on White Papers
• Use interactive surveys to solicit input on specific questions.
• Community Events (see Table 1).
• Present the Transportation Vision to Committee- December 2007 (tentative pending Council consideration of October report on “Urbandale” LRT proposal)

Table 1: Events, 2007

Date	Event
September 25	Planning and Environment Committee · Table White Papers with Committee
October 8 to October 19	Transportation Master Plan · Focus Groups on Transportation Vision and Planning Principles (to be scoped post Council consideration of October report on “Urbandale” LRT proposal)
October 20	City Café – Official Plan, Infrastructure Master Plan, Transportation Master Plan · Major kick-off event for OP, TMP and IP reviews · Key-note speaker followed by round tables on White Paper topics. Participants move around the room and build on previous groups’ discussion
October 23	Planning and Environment Committee Report on recommended growth projections
October (full day)	Planning and Environment Committee · Facilitated Discussion of White Papers
November 3	Rural Workshop · Follow up to March workshop to discuss papers prepared by community-based working groups.
November 6	Transportation Master Plan · Technology-assisted workshop to confirm the Transportation Vision and the Planning Principles (To be confirmed post Council consideration of October report on “Urbandale” LRT proposal)

STRATEGY – STAGE 3

Objective: To propose policy directions based on input received during Stage 2, to substantiate the policy directions with background information, and to solicit input on the proposals.

Timeframe: January-September, 2008

Deliverables/Activities:

• Public workshop on Future Urban Growth Scenarios within and beyond the Planning Period. This workshop will examine possible scenarios and establish evaluation criteria to measure their relative merit.
• Recommended directions with background information on:
• Urban Development Strategy
• Rural Settlement Strategy
• Environmental Review
• Infrastructure Master Plan
• Transportation Vision
• Consultation kits to Community Associations and stakeholder groups (including targeted questions).
• Ongoing discussions with stakeholder groups.
• Geographic based information meetings.
• Ongoing web-based tools.

STRATEGY – STAGE 4

Objective: To solicit input on a draft Official Plan amendment.

Timeframe: October 2008 to February 2009

Deliverables/Activities:

• Draft Official Plan Amendment, draft Transportation Master Plan and draft Infrastructure Master Plan tabled (November, 2008).
• Meetings with stakeholder groups.
• Public information meetings to explain changes to Official Plan and Master Plans.
• Public meeting before joint Planning and Environment Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (February, 2009).
• Council adoption of the Official Plan Amendment, the Transportation Master Plan and Infrastructure Master Plan.

CITY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

The Consultation Strategy for the review of these plans addresses numerous Council adopted Strategic Directions including the following:

1. Identify transportation gaps in the Transportation Master Plan and develop a plan by 2008 to fill them.
2. As part of the Transportation Master Plan update, answer the question: "Can the Transitway become a Light-Rail Transit system and should it?"
3. Attain transit goals (30% modal split) by 2021.
4. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20% by 2012.
5. Establish greenspace retention and acquisition policy and budget.
6. Require walking, transit and cycling oriented communities and employment centres.
7. Become the leading edge in community and urban design including creating housing, including for those in the city living on low incomes.
8. Respect the existing urban fabric, neighbourhood form and the limits of hard services so that new growth is integrated seamlessly with established communities.
9. Encourage the development of existing employment lands to promote job creation and minimize infrastructure costs.
10. Ensure that City infrastructure required for new growth is built or improved as needed to serve the growth.
11. Review the future of rural villages (e.g. what are the supporting uses; what incentives should be offered to those supporting uses to keep them in the villages).
12. Commit to and develop a democratic, engaging and visible process to maximize input from citizens in the work of Council and in policy development, while ensuring that seniors, new Canadians, women and the economically disadvantaged are included.

13. Following the principles of Ottawa 20/20, ensure the review of the Official Plan includes:

a) The impact on the operating and capital budgets of development in each of these areas: inside the greenbelt; within the urban boundary outside the greenbelt; within villages; and in rural Ottawa outside of village boundaries,

b) A review of the effective measures to direct growth.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

An Environmental Review is a key component of the comprehensive Official Plan review.

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

The Rural Settlement Strategy is a fundamental aspect of the Official Plan review. Community-based working groups are preparing Discussion Papers on the key issues.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Williamson Consulting Inc. has been hired to prepare a consultation and communication strategy and to organize events for the Official Plan Review. This strategy will dovetail with work being done by PACE Consultants for the Transportation Master Plan Infrastructure Requirements Study.

Funds are available for public consultation in a one-time operating account for the Official Plan review (112730). No additional funds are required for the TMP consultation.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

N/A

DISPOSITION

Planning, Transit and the Environment Department to initiate the consultation as outlined in this report.