{"id":60769,"date":"2019-01-14T13:44:54","date_gmt":"2019-01-14T18:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=60769"},"modified":"2019-01-14T14:08:43","modified_gmt":"2019-01-14T19:08:43","slug":"huntsvilles-official-plan-review-is-nearing-completion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/huntsvilles-official-plan-review-is-nearing-completion\/","title":{"rendered":"Huntsville’s Official Plan review is nearing completion"},"content":{"rendered":"

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What will Huntsville look like in the future? While no one has a crystal ball, a glimpse of what it might grow to become is encompassed in the Town’s Official Plan, a document used to guide future planning development.<\/p>\n

Huntsville’s current Official Plan was adopted in 2006 and a review of the plan began in 2015. That process is now nearing completion. Town staff hosted two open houses last week to answer questions from residents about the second draft of the new plan. The Planning Act requires that a municipality update its official plan every five years, or within 10 years of the previous plan if a new comprehensive plan is being created.<\/p>\n

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What’s different<\/h4>\n

The Town’s Manager of Development Services, Kirstin Maxwell, said that the new Official Plan varies from the previous version in some significant ways, including the addition of climate change mitigation measures and across-the-board environmental policies that address development in all areas not just specific instances.<\/p>\n

In July 2018, Maxwell presented a report at a special planning committee meeting that outlined some of the differences in the new draft compared to the 2006 Official Plan, including policies to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, policies to facilitate the creation of ‘smart value housing’ (attainable, affordable housing) and secondary residential units, and policies to support active transportation initiatives. There are also new policies for compatible land use as well as policies to identify where and if height increases may be permitted.<\/p>\n

You can find that report here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Highlights from the new plan<\/h4>\n

Storyboards displayed at the open houses provided an overview of what’s contained in Huntsville’s new Official Plan.<\/p>\n

Some of those details are included below. You can view the full second draft of the Official Plan here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Policies regarding the natural heritage system<\/strong> (biological, geological, scenic and other heritage values of provincial, regional or local significance) include a requirement for studies when development is proposed within natural heritage features, and requirements for specific natural heritage features including wetland, fish habitat, endangered and threatened species, significant wildlife habitat, areas of natural and scientific interest, and Muskoka heritage areas.<\/p>\n

New policies for energy conservation<\/strong> to reduce energy consumption and promote renewable energy systems, and to encourage efficient site and building design.<\/p>\n

There are updated policies regarding natural hazards\/development constraints <\/strong>to limit development to protect human health and safety, the natural environment, and to mitigate the influence of hazards, including a requirement to apply a one zone concept to flood-prone areas, the introduction of site plan control or community planning permit area for development within hazardous forest types for wildland fire, and requirement for development on steep slopes to integrate natural vegetation before and after construction.<\/p>\n

Revised policies for water resources <\/strong>promote water conservation and stewardship practices that are intended to sustain or improve water quality, including:<\/p>\n