Notice of Special and Public Meeting - Official Plan Review

Take notice that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford has re-scheduled the Special and Public Meeting pursuant to subsection 26(3) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, to December 7, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers located on the 2nd floor of Stratford City Hall at 1 Wellington Street, Stratford, ON, N5A 6W1.

The purpose of the Special Meeting of Council is to formally initiate the process to review and update the City of Stratford’s Official Plan and obtain feedback on land use matters that Council and the public would like to be considered during the process.

The City’s Official Plan Review will satisfy the requirements of a Comprehensive Review, as specified by the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), 2020. The Official Plan Review applies City-wide.

Purpose and Effect:
An Official Plan is a long-term policy document that guides land use planning in the City. The purpose of the Official Plan Review is to update the policies of the Official Plan to conform to Provincial planning policies and legislation. As part of the Official Plan Review, a Land Needs Assessment will be completed to ensure that the City is planning for future population, job, and housing growth. The Official Plan Review process will develop forward-thinking policies to guide land use, growth, and development over the next 25 years.

The Planning Act requires that a municipality update its Official Plan at least every five years. The City completed its most recent review of the Official Plan in 2015. The Official Plan Review provides an opportunity to confirm the community’s vision for the future and respond to recent and emerging changes in Stratford.

Your input and ideas are important for the City to undertake a meaningful review of its Official Plan. Future opportunities to get involved will be made available as the project progresses.

The City’s current Official Plan is available for review online at:
https://www.stratford.ca/en/inside-city-hall/planning.aspx#Official-Plan

How to Get Involved:
The purpose of a Public Meeting is to share information and to hear and consider public comments on what revisions may be required as part of a proposed update to the City’s Official Plan. This information and any comments made can then be reviewed prior to Council consideration of an updated Official Plan. Please note Council will not make a decision at the Public Meeting.

Your comments on this matter are important. Please call, mail, e-mail or fax your comments to:

Adam Betteridge, MCIP, RPP, Director of Building and Planning
The Corporation of the City of Stratford,
P.O. Box 818, Stratford, Ontario, N5A 6W1
Phone: (519) 271-0250 extension 5345
Email the Planning Department

All those present at the public meeting will be given the opportunity to speak. To speak at the public meeting, when the Mayor asks if there are any members of the public wishing to provide comments or ask questions, please raise your hand and once acknowledged, proceed to the podium to provide your comments.

To watch the meeting live please click the following link: https://video.isilive.ca/stratford/live.html

A copy of the agenda, including any attachments, will be available in the Council Calendar on the City’s website by Friday, December 1, 2023.

Please note that comments and personal information collected in response to this notice will be used to assist City Staff and Council in preparing the updated Official Plan and will be form part of the public record.

How to Stay Informed:
If you wish to be notified of the Council decision on the updated Official Plan you must make a written request to the City Clerk by way of email, in person or regular mail/courier as listed above.

For More Information:
Further information may be obtained by visiting the Planning and Building Services Division located on the 3rd floor of the City Hall Annex at 82 Erie Street, Stratford or by calling 519-271-0250 extension 5345 during business hours.

Notice of Collection of Personal Information:
Personal information is being collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, and the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, cP.13. The personal information is being collected to gather feedback and communicate with interested parties regarding revisions that may be required as part of a proposed update to the City’s Official Plan. Information provided or presented at a public meeting is considered a public record and may be posted on the City’s website or made available to the public upon request. Video recordings of the Public Meeting may also be posted to the City of Stratford’s website.

Questions about this collection should be directed to the City Clerk, Tatiana Dafoe, at 1 Wellington Street, P.O. Box 818, Stratford ON, N5A 6W1, by phone to: 519-271-0250 extension 5329 or by email to the Clerk's office.

Request for Alternate Format:
If you require this document in an alternate format, please contact the Clerk’s Office at 519-271-0250 extension 5237 or email the Clerk's office.

This Notice of Special and Public Meeting will also be included in at least two separate weeks of the ‘Town Crier’ published in the Beacon Herald newspaper, with the last being on or before Saturday, November 04, 2023. This Town Crier is also posted to the City of Stratford website