Waterloo - In December 2007, City of Waterloo Council approved “in principle” a set of Objectives for the new City of Waterloo Official Plan. Since that time, City staff has been drafting proposed Official Plan policies that build upon those Objectives in several key theme areas including:

City Form;
Arts, Culture, Heritage, Recreation and Leisure;
Networks and Transportation System;
Economy;
Environment and Energy;
Knowledge and Technology;
Land use Designations; and,
Implementation of the Plan.

Council received the first Discussion Paper, dealing with “City Form” on Monday April 6, 2009. The paper set out proposed Official Plan policies with respect to growth, the future city structure and urban design within the context of changing Provincial and Regional policy and legislation. The second Discussion Paper, “Arts, Culture, Heritage, Recreation and Leisure Discussion Paper”, received by Council on May 25, 2009, provided draft Official Plan policies related to the areas of Arts, Culture, Heritage, Recreation and Leisure.

On Monday, July 13, 2009, Council received the third Discussion Paper, dealing with Networks and Transportation System (pdf). This Discussion Paper provides draft Official Plan policies related to the City’s role and expectations in the areas of Networks and the Transportation System, with an emphasis on planning for a series of robust, interconnected networks, and accommodating a broad range of transportation modes.

Waterloo Staff will be releasing the remaining Discussion Papers over the next several months, following which, we will initiate a public consultation process that will deal comprehensively with the proposed policies set out in all of the Discussion Papers. As part of that consultation process, staff anticipates that public workshops, open houses and/or other forums will take place in late fall of 2009. You will be provided with notice in the future regarding the dates, times and locations of such events.

A copy of the Discussion Paper DS-09-22 “Planit! Waterloo: Networks and Transportation System Discussion Paper” accompanies this notice. If you would like additional or background information relating to the Official Plan Review process, please feel free to visit the City’s web site at www.city.waterloo.on.ca/planitwaterloo. Questions or comments relating to the Official Plan Review process or proposed policies can be directed to planitwaterloo@city.waterloo.on.ca or to the project planners shown below.