NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PERTH COUNTY, ON – This morning, Perth County Council approved the release of the updated Draft Official Plan and the next phase of public engagement for the Official Plan project. The first version of the draft Official Plan text was released in December 2023 to provide transparency for the public, stakeholder groups, steering committees, and Council on how feedback received to date had been considered and implemented. Open Houses were held in February 2024 for review of the draft Official Plan and to receive additional feedback from the public and stakeholder groups. Following the release of the first draft this past winter, significant work has been completed to prepare an updated draft Official Plan document in response to community feedback.
“Council is pleased with the work that has been done to update the policies based on public feedback.” said Warden Rhonda Ehgoetz. “We are confident that the revised document and policies reflects the needs of the community and will support the County’s growth for many years to come. We are excited for the community to see the updated draft and have the opportunity to provide further comments.”
Highlights of the next phase of the Official Plan project include four key components:
“The Official Plan project would not be possible without the valuable input from the community. We are grateful for everyone who has taken the time to engage with this project and provide constructive feedback so far.” said Moira Davidson, Senior Policy Planner with Perth County. “This next phase of the project allows residents to see how their input was directly implemented through the updated policy document and mapping for the proposed designations on their property. We’re also providing additional opportunities to connect directly with the Planning team for anyone who may have site-specific questions about the Official Plan and how it relates to their property.”
The updated Draft Official Plan policy document is available to view on the County’s website: www.perthcounty.ca/NewOP. Along with the updated Draft Official Plan, the County also released an online, interactive map viewer allowing the public to see the proposed Draft Official Plan designations. The Draft Official Plan Map Viewer along with a tutorial video and instructions are available at www.perthcounty.ca/DraftOPMap
On July 22, 2024, the County will host 2 Open House information sessions. The first session is scheduled from 10am to 12pm at the Perth East Recreation Complex and the second session will be held from 6pm to 8pm at the West Perth Community Centre. Each session will include an informative presentation showcasing a summary of updates made to the text and followed by an opportunity to mingle and connect directly with Planning staff and members of County Council to ask questions or discuss the project. For those unable to attend that, a recording of the presentation will be available in advance for viewing.
If landowners have site-specific questions about their property in relation to the Draft Official Plan, appointments can be scheduled to meet in-person with a Policy Planner in your local municipal office on the following days:
To book an appointment please call 519-271-0531 ext 419 or email newofficialplan@perthcounty.ca
While comments will be accepted up to the day the Official Plan is adopted by County Council, the Planning Division recommends that comments be provided by August 30, 2024 to provide Staff with adequate timing to incorporate additional comments and feedback into the final Official Plan document. Comments can be submitted by email at newofficialplan@perthcounty.ca, phone at 519-271-0531 ext 419, and by mail to 1 Huron Street, Stratford, ON, N5A 5S4. The County appreciates everyone’s patience as the Planning Division has received a high volume of inquiries for this project. Staff continue to work hard to provide a timely response.
Perth County is in the process of creating a New Official Plan to guide future planning and development within the County. Based on community input, background reports and updated provincial policy the New Official Plan will ensure both a vision for Perth County and a comprehensive strategy for cultivating new opportunities, building community, ensuring environmental health and making intelligent and informed land use decisions.
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Perth County is a vibrant upper-tier municipality located in Southwestern, Ontario and is home to a regional population of 81,565 residents. This rural region is comprised of 4 lower-tier member municipalities. To find out more information about our services, visit: www.perthcounty.ca or follow us on Facebook and X.
Media Contact:
Moira Davidson, Senior Policy Planner
519-271-0531 ext 419
newofficialplan@perthcounty.ca
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