Initiative 7: Community Planning Permit System

Initiative 7: Community Planning Permit System

As part of our ongoing work to enable housing to reach the market more quickly, the City of Waterloo is developing a tool to streamline development approvals in the Uptown Growth Centre and Erb Street Corridor. This tool is called a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) and is a land use planning tool which combines Zoning By-law Amendments, Minor Variances and Site Plan applications into one single application and approval process, enabling housing to reach the market more quickly.

A streamlined development approvals process, called a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS), is being developed for the Uptown Urban Growth Centre and Erb Street Corridor, which are two strategic growth areas of the City. This new process will combine three development processes (zoning, minor variance and site plan control) into one application and approval process, making approvals faster and enabling the City to implement existing policies and legislation in a more efficient way. The intent is to carry forward the City’s existing Zoning By-law 2018-050 regulations, to form the foundation of the Community Planning Permit (CPP) By-law, while making modifications to support broader benefits to the way housing is delivered such as:

• a streamlined development process
• a more flexible set of development standards
• the ability to support important local objectives and examples are increased housing diversity, affordable housing, transit-supportive development, high quality sustainable design and environmental protection.

A CPPS and a CPP By-law rely on upfront consultation while these tools are being developed. There will be many opportunities throughout the project process to engage. Project updates will be posted on this page, and you can also request to be placed on the project email list by emailing Tanja.Curic@waterloo.ca

Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) Official Plan Policies

The City is advancing CPPS Official Plan policies as part of its Official Plan Review process. As way of background, the CPPS Background Study undertaken for the City (2022-2023) produced several deliverables that have informed the current project including draft CPPS Official Plan policies. The City’s current Official Plan Chapter 12 contains policies for the establishment of a Development Permit System (DPS) which are outdated. These policies need to be updated to reflect the current Provincial CPPS regulations of O. Reg 173/16 which set out specific Official Plan policy requirements. Draft policies for the City to consider implementing through the Official Plan Review were developed as part of the previous Background Study and were made available for commenting in August. Thanks to all who provided comments on the draft CPPS Official Plan Policies. A final recommended updated Official Plan (including CPPS policies) is tentatively scheduled for Council’s consideration late Fall.

Key actions:

• Develop a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS).
• Establish Urban Design Guidelines.
• Propose an Official Plan Amendment for community and Council consideration.
• Propose a Community Planning Permit by-law for community and Council consideration.
• Train staff, communicate new by-law and implement.

Net new units: 50

Implementation timeline: December 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026

Project Location (click map for interactive features)

Background

In 2022, the City had a CPPS Background Study undertaken, which produced the following deliverables that have informed this project (PDFs):

• Community Planning Permit System Study Report

• Community Planning Permit System Education Booklet

• Draft Waterloo Official Plan Policies

*Return to City of Waterloo Housing Accelerator Fund page.