Draft Updated Official Plan - June 2024
The City of Waterloo is undertaking a required review of the Official Plan. This first draft of the updated Official Plan is intended to refine existing policies and mapping to reflect current best practices in urban planning, and to update for consistency with legislation and Provincial and Regional policies and plans. The draft updates to the Official Plan also address local considerations and input received to-date from community consultation.
A phased approach to the Official Plan review is being used. This first phase includes updates to policies relating to the city structure, land use policies, and implementation. Several Official Plan maps, called “Schedules”, have been updated as well. The remaining chapters of the Official Plan will be reviewed and updated in later phases of the Official Plan Review process.
What is an Official Plan
The Official Plan provides city-wide direction on growth management, land use planning, and development related matters over the course of a 30-year timeframe. The goal is to provide direction through land use and planning policy to achieve the City’s intended vison for growth and community, while limiting overly specific and technical details, which are better left to technical planning tools, such as zoning by-laws.
The Official Plan review identifies several priority focus areas that form the basis of the review. Many of the priority areas of focus were identified through early stages of the Official Plan Review consultation. Priorities include:
- facilitating housing and refining urban form*;
- streamlining and clarifying policies; and,
- encouraging compact complete communities
City staff will be inviting residents, property owners, business owners, developers, various interest groups, committees, agencies, and associations to participate in the consultation process. A public Open House on the draft Official Plan will be scheduled in late summer/early fall.
* "Urban Form" refers to how different parts of the city including Nodes, Station Areas, corridors that connect them, and neighbourhood areas all fit and work together.
