Item - 2022.PH33.14

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Received the report (April 11, 2022) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning for information.

The Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis, City Planning gave a presentation on the Zoning Conformity for Official Plan Employment Areas: Phase 2 Work Plan.

This report outlines City Planning's recommended approach and work plan for the next phase of the project to bring the City's zoning by-laws into conformity with Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 231, Employment Areas policies as required by the Planning Act.

In 2019, the Planning and Housing Committee (PHC) endorsed a two phased approach to bring the City's zoning by-laws into conformity with OPA 231. Phase 1 proposed to remove zoning permissions for sensitive uses for lands designated Employment Areas in the Official Plan. Phase 2 proposed to bring all lands designated as Employment Areas in the Official Plan into the City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 and amend the permitted uses, and associated conditions, to conform with the Official Plan, as amended by OPA 231.

At its meeting of November 9, 2021, City Council directed City Planning to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee on the recommendations of the Zoning Conformity for Employment Lands - Phase 1 review (removal of permissions for sensitive uses) at the same time as the final recommendations on Phase 2 of the review of Zoning Conformity for Official Plan Employment Areas.

The updated work plan proposes to implement Phase 1 and Phase 2 concurrently and provides further consideration of permissions for bingo halls, banquet halls, places of assembly, and places of worship as requested by Council in November of 2021. This report also provides information on coordination with City Planning staff on the current Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) regarding Employment Areas policies and designations.