2016 operating and capital budgets - Planning Vaughan

NRU
Jan. 20, 2016
By Leah Wong

A key priority of the City of Vaughan’s plans for growth is the development of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, which is expected to add 25,000 residents and 11,000 jobs to the city by 2031.

Last month Vaughan council approved a 2.9 per cent residential property tax increase, $265-million operating and $80-million capital budgets for 2016.

Highlights of the 2016 capital budget include $5.78-million towards the development of the VMC, $4.45-million for environmental sustainability, $3.04-million for tree replacement and $3.04-million for developing transit, cycling and pedestrian options.

About 7 per cent of the operating budget-$24.9-million gross-and a $27.7-million capital budget is allocated to the planning and growth portfolio. This includes funding for five staff positions. These positions comprise three project managers-responsible for the VMC, Concord GO mobility hub and the municipal comprehensive zoning by-law review-two senior planners to address cases at the Ontario Municipal Board.

The portfolio includes six service areas-development planning ($4.1-million), development engineering and infrastructure planning ($5.4-million), economic development and culture services ($3.5-million), policy planning and environmental sustainability ($2.1-million), building standards ($7.9-million) and parks development ($1.4-million). Each service area is responsible for a number of initiatives in the portfolio’s 2016 work plan.

Development planning includes facilitating the design of enhanced streetscapes in the city’s intensification areas and the second phase of both the city-wide public art program and 3D environment model for the VMC. The work plan includes implementation of an enhanced public notification protocol, which was previously approved by council, for all development applications.

Development engineering and infrastructure planning includes the creation of a parking strategy for the VMC and development of the city’s rapid transit and cycling options. It also includes a number of capital projects such as the Block 61 valley corridor crossing, Black Creek renewal and Huntington Road construction.

Economic development and culture services includes initiatives to support the community improvement plan study with a goal of attracting office tenancy, implement the VMC community engagement and marketing plan and launch a cultural framework and public art study.

Initiatives in the policy planning and environmental sustainability services include updating the city’s growth management strategy to 2041, completing the secondary suites study and launching the five year review of Green Directions Vaughan. Capital budget initiatives include undertaking the municipal comprehensive official plan review and Concord GO secondary plan mobility
hub study.

Building standards initiatives include the comprehensive review of the city-wide zoning by-law to bring it into conformity with the 2010 official plan and facilitating approvals for the new Vaughan General Hospital.

On the books for parks development is advancing parks within the VMC, initiating design and consultation for Block 40 District Park and developing erosion mitigation plans.