Aurora’s draft Official Plan Amendment ready for public review

Feedback will be accepted until Sept. 30

Yorkregion.com
July 13, 2022
Laura Broadley

Now is your chance to review Aurora’s draft Official Plan Amendment.

The Town of Aurora has released the draft with a revised vision for town planning during the next 30 years.

The Official Plan review is provincially mandated to look at how Aurora will change in the future. The policies in the plan guide the planning processes and have a direct impact on how residents, businesses and visitors experience and live in Aurora.

The Official Plan Amendment is the updated document that will become the modern and updated Official Plan that will articulate the vision for Aurora through to 2051 once it is adopted by town council and approved by York Region.

Over the next three decades, Aurora will continue to grow and change. Another 22,000 people will move to the town and 10,000 new jobs in Aurora will be created. By 2051 it is estimated Aurora will grow to a population of 84,700 and have a job market of more than 41,000 jobs.

Some of the changes being proposed in the draft Official Plan Amendment include policies for climate change resilience and natural heritage protection, cultural heritage preservation, active transportation, the updated Promenade/Major Transit Station Area Secondary Plan and updated maps and schedules.

“The draft plan does an excellent job in capturing the vision of council and the public -- balancing growth with our collective desire to maintain small town charm,” said Mayor Tom Mrakas. “The draft amendment puts in policies that council wanted to see from last term, such as complete streets and heritage landscapes, as well as plans on how we can protect them. Not only do we look at the housing crisis and affordability, but we do it in a way that is right for the town. There is also significant focus on Aurora’s downtown, which has been a priority this term.”

The draft Official Plan amendment is available for public review and comment on the town’s public engagement website, Engage Aurora. Submit feedback by adding a comment using the “Comments” tool on engageaurora.ca/opr or send an email to the town’s project manager Edward Terry at eterry@aurora.ca.

The town will accept feedback on the draft Official Plan Amendment until Sept. 30. After Sept. 30, the comments will be compiled and edits will be made to the draft Official Plan Amendment. A public open house is expected for January or February 2023 where the draft final Official Plan Amendment will be presented and will be followed by a statutory public meeting.

If you would like to register for the stakeholder mailing list and receive updates in relation to Aurora’s Official Plan review, please visit engageaurora.ca/opr and click “Register to get involved.”