Residents raise questions during Aurora's draft official plan open house

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 15. 2022

Approximately 30 individuals attended an open house at Aurora Town Hall on Dec. 7 for a presentation on the town’s draft official plan amendment. The plan aims to guide growth and manage change in Aurora into 2051.

Representatives from the project team, including WSP and SGL Planning and Design, took the podium to share updates to the eight priority areas: making places accessible, managing growth, preserving natural areas, developing attainable housing, prioritizing active transportation, adapting for sustainability and climate change, preserving cultural heritage, and facilitating diversity and inclusion.

Some of the updates include:

• A density target for major transit station areas at 150 persons and jobs per hectare
• Focusing on “gentle intensification” within existing residential neighbourhoods, channeling growth to already established areas
• Providing “missing middle” housing options such as townhouses and stacked townhouses to accommodate more density
• Policies that encourage the co-location, or mixed use, of community facilities
• A focus on climate change and adaptation
• Policy updates to reflect updated provincial and regional policies
• Requirements for noise and vibration studies for development adjacent to arterial/collector roads and within 300 metres of a railway

 

Following the presentation, representatives heard from members of the public, of which most concerns had to do with housing.

“When talking about properties along the edge on a regional road or a corridor, we're only talking about townhouses,” said Alex Travis. “Should we not be thinking about a higher or more intense use that is on the regional road, close to existing transit, close to existing communities or facilities and schools that are within walking distance?"

Travis is a real estate lawyer who was recently married in October. He grew up in Aurora and is currently living in Toronto, but hopes to move back to be closer to family. Travis expressed frustration about the town's inaction to address density, that would ultimately result in a loss of control to the province.

“I see it all the time with my clients, and I see what they're up against with these towns,” said Travis, after the meeting. “Nobody wants change, and what ends up happening is it just delays the process.

“They ultimately get approved by the province and the town doesn't have a say. If they don't want to create a plan that doesn't jive with reality, then let the province come in and slap a 12-storey building in the middle of nowhere.”

Travis was referring to the province’s move on Nov. 9 to amend York Region’s official plan to allow a minimum 12 storeys -- more than double the current allowable height on 1289 Wellington St. E. in Aurora. At a special meeting on Nov. 22, council passed an interim control bylaw to temporarily prohibit development on that parcel of land until town staff could undertake “a more fulsome examination of the appropriate use, density and height for the land.”

Ian Johnston, who has lived in Aurora for 45 years, asked after the meeting, “How are we going to fit all the people moving to Aurora? Do we want to go down that path and build tall structures? People get out of Toronto and move up here to get away from all the structures and pollution. They don’t want to come to Aurora to see the same thing.”

Mayor Tom Mrakas, who was at the meeting, released this statement in his Dec. 9 newsletter. “Leaders from all levels of government have raised significant concerns about the province’s current plans to tackle the housing crisis … I will continue to communicate your concerns and look for opportunities to work in collaboration with all levels of government to tackle one of the most significant issues we face.”

The next steps of the official plan include receiving comments and making revisions in early winter 2023. In spring 2023, the town will hold another open house, and plan to send the finalized document to an approval authority. To see the draft official plan amendment, visit https://engageaurora.ca/opr.