LOOKING AHEAD 2023: What to expect in Richmond Hill over coming year?

New year will see the city continue to amend its official plan with a number of opportunities for public to voice their opinions

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 9, 2023
Sheila Wang

Even before ushering in the year 2023, Richmond Hill had begun to ring out the old and ring in the new.

The newly-elected council kicked off the new term in November with a solemn vow to work together for the residents and re-evaluate several controversial decisions made during the last term.

In 2023, Richmond Hill residents are expected to provide input on a number of guiding policies and plans for the city, including the official plan and zoning bylaws, while the city continues to grapple with mounting pressure for growth from the province.

OFFICIAL PLAN UPDATE

The new year will see the city continue to amend its official plan -- a comprehensive land use policy framework to guide growth and development -- with a number of opportunities for the public to voice their opinions.

The city plans to build on the public engagement efforts last fall to further consult the public on the proposed official plan amendments in 2023.

The amendments will factor in the recent changes in legislation, including the province’s More Homes Built Faster Act, Bill 23, passed in November.

TRANSPORTATION, ZONING, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICING INITIATIVES UNDERWAY

Concurrent with the official plan update process, Richmond Hill is undertaking complementary initiatives in the new year.

The public are invited to weigh in on a number of the city’s guiding policies, including the Transportation Master Plan, Urban Master Environmental Servicing Plan and Comprehensive Zoning bylaws.

The transportation master plan is being updated to establish a future vision for all travel modes -- roads, walking, cycling and recreational trails -- in Richmond Hill until the year 2051.

The zoning bylaws are documents guiding the city’s land uses, such as where buildings can be located, types of buildings that are permitted and parking requirements. These bylaws are required to conform with the city’s official plan.

Richmond Hill residents are encouraged to fill out the comment form and/or sign up for email updates to get involved in the process.

 

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR OLD DECISIONS ON COMMUNITY GRANTS, STORMWATER FEES

The new city council revisited pressing issues that have faced the community over the last term at the beginning of the new term.

In 2023, local individuals and groups in the arts and cultural community will once again be able to apply for funding from the city for their projects.

Council has directed the city to include the annual funding of $65,000 for the community and cultural grant program in the operating budget this year, which provides a grant to eligible groups and individuals to fund 50 per cent of a project, up to a maximum of $5,000.

Meanwhile, the newly-elected officials have addressed the controversies surrounding a new stormwater fee structure introduced in April 2022, which led to an astronomical jump on the stormwater bills on farmlands in Richmond Hill.

The city will cancel and adjust the 2022 stormwater bills for farmland, vacant land and golf courses that are larger than 10 acres and residential properties that are more than one acre, according to a council resolution on Dec. 7.

Staff are expected to undertake a comprehensive stormwater management funding and rate structure review and report back to council in the third quarter of 2023.

BALANCING GROWTH, AFFORDABILITY, ENVIRONMENT AND TAX

From the High Tech Transit Oriented Community (TOC) to the More Homes Built Faster Act, Bill 23, Richmond Hill Mayor David West has more than once expressed concerns about the impact on the city’s planning process from the Progressive Conservative government.

Most recently, Ontario passed Bill 23 on Nov. 28 for the purpose of building more homes in the province despite rising criticism about implications on property tax and eliminating abilities of conservation authorities.

Richmond Hill is expected to continue to contend with the assigned housing targets within its borders and seek solutions to balance the imminent growth and housing affordability, environmental impact as well as tax burdens on the residents.

The province expects Richmond Hill to add 27,000 new homes by 2032, although Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said Oct. 25 there will be no punitive measures for cities that don’t meet the targets.