On February 5, 2024, Council approved By-law No. 2024-05 a by-law requiring land and/or cash in lieu for park or other public recreation purposes as a condition of development or redevelopment of land and adopted OPA No. 16 with respect to updated parkland dedication policies in the Town's Official Plan.
What is Parkland Dedication?
Parkland Dedication is a tool available to municipalities under the Planning Act with respect to the conveyance of land and/or the payment of cash in lieu of land to be used for parks or other public recreational purposes as part of the approval of a development application.
What changes have been made with the new Parkland Dedication By-law?
The new Parkland Dedication By-law replaces the Town’s previous Parkland Dedication By-law that was passed in 1996. A new By-law was needed to address legislative changes resulting from Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022.
The parkland dedication update enables the Town to impose an Alternative Parkland Dedication Rate, which will increase the parkland dedication that the Town is able acquire for higher density residential developments. The update also incorporates new exemptions from the Province, including non-profit housing and additional residential units.
Further exemptions are included for affordable housing units, attainable housing units, and the acceptance of certain encumbered lands as parkland dedication, and these would come into effect once these provisions have been proclaimed into force by the Province.
Background
Staff report PD-35-23 was presented to the Committee of the Whole on October 4, 2023 and provided an update on the changes made to Parkland Dedication requirements in the Planning Act, as a result of Bill 23.
A Statutory Public Meeting was held on December 4, 2023 for a proposed new Parkland Dedication By-law and an Official Plan Amendment containing updated parkland dedication policies.
On January 15, 2024 a staff recommendation report PD-02-24 was brought forward to Council.
