The Town of Lincoln is undertaking a review our Official Plan (OP). This plan will guide the growth and development for the Town to 2051 and will ultimately conform with the recently adopted Niagara Region Official Plan and updates to Provincial policies, while remaining aligned with the Town's Council Priorities.

The Provincial Planning Act (Section 26) requires that the Town’s Official Plan be reviewed every ten years after the approval of a new Official Plan and every five years after a comprehensive review. This is done to reflect changes in our communities, the vision for the Region, and to ensure that the Official Plan remains aligned with Provincial policies.

The Town’s current Official Plan was approved in November 2016 and since then, the Province has made significant updates to the Planning Act, amendments to the Clean Water Act, and released a new Growth Plan, Provincial Policy Statement, Greenbelt Plan, and Niagara Escarpment Plan.

In addition, the Niagara Official Plan (NOP) was recently approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing with modifications in November 2022. The NOP is a long-range, land use policy document that provides direction for the growth and development of all of Niagara Region with a planning horizon to 2051. The official plans of all lower tier municipalities, including Lincoln, are required to be brought into conformity with the NOP.

Lincoln’s Official Plan Review is not intended to be a rewrite of the Town’s Official Plan, but rather a targeted update to only those sections and policies that require changes to address provincial policies and significant locally-identified issues, reflective of community goals and objectives. The overall organization and structure of the Official Plan will remain the same.

The Town’s Official Plan

The community’s vision for growth and development is implemented through an Official Plan which is a land use planning document for the entire municipality. The Official Plan addresses issues such as housing, the natural environment, heritage preservation, employment needs, agriculture, commercial services, tourism, parkland/recreation, servicing and transportation.

The Official Plan is a legally binding (statutory) document that guides Council decisions related to land use, development, infrastructure, and services, and informs all other land use plans and regulations the Town may prepare.

The Official Plan addresses issues such as:

• Where agricultural, residential, institutional, recreational, commercial and industrial uses can be located
• What areas must be protected
• What services such as watermain, sewers and roads will be needed
• When and in what order parts of the community will grow
• What policies, regulations and rules apply

Municipalities review their Official Plans on a regular basis to ensure they remain up-to-date, reflect current provincial policy, and represent the long term vision of the municipality.

To view the current Official Plan (2016), please visit the Lincoln Official Plan page.

What changes are being proposed as part of the Official Plan Review Project?

The Official Plan Review is being undertaken with the following considerations:

• To ensure it aligns with current Council and community priorities
• To ensure it aligns with required updates arising from changes to provincial policies, plans, and other legislative shifts in Ontario’s planning landscape
• To ensure it conforms to Niagara Region’s Official Plan, recently approved in November 2022
• To inform updates that will be required to Town by-laws and policies as part of the implementation of the new Official Plan (i.e. zoning by-law, site plan control by-law, etc.).

Updated Official Plan draft policies are available for community feedback.

Lincoln’s Official Plan policies which are under review are categorized as follows:

• Official Plan Community Vision, Goals and Objectives
• Settlement Area Strategy
• Rural Area Policies:
  1. Specialty Agricultural and Prime Agricultural Areas, Rural Settlement, Mineral Aggregate Resource Area, Niagara Escarpment Plan Area
• Urban Area Policies:
  1. Residential, Mixed Use, Central Business District, General Commercial, Employment, Parks and Open Space
• Environmental and Water Management Resource Policies:
  1. Natural Environment Area, Natural Heritage System, Creeks and Streams, Natural Hazards, Valleylands, Water Resource Management, Energy Conservation and Climate Change
• Economic Strategy
• Transportation
• Municipal Servicing
• Community Design Guidelines
• Administration (Planning Applications and Procedures)

Some key highlights of the proposed changes are summarized according as follows:

Managing Growth in Lincoln

• Inclusion of updated population and employment growth forecasts for Lincoln to 2051, as allocated by the Niagara Official Plan (NOP, 2022)
• Planning for population growth through intensification to satisfy Growth Plan policies. This includes the introduction of a Strategic Growth Area (described further below) and an updated intensification target for the Town.
• Promoting housing affordability through housing policies that enable a mix and range of housing types. This includes residential intensification through Additional Residential Units (i.e. permission of 2^nd and 3^rd residential units, subject to policies and conditions) in accordance with new Planning Act legislation.
• Introduction of a new Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) designation within the Beamsville GO Secondary Plan area. The Beamsville GO PMTSA is a Strategic Growth Area as defined by the Growth Plan and NOP. The Town is required to delineate the boundaries for this area, prescribe an overall minimum density target, and demonstrate that the area is planned for the established minimum target for residents and jobs.
• Conformity exercise for the Prudhommes area, specifically revising the layout of the low-rise residential and employment blocks in accordance with the concept plan (link to concept plan) and approved Zoning By-law Amendment in 2022 (insert link to Prudhommes page)

Economic Prosperity in Lincoln

• Updated Employment land policies that introduce stronger protections for employment uses. This includes job density requirements and a new Employment Area Overlay designation in accordance with NOP mapping and employment policies, whereby conversions to non-employment uses are strictly not permitted except during a Niagara Region municipal comprehensive review.
• Updated Economic Strategy goals and objectives to facilitate a strong, diverse and resilient economy in Lincoln. Recognition of Niagara Benchlands as a destination brand to support and diversify the local tourism economy.

Sustainability in Lincoln

• Introduction of climate change goals and objectives as an integral component of the Town’s vision for growth and development to help mitigate the effects of climate change. The Town is committed to protecting its economy, ecosystems, and community from climate change as we plan within a Climate Crisis, as declared by Council in March 2021.
• Updated environmental, urban forest, and green energy infrastructure policies.
• Updated Natural Environment mapping in accordance with NOP.
• Clarification of uses permitted within the Specialty Agricultural and Prime Agricultural Designations.

Planning Application Procedures

• Updated public engagement strategy and complete application policies, in recognition of the importance of early public consultation and upfront coordination with applicants and to meet accelerated planning timelines, as legislated by the Province.