Addressing development in Colchester a key part of Essex's draft official plan
Published: September 3, 2024 at 12:21 PM
AM800-News-Essex-Town-Hall, Town of Essex Municipal building on Talbot St.
People living in Essex will have another chance to have their say and provide input on the town's draft of the New Official Plan and Colchester Secondary Plan.
The second of three public open house events is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 4, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., in the Essex Arena Shaheen Room at 60 Fairview Avenue West in Essex.
The Official Plan is a long-range planning document that lays out goals, objectives, and policies to guide land use, development, and growth in the Town of Essex.
The latest plan includes an update to the Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan, which is intended to guide residential and commercial growth in Colchester and improve connections to the Lake Erie waterfront.
Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy says the document will help guide council for the next 5 to 10 years, so now is the time to have a say before it's finalized.
"Whether you're concerned about the spread of industrial development or the spread of Colchester, looking at more commercial lands in Colchester, or more density in Colchester, now is the time to get involved," she says.
Bondy says residents in Colchester are seeing changes with short-term rentals and more commercial areas, so it's important to pay attention.
"The rest of the municipality is pretty status quo. The province wants us to infill and intensify; I'm not in disagreement with that; we don't want urban sprawl onto rural farmland. Now we're looking at how we can hit the targets by the province by intensifying our current residential land," she says.
The official plan was originally adopted in 2009 and updated in 2015 and is required to be reviewed and updated regularly under the Planning Act to ensure it is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and conforms with the County of Essex's Official Plan.
Bondy says there are a lot of changes happening in Colchester.
"It's a secondary settlement area; it's not a primary settlement area, so it's kind of unique down there. Residents down there are seeing so many changes, so fast. Short-term rentals, we have licencing on that," she says. "Now we're looking at more commercial areas down there, more access to the lake. Really taking some development hold lands and putting it into development."
Athird open house will be held Wednesday, Sept. 11, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Harrow Arena Community Room at 243 McAffee Street in Harrow.
The Draft New Official Plan will be available for review on the town's website at www.essex.ca/OfficialPlan.
Members of the public may also submit written comments on the Draft New Official Plan to the Town by Monday, September 30, 2024, by filling out the online feedback form at www.essex.ca/OfficialPlan.
Source - AM800. With thanks