BUILDING DURHAM

The Town of Ajax has initiated a Schedule C Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) study to assess potential transportation improvements to Harwood Avenue between Taunton Road and Woodcock Avenue.

The study will confirm the recommendations of the Town's Integrated Transportation Master Plan (ITMP) and review possible improvements to accommodate the current and future transportation needs of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists along this corridor.

The study includes:

• Community and stakeholder consultation
• Evaluation of alternative solutions and alternate designs
• Assessment of the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed improvements and the identification of reasonable means to mitigate any adverse impacts.

Learn more and provide feedback at ajax.ca/harwood.

In accordance with provincial direction, Clarington council has directed staff to initiate Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments to increase permissions for Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs), which are also known as secondary suites, in-law suites, in-house apartments, and basement apartments.  A copy of the proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments are available at Clarington.net/ADUs.

The proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments are being advanced as part of Clarington's Affordable Housing Toolkit, and are in response to changes to the Planning Act as a result of Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment outlines new policies to allow for one ADU within a house and one ADU in an accessory structure on the same lot.  This will apply to properties in rural and urban areas.  However, due to provincial policies, there will be some restrictions to ADUs within the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Greenbelt.

The proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendments contain regulations to implement the proposed Official Plan policies within the Official Plan Amendment, which include regulations regarding the location, size, and parking requirements of ADUs.  Amendments to Zoning Bylaw 84-63 (south of the Oak Ridges Moraine) also include regulations for ADUs within accessory buildings.

A copy of the staff report will be available on the afternoon of Thursday, September 9, 2021 and may be found at www.clarington.net/calendar.  You may also contact Mark Jull at mjull@clarington.net or 905-623-3379 ext. 2426 for more information or to provide comments.

The public meeting will be held at the Joint Committee Meeting on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.  If you wish to speak at the public meeting, please pre-register by completing the online form at www.clarington.net/delegations or contact Clerks at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131 by 4:15 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2021.

For more information, view:

ADU Comparison Table

Proposed Official Plan Amendment

The Region of Durham has just released their Housing Intensification Study - the second in a series of reports being presented through the Land Needs Assessment (LNA) process.  The purpose of the report is to document the capacity for accommodating residential and mixed-use growth within the Region's built-up area, determine the intensification potential of strategic growth areas, as well as to provide policy recommendations, including recommendations on refinements to the Region's Urban Structure and intensification targets.

If you wish to provide feedback, you may do so by submitting comments electronically to EnvisionDurham@durham.ca by October 4, 2021.

Partner with Bell on your next development so you can offer your clients the world’s fastest Internet technology and the best TV service. Contact your dedicated Bell representative, Mellow Belarmino, at 416-805-3523 or mellow.belarmino@bell.ca to check availability and find out more about pure fibre Internet and Fibe^TM TV.

The Region of Durham is considering a Regionally-initiated application to amend the Regional Official Plan to implement policies that support transit-oriented development within Protected Major Transit Station Areas across Durham Region.

The proposed amendment provides land use policies and delineation areas where there policies would apply, for "Protected Major Transit Station Areas" generally surrounding the existing Pickering, Ajax and Whitby GO Transit Stations, and the proposed station locations at Thornton's Corners (Oshawa), Central Oshawa (Ritson), Courtice and Bowmanville along the GO East Extension.

Once adopted by Regional Council, the amendment will be submitted to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval under Section 16(6) of the Planning Act, RSO 1990.

Please review the early release report Proposed Regional Official Plan Amendment - Policies and Delineations for Protected Major Transit Station Areas (ROPA 2021-003) released Friday, July 30.

In addition, you are invited to participate in the following virtual events:

Public Open House - August 24, 2021 - 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

The purposed of the Public Open House is to deliver a staff presentation and provide the public with the opportunity to ask questions, and to discuss the proposed Amendment and provide comments and information to staff.

To register for the Public Open House, please click here to complete the registration form.  Upon registration, you will receive an email with further information.

Statutory Public Meeting - September 7, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.

The purpose of the Public Meeting is to provide interested parties with the opportunity to provide Durham's Planning & Economic Development Committee comments and provide additional information relative to the amendment.

Any person may view the Statutory Public Meeting via live streaming and make submissions concerning the proposed Amendment.

Click here to view the live stream.

Written Submissions: submit your written correspondence and questions to clerks@durham.ca by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 quoting the file number. Comments will be considered by Council prior to a decision on the matter.

Delegations: If you wish to make a delegation before Committee, please submit your request in writing to delegations@durham.ca by 12:00 PM, on Monday, September 6, 2021. Members of the public who register in advance of the meeting will be provided with the details to delegate electronically.

Please Note:

If in person attendance is required, arrangements must be made by emailing clerks@durham.ca prior to the meeting date to discuss the accommodation.

Comments or questions? An information report outlining the details of the proposed official plan amendment and about your appeal rights may be obtained from the Durham Region Planning Division. Contact Colleen Goodchild, Manager of Policy Planning and Special Studies at 905-668-4113 ext. 2580, or at colleen.goodchild@durham.ca.

If you wish to be notified of subsequent meetings or of the decision of Regional Council on the proposed Official Plan Amendment, you must email Colleen Goodchild at colleen.goodchild@durham.ca or submit a written request to the Commissioner of Planning and Economic Development at the following address:

605 Rossland Road East, Box 623, Whitby, Ontario, L1N 6A3

Please include your address, telephone number, email address and the Regional file number.

Personal information from those who make either oral or written submissions on the application is collected by the Region of Durham under the authority of the Planning Act and will become part of the public record.

The Ontario Home Builders' Association's (OHBA) partner, Training Ontario, is looking to expand their Education Advisory Committee (EAC) in Ontario.  More information and an application is available here.

You can also contact Keith Kristalovich, director of Training Ontario for more information.

The Ministry of Transportation has released a discussion paper on the proposed Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) Transportation Plan.

The Ontario Home Builders' Association (OHBA) has arranged for the Ministry to provide a one hour information and Q&A session on Tuesday, August 17th from 8:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

To register and attend this event, please click here.

The Town of Whitby has sent a letter to developers working in the town in regards to dust, mud and noise.

At the June 21, 2021 council meeting, Whitby council directed staff to review possible opportunities to improve the current situation with excessive dust, mud tracking and noise, within active construction sites.

The Town is asking for developers' help, and would like developers to investigate and voluntarily mitigate the following matters:

• Dust - explore a more robust and proactive dust control program, including hydro seeding/stabilization of areas and stockpiles, which will be left exposed and subject to soil erosion for a lengthy period of time.  Adding additional dust control measures based on weather forecasts.
• Mud tracking - explore a more robust and proactive road sweeping and cleaning program.
• Noise - whereas Ontario Reg. 131/20 (effective until October 7, 2021) allows for construction between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week, a voluntary suspension of construction activity on Sundays shall be considered.  Moreover, contemplation of equipping construction trucks with white-noise (low level noise) back-up alarms/beepers would significantly reduce the excessive noise issue.

Any correspondence on this matter can be directed to Peter Angelo, Director of Engineering Services/Public Works at angelop@whitby.ca or 905-430-4918.

In response to changes to the Planning Act, and as part of Clarington's Affordable Housing Toolkit, municipal staff are drafting Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments.  These amendments will increase permissions for Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs), also known as secondary suites, in-law suites, basement apartments, and in-house apartments.

Subject to certain conditions, one ADU will be permitted within a house, and another ADU will be permitted within a detached accessory structure (such as a garage) on the same property.

These ADUs will be allowed in urban and rural areas, with some limitations for properties within the Oak Ridges Moraine.

A Statutory Public Meeting will take place on September 13, 2021, with more details to follow.

If you would like to be kept informed about this project and receive notice of the upcoming meeting, please contact Mark Jull at mjull@clarington.net or 905-623-3379 ext. 2426, or Carlos Salazar at csalazar@clarington.net or 905-623-3379 ext. 2409.

RNC Builder and HVAC communication - Revised Enbridge Inspection Documents.pdf