Council adopts Wellesley’s new official plan, approves Bamberg boundary expansion

By Galen Simmons

After more than a year of research, public consultation and policy development, Wellesley council has officially adopted the township's new official plan, setting the framework for how the municipality will grow and develop through 2051.

At a special meeting July 20, council unanimously approved the new official plan, subject to one amendment adding 1.9 hectares of land at 4161 Weimar Line to the Bamberg settlement boundary and redesignating it as settlement residential. The amendment allows the property's owner to remain connected to the family farm after passing the operation on to the next generation.

The new official plan replaces both the township's current official plan and the portions of the former Region of Waterloo official plan that apply to Wellesley, consolidating planning policies into a single document that reflects recent provincial planning changes.

Planning consultant Joe Nethery said the project began roughly 13 months ago and has included multiple rounds of public engagement, including workshops, open houses, pop-up events and the statutory public meeting.

"We're at recommendation night," Nethery told council. "The only reason these projects get done is because of all of your hard work and efforts too."

He noted the municipality's work isn't finished yet.

"Tonight is the council meeting where we are recommending that the draft official plan and maps be adopted by council. From here, our work is not done as staff. We have some legislative bureaucratic things that we need to do ... to get this thing into a submission state to the province."

Nethery said the new plan has been designed to consolidate Wellesley's planning documents, align with the province's 2024 Provincial Planning Statement and anticipate future provincial planning requirements, while continuing to protect agricultural land and updating policies related to housing, land use and development.

Since the statutory public meeting in June, planning staff also incorporated provincial feedback into the document, including additional Indigenous engagement policies, updates related to residential permissions, transportation mapping, source-water protection and additional site-specific planning policies.

During discussion, staff also outlined late comments received from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation that resulted in further revisions to the plan, including new language recognizing Indigenous stewardship of land and water and a policy supporting the development of an Indigenous consultation and engagement protocol.

Staff noted the township already has a similar protocol with Six Nations.

Council then considered an amendment to approve settlement-area boundary expansion request No. 10 in Bamberg.

Proposing the amendment, Coun. Claude Hergott said the proposed expansion was appropriate because it fit the character of the community and involved land that was not considered prime farmland.

"There's roughly 68 households there. The majority are larger half-acre, three-quarter lots or bigger. So the lot size that they are asking for fits with the surrounding area," Hergott said. "It allows the landowner to remain connected to the farm when he passes the farm on to his daughter and son-in-law."

The amendment passed unanimously before council unanimously adopted the official plan as amended.

Following adoption, staff will issue a notice of adoption and submit the official plan, along with supporting documentation, to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for review and approval, as required under the Planning Act.

Nethery said the province has the authority to modify the document before approving it.

"They do have the right ... to modify the document as it is approved," he said. "The minister's decision on this plan will be final. There will be no appeals of the document in its entirety.

"We should hear in the coming months."

Following the vote, Dieter Kays, the applicant for the Bamberg boundary expansion, thanked council for its support.

"Obviously the amended motion ... is just incredible news for our family," Kays said. "I also understand your commitment to preserving agricultural land in Wellesley Township and the quality of life that we have here. I think with this decision ... you have passed on this particular farm to the next generation."