Wilmot Township unveils draft official plan

By Lee Griffi

The first version of the township’s new official plan was presented to councillors at a special meeting last week to mixed reaction.

The 215-page document sets out the township’s long-term growth and land-use management policies to the year 2051, with a core focus on building complete communities. It includes a range and mix of housing, employment opportunities, schools, recreational amenities, options for servicing, roads and active transportation while protecting natural heritage features and farmland.

Salonen said the township is on the right track.

“Only four residents out of about 22,000 came out and delegated and beyond that I have received under 50 direct correspondences to myself about it. I would say a lot of residents, assuming they are informed, are okay with where it is going.”

She added there is room for improvement, taking into consideration the desires and hopes of the community and the expectations and pressures from the provincial government.

“At the end of the day, they are the ones who approve how we are growing and approve our official plan. I think it’s a fine balance of multiple interest groups’ ideas along with what’s best planning practice and what’s falling in line with things like the provincial policy statement and where the province is taking legislation on how to do official plans.”

Salonen explained some municipalities’ plans are hundreds of pages long, something the province would like to see condensed into smaller documents and added Wilmot’s new plan needs to keep the township’s community as it continues to grow.

“We have a need for jobs. We have a need for people to be providing healthcare services. We have a need for our long-term care home which is expanding and we need people to come in and fill these roles and jobs because we have an aging population in Wilmot. We also have a younger population who needs teachers and we need somewhere affordable for them to live in our community.”

She added the township’s master and strategic plans also play a role in keeping the sense of community for people who live in Wilmot.

Coun. Kris Wilkinson said the township needs a solid plan as it’s one of the most important documents council will deal with for decades.

“There are parts of the plan that I support, but there are also areas where I think we need to slow down, listen carefully to residents and potentially make changes before anything is finalized.”

He added he would like to see lower overall density targets and a stronger focus on directing density toward main roads, strategic growth areas and places where infrastructure can realistically support it.

“I also think future neighbourhoods should continue to include a strong mix of detached and semi-detached homes, rather than shifting too aggressively toward higher-density housing across the board.

I’ve also heard significant concerns from residents about traffic, parking, congestion and whether infrastructure is keeping pace with growth. Those concerns are valid and deserve serious consideration as this process moves forward.”

Wilkinson said council shouldn’t rush to approve the plan as it will influence planning decisions for a generation.

“We were able to successfully extend the timeline by roughly a month, and I believe that was the right decision. Residents need time to review the document, understand what it means for their communities and provide meaningful feedback.”

He said at the end of the day, growth should be responsible, financially sustainable, infrastructure-led and reflective of the character and priorities of Wilmot’s communities.

The township’s project team will review and incorporate feedback received from council and residents, then revise the policies and mapping. A final version of the plan will be brought forward to council for adoption in June. Once adopted by council, the official plan will be forwarded to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for final approval.