In-person option now available for City of Orillia's June 20 open house to review boundary expansion

Open house will be hybrid format for both in-person and virtual attendance

Severn, Ontario, June 9, 2023: Stakeholders interested in obtaining information or providing comments about the City of Orillia's Land Needs Assessment and Settlement Area Boundary Expansion studies can now attend the upcoming public open house meeting either in person or virtually.

The meeting takes place on June 20, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

“It is important to provide the public with different options to participate in the open house for the boundary review. With hybrid options available, those who want to attend in person as well as those who prefer to attend virtually can both participate. We look forward to answering questions and receiving feedback from interested participants on June 20.”

Mayor Don McIsaac, City of Orillia

Attending in-person

Location: Council Chamber, Orillia City Centre (50 Andrew Street South, Orillia)
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Registration information: No pre-registration is required.

Attending virtually

Location: Through Zoom meeting link or by telephone
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Registration information: Pre-registration is required at orillia.ca/MCR

The project team from WSP Canada Inc. and Hemson Consulting Ltd. will give a virtual presentation and will not be in person at the public open house. All attendees, whether virtual or in person, will have the opportunity to share comments, ask questions, and provide input.

If you have already pre-registered to attend virtually, no further action is required. For those unable to attend the open house, a video recording and a copy of the presentation will be made available following the live event on the City’s website at orillia.ca/MCR.

Background

Since 2018, the City has been completing a municipal comprehensive review, which is being informed by a Land Needs Assessment and a technical land evaluation to determine how much land is required, and to identify the most suitable locations from a planning perspective to accommodate projected population and employment growth to the year 2051. The City’s Land Needs Assessment has included an evaluation of how various ranges of intensification rates and greenfield densities would impact potential future land needs.

Open house attendees will receive an update on the City's Land Needs Assessment, learn about a range of various intensification and densification targets, and learn about the findings of the technical land evaluation, as well as next steps in the process. Participants will also have the opportunity to share comments, ask questions of the project team, and provide input that will help inform future recommendations to Orillia City Council based on the findings presented.

All of the technical land evaluation reports and the potential boundary expansion map are available for review at orillia.ca/MCR in advance of the open house. Comments and feedback are welcome at the June 20 open house or by submitting written comments to planning@orillia.ca with the subject line “Boundary Expansion.” Written comments must be received by July 17, 2023.

The input received from the public will be taken into consideration to inform a report that is anticipated to be presented for Council’s consideration in the fall of 2023. Council will then determine the preferred intensification and densification targets to inform the City’s new Official Plan and the size of a potential boundary expansion, which will inform the next Official Plan and future discussions.

-30-

Media contacts

Jill Lewis
Senior Planner
Phone: 705-418-3232
Email Jill

Melissa Gowanlock
Manager of Communciations
Phone: 705-330-1951
Email Melissa

Release sent via email to Township of Severn on June 8, 2023.

Virtual open house to review potential boundary expansion is June 20

Severn, Ontario, May 18, 2023: The City of Orillia has released an update on their Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) process including an updated Lands Needs Assessment (LNA) report and a revised potential boundary expansion map. The initial proposal from 2021 had included a boundary expansion that would impact residential and business areas in Severn. Severn Council and staff have been watching this exercise carefully to ensure the interests of our residents are considered.

The LNA is a requirement implemented by the province on the City of Orillia to meet Ontario's imposed growth targets. Hemson Consulting Ltd. (Hemson) has completed the update to the LNA to evaluate the impact on the size of a future boundary expansion based on a range of various intensification and greenfield density targets. These targets are being presented as options for reducing the size of a future settlement area boundary expansion.

A Technical Land Evaluation Phase 2 Results report completed by WSP Canada Inc. (WSP) is also available for review. Results from that study include a Summary report, Community Connectivity report, Municipal Servicing report, Water Resources report, Natural Heritage report, Fire and Emergency Management Services Assessment report, and an Agricultural Impact Assessment report. Based on the findings of the technical reports, WSP has issued a map of the proposed Settlement Area Boundary Expansion.

"We appreciate the direction by Orillia Council last fall requesting that their team look at increased intensification rather than an aggressive boundary expansion. While we are never happy with losing any portion of Severn’s land, we were pleased to see a significantly scaled-back plan that reflects our comments to date, one that has very limited direct impact on the homes of existing Severn residents. The Township will continue to participate and monitor it to ensure that Severn’s resident’s interests are protected to the best of Council’s ability."

- Mayor Mike Burkett, Township of Severn

A virtual open house is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The purpose of the event is to share information with the public and gather feedback on the ranges of intensification and densification targets as well as the proposed lands for a future settlement area boundary expansion for Orillia. Pre-registration is required for the virtual public open house on June 20.

Written comments are welcome and can be directed to planning@orillia.ca with the subject line “Boundary Expansion”. Written comments must be received by Monday, July 17, 2023.

Further details are available by visiting the City of Orillia's Municipal Comprehensive Review page.

-30-

Media contact

Tracy Roxborough
Communications Officer
Phone: 705-325-2315 x249
Email Tracy