Long Range Policy and Projects

To ensure that Norfolk County plans for efficient growth over the long term, the Planning Department is embarking on a Growth Management Study that will establish long-term growth management principles and identify opportunities and options to consider to accommodate a made-in-Norfolk vision of growth to 2051.

Growth Management on EngageNorfolk

What is a Growth Management Study?

A Growth Management Study:

• Provides guidance on where to direct growth within a municipality to accommodate the projected population and economic growth over the planning horizon and
• The study is considered a comprehensive review that will be utilized during the next five-year Official Plan review process or development of a new Official Plan.

What’s included in the study?

A review of the:

• historical population and economic growth
• number and type of Building Permits issued
• existing land supply
• infrastructure system and capacity
• overarching policy framework

Workplan and Project Timeline

Phase 1: Project Initiation

• Project Kick-Off
• Terms of Reference
• Engagement Strategy

Phase 2A: Policy Review and Technical Reports

• Context Report
• Planning Act and PPS Conformity Exercise
• Includes a review of Short Term Rentals and Accessory Residential Dwelling Units
• Land Evaluation Study

Phase 2B: Growth Projections

• Watson & Associates are completing the growth projections.

Phase 3: Opportunities and Options

• Conformity Recommendations
• Options Reports & Land Study
• Monitoring Options

Phase 4: Preferred Direction Reports

• Policy Recommendations
• Monitoring Details
• Amendments, if required

How to be involved?

Share your ideas

• Visit: EngageNorfolk
• Write: Planning Department 12 Gilbertson Dr, Simcoe, ON N3Y 3N3
• Email: GrowNorfolk@norfolkcounty.ca
• Phone: 519-426-5870 or 226-Norfolk, extension 1842

Norfolk County is undertaking a Secondary Plan to provide a clear and detailed planning framework for Port Dover’s waterfront, downtown and future residential development within the urban boundary.

The Secondary Plan will guide municipal stewardship of the lake, river, and natural heritage areas, create a vision for downtown, and evaluate the appropriateness of development applications.

Port Dover Pier and Lighthouse Norfolk County Council’s vision for the Port Dover Secondary Plan is to transform Port Dover into a world-class tourist destination with a thriving economy, vibrant community spirit and protected natural heritage system.

The Secondary Plan will provide mechanisms to enhance the beauty of its waterfront, place-making tools to spark the unique character of the small town, and policies to protect the area's long-term financial and ecological health.

Norfolk County has retained The Planning Partnership, which includes planners, landscape architects, and urban designers. Specialists in natural heritage, transportation, and municipal servicing support their team.

The plan will be completed over the next year in three phases:

• Phase 1: Opportunities and Constraints 
• Phase 2: Concepts
• Phase 3: Secondary Plan

Reference Materials

To request documents in an alternative format or with communication support, please submit an Accessible Formats and Communication Supports Request form.

• Port Dover Waterfront Master Plan (PDF)
• Developing Dover’s Destiny (PDF)
• Port Dover Enhancement Association Planning Document (PDF)
• The University of Guelph Conceptual Design of Port Dover (PDF)

The Norfolk County Planning Department assists the Long Point Region Conservation Authority with two projects to update its flood and erosion mapping.

These projects will update and create new riverine flood hazard mapping along 91 kilometres of watercourses and flood and erosion hazard mapping along the Lake Erie shoreline in Norfolk County.

On behalf of Norfolk County, the Long Point Region Conservation retained W.F. Baird & Associates Coastal Engineers to update flood, erosion, and dynamic beach hazard mapping for the County’s Lake Erie shoreline. The hazard mapping project is complete, including the community engagement component as part of the deliverables.

This project will support Norfolk County interests, including the municipal infrastructure, flood response, Official Plan, and Zoning By law. The Lake Erie Hazard Mapping and Risk Assessment is a technical document that maps the shoreline hazards using the most up-to-date information and is not a shoreline management plan. View the Hazard Mapping Technical Report (PDF). 

Downtown Revitalization is key to the growth and development of the community and economic stability. A Downtown Simcoe Secondary Plan document has been drafted to provide a foundation and framework for creating a vision for the future development of downtown Simcoe.

A Downtown Simcoe Secondary Plan (draft) (PDF) is a comprehensive vision for revitalizing the downtown and is intended to address two important functions. First, it presents the community’s vision for the future of the Downtown to guide public and private decision-making. Second, the plan indicates the County’s priorities for publicly funded initiatives in the downtown area.

The policies are considered draft at this point and are intended to summarize the input received to date. They will be reviewed and revised through additional public consultation to meet the community's needs and desires. Future open house meetings will be scheduled to engage the public. 

Read the Downtown Simcoe Secondary Plan Staff Report (PDF).

In June 2014, Council approved the Norfolk County Population Projection Study (PDF), as prepared by Hemson Consulting. The projections include long-term forecasts of population, housing and employment.

The forecast applies to the entire County but was also prepared for each specific urban area within the County from 2011 to 2031 and 2041 time horizons. These years were selected as they provide a basis for planning within the 20-year provincial planning policy horizon and correspond with census years. The projections are intended to provide a likely “reference” scenario for a consistent basis for future growth planning of all departments within the County. 

The Clean Water Act was passed in 2006 by the Ontario legislature in response to the Walkerton Inquiry to protect municipal drinking water sources. A Source Protection Plan is required to reduce the risk identified threats pose. The Long Point Region Assessment Report identifies the sources of municipal drinking water and potential threats to water quality, the vulnerable areas around the wells, and surface water intakes. Human activities have the greatest potential to harm drinking water sources.

The Long Point Region Source Protection Plan contains the policies and programs needed to reduce the risk posed by the identified activities. The Plan was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and came into effect on July 1, 2016. An update to the Plan came into effect on March 25, 2019. This will require an update to the Norfolk County Official Plan within five years.

Planning and Building development proposals/applications are screened to ensure compliance with the Source Protection Plan policies. If a property is in a Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) A, B, or C with a high vulnerability or the Lehman Dam Intake Protection zone, the Restricted Land Use Screening Form Template (PDF) must be completed.

The Long Point Region Assessment Report, Source Protection Plan, and further information are available from the Lake Erie Region Source Protection Committee at sourcewater.ca.

Norfolk County is updating its Source Water Protection policies in the Official Plan. This will incorporate the changes made to the Long Point Region Source Protection Plan, which came into effect on March 25, 2019. 

When the Council approved the Norfolk County Zoning By-law 1-Z-2014, appropriate zoning for Hastings Drive was an issue. Council retained the Township of Norfolk Zoning By-law in effect for Hastings Drive to carry out the Hastings Drive Zoning Study. Two appeals were launched against this decision. The Hastings Drive Zoning Study was completed.

The appeals of County Zoning By-law 1-Z-2014 then proceeded to an Ontario Municipal Board Hearing in January 2018. The Ontario Municipal Board Order was issued on April 16, 2018, to address the zoning on Hastings Drive.  The County of Norfolk initiated the “Hastings Drive Zoning Study” in 2015 to review the appropriate zoning for lands located west of the lot municipally addressed as 43 Hastings Drive, Long Point. The County retained MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited (MHBC) to lead this project. Pierre Chauvin BSc (Agr.), MA, MCIP, RPP was the Project Manager.

Please note that By-law 47-Z-2016 was repealed on December 13, 2016, through By-law 2016-132. 

Norfolk County has developed a Rural Community Improvement Plan that focuses on incentives and programs to promote investment in tourism and agribusiness and revitalize downtown and hamlet areas.

Contact Norfolk County Economic Development to learn more.