Long-Range Policy and Projects

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:

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

Norfolk County Workplan and Project Timeline

Phase 1: Project Initiation

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

Phase 2A: Policy Review & 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
• Option 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 our EngageNorfolk page!
• Write: Planning Department 12 Gilbertson Dr, Simcoe, ON N3Y 3N3
• Email: GrowNorfolk@norfolkcounty.ca
• Phone: 519-426-5870 or 226-Norfolk ext. 1842

Reports

• CD 21-47 – Kick-Off Report
  • Appendix A – Terms of Reference
• CD 21-68 – Engagement Strategy Report
  • Appendix A – Engagement Strategy
• CD 21-70 – Land Evaluation Study
• CD 21-69 – CD 21-69 Staff_GN Context Covering Report
  • Appendix A – Grow Norfolk Context Report
• CD 21-129 – Grow Norfolk Volume 2 – CD 21-129_Comprehensive Review Phase 1
  • Appendix A – Norfolk County Comprehensive Review Growth Analysis
• CD 23-037 – Grow Norfolk Volume 4 DRAFT Land Study and Options

  Other Resources

• Official Plan
• Zoning By-law
• Provincial Policy Statement
• Haldimand and Norfolk Housing and Homelessness Plan
• Norfolk County Housing Study 2019
• DCS 14-53 Appendix A Population Projections-Final Report-Hemson Consulting Ltd-28 May 2014
• Inter-Urban Water Supply

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

Norfolk County has retained The Planning Partnership: planners, landscape architects and urban designers. Their team is supported by specialists in natural heritage, transportation and municipal servicing.

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

• 2001 Port Dover Waterfront Master Plan
• Developing Dover’s Destiny – A Community Strategic Plan for the Future of Port Dover
• Port Dover Enhancement Association Planning Document
• University of Guelph Conceptual Design of Port Dover

Public Information Centre

• A Public Information Centre regarding the Lake Erie shoreline mapping was held Saturday, June 22, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the St. William’s Community Centre.
• A second Public Information Centre regarding the Lake Erie shoreline mapping was held Saturday, November 2, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the St. William’s Community Centre.
• A Public Information Centre regarding the watercourse flood hazard mapping was held Wednesday, November 27, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Simcoe Recreation Centre, 182 South Drive, Simcoe. 

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. 

A Downtown Secondary Plan 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 what the County’s priorities will be for publicly funded initiatives in the Downtown.

The policies are considered draft at this point and are intended to summarize the input received to date. Through additional public consultation, the policies will be reviewed and revised to ensure that they are meeting the needs and intended desires of the community. Future open house meetings will be scheduled to engage the public.

• DCS 19-44 Downtown Simcoe Secondary Plan Staff Report
  
• DCS 19-44 Appendix A - Draft Downtown Simcoe Secondary Plan
  

The forecast is applicable to the entire County but was also prepared for each specific urban area within the County from the year 2011 to 2031 and to 2041 time horizons. These years were selected as they provide a basis for planning within the 20-year provincial planning policy horizon as well as 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.

• Norfolk County Population Projections 28 May 2014
   

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. Read the updated Plan.

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 following screening form must be completed and submitted to Stephanie Davis, Water and Wastewater Compliance Supervisor – Stephanie.Davis@norfolkcounty.ca or 519-426-5870 or 226-NORFOLK extension 1501.

• 2016-10-20 Restricted Land Use Screening Form Template
  

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

For more information, you can also follow this link. Norfolk County is undertaking an update to the 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. Norfolk County hosted a drop-in style open house on November 13, 2019, in order to answer any questions about the proposed amendment.

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. MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited (MHBC) was retained by the County to lead this project. Pierre Chauvin BSc (Agr.), MA, MCIP, RPP was the Project Manager. The following are the main documents from this project:

• Hastings Drive Zoning Study Final Terms Of Reference Sept 15
• Final Issues & Options Report April 25, 2016 (including Draft By-law

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

For further information, visit the Business Initiative page​ or contact:

Economic Development Coordinator
50 Colborne St S, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4H3

519-426-5870 or 226-NORFOLK ext. 1264, or 1-866-834-1726