-first event focused on Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan -
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Area residents are being invited to provide input on the developing Official Plan (OP) for the Town of Essex.
The first of three open houses was hosted at the Colchester Community Centre last Wednesday, providing for the opportunity for members of Council and staff to garner public comments and concerns.
Staff in the Planning Department for the Town began working to update Essex’s Official Plan two-years ago, and are now gathering public feedback on the draft document before presenting it to Council for adoption in the future.
This Official Plan document will set the tone on how to use the land in the Town of Essex over the next 25-years. Through the document, policies are set for growth and development. The review taking place also ensures the Town’s document aligns with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) and the County of Essex’s Official Plan.
The Planning Act requires OPs to be updated every five-years.
Essex Council hosted a statutory special meeting to kick-off the creation process for the Town’s new Official Plan (OP) in June of 2022.
Essex’s current OP came into effect in 2009 and was updated in 2015.
Residents had the opportunity to not only weigh-in on the draft Official Plan during the engagement opportunity last week, but were also able to speak to the draft Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan, as well.
The draft Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan is a document part of the Official Plan. A secondary plan sets out a cohesive vision and a set of planning directions for the future growth and development of a specific area.
Lori Chadwick, Essex’s Director of Planning Services, noted the Town wants to hear from residents, land owners, and business owners on the documents.
Wednesday’s event was “just the beginning” of the public consultation process.
She noted the motto of the draft OP is “Your Community. Your Vision,” and she wants the feedback to follow that sentiment.
“We encourage you to help us shape the Official Plan and the Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan.”
Members of Essex Council were previously told by consultants working on the draft OP that the Town of Essex will need to designate enough land for residential population growth for at least the next 15-years, with a mix of various housing operations.
In addition, the OP needs to consider climate change and better identify key natural heritage features. It will also need to develop policy related to consultation of Indigenous communities regarding planning applications, archeological, and historical sites for resources.
The open house hosted at the Colchester Community Centre on Wednesday, focused on the Colchester Secondary Plan, which is intended to guide residential and commercial growth in the hamlet. It is also looking at improved connection to the Lake Erie waterfront.
At the July 15 regular meeting, Essex Council received an update on the Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan.
That update included consultation efforts, plans for future public consultation, policy directions made, and overall goals of the document as a part of the Town’s new draft Official Plan project.
The Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan has been updated to align with the policies of the new Official Plan, emphasizing the development potential in the heart of the Town’s waterfront and agri-tourism area, establishing a realistic development scenario based on the level of growth the County has allocated to the Colchester Secondary Settlement Area, and improving the framework of the Colchester Secondary Plan adopted in 2009.
The vision is to “achieve a beautiful, lively, and connected community with a mix of uses that support residential life and the Town’s fast-growing tourism industry,” Chadwick previously told Council, adding principals for the plan include connecting to the waterfront, animating the Secondary Plan Area with a mix of uses, being a centre for tourism, encouraging growth through intensification, and achieving a high-quality and beautiful public realm.
Opinions heard Wednesday varied, Chadwick said.
“We have heard great ideas,” she added.
Residents Nettie Ridley and Linda Duggan were onsite, handing out flyers for the “Colchester Matters” group Ridley and her husband are forming. (Pictured on page 15).
She wants to inform individuals on the matter and is asking them to become engaged.
“If you have good ideas, let’s hear them,” she said.
Ridley expressed concern that the draft Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan is too grandiose for the area. She also voiced concern about the potential of adding large developments to the area and how that could add hardscape and lose greenspace. She spoke of the potential impact to the environment that could have.
“The biggest, single issue, we do not want to be Grand Bend. They are pushing tourism in the plan,” Ridley added. “In that plan, ‘tourism’ is mentioned 15 times, ‘resident’ is mentioned four times.”
Ridley noted Town staffers have been amazing at listening to her concerns. She said the Planning Department and Council have been open to talking about concerns, which has been good.
“I’m not against development or change, it’s to what degree,” she added. “We will continue to work towards the best Colchester we're able, which hopefully – with resident input, plus continued support from the Town of Essex and Council – will move us forward in the best interest of all concerned. We're not against growth, but it must be within reason and always with respect to our residents.”
Ridley noted the website for Colchester Matters is in the works and will be launched soon. She hopes the group will “inform, educate, and establish a groundswell movement of engaged citizens.”
Open houses for the Town of Essex OP are still scheduled to take place at the Essex Arena on Wednesday, September 4 and at the Harrow Arena on Wednesday, September 11. Both events are drop-in style, and will be in operation between 5 and 7pm.
Those attending can also speak to the Colchester Secondary Plan at these events as well.
Residents wishing to share input on the Town of Essex Official Plan can do so at www.essex.ca/OfficialPlan
Comments can be submitted until September 30 by logging onto the website or emailing officialplan@essex.ca
That date, Chadwick noted, is not set in stone.
“If we feel after the two-month public consultation period that further time is required, Administration and Council could consider extending the consultation period and hold more open houses,” Chadwick said.
Once staff is confident with the final product and believes revisions have been made that have merit and are feasible, it will be presented to Council for consideration of adoption.
A statutory meeting will be held in the future to present the draft Official Plan document to Essex Council for possible adoption.
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