Whereas Council wishes to ensure that the Town’s Zoning By-law and Official Plan contain appropriate policies and standards to ensure that new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing located within the Town are appropriately located, planned, and that it is understood what polices and measures need to be in place to mitigate impacts on surrounding communities.
Now Therefore be it Resolved:
That the Commissioner of Planning and Development be directed to:
- Retain any consultants deemed to be necessary to undertake, on an expedited basis, a study to examine the land use policies in the Town’s Official Plan and Town’s Zoning By-law, related to new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing to identify their ideal locations within the Town and any policies to mitigate impacts on surrounding communities, excluding the lands identified on Schedule “A” to By-law # 7699-20 and on Schedule “A” to By-law # 7700-20. The said study shall provide advice with respect to:
- changes to the Town’s Official Plan policies to identify the ideal locations for new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing within the Town and any policies to mitigate impacts on surrounding communities;
- changes to the Town’s Zoning By-law to identify the ideal locations for new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing within the Town and any policies to mitigate impacts on surrounding communities;
- appropriate strategies to reduce the impacts of new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing on neighbouring communities; and,
- such other recommendations as may be appropriate to implement Council’s desire to identify ideal locations for new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing within the Town and any policies to mitigate impacts on surrounding communities.
- Report back to Council within two months’ time with a work plan to give effect to the foregoing.
- Draft an Interim Control By-law under Section 38 of the Planning Act to be brought forward at the meeting of Council scheduled for October 2, 2023 and ensure that any currently operating low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing within the Town of Whitby are not subject to a proposed Interim Control By-law.
That the Commissioner of Financial Services and Treasurer be directed to:
4. Establish a 2023 capital project for the retainer of any consultants deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Planning and Development for Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments related to new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing, in the amount of $100,000, funded from the Town’s Long Term Finance Reserve Fund;
5. Establish a 2023 capital project for the retainer of any Legal Services deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Legal and Enforcement Services/Town Solicitor related the Town’s defence of an Interim Control By-law on new low barrier shelters and/or transitional housing, in the amount of $400,000, funded from the Town’s Long Term Finance Reserve Fund.
That the Commissioner of Legal and Enforcement Services be directed to:
6. Retain external legal services and any other consultants necessary to defend any claims brought forward against Council’s passage of an Interim Control By-law to a value not exceeding $400,000.