Township of Sables-Spanish Rivers - Approval to amend a municipality’s official plan

Decision on instrument

A decision was made on May 28, 2020 to approve, with modifications, Amendment No 2 to the Official Plan for the Township of Sables-Spanish Rivers, adopted by By-law 2020-06. Notice of this decision was issued on May 29, 2020. The modifications were necessary to ensure that the official plan has regard for Provincial Interests as set out in Section 2 of the Planning Act, to ensure consistency with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (PPS).

The modifications within this decision are intended to:

• establish a 25-year planning horizon, in order to manage change and ensure sufficient land is available to meet projected needs (PPS 1.1.2);
• permit additional residential units in accordance with the Planning Act, in order to ensure the adequate provision of a full range of housing, including affordable housing (PPS 1.4.3);
• ensure the definition of affordable is consistent with that used in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS 6.0);
• ensure no negative impacts from servicing of industrial and commercial uses in the rural area, in order to protect water quality (PPS 1.6.6.4);
• remove policy wording that conflicts with the Green Energy Repeal Act;
• ensure the long-term impacts of individual water and sewage services are assessed, in order to protect the quality and quantity of surface water and groundwater (PPS 1.6.6.4);
• protect significant cultural heritage resources, including requiring an appropriate assessment prior to making a planning decision that has the potential to affect a cultural heritage resource (PPS 2.6.3);
• ensure compliance with regulatory requirements related to potentially contaminated sites, in order to protect human health and the environment (PPS 3.2.2); ensure adequate shoreline buffers to protect sensitive surface water features and fish habitat (PPS 2.1.6);
• identify Kecil Lake and Lang Lake as at-capacity for development due to phosphorus loadings, in order to protect sensitive surface water features (PPS 2.2.1, 2.2.2);
• ensure that policies concerning natural heritage and the management of woodlots, wetlands, stream and river valleys do not limit the ability to agricultural uses to continue (PPS 2.1.9); protect mineral aggregate resources and ensure adequate separation from sensitive land uses, in order to protect the long-term supply of aggregates and minimize social, economic and environmental impacts (PPS 1.2.6.1, 2.5.2);
• clarify that the forestry policies of the plan do not determine the uses and activities permitted on Crown lands ; and
• clarify the application of certain tools (temporary use by-laws and site plan control) in accordance with the Planning Act.

Other information

Pursuant to Section 17(36.5) of the Planning Act, the Minister’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.