Grey County has some updates coming to its official plan that consider climate change, dark sky preservation and affordable housing policies.
County staff recently (Sept 8th), shared the results of a public feedback process and made recommendations for some amendments to the plan.
Part of the reason for the update is to incorporate an updated growth management strategy. Some of the changes include allowing for more Additional Residential Units (ARUs) in existing dwellings, as well as a separate structure on a property. Currently, you can have one or the other, not both.
Going forward, Scherzer says, “This can include a basement apartment within an existing house for example, as well as an apartment unit say, above a detached garage– all on the same property.”
He says the change is in alignment with provincial legislation.
Scherzer says the amendment also includes a definition for a ‘tiny home’ which he says is a dwelling with a living and dining area and a kitchen and bath. He explains, “What we’ve identified is, we just want to make sure that it meets the building code. Other than that, it can be as small as possible.”
Scherzer says, “By allowing for things like more additional residential units, and more tiny homes and employee housing and co-housing– just a variety of different housing types– that’s where we hopefully will be able to address the affordable housing crisis that we’re experiencing within our communities and really throughout the province and throughout Canada.”
He says another part of the amendment looks at development’s impact on dark skies. “We received a number of comments actually, from Grey County residents about the importance of protecting our dark skies for both present and future generations,” says Scherzer, adding, “It’s partly as a result of light pollution having a potential impact to wildlife. It could also have a negative impact on human health and also increases our energy costs.”
Scherzer says based on comments received, staff have proposed a new section in the official plan to minimize the impacts of light pollution to preserve dark skies, and the county would be asking municipalities to include dark sky policies in their official plans.
“We’re also looking at updating our county and municipal engineering and lighting standards to incorporate dark sky best practices and ensuring dark sky friendly lighting is included in any new developments that are being proposed,” says Scherzer.
He says that can relate to the design of lighting, for example, ensuring the light is pointed down, or in some cases putting shades on light fixtures to direct the light to the ground.
Scherzer says changes to the official plan will also include ‘Going Green In Grey’ which is the County’s new climate change action plan. He says it identifies net zero targets established by County Council for reducing corporate emissions to net zero by 2045, and by 2050 for community emissions.
The community piece is something residents can choose to do. Scherzer says, “That’s where it’s about community outreach and providing opportunities and just letting residents and businesses know what they can do to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.”
He says going forward the County would be looking at decisions through a ‘climate change lens.’
Once the County adopts these amendments, staff say it will allow the municipalities in Grey to make changes to their own official plans as well as their 25-year planning horizons.
The proposed changes are expected to come before County Council at its next meeting.