Parkland Dedication By-law Review and Replacement

PROJECT UPDATE

Public consultation is now complete. Thank you for your feedback.

A new version of the Bylaw has been passed by Council on August 31 and will be posted on Ottawa.ca shortly.

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The Staff Report and final recommendations for the new Parkland Dedication By-law will be considered by committee and Council as follows:

- July 7: Planning Committee

- August 31: Council

If you have provided written comments or requested to be added to the notification list, you will receive an email with the staff report ten days in advance of the meeting. This notice will also include details on how you can participate in the committee meeting.

BACKGROUND

Planning Act and Parkland

Under Section 42 of the Province of Ontario’s Planning Act, as part of the municipal approval process for land development and redevelopment, municipalities can require developers to either contribute land for parks; and/or provide Cash-In-Lieu of Parkland (CILP) where there is limited opportunity to provide land for parkland. The Planning Act:

• Establishes the ground rules for land use planning in Ontario
• Permits municipalities to require parkland or money for parks through development
• Establishes minimum parkland dedication rates by development type
• Commercial or industrial: 2% of site area
• All other purposes (including residential): 5% of site area
• Permits increased dedication rates using ‘alternative rate’ for residential development
  • 1 hectare/300 dwelling units when parkland is dedicated
  • 1 hectare/500 dwelling units when cash-in-lieu is provided
  • Municipality must have a Parks Plan to use alternative rate
  • Municipality’s Official Plan must have policies about using the alternative rate

Ottawa’s Current Parkland Dedication By-law

• The Parkland Dedication By-law is the provincially mandated method that the City uses to implement the Planning Act permissions to acquire parkland or cash-in-lieu (CIL) of parkland
• Employs Planning Act dedication rates
  • Commercial or industrial: 2% of site area
  • Low-density residential: 5% of site area
• Uses alternative (increased) dedication rate for higher-density residential
  • 1 hectare/300 dwelling units when parkland is dedicated
  • 1 hectare/500 dwelling units when cash-in-lieu is provided
  • Caps dedication at 10% of land area for apartments
• Defines how mixed-use development dedication is to be calculated
• Provides flat rate for rural severances: 400 sq.m.
• Other components of the By-law:
  • Identifies types of land that will not be accepted as parkland
  • Identifies development types that are exempt from parkland dedication
  • Specifies general allocation of CIL money (60% ward / 40 % City-wide)
  • Allocates CIL money to special districts, such as Secondary Plan areas
• The By-law does not dictate:
  • Where parks are to be developed
  • The size and shape of parks
  • When parks are built or improved
  • What facilities and amenities are located in parks

Why is the City reviewing and replacing the By-law?

• Currently, the City uses the higher ‘alternative rate’ in their By-law to acquire land and money for parks.
• The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act requires the City to review and replace the Parkland Dedication By-law if we want to keep using the higher ‘alternative rate’.
• Opportunity to review and improve the existing By-law. The new parkland dedication by-law will reflect the direction of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan (2021) and the new Official Plan to ensure that new parks meet the needs of a growing and intensifying city.
• The legislated deadline for reviewing and replacing the By-law is September 18, 2022.

Changes we are considering

• Parkland dedication cap on high-density sites (i.e., 10% cap on apartments)
• Reconsideration of development types exempt from parkland dedication
• Parkland dedication calculation for mixed-use development
• When cash-in-lieu of parkland is collected (i.e., building permit approval vs. planning approval)
• Administration and allocation of cash-in-lieu funding
• Housekeeping of definitions and terminology

Stakeholder Consultation

Input from stakeholders, is an integral component of the project. Consultation will begin in December 2021 and the City will bring forward a new by-law in 2022 for consideration by committee and council.

CANCELLED! Information Session

Please join the Parkland Dedication By-law Review and Replacement project team for an online information session on Wednesday, February 16, 6:00 – 7:30 pm to learn more about:

• Why the project is taking place (Legislative requirement)
• Project scope
• Stakeholder input
• Next steps
• Project timeline

As the project is still in the beginning phases, there are not yet any changes proposed to the by-law. Discussion of proposed changes will take place during online information sessions held in the next phase of the project.

Timelines

Consultation: Q4, 2021 and Q1, 2022
Report to Planning Committee and Council: Q2/Q3, 2022

How to get involved

Register for updates on the project
Attend a consultation session
Provide your feedback by email