Innovative Planning…

Innovative Planning Solutions Inc. (‘IPS’) is the planning consultant for the landowners of 11305 Pine Valley Drive, located on the east side of Pine Valley Drive, south of Kirby Road, in the City of Vaughan (the ‘Subject Lands’).

The Subject Lands comprise approximately 2.09-hectares and are entirely surrounded by lands designated for urban uses under VOP 2025. Notably, the Subject Lands represent a standalone parcel east of Pine Valley Dirve within the Urban Boundary that continues to be designated Rural under Schedule 13. This isolated designation is anomalous within the broader planned urban context and further reinforces the appropriateness of redesignating the lands to Low-Rise Residential to align with surrounding land use designations and the intended function of the Urban Boundary.

The landowner has participated and has made both written and oral submissions to the City of Vaughan as part of their Official Plan Review (OPR) process. The Council-endorsed VOP 2025 understood to be consistent with and conform to PPS 2024.

This correspondence constitutes a formal submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (‘MMAH’) on Council-endorsed Vaughan Official Plan 2025 (‘VOP 2025’).

VOP 2025, as endorsed by Vaughan Council on October 22, 2025 provides the Subject Lands with the following:

1. Community Areas per Schedule 1 – Urban Structure;
2. Designated Greenfield Area per Schedule 1B – Strategic Growth Area;
3. Established Large-Lot Neighbourhoods with 30m+ (100ft+) Lot Frontages per Schedule 1C – Established Large-Lot Neighbourhoods; and,
4. Rural per Schedule 13 – Land Use Designations.

On behalf of our clients, we are supportive of proposed land use policies and designations in the VOP 2025 as they relate to items 1 and 2; however, with respect to Items 3 and 4, we request that the Subject Lands be removed from Schedule 1C and that Schedule 13 – Land Use Designations be modified to provide the Subject Lands with the Low-Rise Residential designation.

In our view, on the basis that the Subject Lands are within a designated growth area in association with a Designation Greenfield Area and are not part of the existing or planned Agricultural System and are not Rural Lands in Rural Areas.

Designated Greenfield Areas are defined in VOP 2025 as lands outside of the Built Boundary that are designated for urban use but are not yet developed for such use.

Through the active planning applications, the Subject Lands are planned as Designated and Available lands designated for urban residential use in a townhouse format.

They proposed development on the Subject Lands does not reflect, demonstrate or represent established large-lot neighbourhood development; therefore, should not be subject to this planning framework under VOP 2025.

The active planning applications seek the required amendments to the Vaughan Official Plan 2010 (VOP 2010), and the landowner’s position is that any approved amendments should be reflected in VOP 2025.

We have reviewed the City of Vaughan’s transition policies under Section 1.3.2 of VOP 2025, specifically the policies addressing Applications and Appeals in Progress. As noted above, the subject planning applications received Notice of Complete Application under the Planning Act prior to the approval of VOP 2025 and were submitted before Council’s adoption of VOP 2025. Accordingly, these applications should be evaluated in accordance with the applicable transition policies.

Notwithstanding Policy 1.3.2.1.b, we request that, upon approval, VOP 2025 serve as the sole Official Plan applicable to the Subject Lands and the related planning applications, and that it expressly incorporates the amendments sought through the active OPA together with the modifications requested from MMAH in this submission.

Based on the current status of the Subject Lands’ planning applications, Policy 1.3.2.4.a of VOP 2025 applies. In our opinion, the applications should be reviewed and evaluated under VOP 2025 in accordance with this policy. As Notice of Complete Application has been issued under the Planning Act, the policy and schedule framework of VOP 2010 and YROP 2022 should not apply.

REQUEST AND CONCLUSION

On behalf of our clients, IPS respectfully requests that the MMAH consider the Subject Lands at 11305 Pine Valley Drive in its review and approval of the Council-endorsed MMAH version of VOP 2025.

We request that the mapping and land use framework applicable to the Subject Lands be modified to remove the Established Large-Lot Neighbourhoods designation under Schedule 1C and to re-designate the lands from Rural to Low-Rise Residential under Schedule 13 – Land Use Designations.

These requested refinements are appropriate and justified given that the Subject Lands are identified within a Designated Greenfield Area, are intended for urban residential development, and are not part of the Agricultural System or Rural Area land base. The proposed infill townhouse development, supported through active and complete planning applications, reflects an urban growth form and does not align with the policy intent or built-form characteristics of established large-lot neighbourhoods.

We further request that, through approval of VOP 2025, the Plan be recognized as the sole Official Plan applicable to the Subject Lands and the associated planning applications, and that it incorporates both the amendments sought through the active OPA Application and the modifications requested through this submission.

In our opinion, the applicable transition policies support review and evaluation of the applications under VOP 2025, and not under the legacy VOP 2010 or YROP 2022 framework, given the issuance of Notice of Complete Application under the Planning Act.

The requested schedule and designation changes represent targeted, site-specific refinements that improve internal consistency within VOP 2025, better align the Subject Lands with the Designated Greenfield Area and Community Area policy framework, and support orderly, appropriate urban residential development. We appreciate MMAH’s consideration of this submission and would welcome the opportunity to discuss these requests further or provide any additional supporting materials that may assist in the Ministry’s review.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please reach out to the undersigned.