County of Renfrew Identifying Issues for Official Plan

PEMBROKE ON - The County of Renfrew is preparing its first countywide official plan. Today, the County's Economic Development, Planning andProperty Committee received a staff report with preliminary results on work being done to identify important land use issues across the County. 

The County is seeking out the opinions of local councils, community leaders and stakeholders groups regarding the identification of issues. This element of the county plan project is meant to raise the awareness of members of County Council and project staff for the land use issues across Renfrew County that should receive particular attention as policies are developed. "Ultimately, the suitability of the county plan hinges on the success of our planned extensive consultations," says Committee Chair Irene Autayo. "We need to hear from as many groups, areas of the County and communities of interest as possible, in order to produce a 'draft' countywide land use plan that reflects the diversity of Renfrew County," says Mrs. Autayo.

The Planning and Economic Development Department is accumulating background data on important resources and significant features, and analyzing population trends in addition to its efforts to identify important issues. These are the early phases of an estimated two-year county plan project. Further public consultations will occur when the 'draft' County Plan is produced.

"It is important for the County to provide a strategic and coordinating role in land use planning because there are growth, development and environmental matters that go beyond any one municipality," says County Warden Barry Moran. "This importance was recognized when County Council unanimously approved the development of a County Plan in its review of governance in 1997," says Mr. Moran.

For more information contact D. Vance Bedore, M.C.I.P., R.P.P., Director of Planning and Economic Development