Midtown Oakville

OLRA Board and residents have been following the progress of proposed Midtown Oakville plans including the Midtown Official Plan Amendment and have significant concerns with the options that have been presented by the Town Planners and Consultants to date, and the trajectory of the Midtown Official Plan Amendment.

Please use the text below to copy and paste into an email to the interested parties (Town Councillors and Staff) per below.

If you prefer you can download a word format of this letter:

Email to:

Oakville Town Council - membersofcouncil@oakville.ca

Commissioner Garbe - neil.garbe@oakville.ca

CAO Clohecy - jane.clohecy@oakville.ca

Committee of the Whole - cathy.duddeck@oakville.ca

Director Charles - Gabe.charles@oakville.ca

RE.: Midtown Official Plan Amendment

Dear Members of Council and Town Staff:

I am following the growth plans for Oakville and specifically Midtown Oakville plans and would like to express my concerns including requested actions. I support responsible growth. I support the provincially mandated growth numbers to 2051. This is the biggest development Oakville has ever seen with building heights we have never seen before. We need to ensure our plan is compatible with the size of land available and ensures the livability people deserve.

I have serious concerns with the options that have been presented to date and the trajectory of the Midtown Official Plan Amendment (OPA). The following are items that I see as essential to a successful outcome for the OPA:

I would like to see multiple options presented on January 30th via three-dimensional renderings with a clear explanation of height and density, public realm amenities, and road networks.

I would like to see options that meet but do not exceed the 2051 provincially mandated growth numbers; and options that optimize the livability of the land available for development in Midtown.
I would like to see options that keep building heights to an average of 20 storeys in Midtown with a maximum population density in any sq. km not to exceed 20,000 per sq. km.
I would like to see an integration of a variety of “missing middle” building styles, such as mid-rise and 5-6-story mansion blocks.
The transition area from single-family residential to the south of Cornwall Road must be considered. This means significantly lower building heights south of the train tracks. Taller buildings should be located to the north, along the QEW corridor
I understand the need to accommodate population growth to 2051 and beyond. To ensure responsible growth, this should be clearly delineated as growth that would be permitted by way of an amendment to the current plan later. This will allow time for planning of other potential growth areas within Oakville eg. Speers Road, Bronte GO, Oakville Place, and Town Hall.
I would like to see a comprehensive, overall depiction of how all our growth areas will work together to accommodate population growth in a sustainable, liveable way.
The OPA must show how Oakville will provide affordable housing and by what measure this is defined.
The OPA must address Green Building and Green Energy plans for Midtown.
The OPA should demonstrate the use of all municipal tools available to us to ensure we optimize opportunities for energy reduction, stormwater, and grey-water strategies.

The Ontario Land Tribunal states that Oakville is required to optimize land use, not maximize it. I agree and believe that the Official Plan Amendment should reflect this approach.