Notice of adoption of a proposed Official Plan Amendment for Midtown Oakville and town-wide, 42.15.59, Ward 1 to 7

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Town Council passed By-law 2025-037, which adopted Official Plan Amendment 70 (OPA 70), under section 17 (22), of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended. Council’s decision reflects that they have considered all the written and oral submissions relating to this matter and that those comments have been appropriately addressed.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (the Minister) is the approval authority of OPA 70. Pursuant to subsection 17 (36.1.4) of the Planning Act, parts of the Minister’s decision on OPA 70 are final and not subject to appeal.

The purpose of the proposed OPA 70 is to update the land use policies applying to Midtown Oakville as a Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA) and to update related policies that apply on a town-wide basis, including policies that enable the use of a Community Planning Permit System, in the Livable Oakville Plan (Official Plan).

The effect of OPA 70 is to:

a) Replace Section 20, Midtown Oakville, in its entirety, which would:

• update and revise the area, introduction, goal, objectives and development concept for Midtown Oakville;
• update and revise the related area-specific policies (e.g., land use, transportation, active transportation, parking, urban design, parks and open spaces, and stormwater) to enable redevelopment that is contextually appropriate;
• establish minimum and maximum site density, and building height minimums;
• update the area-specific implementation policies to eliminate the bonusing  policies and provide new and revised policies relating to phasing/transition, area design plans, landowners’ agreements (cost sharing), an implementation strategy and monitoring.

b) Update and revise all schedules identifying the Midtown Oakville protected major transit station area boundary, which excludes the following areas that were previously identified as ‘urban growth centre”: 564 Lyons Lane, and the valley land between Cross Avenue and Cornwall Road. Show the existing land use designations applying to those excluded lands (being "Natural Area") on Schedule G (Southeast Land Use) instead of Schedule L1 (Midtown Oakville Land Use).

c) Replace Schedules L1, L2 and L3, with new schedules that revise Midtown Oakville land uses, provide building height thresholds, minimum and maximum densities, and propose transportation networks to reflect and support the proposed policy changes.

d) Update schedules A1, B, and G to be in accordance with revised Schedule L1.

e) Update schedules C and D to be in accordance with new schedules L5 and L6, respectively.

f) Add town-wide policies which enable the use of a community planning permit system, and address matters such as land use compatibility in relation to rail yards and corridors and provincial highways, update hazard lands policies, enable the use of Community Improvement Plans to incentivize the provision of affordable housing, and, where appropriate, request the preparation of area design plans and transportation demand management options reports.

Midtown Oakville is located south of the QEW/Highway 403 and north of Cornwall Road, between Sixteen Mile Creek and Chartwell Road. Parts of OPA 70 are also town-wide.

Written and oral submissions were received and considered as a part of the town’s consultation process. The written submissions received during the OPA 70 commenting period are provided with Special Council meeting minutes for October 29, 2024, and referenced in the Planning and Development Council meeting minutes for January 20, 2025, and February 18, 2025, and the town’s responses are contained in the staff reports from those meetings. In response to the written and oral submissions, modifications were made to OPA 70 as noted in the staff reports from Planning and Development Council Meeting Minutes for January 20, 2025, and February 18, 2025. Council’s decision reflects that the comments from the public have been appropriately addressed.

The following properties are within Midtown Oakville and are subject to the following development applications: 

a) Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision at:

• 349 Davis Road, File No. OPA1612.15, Z.1612.15.
• 157 and 165 Cross Avenue File No. OPA1614.83, Z.1614.83, 24T-24002/1614.
• 166 South Service Road East File No. OPA1614.79, Z.1614.79,  24T-22006/1614.
• 590 Argus Road, File No. OPA1614.81, Z.1614.81, 24T-23001/1614.
• 217 to 227 Cross Avenue and 571 to 595 Argus Road File No. OPA1614.78, Z.1614.78, 24T-22005/1614.

b) Official Plan Amendment at 420 South Service Road East, File No. OPA1612.19.

c) Zoning By-law Amendment at 627 Lyons Lane, File No. Z.1614.76.

d) Site Plan Application at 70 Old Mill Road, File No. SP.1614.089/02.

Any person or public body is entitled to receive notice of the Minister’s decision regarding OPA 70 if a written request, containing the person’s or public body’s address, fax number or email address, is made to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, c/o Heather Watt, Manager, Community Planning and Development (West) Unit, Municipal Services Office Central Ontario, 777 Bay Street, 16th Floor Toronto, ON M7A 2J3 or at heather.watt@ontario.ca.

The public may view planning documents and background material online on the Midtown web page.

Questions may be directed to Sybelle von Kursell, Manager – Midtown Oakville and Special Programs, Planning and Development department at 905-845-6601, ext. 6020 (TTY 905-338-4200) or at sybelle.vonkursell@oakville.ca.

The personal information accompanying any written submission to the Town Oakville is collected under the authority of the Planning Act and can form part of the public record which may be released to the public. 

Dated at the Town of Oakville March 5, 2025.