Forbes Simon (left) taking a resident through the current development planning for Renfrew
Change is coming to Renfrew, and the town has to be ready to meet the challenge.
That’s according to JP2G Consulting Senior Planner Forbes Simon, who led the community through a pair of open houses discussing proposed updates to the town’s Official Plan, the blueprint for how the municipality expects to meet the community’s present and future needs like housing, infrastructure like roads, parks, trails, and other services.
Not only does the provincial Planning Act require municipalities to regularly review their official plans, but Simon says Renfrew’s needed a refresh to account for several changes to planning rules since 2020 and the recently confirmed Highway 417 extension.
Simon explains that the main focus of the review centered around a land need assessment and growth forecast that asked if the town had enough space to accommodate the population boom from a four-lane upgrade to the highway.
Their estimates are built around numbers from before and after similar projects in nearby communities like Arnprior, Carleton Place, and Kemptville, three examples that Simon expects Renfrew’s growth to be slightly under.
Some of the other notable proposed changes to Renfrew’s Official Plan include folding the town’s secondary plan for unused land near O’Brien Road that was originally marked for industrial use but never taken advantage of, as well as minor tweaks to policies affecting the core of the community.
Simon says the entire exercise will ultimately give the town a clear framework that balances what has made the community work for current residents while also preparing to embrace new people, businesses, and outside attention over the next 10 to 20 years.
The proposed changes to the Official Plan will be discussed at the next meeting for council on Thursday, March 10th, which will be open to delegations from the public.
(written by Kasey Egan)
