The Future of Barrie – Opportunities in Growth Introduction

By JAMES I. McINTOSH , Real Estate, & Municipal Law Departments

LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND – Places to Grow Act

In 2005, the Government of Ontario responded to concerns about the pace of growth in the province including the projected impact of population increase in the areas of housing, employment and the environment over the next 25 years by enacting the Places to Grow Act, 2005. 

The Places to Grow Act, 2005 put in place the legislative framework to guide the province in planning and decision-making for long term growth and infrastructure renewal in Ontario.  The Act gave the province the power to designate geographical growth areas and to develop growth plans in collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders to address and meet specific needs throughout the province.

GREATER GOLDEN HORSESHOE – First Designated Area

Shortly after this Act was passed, the first area designated was the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) which includes an extensive area of southern Ontario stretching from Niagara around the western end of Lake Ontario and eastward to Northumberland and Peterborough.  It also extends northward to the shores of Georgian Bay taking in all of the County of Simcoe. 

Studies have shown that the Greater Golden Horseshoe is the fastest growing urban area in Canada and the third fastest in North America.  It is anticipated that by 2031, almost 4 million more people and nearly 2 million more jobs will need to be accommodated within the region.

GGH GROWTH PLAN DEVELOPED – Need to Intensify, Enhance and Preserve

Following this designation, the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006 was developed.  In its background summary comments, the government explained that without a plan, Ontario could continue to experience many of the adverse effects that have occurred in the past, such as traffic gridlock, urban sprawl, loss of farmland and dwindling natural areas.  The government went on to tie in research studies that indicate there are links between urban sprawl and automobile dependence as well as increased health problems including obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other problems.

The key elements of the Plan which is to set clear standards for growth and development in the province have been summarized as follows (see also Figure 1 here):

• Establish coordinated population and job growth forecasts for municipalities as the basis for planning.
• Encourage revitalization of downtowns and city centres to make them more vibrant, people-oriented and attractive.
• Reduce development pressures on agricultural lands and natural areas by directing more growth to existing urban areas.
• Ensure that new development is planned to create complete communities offering more choices in housing, better transit and a range of amenities like shops, schools, entertainment and services that are closer to where people live.
• Identify 25 downtown locations in the GGH that will be focal points for accommodating people and jobs, through initiatives that offer attractive new living options within easy access to shops and services.  It is intended that these centres will also support transit and the economy of the surrounding area.
• Compliment the province’s Greenbelt Plan that protects 1.8 million acres of valuable farmland and natural areas at the heart of the GGH.
• Establish and integrated transportation network offering more transportation choices for getting from place to place reducing congestion on roads.
• Link planning for growth with planning for infrastructure so that roads, sewers, schools and other infrastructure is in place to meet the needs of growing communities.

IGAP – Intergovernmental Action Plan for Simcoe, Barrie and Orillia

Prior to the Places to Grow Act and development of the GGH Plan, the province had initiated a plan to work with local governments in Simcoe County and the surrounding area to address local development pressures.  Commonly referred to as IGAP, the intention was to initiate a comprehensive study of Simcoe County’s watershed capacity and infrastructure to ensure that governments make more informed decisions on development proposals.  The action plan consisted of four formal phases:

• Assimilative capacity studies of the Lake Simcoe and Nottawasaga River watersheds and their ability to handle growth and development
• Infrastructure studies and the development of a master plan to accommodate approved growth and development
• The assessment of future growth potential, considering water capacity and findings on the capacity of existing infrastructure
• The implementation of plans deemed necessary following consideration of the information gathered in the first three phases

With the province taking the initiative, the municipalities to be involved in the action plan included the County of Simcoe, the cities of Barrie and Orillia and all of the lower tier towns and townships in the county.  Planning for studies associated with the plan began in late 2004 and it was anticipated that all four phases would be complete by June 2006.  An Implementation Assessment Report was released in August 2006 setting out a recommended urban structure for Simcoe County in which the City of Barrie was shown as a regional centre (Figure 2 here).

The study recommendations included a recommendation that Barrie focus its growth on its southern border with Innisfil.  Negotiations between Barrie and Innisfil have been ongoing for a couple of years and have included a provincially appointed facilitator, however, there has been no resolution to these discussions as yet.  In the meantime, the County has forged ahead with the IGAP process by forming a Steering Committee and several sub-committees to develop a plan for growth in the County.  Barrie has declined to participate in the County initiated process until recently when it decided to send two representatives as observers only.

While it seems evident that some boundary adjustment will occur as between Barrie and Innisfil, it is also evident that any adjustment is going to take time in terms of resolution and that the pressures for growth in the region and Barrie, in particular, will not wait for boundary adjustments or for County wide planning to be finalized.  The development pressures for Barrie and the surrounding area to accommodate population growth and the growth in employment needs have a life of their own and are not waiting for intergovernmental discussions and planning initiatives to catch up.

PROVINCIAL IMPACT - What does all of this mean for Barrie?

The Provincial Policy that flows from the Places to Grow Act, while designating Barrie as an urban growth centre also aims to limit sprawl.  Given the recent elections results, it is fair to anticipate that the provincial government will pursue the development and implementation of its policy with renewed vigor.

• It appears likely that Barrie’s borders to the south are bound to expand, however, that expansion is likely to be limited and will consist of employment lands as well as some residential growth areas.
• One may reasonably speculate that since the Provincial Policy is aimed at encouraging intensification of land use within existing urban and designated settlement areas, the expansion of Barrie’s borders is likely to be tied to commitments to land use intensification within existing the existing boundaries.
• The details of any potential expansion are still very much subject to negotiation, a process that is ongoing.
• What seems evident is that the unrestrained growth in terms of conversion of agricultural land to residential use to allow new residential land development to proceed is now being discouraged.
• The province is directing local municipalities to find ways to intensify land use within their borders by encouraging higher density development and redevelopment.
• As a designated urban growth centre, Barrie is being required to accommodate a projected population growth of somewhere between 40 and 60,000 people over the next 20 to 25 years.
  
  
• To accommodate this growth, which will hopefully include more significant employment uses within City boundaries, it is evident that much redevelopment of core lands is going to have to take place

THE LOCAL VIEW - Where is this redevelopment likely to happen?

The Downtown Core

• The downtown core area is an obvious area of redevelopment potential.
• You can already see specific projects and pockets of redevelopment underway that signal the beginning of revitalization in the downtown core area.
• In 2005, Barrie’s, Council designated the downtown core as a community improvement area (Figure 3 here) and adopted The Next Wave Community Improvement Plan  to encourage and assist in downtown redevelopment.
• The Next Wave CIP includes many incentives available to owners and developers that are aimed at reducing the cost of improving and redeveloping the downtown core area including reduction or elimination of permit fees, development charges and administrative fees and providing incremental municipal tax relief for new intensified use that will generate increased tax revenue for the City over the long term.
• It also provides the City with significant tools to take part in and assist worthwhile redevelopment projects.  An example of one of those projects is the Collier Street Parking Facility that is nearing completion and will open this month.
• The resulting changes along Collier Street and the impact that this facility will have on the downtown core is only now beginning to be seen.
  
• There are projects at various stages of planning and development that will have significant impact on the downtown core area and its land value particularly as Barrie evolves into a regional financial, service and entertainment centre consistent with its designation under the GGH Plan.

Allandale

• After initiating the Next Wave CIP in 2005, the City designated a significant portion of land in Allandale as a community improvement area in 2006 (Figure 4 here).
• The adoption of The Allandale Centre CIP provides the same incentives to property owners as in the Next Wave CIP to assist in the redevelopment of this older portion of the Allandale community.
• The City also has the same tools at its disposal to participate in the redevelopment process in this area where there is a demonstrated municipal benefit in doing so.  The former Allandale Station lands is a prime example of municipally controlled land that is available for redevelopment for the right project.
• The lands immediately west of the rail corridor are an example of an area where intensification of residential use could take place in keeping with provincial plans and policy. 
• Land along the Essa Road, Tiffin and Bradford Street corridors is also prime redevelopment land where intensified use would fit in well with the provincial scheme.

Georgian College Area

• The City has recently designated the area in the east end surrounding Georgian Collage as a Community Improvement Project Area (Figure 5 here) and has adopted the Georgian College Neighbourhood Community Improvement Plan.
• This CIP is aimed at encouraging intensification of residential use in appropriate locations to accommodate the growing student housing needs within the Georgian College area
• The CIP has been developed in response to concerns of residents and homeowners in the Georgian College area about the influx of students to single family residential areas during recent years with the result that they are living in circumstances not suited to nor appropriate for their needs.
• The Georgian College Neighbourhood Strategy developed as part of the CIP process identifies several potential sites that could be redeveloped for medium and high density residential use.
• The intensified use of land to be redeveloped is consistent with provincial policies.

CONCLUSION

While Barrie’s border discussions with its neighbour are ongoing, it could be some time before a final resolution is achieved.  In the meantime, the opportunities for development within the existing City boundaries are becoming more and more limited as the large parcels of available development land disappear. 

Barrie’s once abundant supply of its own industrial land is all but sold. Industrial, commercial and residential developers of private land are competing for a shrinking supply of developable land.  The focus is now on identifying and securing parcels of land that have potential for redevelopment. 

In order to make this work economically, a more intensified land use is required.  In addition, those who are seeking to redevelop land are looking for any financial incentives that may be available to assist in keeping costs down.

Barrie has identified three key areas in the City that it considers ripe for some manner of redevelopment and intensification of use.  To assist in this, Barrie has put in place plans to provide municipal incentives to landowners and developers that will help in the process.  The people involved in the real estate development community including agents looking to capitalize on this redevelopment potential should become familiar with the CIP’s that have been put in place and the incentives that are available to assist landowners and developers in realizing the potential from land within these community improvement areas.

In view of the strong mandate recently given to the provincial government, it seems likely that the pressure to find more efficient uses for urban land will continue to build.  This will be particularly so where the intensified use of land is supported by existing commuter transportation facilities including bus and rail lines.  If the land is also in proximity to core shopping and service areas as well as recreational land, it comes closer to meeting the provincial ideal in terms of the policies that have been laid out.

The conclusion would therefore seem to be that land in the core areas of the City will likely increase in value as the intensification process proceeds.  Smaller parcels of land that can be assembled for potential redevelopment within these areas would seem to be key targets.  Opportunities are there for those who take the time and are equipped with the right information and resources to participate in the redevelopment process.

Article Available HERE in .PDF format complete with figure illustrations.

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The above is not intended to constitute legal advice. Please contact a lawyer to clarify your legal rights.