Bracebridge's Official Plan reflects the community's vision and goals for the future while ensuring growth is smart and coordinated. It provides a framework for decision making on things like new housing, places to work, shopping, parks and more. More importantly, it determines what’s required to service that development. An Official Plan also includes important policy to protect the Town’s natural, heritage and cultural resources and guides how development should occur.
The Official Plan was developed in 2013 and describes Council's policies on how land in Bracebridge should be used and developed based on input from the community. The Official Plan outlines:
- Where new housing, businesses and shops will be located;
- When, and in what order, parts of the community will grow;
- Policies that support ongoing protection of the environment; and
- Community improvement initiatives.
Why the Town needs an Official Plan
- Lets the public know what the municipality's general land use planning policies are;
- Makes sure that growth is coordinated and meets your community's needs;
- Helps all members of the community understand how their land may be used now and in the future;
- Helps decide where roads, watermains, sewers, garbage dumps, parks and other services will be built;
- Provides a framework for establishing municipal zoning by-laws to set local regulations and standards, like the size of lots and height of buildings;
- Provides a way to evaluate and settle conflicting land uses while meeting local, regional and provincial interests; and
- Shows Council's commitment to the future growth of your community.
The Official Plan provides a framework for establishing the Comprehensive Zoning By-law that sets development standards like the size of lots and height of buildings.
