Official Plan

The purpose of this Plan is to provide guidance and direction for development and planning decisions within the Township of McGarry to the 2047 planning horizon. Decisions that affect an area’s growth and development have long-lasting impacts. Ultimately, such decisions should result in a liveable community that is economically and environmentally sustainable.

The Plan is meant to enable development that contributes to the long-term enhancement of McGarry’s land base and prosperity and to direct development to where it poses the least risk to areas of local and provincial significance.

The goal is to formulate policies that are easy to interpret and apply and that logically guide development. This Plan will be implemented through a new Zoning By-law for the Township and will provide a basis for other municipal by-laws and Plans to regulate the development and use of land. 

All planning decisions are required to conform to the Official Plan as per Section 24(1) of the Act.

Why do Municipalities need an Official Plan?

An Official Plan:

• lets the public know what the province and municipality's general land use planning policies are;
• makes sure that growth is coordinated and meets the 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, waste sites, parks and other services will be built;
• provides a framework for establishing municipal zoning by-laws to set local regulations and standards, such as size of lots, or development setbacks from water or quarries;
• 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 of the community.