BYLAW - Adopt OPA#8 - 19940602 - 354794DAMENDMENT NO. 8
TO THE
OFFICIAL PLAN
FOR THE
TOWN OF AURORA
-19 -0 P.-0 0 2 6 ~ 0 0 8
AMENDMENT NO. 8
TO THE
OFFICIAL PLAN FOR THE
TOWN OF AURORA
This Amendment No. 8 to the Official Plan for the Town
of Aurora which was adopted by the Council of the
Corporation of the Town of Aurora is hereby approved
under sections 17 and 21 of the Planning Act.
Municipal Affairs
·ORIGINAL·
THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF AURORA
By-law Number 3547-94.D
BEING A BY-LAW to adopt Official Plan
Amendment No. 8 (Magna -Golf Course)
The Council of the Corporation ofthe Town of Aurora, under Section 17 (6) of the Planning Act,
RSO 1990 Chapter P. 13 as amended, hereby enacts as follows:
1. Official Plan Amendment No. 8 for the Town of Aurora, consisting of the attached
explanatory text and schedules, is hereby adopted.
2. The Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to make application to the Minister of
Municipal Affairs for approval of Official Plan Amendment No. 8 for the Town of
Aurora.
3. This By-law shall come into force and take effect on the day of the final passage thereof.
READ A FIRST AND SECOND TIME THIS 25th DAY OF MAY, I994.
READ A THIRD AND FINAL TIME AND FINALLY PASSED THIS 2nd DAY OF
JUNE, I994.
1CIPAL CLERK
AMENDMENT NO. 8
TO THE
OFFICIAL PLAN
FOR THE TOWN OF AURORA
AMENDMENT NO. 8
TO THE
OFFICIAL PLAN FOR THE
TOWN OF AURORA PLANNING AREA
The Amendment No. 8 to the Official Plan for the Town of Aurora Planning Area which was
adopted by the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Aurora is hereby approved under
Sections 17 and 21 of the Planning Act.
Date: ________ _
Diana L. Jardine, M.C.I.P.
Director
Plans Administration Branch
Central and Southwest
Ministry of Municipal Affairs
This Amendment to the Official Plan for the Town of Aurora, which has been adopted by the
Council of the Corporation of the Town of Aurora, is hereby approved in accordance with
Section 17 (6) of the Planning Act, RSO 1990 Chapter P. 13 as Amendment No.8 to the Official
plan for the Town of Aurora.
DATE: ______________ __ SIGNATURE: ________________ _
Index
AMENDMENT NO. 8 TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN FOR THE
CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF AURORA
The Statement of Components
PARTI-THEPREAMBLE
Purpose of the Amendment
Location
Basis of the Amendment
PART II-THE AMENDMENT
Introductory Statement
Details of the Amendment
Implementation and Interpretation
PART III-THE APPENDICES
Page
1
2
2
2
2
4
4
4
8
AMENDMENT NO. 8
TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN
FOR THE AURORA PLANNING AREA
' '------·:
PART I
PART II
PART III
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STATEMENT OF COMPONENTS
THE PREAMBLE does not constitute part of this Amendment.
THE AMENDMENT, consisting of the following text and map (designated
Schedule "A") constitutes Amendment No. 8 to the Official Plan for the
Town of Aurora.
THE APPENDICES do not constitute part of this Amendment.
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Golf Course Amendment: Magna International Inc.
PART I -THE PREAMBLE
Purpose of the Amendment
C._ The purpose of this amendment is to amend the policies of the Rural land use designation within
the subject lands shown on Schedule "A" attached hereto, and forming part of this amendment.
The amendment would permit an eighteen hole private golf course including accessory facilities
to be developed in conjunction with the Magna International Inc. Corporate Head Office Campus
being developed on adjacent lands and which is subject to a companion Official Plan
Amendment. (Official Plan Amendment Number 7). The preliminary Golf Course layout is
shown more specifically in Appendix 1 attached hereto. Appendix 1 is shown for information
purposes and does not form part of this amendment.
Location
The lands affected by this amendment are located within Part of Lots 17, 18, 19 and 20 in
Concession 2, more particularly shown on Appendix 2 attached hereto.
Basis of the Amendment
Council has enacted the amendment in response to the following:
1. An application has been received by Magna International Inc. and Alpenhouse Limited,
hereafter collectively referred to as "Magna" to develop an eighteen hole private golf
course and accessory facilities in conjunction with its Corporate Head Office Campus.
2. The development of the lands shown on Schedule "A" for the purposes of a golf course,
together with related accessory facilities, is to be premised on an "environment first"
philosophy relating to the following factors:
The subject lands are designated on Schedule "D" to the Aurora Official Plan as
an "Environmental Protection" area containing the "Wetlands", "Flood Prone
Areas", "Infiltration Areas" and "Fishery Resource Areas" sub-designations;
In addition, a portion of the proposed Golf Course is located within the limits of
the Oak Ridges Moraine Area, thereby making these lands subject to the
Implementation Guidelines concerning the Provincial Interest;
The Ministry of Natural Resources has advised that the wetland on the subject
lands is locally significant and is transversed by tributaries of the East Branch of
the Holland River;
The subject lands contain a portion of a mixed forest area worthy of maintenance,
protection and enhancement;
The Ministry of Natural Resources advises that the tributaries of the East Branch
of the Holland River found on the site, support cold water fisheries resources;
The subject lands contains a significant groundwater recharge and discharge zone.
Accordingly, there is concern that there may not be sufficient surface water to
sustain the maintenance and irrigation measures associated with a golf course.
There is also concern with potential impacts that could result if the deeper aquifer
is "mined" for irrigation measures. Further the Ministry of Environment and
Energy advises that it is its policy that a permit which would result in the mining
of the deeper aquifer would not be issued; and
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The uses of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers as part of golf course management
has potential to impact on the aforementioned environmental features.
Accordingly, prior to any development of the golf course being permitted, the
environmental policies contained within this amendment shall be fully complied with.
3. It is Council's intent that this amendment shall not have effect until such time as any
Ministerial Referrals affecting the lands shown on Schedule "A" attached hereto, have
been removed or otherwise dealt with to the satisfaction of the Town of Aurora.
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PART II-THE AMENDMENT
Introductory Statement
All of this part of the document entitled Part II -The Amendment, consisting of the following
text and attached map, designated Schedule "A" (Land Use Plan) constitutes Amendment Number
8 to the Official Plan of the Town of Aurora.
Details of the Amendment
The Official Plan of the Town of Aurora is hereby amended as follows:
The following policies apply to that part of Lots 17, 18, 19 and 20 in Concession 2 designated
"Rural" and shown on Schedule "A" attached hereto and forming part of this amendment.
i) Notwithstanding the policies set out in Sections 3.6, 3.11.1.4.d, 4.1, 4.2 and
4.14.3, the following additional use may occur on the aforementioned lands shown
on Schedule "A" attached hereto.
An eighteen hole private golf course including clubhouse facilities and
incidental ancillary uses relating to the golf course to be developed by
Magna.
ii) The permitted use described above may only occur on the described lands shown
on Schedule "A" if the following policies are fully complied with, together with
the relevant and applicable policies of the Official Plan.
iii) An overall golf course development concept plan attached as Appendix 1 shall
form the basis for future site plan approvals, as well as the basis for future
environmental studies as required by this amendment. Appendix 1 is provided for
information purposes and does not form part of this amendment. Modifications
to the golf course development scheme, may be permitted resulting from detailed
environmental considerations, detailed design studies or other special studies
required by the Town of Aurora or other approving agencies. Such modifications
shall not require an amendment to this plan provided that the proposed revisions,
in the opinion of the Town, represent sound environmental and land use planning
and have the approval of the relevant approving agencies, namely the Region of
York, Ministry of Natural Resources, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation
Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, hereafter collectively referred
to as the "environmental approving agencies".
iv) The clubhouse and any future ancillary facilities contemplated by this amendment
within the lands shown on Schedule "A" attached hereto shall be developed on the
basis of full municipal water and sanitary services. Accordingly, prior to any
development of uses requiring municipal services, the Regional Commissioner of
Environmental Services shall advise that water and sanitary sewage capacity is
available and has been allocated by resolution of the Town of Aurora. Such
allocation of water and sanitary sewage capacity shall not in any way be construed
as an extension of the Town's urban settlement boundary.
v) Magna shall undertake a detailed environmental study to investigate methods of
protecting and maintaining the function of the existing wetland, and such study
shall include a program to rehabilitate and revegetate the wetland. The terms of
reference for the required study shall be formulated in conjunction with and
approved by the Town of Aurora and the relevant environmental approving
agencies.
\ ____ .·
vi)
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The study findings, recommendations and measures shall be approved by the Town
of Aurora and the relevant environmental approving agencies and form part of a
site plan agreement to be executed between the Town and Magna prior to
development of the golf course.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the environmental study shall
include:
a detailed inventory and description of the function of the wetland;
a detailed description of proposed maintenance and enhancement programs
to existing hydrological and biological features;
an analysis of setback and vegetative buffer requirements with particular
regard to golf course management practices and their impact on the
wetland function;
proposed measures to restrict or prohibit human activity and development
within the wetland;
an analysis of appropriate linkages of the wetland to the Holland River
system via natural corridors; and
all of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) requirements of the
Implementation Guidelines of the Provincial Wetland Policy Statement.
The owner or proponent of the lands shown on Schedule "A" shall undertake a
detailed hydrogeological study to investigate methods of protecting and
maintaining the integrity of groundwater quality and quantity and to establish an
environmentally sound irrigation management system and a Water Conservation
Plan in accordance with the Oak Ridges Moraine Area Draft Strategy, Aprill994
or an approved successor. The terms of reference for the required study shall be
formulated in conjunction with, and approved by the Town of Aurora, the Region
of York, and the relevant environmental approving agencies. The study's primary
objective shall be to minimize the use of water including the deep aquifer and to
minimize water loss by actively promoting water conservation techniques and
through irrigation practices. The water conservation measures shall include
consideration of:
selection of xerographic vegetation and turf grass;
minimization of managed turf area;
grey water re-use for irrigation;
automated irrigation;
drip versus spray techniques;
pre-dawn applications; and
use of storrnwater.
The study's findings, recommendations and measures shall be approved by the
Town of Aurora, the Region of York and the relevant environmental approving
agencies, and form part of a site plan agreement to be executed between the Town
and Magna, prior to commencement of the development of the golf course.
vii) Development on the portion of the mature mixed forest woodlot within the subject
lands shall not be permitted. Magna shall agree in the site plan agreement to
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maintain this portion of the woodlot in a natural, undisturbed state and shall cause
the woodlot to be staked out and surveyed. The limits of the woodlot to be
preserved shall be agreed to by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Town
of Aurora.
viii) Prior to commencement of development of the Golf Course, Magna shall prepare
a storm water management and water quality control study to the satisfaction of the
Town of Aurora and the relevant environmental approving agencies. The study
shall outline measures and recommendations for proper stormwater management
techniques as well as erosion and sedimentation control measures to be employed
on site both during and after construction. The study shall also outline measures
to ensure the implementation of effective techniques to mitigate potential impacts
of the development on the cold water fishery resource of the Holland River, both
during and after construction. This required stormwater management and water
quality control study shall be carried out in conjunction with and be consistent
with the wetland environmental study and the hydrogeological study required by
this amendment.
The stormwater management study shall be submitted to and approved by the
Town of Aurora, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and the
Ministry of Natural Resources. The site plan agreement shall require Magna to
implement the findings and recommendations of the study.
ix) The golf course shall be designed by a qualified golf course architect who shall
submit a detailed design for the golf course and its accessory facilities. The
detailed design shall be consistent with and in accordance with the findings,
recommendations, and implementing measures emanating from the various studies
and requirements of this amendment. The golf course design in addition to the
specific requirements of this amendment, shall minimize changes to existing
landform and protect wherever practicable, additional tree cover outside the
woodlot area to be preserved. Changes to existing landform shall be subject to
approval of the environmental approving agencies.
x) It shall be the policy of Council that a vegetative buffer be established along the
stream banks of any watercourse within the lands shown on Schedule "A". The
width of this buffer shall be a minimum of thirty metres on each side of the
stream, unless otherwise approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. Lands within the vegetative buffer
shall be maintained in a naturally vegetated undisturbed state unless otherwise
approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Lake Simcoe Region
Conservation Authority.
xi) Magna shall prepare a planting plan for the entire golf course. The planting plan
shall be approved by the Town of Aurora and the environmental approving
agencies and the planting plan shall form part of the obligations of Magna in the
site plan agreement.
xii) Magna shall agree in the site plan agreement to prepare a environmentally sound
Golf Course Maintenance Plan by a qualified professional relating to the use and
application of chemicals on the golf course. The Maintenance Plan shall be in
accordance with the requirements of the Oak Ridges Moraine Area Strategy and
be acceptable to the Town of Aurora and the relevant environmental approving
agencies. The site plan agreement shall contain provisions causing Magna to
implement the Maintenance Plan on a continuous ongoing basis and shall be
binding on the operator or manager of the golf course, if other than Magna. The
Maintenance Plan shall be premised on golf course maintenance practices which
xiii)
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are conservative, with applications of fertilizer and pesticides being used on a
minimal basis only. Industry Guidelines for integrated pest management shall be
used. In addition, application of chemicals should, to as great an extent as
possible, be at times when there is a low likelihood of precipitation for a few days
following. The owner shall further agree in the site plan agreement to retain the
services of a qualified golf course superintendent to implement a program of turf
management minimizing areas of managed turf, to ensure that state of the art,
environmentally sound, methodologies will be applied on an ongoing basis.
Further, the site plan agreement shall establish monitoring procedures to ensure
that the Golf Course Maintenance Plan is implemented on an ongoing basis. such
procedures may include state of the art techniques for well monitoring, metering
of water, annual reporting requirements, inspection procedures, spot checking and
other techniques as may be suggested by the environmental approving agencies
and the Town's enviromnental consultant, all of which shall be set out in the
aforementioned site plan agreement.
The Town of Aurora shall retain a qualified environmental consultant to review
the proposed golf course design, maintenance plan, and the various implementing
studies and reports to insure that the pQlicies of the Official Plan and this
amendment are adhered to prior to, and during construction of the golf course.
The Town's environmental consultant may make additional recommendations to
be incorporated into the site plan agreement to implement the intent of the policies
of this amendment. The environmental consultant shall take an active
coordinator/facilitator role to assist in obtaining clearances from the environmental
approving agencies.
xiv) The Town of Aurora shall appoint an on-site environmental inspector to monitor
the implementation of the recommendations of the environmental consultant and
to monitor the fulfillment of the environmental objectives of the
site plan agreement and this amendment. The function and authority of the
environmental inspector including a "stop work" authority shall be set out in the
site plan agreement between Magna and the Town.
xv) Council may apply Interim Control By-laws to the lands shown on Schedule "A",
if Council deems it appropriate for special planning studies to occur which would
require all or portions of the lands to be temporarily protected from premature or
unsuitable development.
xvi) In considering the removal of any holding symbol, Council shall have regard for
the following criteria:
(a) The Corporate Head Office of Magna shall be under active construction
prior to the commencement of construction of the golf course;
(b) The Town of Aurora shall be satisfied that the concerns of all public
agencies having jurisdiction have been resolved, and the environmental
approving agencies shall provide their written consent for the .removal of
the holding symbol; and
(c) The Town of Aurora shall be satisfied that all reports, studies and design
requirements contemplated by this amendment have been carried out and
have received the approval of the relevant approving agency.
xvii) Unless precluded, altered, or exempted by any policies contained herein, all of the
relevant policies of the Official Plan shall apply to the development contemplated
within the lands shown on Schedule "A" attached hereto.
xviii) Council may apply Interim Control By-laws to the lands shown on Schedule "A",
if Council deems it appropriate for special planning studies to occur which would
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require all or portions of the lands to be temporarily protected from premature or
unsuitable development.
Implementation and Interpretation
The implementation and interpretation of this amendment shall be in accordance with the
respective policies of the Aurora Official Plan, and as may more specifically be set out or implied
within the policies contained herein.
..
TOWN OF AURORA OFFICIAL
LEGEND
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AMENDMENT NO. 8
APPENDIX "1"
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APPENDIX 2