Official Plan and Zoning By-law Reviews
Nethery Planning has a long track record of successfully managing municipal policy projects. Our vision, communication skills, and attention to detail instill public trust in our abilities and provide our clients with confidence in achieving a successful process and outcome. We are currently managing or leading the writing of the following Official Plan and Zoning By-law Reviews.
City of Niagara Falls Official Plan (Our Niagara Falls Plan)
Town of Caledon Supplementary Aggregate Resource Policy Study
Town of Collingwood Zoning By-law Review
Town of Oakville Residential Zoning By-law Review
Village of Port Edward Zoning By-law Review
Town of Plympton-Wyoming Zoning By-law Review
Township of Warwick Zoning By-law Review
Case Study
City of Burlington Affordable Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan
Nethery Planning, in collaboration with urbanMetrics and Dillon Consulting, was retained to prepare a housing-focused community improvement plan. This affordable and rental housing CIP supports the City’s significant efforts to address pressing housing needs through the creation of targeted financial incentives that create more rental and affordable housing options. This project and the incentive programs are funded from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).
Client
City of Burlington
Project Type
Community Improvement Plan
Project Status
Completed
Challenges and Solutions
Communicating financial objective, obtain staff ideas and take the additional steps to repackage the financial analysis for Council consumption. Advanced project timelines, clear the resourcing capacity to complete the work. Ensuring whole team alignment, additional meetings with City senior staff were planned to work through Council questions and messaging.
Outcomes
The City of Burlington Affordable and Rental Housing Community Improvement Plan was adopted by Council on April 15, 2025, and the City is now taking applications for financial incentive programs.
CASE STUDY
Wellesley Community Improvement Plan
Nethery Planning was retained by the Township of Wellesley to complete an updated Community Improvement Plan, and the creation of several new incentive programs and design guidelines. This CIP update focuses on providing a collaborative approach, which fosters vibrancy, sustainability, and inclusivity within the Township of Wellesley. Specific programs implemented address local goals related to housing, agri-tourism, pedestrian-friendly spaces, and sustainability. After its adoption, the Township requested Nethery Planning to revise the application form, as well as create postcards for CIP marketing and prepare the notice of adoption. This project and the incentive programs are funded in part by the Ontario Government and the Township of Wellesley.
Client
Township of Wellesley
Project Type
Community Improvement Plan
Project Status
Completed
Challenges and Solutions
The primary challenges associated with this project were the limited budget relative to the scope of work and the need to provide a CIP that accurately represents a large geographic area with multiple settlement areas, each with unique needs and opportunities. Resolutions included additional scope of work to incorporate more stakeholder engagement, and conversations with senior leadership to understand the Region’s involvement, its evolving planning role, and impact on incentives and regional financial participation.
Outcomes
The Township Community Improvement Plan was adopted by council on May 13, 2025, and the Township is now taking applications for financial incentive programs.
Case Study
Vaughan Complete Communities and Movement of Goods and Talent Community Improvement Plans
Nethery Planning with subconsultant support from urbanMetrics, The Local Option, Dillon Consulting, and Mobycon was retained to craft two innovative CIPs for the City of Vaughan. The objective of the Complete Communities CIP is to encourage complete communities in emerging urban areas which support purpose-built rental housing and stimulate non-residential development to increase vibrancy by encouraging a greater mix of uses, such as commercial, retail, major office, curated amenities, and institutional uses in community areas. The focus of the Moving Goods and Talent CIP is to incentivize companies that are a larger contributor to vehicular or truck traffic within the City undertake a transportation strategy.
Client
City of Vaughan
Project Type
Community Improvement Plan
Project Status
Ongoing, anticipated project completion in Q4 2025 or Q1 2026
Challenges and Solutions
As one of the first mobility-centric Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) in Ontario, this initiative required significant stakeholder consultation and in-depth discussions with elected officials and senior leadership to ensure that City priorities were fully reflected in the recommended incentive programs. The project also explored innovative ways to introduce new housing options within a predominantly suburban context, supported by custom financial analysis and tailored responses to staff and Council questions..
Case Study
Cainsville Premier Employment Hub Comprehensive Land Use Strategy
Our work began with a comprehensive background report reviewing policy frameworks, infrastructure capacity, and environmental conditions to establish a foundation for long-term growth. We identified key opportunities and important constraints. The Secondary Plan will guide the future development of Cainsville as a complete community, integrating residential, employment, transportation, and open space needs within a coordinated land use strategy.
Client
The County of Brant
Project Type
Secondary Plan
Project Status
Ongoing
Challenges and Solutions
The zoning framework for the Business Park Employment designation limited the range of accessory uses. Nethery Planning demonstrated through planning rationale and precedent that the proposed retail and recreational uses were consistent with Official Plan policy, maintained the intent of the Zoning By-law, and remained subordinate to the site’s primary function.
Outcomes
Both variances were approved, enabling the property to evolve as a modern, multi-use facility within Markham’s Business Park Employment area.
Case Study
Niagara Falls New Official Plan
The City of Niagara Falls is creating a new Official Plan which will provide a long-term vision to 2051 that guides the City through a future of unprecedented growth, while providing a high-quality living experience for residents and visitors from around the world. Nethery Planning, along with various subconsultants, were retained in early 2024 to lead the project with a full community engagement program, gathering public input and updating legislative requirements to create a new planning approach and user-friendly document.
To date, the project team has completed six Discussion Papers on key community issues (including housing, urban design, sustainability, and economic development), a Policy Directions Report outlining the vision of the new Official Plan, a suite of in-person and virtual engagement events. We are currently creating and refining the new Official Plan text and schedules. A key project goal is to ensure the policies and mapping are ready to effect a quick launch of a zoning review to consolidate and replace four zoning by-laws into a single new document.
Client
The City of Niagara Falls
Project Type
Official Plan
Project Status
Ongoing
Challenges and Solutions
Through planning due diligence, it became apparent that the subject lands previous minor variance completed did not recognize the front yard setbacks of an existing bunkhouse. This was recognized in the OP and ZBL amendments process.
Outcomes
The creation of the six Discussion Papers and Policy Directions Report involved continuous public engagement throughout the process, which has led to an Official Plan drafting process informed by the community’s perspectives and priorities.
Case Study
Town of Caledon Supplementary Aggregate Policy Study
Nethery Planning was the lead consultant for the Town of Caledon’s Supplementary Aggregate Policy Study, which involved project management, policy creation, and extensive public engagement. The Study generated out of an Interim Control By-law Process and ran parallel to the Town’s Official Plan Review. Both staff and the public sought a hands-on project manager to ensure delivery of the project within legislative timelines and in an environment of transparency, collaboration, and mutual trust.
This process involved the development, alongside a professional facilitator, of an engagement program involving online and in-person events, Council reports and presentations, meeting with project stakeholders, facilitating conversations with Provincial planning staff—all within a set nine-month period. Additional project components include a Council training workshop, facilitation of a project open house and statutory public meeting, and organization of “small group” technical discussions for a resident working group.
Client
Town of Caledon
Project Type
Policy Study resulting in an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment
Project Status
Completed (October 2024)
Challenges and Solutions
Key challenges included the contentious subject matter and balancing of various stakeholder perspectives. Nethery Planning addressed these challenges by creating and delivering a comprehensive, thoughtful public engagement program that checked in with residents and proponents at every stage of the policy development process.
Outcomes
The Study culminated in Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments, which contained innovative, legislatively sound aggregate policy.
Case Study
Town of Caledon Aggregate Implementation Projects
Nethery Planning has been retained by the Town of Caledon to complete 6 aggregate policy implementation projects that arised out of the Supplementary Aggregate Policy Study which Nethery completed in October 2024. These aggregate implementation projects are varied in their deliverables, including update reports, background reports, Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, and terms of reference documents. The projects include:
Aggregate Standards Manual;
Town-wide Official Plan Amendment;
Rehabilitation Master Plan;
Excess Soil Official Plan Amendment;
Recycled Aggregate Strategy; and
Mapping of Ecologically Sensitive Groundwater Recharge Areas.
Client
Town of Caledon
Project Type
Various (Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Amendments, Policy Reports)
Project Status
Ongoing
Challenges and Solutions
Key challenges include balancing competing or overlapping project deadlines and managing political sensitives. Nethery Planning addresses these issues through proactive project management, such as consistent check-ins on work plan status, as well as cross-collaboration between Town of Caledon departments to ensure projects across the Town are aligned.
Case Study
Town of Collingwood Zoning By-law
Nethery Planning is part of the project team the Town of Collingwood retained following the approval of a new Official Plan to prepare a new Comprehensive Zoning By-law. The project includes a series of technical papers and a summary Strategic Directions Report, three rounds of planned public engagement and two drafts of the new by-law itself. By-law passage is anticipated later in 2025.
Client
Town of Collingwood
Project Type
Comprehensive Zoning By-law Update
Project Status
Ongoing
Challenges and Solutions
The Zoning By-law review is happening concurrently with ongoing Official Plan appeals, requiring our team to implement a triage system to manage the appeals while ensuring that scoping reports provide the necessary strategic direction.