Community Improvement Plan

Project Update: January 2021

On January 11, 2021 Council for the Town of The Blue Mountains considered Staff Report PDS.21.011(External link). As a result, Council has adopted two new Community Improvement Plans (CIPs). The Notice of Decision, CIP documents, and relevant bylaws are provided in the document list:

• Notice of Decision – Housing Within Reach Community Improvement Plan(External link)
• Housing Within Reach Community Improvement Plan(External link)
• Housing Within Reach Community Improvement Project Area Bylaw(External link)
• Housing Within Reach CIP Adoption Bylaw(External link)
• Notice of Decision – Town-wide Revitalization Community Improvement Plan(External link)
• Town-wide Revitalization Community Improvement Plan(External link)
• Town-wide Revitalization Community Improvement Project Area Bylaw(External link)
• Town-wide Revitalization CIP Adoption Bylaw(External link)

After both CIP’s are in full force and effect, Town staff will provide a follow-up report to Town Council in the future regarding administration of the plan and recommended funding for 2021 CIP programs.

If you have any questions regarding the CIP’s, please feel free to email CIP@thebluemountains.ca(External link) with a copy to Robert.rappolt@wsp.com(External link)

To view a recording of the CIP Open House please click the link below: https://thebluemountains.ca/council-calendar.cfm?action=viewdetail&eventid=3356&viewtype=bydate&categoryid=2

What is a Community Improvement Plan

The Town is undertaking a study to prepare a new Community Improvement Plan (CIP) with a focus on attainable housing as well as refresh another separate existing CIP. A CIP is a planning and economic development tool that municipalities may use to facilitate broad community revitalization goals through grants or loans to private property owners and tenants. This Project will consider opportunities for the Town to administer grants or loans to encourage private sector investment in attainable housing. It will also consider opportunities to update to the existing Commercial Core CIP in light of recent economic challenges due to the Pandemic.

Does the Town already have a Community Improvement Plan?

In 2011, the Town of The Blue Mountains completed a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for its three commercial core areas (Thornbury, Clarksburg, and Craigleith). To view the 2011 CIP, please visit: https://www.thebluemountains.ca/document_viewer.cfm?doc=1196. The consulting team hired at the time worked closely with the Town that helped guide the preparation of the CIP. The CIP was also informed and guided by an extensive program of community consultation, as well as oversight from Town Council. The purpose of the CIP was the following:

1. Identify the physical, economic, and other strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in relation to the revitalization and redevelopment of the three commercial core areas in the Town;
2. Articulate a general vision for the Thornbury, Clarksburg and Craigleith commercial core areas;
3. Define an appropriate community improvement project areas;
4. Specify a planning, design and sustainability strategy that contains recommended public realm improvements and revisions to policy and regulatory documents, and design guidelines that can be used to guide infill development, façade improvement, streetscape design, and greenfield development in a sustainable manner; and,
5. Develop a toolbox of incentive programs that can be offered by the Town to directly stimulate private sector investment in the revitalization and redevelopment of the three commercial core areas.

Project Information

If you have any questions regarding the CIP’s, please feel free to email CIP@thebluemountains.ca(External link) with a copy to Robert.rappolt@wsp.com

To view a recording of the CIP Open House please click the link below:

https://thebluemountains.ca/council-calendar.cfm?action=viewdetail&eventid=3356&viewtype=bydate&categoryid=2