Urban Centres Secondary Plan

Urban Centres Secondary Plan Technical Amendment - The Town has adopted OPA 25, a technical amendment to the Urban Centres Secondary Plan. The purpose of OPA 25 is to clarify the original intent of the policies, implement recommendations of recently approved planning documents, and resolve inconsistencies between policies and schedules. The effect of the Official Plan Amendment is to have updated land use policies and schedules that align with Provincial, Regional and Town approved planning documents. OPA 25 is pending Regional approval. 

Zoned-in Land Uses, Heights & Densities - The Town has approved the Urban Centres Zoning By-law.  This is a separate zoning by-law specifically for the Urban Centres, which implements the Urban Centres Secondary Plan’s land uses, heights, densities and urban design policies at the zoning level.  Of specific importance, this document ‘zones in’ greater heights and densities as a means to add value to these properties within the Urban Centres and encourage their redevelopment.   

Development Charge Deferral - The Town has updated its Development Charge Deferral Policy.  This policy sets out two options for deferring the Town's development charges: a Standard Approach (36 months), and an Enhanced Approach (48 months).  The policy describes criteria and process for each of these approaches.  

Prioritized Servicing - The Town has updated its Servicing Allocation Policy, which prioritizes development proposals located within the Urban Centres.

Competitive Parkland Requirements - The Town has enacted a Parkland Dedication Bylaw which reflects current best practices regarding parkland ratios, and allows a range of urban parkland typologies / cash-in-lieu options.  This By​-law is focused on incentivizing redevelopment within the Urban Centres.  More information on the Parkland Dedication By-law is are available here​.

Reduced Parking Requirements - The Town's parking requirements in the Urban Centres have been updated to reduce the number of required spaces for new developments within the Urban Centres. This will encourage the redevelopment of these areas by reducing hard costs, as well as supporting public transit ridership and reducing congestion.  New parking requirements include minimum and maximum ranges, account for number of bedrooms, and are anticipated to accommodate a greater number of developments.  The new parking standards are included in the amending Zoning By-law, available here.

​Height and Density Bonusing - The Town has prepared Height and Density Bonusing Implementation Guidelines.  These Guidelines provide practical direction around the high-level Bonusing policies of the Secondary Plan and include clear procedure on how such requests are to be processed. 

Community Improvement Plan - Portions of the Davis Drive Corridor are also within the Historic Downtown Newmarket Community Improvement Plan (CIP) area, and are therefore able to take advantage of the financial incentives that form part of this Plan​. These incentives include:​

​​Redevelopment and Rehabilitation Tax Incentive Program (a tax-increment-equivalent financing program (TIEF)

Development Charges Rebate/Credit Program

Planning and Building Fees Rebate/Credit Program

Parking Requirement Program

Parkland Dedication Exemption Program