Planning Documents

MPS provides assistance to municipalities on a contract basis to prepare or review Area Redevelopment Plans.

An Area Redevelopment Plan is a document intended to guide land use and re-development in a specific area of a municipality. Area Redevelopment Plans allow municipalities to implement specialized or more detailed land use and development controls for special areas within their borders that have unique characteristics or include sensitive lands.

MPS provides assistance to municipalities on a contract basis to prepare or review Area Structure Plans. An Area Structure Plan is a document intended to guide land use and development in a specific area of a municipality. Area Structure Plans allow municipalities to implement specialized or more detailed land use and development controls for special areas within their borders that have unique characteristics or include sensitive lands.

Area Structure Planning projects typically result in the creation of two major deliverables:

Background Study: Often based on a watershed planning approach, this study provides detailed background information on different project components and analysis of this background information.

Area Structure Plan Provides polices to guide future decisions about development and land uses in the Study Area. The Area Structure Plan will include a recommended generalized future land use map for the area. Core information is organized into: resource inventory and evaluation, current land use and development, planning issues and community concerns, and evaluation of impact of development on the area.

The Process for completing an Area Structure Plan includes 6 phases:

Phase 1 - organization and background study;

Phase 2 - analysis and synthesis;

Phase 3 - draft Background Report, and review;

Phase 4 - final Background Report, and draft Area Structure Plan;

Phase 5 - public hearing;

Phase 6 - Area Structure Plan goes before Council for adoption through bylaw.

At each phase of the project Council provides feedback and information to the Plan. Community members and stakeholders are also provided with multiple opportunities in contribute to the planning process.

MPS provides assistance to municipalities on a contract basis to prepare or review Intermunicipal Development Plan.

An Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) is a land use planning tool prepared jointly by neighbouring municipalities. This statutory plan requires adoption by the Councils of all municipalities with lands included in the Plan Area. An IDP provides for a cooperative and coordinated policy approach to land use planning strategies, subdivision and development in fringe areas deemed common to municipalities. IDP's must include a dispute resolution process in case differing opinions arise in the course of implementation of the plan. Often, IDP's also include processes for land annexation.

A Municipal Development Plan (also called an MDP) is a municipality's guiding document for growth. It contains the community's vision for the future and by establishing specific polices, it provides a "road-map" to achieve that vision. Policies are typically developed for all areas that affect growth, such as:

• The use of undeveloped land

• Future transportation networks

• Environmental and Heritage Resource Management

• Development of utilities

• How the municipality funds growth and development

As the main document for growth and development, all other municipal plans, regulations, bylaws and standards must match the vision and direction of the MDP.

MPS has experience preparing non-statutory planning documents and conducting studies in a diverse range of areas. Projects can be tailored to meet the targeted needs of each community we work with. Examples include:

• Strategic Plans

• Parks and Recreation Master Plans

• Heritage Plans

• Sustainability Plans

• Watershed and/or Water Conservation Plans