As the Town of Newmarket continues to grow, the Town will exprience tranisition of neighbourhoods where older homes are being replaced with newer homes. In some cases, the new homes may not seem to fit with the overall character of the neighbourhood.
As a result, the Town characterized all established neighbourhoods in Newmarket and developed/revised policies and zoning regulations to guide new developments to be compatible with the existing neighbourhood.
On December 14, 2020, Council approved OPA 29 and Zoning By-law 2020-63, which implemented the recommendations from the Established Neighbourhood Study. The approval of OPA 29 and By-law 2020-63, which are both in full force and effect, concluded the Established Neighbourhoods Compatibility Study.
Reports and Presentations
Past Meetings
Council
When: December 14, 2020
Where: Streamed live online at newmarket.ca/meetings as the Municipal Offices are closed to the public. This meeting will also be recorded and archived online.
Committee of the Whole
When: October 26, 2020 at 1 p.m.
Where: Streamed live online at newmarket.ca/meetings as the Municipal Offices are closed to the public. This meeting will also be recorded and archived online.
Special Committee of the Whole Meeting
When: September 22, 2020 at 2 p.m.
Where: Streamed live online at newmarket.ca/meetings as the Municipal Offices are closed to the public. This meeting will also be recorded and archived online.
Statutory Public Meeting
When: August 31, 2020 at 1 p.m.
Where: Streamed live online at newmarket.ca/meetings as the Municipal Offices are closed to the public. This meeting will also be recorded and archived online.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What was this study?
In order to achieve greater compatibility for new builds and redevelopments within an established residential neighbourhood, the Town amended the
Official Plan and zoning by-laws and defined Newmarket's existing neighbourhoods and developed specific policies based on neighbourhood characteristics.
Why was the study done?
Residential trends in Newmarket are shifting from suburban growth to urban intensification and redevelopment. Concerns had been raised regarding the compatibility of new homes or additions to existing homes that comply with the current zoning by-law regulations, but are considered to be out of character with the built form of the established neighbourhoods in which they are located.
One of the fundamental objectives of planning and zoning is to ensure compatibility between properties and land uses. Compatibility is achieved in part by regulating land use and built form.
As such, Council directed staff to study all existing established neighbourhoods, examined the regulatory framework of the Town's
Zoning By-law and
Official Plan, and propose recommendations that will assist in maintaining the existing character of mature neighbourhoods.
Who was conducting this study?
The Town awarded SvN Architects + Planners as the Town's consultant for this project .
What about public engagement?
Open House
On May 16, 2019, the Town of Newmarket and SvN held a Public Open House and Design Workshop for the Neighbourhoods Official Plan Amendment. At this event, participants were given the opportunity to view display boards and after a brief overview, participate in a rotating series of individual and group-based exercises. These aimed to identify neighbourhoods by name, extents, organizational structure, amenities and key destinations, while defining their key elements and characteristics.
The materials provided at the Public Open House and Design Workshop for the Neighbourhoods Official Plan Amendment are linked below:
Farmer's Markets
Planning staff and SvN held Public Information Centres at farmer's market at Riverwalk Commons in July and October to provide information and seek feedback from residents. Findings from the consultation events are discussed in the reports linked earlier on this webpage.
Who can I contact for more information?
For more information please contact planning@newmarket.ca.