After Years of Development and Engagement, Envision Receives Final Approval
Envision St. John’s Municipal Plan and Development Regulations were given final approval by Council today and are now being forwarded to the Provincial Government. Once registered by the Province and gazetted, Envision St. John’s will come into legal effect.
The Envision St. John’s Municipal Plan is Council’s policy document for present and future land use and development and Development Regulations set out standards which implement Council’s land-use policies. These documents are enabled by the Newfoundland and Labrador Urban and Rural Planning Act, 2000.
“This is a significant day for this Council, the previous Council and the City, following years of planning, preparation and public consultation,” explained Councillor Maggie Burton, Council lead on Planning and Development. “No other document produced by the City to date has been through the level of rigor and public engagement that Envision has been over the last decade."
Council recently adopted Envision St. John’s and referred it to a final public hearing process, culminating years of teamwork and effort.
Envision was first published in 2014, edited in 2017, updated to 2019 for adoption-in-principle, received a provincial release, and was adopted by Council in May 2021. The draft Envision Development Regulations followed a similar timeline.
“Envision St. John’s reflects the directions of Council, the comments of the public and the efforts of City staff,” said Mayor Breen. “The input of many interested citizens, community groups, property owners and businesses helped to shape the plan and we are very pleased to take this final step today.”
Under the Urban and Rural Planning Act, a municipal plan is adopted for a 10-year planning period, with a regular review every five (5) years. The current St. John’s Municipal Plan, 2003, and St. John’s Development Regulations, 1994, have been amended many times and remain in effect until the new Envision Plan and Regulations have been approved by Council, registered by the Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, and published in the Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette.
Regarding the Heritage By-Law, a notice of motion tabled at the meeting today will send the Heritage By-Law for final approval on September 13, 2021. Envision continues the City’s policies on heritage and its ongoing protection and future use. Many of the standards and regulations in the St. John’s Development Regulations are being transferred to the new St. John’s Heritage By-Law, and feedback gathered through recent public engagement has been incorporated in the document.