Planning Committee approves City Initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for Energy Storage Systems 10-0

Report PED26093 was about the City’s Official Plan review program, including a presentation. It described how the program had evolved since the City launched its last Official Plan review in 2017 as part of the Growth-Related Integrated Development Strategy and noted that Council last received an Official Plan review program report on February 14, 2017 through Report PED17010.

The report noted that the City had not undertaken a Section 26 review of the Rural Hamilton Official Plan since it came into force in 2012 and that the other two plans that remained in force were the Former City of Hamilton Official Plan (1982) and the Former Region of Hamilton Wentworth Official Plan (1995). It stated that many applications were evaluated under the wrong official plans, that a full review of four official plans every five years would represent a monumental task, and that the uncertainty associated with urban boundary expansion applications made it challenging to continue Official Plan review work.

The report outlined recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments to regulate energy storage systems. It stated that the purpose and effect of the Urban Hamilton Official Plan Amendment was to add policies and definitions for energy storage systems, that utility owned battery energy storage systems would be permitted in all designations as per existing policies, and that private energy storage facilities would be permitted in certain designations subject to criteria, including site-specific zoning by-law amendments and limits in the Rural designation.

The motion, as recorded in the minutes:

City Initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for Energy Storage Systems (City Wide) (i) (Cassar/A. Wilson) That the staff presentation from Scott Turnbull, Planner I, respecting City Initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for Energy Storage Systems (City Wide), be received. CARRIED Chair Tadeson called three times for public delegations and no one came forward. (ii) (Cassar/A. Wilson) (i) That there were no public submissions received regarding this matter; and, (ii) That the public meeting be closed.

Every figure above comes from the official minutes and the recorded vote they contain. The roll call shows how each member voted.

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