Information
FAQ's
Resources
Here you'll find answers to your questions, planning terms & what they mean, and other helpful information you can use in learning and assessing what's being planned for Midtown Oakville.
Resource
Documents
The May 23rd Motion
That the proposed Midtown draft OPA be reviewed by Committee of the Whole and staff, in accordance with section 5.6 of the Procedure By-law 2020-011, and that the committee undertakes to report on the Town-initiated Official Plan Amendment - Midtown Oakville Urban Growth Centre (File No. 42.15.59) that should include, but not limited to:
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Comprehensive public consultations and information sharing and review by external subject matter experts on the proposed OPA including urban design, public realm, park space, community building, transportation plan and development density.
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A review of best planning practices for Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA) across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and any other relevant urban plan.
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Options to embed in the OPA, mandatory climate change initiatives for the area
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A review of a potential comprehensive Community Master Plan for the entire midtown area to include phasing options.
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A review and analysis of Midtown and our six growth nodes population forecasts to build out, including the methodology which will assist us in determining the achievement of the mandated Town population growth by 2051 and understanding future capacity and an impact assessment.
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Consideration of the Parks, Recreation, Library Master Plan, and Transportation Master plans currently underway and the Parks Plan to be reviewed in Q4 and how these integral plans will support a vibrant livable Midtown.
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An understanding of the required infrastructure timing and the Province, Metrolinx and stakeholder commitment.
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Any other subjects committee members feel are relevant to make the best planning decisions possible for the future of Oakville and the most favourable precedent for future MTSAs.
Proposed
Policies
Each of the map illustrations below represents a different facet of the proposed policies for Midtown as of May 23, 2023 - land use, density, FSI, etc. Each can be enlarged for viewing by clicking on the image.
About FSI: Also known as the floor area ratio (FAR), FSI is the relationship between the total amount of usable floor area and the total area of the property on which it stands. It is determined by dividing the gross floor area of the building by the gross area of the lot.
Residents' Reactions:
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The transition from using storeys or meters/feet in defining and controlling the built form of buildings in Midtown has resulted in confusion. Now, it is not transparent to the public what height and density would be allowed on each property and the cumulative impact over the 43 hectares/106 acres.
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The current Midtown OP also references units per hectare, raising the question of what the proposed OP will allow in terms of units per hectare? When we read of density, we often see it represented as 'x' people per square kilometre. We need the compare apples to apples.
Land Use
Land Use refers to the use of a land and how it will be permited to be used, it can also be referred to as zoning. This proposal would have zoned the vast majority of midtown urban centre or urban core which are both mixed-use land uses, as urban centre and which means that there could be a combination of residential, commercial, and retail on each site.
Density
Density in this case refers to the Floor-Space-Index (FSI), also known as FAR, which is the number of times the area of a lot could be multiplied to determine the buildings total floor area. A 10 FSI seen here would mean that each lot area would be multiplied by 10 to get the total buildable area. This is significantly higher
than is seen in Liberty Village or The Distillery District in Toronto. To learn how this compares to units/hectare or height see the 2021 servicing estimates.
Transportation
The transportation proposal showed vehicular traffic directed along a realigned Cross Avenue, and a grade separation at Chartwell road.
Public Realm
The majority of the parks and open space proposed in this plan would be provided through promenade and urban squares which
would be hard surfaces, not green space.
Map of Oakville's Urban Structure
With Estimates of People & Jobs by Growth Area
Forecast of Population and Employment - Oakville 2021 - 2051
Forecast of Population and Employment - By Growth Area
Spreadsheet - October 10 2023 Meeting
Town & Region 2021 Area Servicing Plan
Terms & Definitions
FSI
Also known as the floor area ratio (FAR), FSI is the relationship between the total amount of usable floor area and the total area of the property on which it stands. It is determined by dividing the gross floor area of the building by the gross area of the lot.
Major Transit Station Area (MTSA)
The provincial government's Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe area defines an MTSA as the area including and around any existing or planned higher order transit station or stop within a settlement area; or the area including and around a major bus depot in an urban core. Major transit station areas generally are defined as the area within an approximate 500 to 800 metre radius of a transit station, representing about a 10-minute walk. (Note: The the Ontario government announced that a new Provincial Planning Statement will replace the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 (the “PPS”) and A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the “Growth Plan”). A draft of the proposed Provincial Planning Statement is available on the Environmental Registry of Ontario for review and comment until June 5, 2023).
Urban Growth Centre (UGC)
Urban Growth Centres are existing or emerging downtown areas identified by the Growth Plan. These centres are to be transit-supportive, mixed-use development. Midtown is a Designated Urban Growth Centre within Halton Region along with Downtown Burlington and Downtown Milton.
Midtown Oakville is not only an Urban Growth Centre, it is also a Major Transit Station Area.
As-of-Right Zoning
Entitlement of the owner of property to use or develop it, without recourse to a public hearing process or a vote of municipal council, if the proposed use accords with the zoning by-laws.
Hectares and Square Kilometres
The unit of population density is typically people per square kilometre. 100 hectares = 1 sq. km
In the case of Midtown, the overall size of the delineated area is just over 100 hectares, with a developable area of about 43 ha. To put size into easy context, those 43 hectares would equal about 106 football fields.
Questions & Answers
A selection of the most common questions on Midtown.
What Are Green Development Standards?
Where are Oakville's Growth Areas?
Uptown Core
Palermo Village
Midtown Oakville
Kerr Village
Downtown Oakville
Bronte Village
What's an MZO?
The Planning Act authorizes the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to make a minister's zoning order (MZO) for regulating the use of land, buildings and structures anywhere in Ontario. If there is a conflict between an MZO and a municipal zoning by-law, the MZO prevails.
Additionally, in April 2023 new legislation now gives the Minister the power, by order, to amend an official plan if the Minister is of the opinion that the plan is likely to adversely affect a matter of provincial interest.
Still Have Questions?
Use our handy contact form and send us a note. We'll do our best to answer your question.
What's the Difference Urban Parks and Greenspace?
Recent changes at the provincial level now allow elements like urban squares, public commons and promenades to be counted as parkland. Be clear when you state your opinions on parks.
Is there a Master Plan for Midtown I can look at?
Unfortunately, there is no master plan that offers a comprehensive outline of all elements such as the use and creation of land, public infrastructure projects, coordination of construction, etc.
