M. Rodrigues, Senior Planner, Planning and Housing Policy, joined the meeting to share an overview of Kitchener 2051, and to seek the committee’s input about upcoming engagement in phase 2 of the project.
Staff provided background information about Kitchener 2051: the Official Plan is a long-term strategy for managing physical growth and change as we grow to become a city of up to 450,000 people. Kitchener’s current Official Plan (2014) is now 10+ years old, and the City is required to update its Official Plan every 10 years to conform to Provincial legislation. Kitchener 2051 is a process to prepare a new Official Plan that will guide growth and shape the way that neighbourhoods evolve and change over the next 25 years.
Key topics covered in the presentation included Process and Timelines; Strategic Plan Alignment; Kitchener 2051 Components; Goals and Objectives; and Phase 2 Overview. During the presentation, staff addressed questions and comments from the committee (the staff presentation has been appended to these meeting minutes for reference).
In response to inquiries from staff, committee members offered suggestions and ideas for reaching a wider audience, with a focus on engaging children and youth, older adults, and newcomers. They also proposed potential locations for pop-up consultations.
Following this, committee members engaged in a discussion about building trust and fostering relationships with community groups.