I remember in 1989 the people of Schomberg were really engaged in the review of a community plan for Schomberg. The process resulted in a great plan for the future of the village. This plan was instrumental in recognising historic Main Street and protecting the Dufferin Marsh.
I have seen many changes in our Township since 1989. The population in Schomberg and the adjacent area has grown dramatically and the once rural character has been overpowered by fast cars, noise, light and the detritus of modern human existence.
In this context, the Township of King has started another review process to set the stage for the future of Schomberg and King Township to 2031. Instead of having separate plans for each community this time the process includes the whole of the Township. This document sets out the policies for the Villages of King City, Nobleton and Schomberg, the hamlets and rural areas.
The current Official Plan (and separate Community Plans) is very old and needs updating. However what is driving the policies are external pressures from the Province and Regional governments. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, the Greenbelt Plan, and the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan provide, for the most part, effective protection for rural King. The Province’s Growth Plan 2017 encourages population growth to remain within existing community boundaries in order to protect the rural landscape.
Each of King City, Nobleton and Schomberg have prescribed areas where existing residential neighbourhoods are open to intensification (ie: higher density redevelopment). In Schomberg the main area proposed for intensification by the draft Official Plan is the village core along Main Street (even though the Province identified a much larger area for possible intensification). This proposal provides a vision for either opportunity or disaster. In my next post we will look at 2 areas in Schomberg along Main Street that are being proposed for redevelopment.