Alton Village Study Draft Phase 1 Background ... - Town of Caledon

2.3 Town of Caledon Official Plan
The Town of Caledon Official Plan contains a series of principles, goals, objectives and
policies which are intended to guide future land use, physical development and change, and
the effects on the social, economic and natural environment within the Town. The Official
Plan was first approved in 1979 and certain sections, including Strategic Direction,
Settlements (OPA 114) and the Environmental Policies (OPA 124) as they apply in
Settlement Areas, were updated and approved in 1997. The Mineral Resources policies
(OPA 161) and Environmental policies (OPA 124) as they apply in rural areas were approved
in 2003. The Heritage Impact Statement (OPA 173) policies were approved in 2004.
2.3.1 Principles, Strategic Direction and Goals
The Official Plan recognizes that Caledon, due to its size, diversity of communities, extent of
natural resources, composition, and relationship to the Region of Peel and the Greater
Toronto Area is subject to diverse and often competing forces. Chapter 2 of the Official Plan
sets out the Principles, Strategic Direction and Goals of the Town in dealing with these often
competing and constantly evolving forces. Three primary concepts are established in this
section:
a) Stewardship of Resources - A key strategy of the Official Plan is to protect land
resources including landscape features and systems, important ecological functions and
resources that provide economical or recreational opportunities.
b) Settlement Patterns - A hierarchy of settlements will be maintained which reinforces
the concept of Caledon being a “community of communities”. This approach is vital to
maintaining the social fabric of the Town because the historic settlement pattern has left
a legacy of individual communities each with special characteristics. Although these
communities all now fall within one administrative jurisdiction, the strategy is to
maintain their individuality while allowing the Town to grow. Within this hierarchy,
new development will be concentrated in Bolton, Caledon East and Mayfield West, the
three communities with full municipal water and sewer services, and where the major
commercial and public facilities are located. The Villages and Hamlets will only
experience moderate growth during the Plan period.
c) Managing Growth - The Town intends to manage growth in a manner consistent with
the Principles of the Official Plan. This means that the rate and type of growth
permitted in some communities may be different from that which would otherwise be
dictated by the market.
The Official Plan also sets out a series of Town-wide Goals, Objectives and detailed policies
which implement the Strategic Direction. Specific goals and objectives for Alton will be
developed through the Alton Village Study. The draft goals and objectives developed in
Phase 1 and are listed in Chapter 7 of this report.
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