Town Dock Secondary Plan

TAKE NOTICE THAT the Town of Penetanguishene has initiated an Official Plan Amendment to the Town’s Official Plan to adopt a Secondary Plan and Master Plan for the Town Dock under Section 22 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13. (File No. Official Plan Amendment OPA-2022-01)

AND TAKE NOTICE THAT pursuant to Sections 22 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, Council of the Town of Penetanguishene will hold a Public Meeting on April 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be dealt with in the Council Chambers Townhall, 10 Robert Street West, Penetanguishene to consider the application.

Written comments may be submitted by email to planning@penetanguishene.ca or in writing to the Town of Penetanguishene Planning and Community Development Department, 10 Robert Street West, P.O. Box 5009, Penetanguishene, ON L9M 2G2 If you are submitting letters, faxes, emails, presentations, or other communications with the Town concerning this application, you should be aware that your name and the fact you communicated with the Town will become part of the public record. The Town will also make your communication and any personal information in it available to the public, unless you expressly request the Town to remove it.

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT

The Official Plan Amendment proposes to remove the Future Study Overlay from the Town Dock lands on Schedule B1 to the Town’s Official Plan to adopt a Secondary Plan and Master Plan for the lands. The Plans are available to view on this project page (see menu on the right side of this page)

The Secondary Plan and Master Plan are intended to establish land use planning policies to help manage change over time. The Plans support the long‑term revitalization of the Town Dock area and represent an exciting opportunity to create a new community vision for the Town Dock, reimagining it as an exceptional public space for current and future generations.

Note that the County of Simcoe is the approval authority for Official Plan Amendments in the Town of Penetanguishene. If approved by Town Council, the Secondary Plan and Master Plan would be provided to the County for final approval.

APPEAL

If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the Council of the Town of Penetanguishene to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town before the proposed Official Plan Amendment is adopted or, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Penetanguishene before the proposed Official Plan Amendment is adopted the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Further information regarding this matter can be obtained by visiting the Town of Penetanguishene Townhall at 10 Robert Street West, Penetanguishene, by email planning@penetanguishene.ca or by telephone at 705-549-7453. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Penetanguishene on the applications, you must make a written request to the Planning and Community Development Department 10 Robert Street West, P.O. Box 5009, Penetanguishene, Ontario L9M 2G2 or by email to planning@penetanguishene.ca.

TIME AND LOCATION

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers, Town Hall 10 Robert Street West Penetanguishene.

PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC MEETING

The purpose of the Public Meeting will be for Council to hear and consider public comments related to the proposed Draft Official Plan Amendment to implement the Town Dock Secondary Plan and Master Plan for the Town Dock lands pursuant to the provisions of Section 17 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter P.13.

PURPOSE OF THE TOWN DOCK SECONDARY PLAN AND MASTER PLAN

The Town Dock Project provided an exciting opportunity to develop a community vision for the Town Dock and reimagine it as an exceptional public space for current and future generations. The Secondary Plan and accompanying Master Plan will serve as high level tools that build upon an existing policy framework to guide design and development. They include land use planning policies to manage change strategically over time and achieve the ultimate vision to revitalize the Town Dock area.

APPROVAL OF THE SECONDARY PLAN AND MASTER PLAN

Upon adoption of the new Town Dock Secondary Plan and Master Plan by an Official Plan Amendment, the Plan will be forwarded to the County of Simcoe for approval. As such, this proposed Official Plan is not subject to appeal until approved by the County.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Further information regarding this matter can be obtained by visiting the Town of Penetanguishene Townhall at 10 Robert Street West, Penetanguishene, by email planning@penetanguishene.ca or by telephone at 705-549-7453. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Penetanguishene on the matter, you must make a written request to the Planning and Community Development Department 10 Robert Street West, P.O. Box 5009, Penetanguishene, Ontario L9M 2G2 or by email to planning@penetanguishene.ca.

On August 13, 2025, The Town's Committee of the Whole will consider a report from staff with the updated Town Dock Secondary Plan and Master Plan, as endorsed by the Town Dock Technical Advisory Committee. View the meeting agenda and staff report here: Town of Penetanguishene - Meeting Information.

Through this report, it is recommended that additional public consultation be conducted, including a public meeting in October, to obtain public feedback on the revised plans. More information regarding public consultation will be posted on this project page.

The next steps to finalize the plans are identified in the table below.

The Town Dock Secondary Plan project originally kicked off in 2020. Since then, substantial work has been completed to advance the project which is summarized below.

Background materials referenced below are available to view under the "background documents" sidebar (right) of the project page.