Notice of Open House and Public Meeting

An Open House, as noted above, will be held in the Sir Mackenzie Bowell Room of Belleville City Hall (169 Front Street) on April 21, 2026, at 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. to allow the public to review the draft Official Plan Amendment resulting from the Official Plan Review undertaken for the City of Belleville.

A Public Meeting, as noted above, will be held in the Council Chambers of Belleville City Hall (169 Front Street) on May 4, 2026, at 5:30 P.M. to allow the public to comment on the draft Official Plan Amendment resulting from the Official Plan Review undertaken for the City of Belleville.

The Planning Act requires that a municipality’s Official Plan:

• has regard to matters of provincial interest;
• is consistent with provincial policy statements; and
• addresses recent legislative changes.

The Planning Act further stipulates that a municipality’s Official Plan be updated not more than 10 years after first approval and not more than every 5 years thereafter. The City’s current Official Plan was adopted by Council in 2021 and approved by the Province in 2023. The Province has made numerous changes to provincial legislation in recent years and issued a new Provincial Planning Statement in 2024. In addition, the City has made a commitment to update residential policies to support and encourage missing middle housing. The City has therefore determined it is appropriate to review and update the Official Plan to ensure it conforms to recent changes to provincial planning legislation and the Provincial Planning Statement, 2024, as well as to consider issues or matters identified in comments by the public or agencies.

A draft Official Plan Amendment has been prepared to update the Official Plan that includes changes that will affect all lands within the City of Belleville. For this reason, no key map showing affected lands is provided.

Additional information regarding the Official Plan Review can be viewed at: https://getinvolved.belleville.ca/official-plan-review

Purpose of the Open House and Public Meeting:

The Open House and Public Meeting are held in accordance with the requirements of the Sections 17 and 26 of Planning Act. The Open House is intended to provide an opportunity for the public to review and ask questions about the draft Official Plan Amendment. The Public Meeting is intended to provide an opportunity to offer comments on proposed changes to the Official Plan being advanced by the draft Official Plan Amendment.

Open House details:

Please note that the Open House will be held in person only. There will be no virtual or online participation option available.

How to watch the Public Meeting:

If you are unable to attend, the Public Meeting will be streamed live, available for viewing on the Belleville City Hall YouTube channel (youtube.com/BellevilleCityHall). The video will also be posted online following the meeting in the event you were unable to watch it live at the time it occurred.

How to submit comments:

You may submit correspondence regarding the Official Plan Review by mail or in person at: Belleville City Hall, 169 Front Street, Belleville, K8N 2Y8, or by email at: planning@belleville.ca.

How to appeal the decision:

If a person or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the City of Belleville 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 City of Belleville before the bylaw is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision and that 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 do so. Please be further advised that written submissions received prior to the public meeting may be made available to the Applicant.

Personal Information Disclaimer:

Personal information collected as a result of this public process is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the Planning Act, and all other relevant legislation, and will be used to assist in making a decision on this matter. All personal information (as defined by MFIPPA), including (but not limited to) names, addresses, opinions and comments collected will form part of the public record which will be made available, at the meeting, through requests, and through the website of the Corporation of the City of Belleville. Questions regarding the collection, use and disclosure of this personal information may be directed to the City Clerk, Regular Council Meeting, 169 Front Street, Belleville, Ontario K8N 2Y8.

For more information:

Please contact the Policy Planning Section, Engineering & Development Services Department by email: planning@belleville.ca or by telephone: 6139673224.

DATED at the City of Belleville this 09, day of April 2026