Urban Plan and By-Laws Revision Process
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Working towards a collective vision for the development of the territory of Sutton
In January 2024, the Town of Sutton officially launches the revision of its urban plan and by-laws, an essential step in the continuation of the land development and planning efforts of the recent years. The urban plan and by-laws are fundamental tools for addressing the current challenges and to guide land-use decision making. In this respect, the urban plan must embody a collective vision for the development of the territory. It must therefore be conceived in a manner that is unifying, clear and transparent to the citizens of Sutton, while ensuring the integration of the mandatory content stipulated by the Act respecting land use planning and development (LAU).
To begin this process, the Town of Sutton has mandated the collective firm Arpent, whose professionals offer consulting services in urban planning and land development. Arpent will be able to build on the work that has already been carried out over the past few years (discussion workshops, conferences, surveys, technical studies, policies) and can rely on the support and expertise of the Town of Sutton’s Urban Planning and Land Development Department through the revision committee formed in March 2024.
The process of updating and optimizing the Town of Sutton’s urban planning tools, is carried out with the collaboration of the community, municipal administration staff members and the Town Council, is intended to provide a plan for the next ten years. While maintaining the planning principals that have ensured the conservation and enhancement of the natural and living environments of Sutton over the past 15 years, the revision process will incorporate new advances in urban planning and land use.
During the revision process, several activities will be carried out to encourage community participation and contribution to the revision project. The aim of these activities will be to establish and maintain a dialogue with the population throughout the course of the process. In addition, the feedback from various activities over the past few years will be used to update the urban plan and by-laws.
During the process of drafting and adopting the urban plan and bylaws, the population will be called upon to express its views.
The Dream Sutton platform will serve as the main communication tool for the revision project. We encourage everyone to consult it regularly to follow the progress!
Invitation to an open house on the revision of the urban plan on May 23: register now!
On Thursday, May 23, between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., the Town of Sutton invites you to an evening of discussion and information on the urban plan and by-law revision process that has been launched. Please register by e-mail at [email protected] so that we can better welcome you.
How the May 23 open house evening works
Wondering what the May 23 open house evening is all about? Here’s how it works:
- The format is “open house”, which means you can arrive and leave at any time during the 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. time slot.
- The aim of this citizen consultation activity is to inform you about the process, to meet and exchange with the team in charge of the revision, and to reflect together on the future of our territory’s development.
- Several kiosks will welcome you, each with a different theme for discussion: the territory’s identity, natural and agricultural environments, living environments, the local economy and “my Sutton in 10 years”.
- You will be invited to express your ideas, opinions and aspirations on each of these themes.
- The booths will be staffed by representatives of the Urban Planning and Land-Use Planning Department and the firm Arpent.
- The information gathered during the evening will serve as a basis for reflection as we work to update the urban plan and bylaws.
Where and when? Thursday, May 23, 2024, between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Reception at Town Hall reception and tour of the kiosks in the Council Room.
To register: Please send your name and e-mail address to [email protected] before May 22. A confirmation will be sent to you.
The Urban Plan and By-Laws Revision Process in a nutshell!
Here are the highlights of the process:
- The objective of the process is to update the urban plan and bylaws to adapt them to the reality of today and the next 10 years.
- The urban plan generally includes a portrait of the territory, a vision and courses of action to achieve the plan’s objectives.
- Bylaws are used to implement the objectives of the urban plan.
- The studies, consultation activities, policies and expert reports produced in recent years will be used as the basis for the revision of the urban plan and bylaws.
- An open evening is scheduled for May 23, between 6 and 8:30 pm. This will be an opportunity to discuss themes such as the development of living environments, the protection of natural environments, tourism and the local economy.
- The public will be asked to express their opinions at various stages of the process.
- Adoption of the plan and bylaws is scheduled for winter 2025.
Revision committee formation and first meeting
At the beginning of March 2024, a revision committee was formed and met for the first time to start the process of revising the urban plan and by-laws.
The aim of the meeting was to validate and establish the themes and priority projects to be put forward as part of the diagnostic portrait of the urban plan. It also laid the groundwork for the public consultation process.
The review committee is made up of:
- members of several town’s municipal departments,
- a citizen member of Sutton’s Planning and Sustainable Development Advisory Committee (PSDAC),
- a citizen member of Sutton’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC),
- a member of the Brome-Missisquoi MRC’s land management department and
- representatives of Arpent.
The composition of the committee aims to achieve a balance in terms of representation, covering technical aspects at several scales of the territory. This diversity should enable more complete and fair decision-making, considering the various interests of the Sutton community.
The committee’s role is to guide the work throughout the process. As a result, it will formulate recommendations at several targeted meetings, and provide written comments following each key stage in the revision of the urban plan and by-laws.
Contact Us
Do you have questions regarding the urban plan and by-law revision process? Do you have questions concerning the various activities planned? Do you have comments or suggestions to share? Don’t hesitate to contact us by completing the form below at any time during this period of revision. You can also contact us directly at [email protected].
Your contributions will be reviewed and responded to periodically on the Rêvons Sutton platform, under News and in the FAQ.
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Important to know: Comments published here in the English version of the site are not automatically duplicated in the French version. If you want your post to appear in both versions of the site, you must copy and republish your comment in the French version (Mur à idées tab). It is not mandatory to translate your comments, as everyone is free to express themselves in the language of their choice.
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions:
What is an urban plan?
The urban plan, the Municipality’s central document, establishes land use policies and guides the future decisions of the Municipal Council. It is an essential management tool for ensuring the consistency of municipal actions, coordinating investments, and communicating a coherent, consistent development vision of the territory.
In particular, the urban plan must describe the organization of the territory, determine land use, plan the consolidation of any part of the territory considered to be a priority, as well as all other mandatory content stipulated in section 83 of the Act respecting land use planning and development. Based on a complete diagnosis of the situation, it facilitates planning decisions while considering the financial needs and expectations of the residents.
Why revise the urban planning tools now?
Sutton’s urban plan (114-1) is 15 years old. A revision intended to update the content of the planning document is necessary to provide a current and visionary management tool for the coming years. The revision of the urban plan will make it possible to:
- Ensure consistency between intervention choices in matters relating to housing, the environment, water resource management, commercial development, etc.
- Define policies for the implementation of equipment and infrastructure, considering the needs and financial situation of the municipality.
- Coordinate the actions and investments of the various municipal departments.
- Promote a shared vision of the municipality’s desired development.
- To complete and clarify land-use planning in accordance with the land-use and development plan.
- To disclose the Town of Sutton’s intentions through the urban planning by-laws to be reviewed.
Which urban planning by-laws are to be affected by the revision process?
The urban plan has no direct legal effect on the citizen. The provisions of the plan are implemented in urban planning regulations. This is why the revision of Sutton’s urban plan is accompanied by a revision of the local by-laws. All of Sutton’s urban planning by-laws (e.g. zoning, subdivision, construction, site planning and architectural integration by-laws, etc.) are affected by this process and could be adjusted to reflect the vision, orientations and objectives contained in the urban plan.
Approach
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Project start-up and establishment of the revision committee January 2024 |
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Public consultation activity: Open House May 23, 2024, between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., at Town Hall |
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Consultation meeting with a committee of experts: Focus group – Sutton’s agricultural territory |
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Public consultation activity: Exploratory Walk – Sutton’s Principal Street |
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Development of the preliminary versions of the draft urban plan and by-laws Summer and Fall 2024 |
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Public consultation meeting regarding the drafted versions Fall 2024 |
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Preparation of the final drafts of the urban plan and by-laws Fall 2024/Winter 2025 |
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Launch of the adoption procedure for the urban plan by-law and the urban planning by-laws concerned, in accordance with the Act respecting land use planning and development. Winter 2025 |
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Implementation of the revised urban plan and by-laws Spring 2025 |
Documents
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Mémoires déposés pour la séance publique du 20 décembre 2021 |
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Synthèse des participations citoyennes aux deux séances publiques 2021 et 2022 |
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Rapports d’expertise sur l’approvisionnement de l’eau potable à Sutton |
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Biodiversity and ecological connectivity - Sutton 2024 (Appalachian Corridor, in French only) |
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PRMN - Regional Natural Environment Plan - Brome-Missisquoi MRC 2024 (in French only) |
This page was last modified : 9 July 2024