Official Plan Open House Events

The Town of Essex is hosting three upcoming public open house events, inviting residents to review and provide input on the Draft of the New Official Plan and Colchester Secondary Plan. These drop-in style open house events are an excellent opportunity for the community to engage with the planning process and contribute to the future development of the Town.

Open House #1

Date: Wednesday, August 28^th, 2024
Time: Drop in anytime 5-7pm
Location: Colchester Harbour Community Centre
(100 Jackson Street, Colchester)
*Focus on the Colchester Secondary Plan.

Open House #2

Date: Wednesday, September 4^th, 2024
Time: Drop in anytime 5-7pm
Location: Essex Arena Shaheen Room
(60 Fairview Avenue West, Essex)
*Focus on the municipal-wide Official Plan.

Open House #3

Date: Wednesday September 11^th, 2024
Time: Drop in anytime 5-7pm
Location: Harrow Arena Community Room
(243 McAffee Street, Harrow)
*Focus on the municipal-wide Official Plan.

The Official Plan is a long-range planning document containing goals, objectives, and policies to guide land use, development and growth in the Town. The Town of Essex Official Plan was originally adopted in 2009 and updated in 2015 and is required to be reviewed and updated regularly under the Planning Act to ensure it is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS, 2020) and conforms with the County of Essex’s Official Plan. Alongside the Draft New Official Plan, an update has been made to the Colchester Hamlet Secondary Plan which is intended to guide residential and commercial growth in the Hamlet of Colchester, and improve connections to the Lake Erie waterfront.

The Draft New Official Plan will be available for review on the Town’s website at www.essex.ca/OfficialPlan. The document will also be available for review at the Town of Essex Gesto Office at 2610 County Road 12, Essex) during regular business hours (8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday).

Members of the public may also submit written comments on the Draft New Official Plan to the Town by Monday, September 30, 2024 by filling out the online feedback form at www.essex.ca/OfficialPlan. A Statutory Public Meeting of Council will also be held at a later date to officially present the Draft New Official Plan to Council and provide a summary of public comments received to-date. Members of the public are also welcome to attend the Statutory Public Meeting to make oral submissions at that meeting.

For more information, please visit www.essex.ca/OfficialPlan or contact officialplan@essex.ca.