Hamilton Reviews 71 Neighbourhood Plans from 1960s-1990s

Hamilton is reviewing 71 active neighbourhood plans from the 1960s through the 1990s in Hamilton, Dundas and Stoney Creek. Staff will assess whether each plan should be repealed, updated, retained or incorporated into the Urban Hamilton Official Plan.

The review could affect housing permissions, development approvals, future road networks and the planning of undeveloped lands. Public feedback on the evaluation criteria is being accepted until July 31, 2026. Recommendations on individual plans are expected in 2027.

Topics Discussed

Neighbourhood plan review

Staff are developing criteria to assess each plan, including its age, amendments, development status, consistency with the Official Plan and zoning by-law, undocumented road corridors, transit access, heritage resources, parks and hazard areas.

Planner Dimitri Kouryna described the process:

"Our starting point for revising the neighborhood plans is really we're going to be creating… a checklist template of questions applying the criteria that we would look at when we're assessing each neighborhood plan."

The review will determine which plans should be repealed, retained or updated. Eight plans have been identified for retention and could later be updated to align with current citywide policies.

Some plans contain only maps, while others include localized policies. Staff will assess whether those policies should remain in effect, be removed or be incorporated into the Urban Hamilton Official Plan.

Housing permissions and development approvals

Staff said many neighbourhood plans limit residential development primarily to single-detached and semi-detached homes. Those restrictions may conflict with the Urban Hamilton Official Plan and Zoning By-law 05-200, which permit housing types such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and street townhouses.

Staff said those conflicts add an "unnecessary extra step and complexity to the development review process." Repealing or updating plans could align local policies with current zoning and support additional housing units, including "missing middle" housing.

Transit-area density

The review also considered provincial density requirements for Major Transit Station Areas, generally defined as areas within 500 to 800 metres of higher-order transit.

The provincial targets are 160 people and jobs per hectare for areas served by the future LRT and 150 people and jobs per hectare for areas served by the GO Transit rail network. The city is working to incorporate those targets into the Urban Hamilton Official Plan.

Roads and undeveloped lands

Nine neighbourhood plans include proposed local road networks that are not shown in the city's broader Transportation Master Plan. Staff will consider whether those road corridors should remain part of future planning.

Fourteen plans include greenfield or otherwise undeveloped sites. The review will consider whether those plans should be retained to guide future layouts, density and parkland dedication.

Public engagement and timeline

Residents can submit neighbourhood-specific information through Engage Hamilton. Staff are seeking feedback on the evaluation criteria until July 31, 2026.

The stated schedule is:

• Fall 2026: Review and integration of community feedback on the criteria.
• Early 2027: Preliminary analysis and recommendations to the Planning Committee.
• Spring 2027: Public consultation on recommendations for individual plans.
• Late spring or early summer 2027: Final report and recommendations to the Planning Committee.

The meeting also included discussion of Community Improvement Plans, which can provide tax assistance, grants or loans for development and building revitalization. Staff also discussed the Bayfront Industrial Area Strategy for industrial lands near Hamilton Harbour.

Motions

• The provided meeting material did not identify any motions as passed, rejected or deferred.
• No formal file or agenda item numbers were cited in the material provided.

Attendees

• No councillors were identified as present in the provided material.
• Staff and presenters referenced included planner Dimitri Kouryna and Melanie.

Hamilton councillors listed in the material:

• Tom Jackson
• Andrea Horwath
• Mark Tadeson
• Esther Pauls
• Rob Cooper
• Alex Wilson
• Jeff Beattie
• Mike Spadafora
• Cameron Kroetsch
• Ted McMeekin
• Brad Clark
• Craig Cassar
• Tammy Hwang
• Maureen Wilson
• Matt Francis
• Nrinder Nann