Deputy City Manager, Planning and Growth Management

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Home > City Hall > Senior Leadership Team – Executive > Deputy City Manager, Planning and Growth Management

JASON SCHMIDT-SHOUKRI, Deputy City Manager, Planning and Growth Management

The Deputy City Manager, Planning and Growth Management, is responsible for more than 200 employees in the City’s Development Planning, Development Engineering, Policy Planning and Environmental Sustainability, Building Standards, and Parks Development Departments. The Planning and Growth Management Portfolio works with other departments, citizens, stakeholders and levels of government to regulate and manage growth to help achieve Council's objective of creating a vibrant and sustainable City.

The interdepartmental portfolio team provides citizens and development proponents with the timely and thorough review of development applications such as building permits, site plan applications, re-zoning and official plan amendments, development agreements and supporting studies. Consultation with the community, agencies, utilities, and stakeholders is a vital and important part of our work.

The team also prepares long term plans to guide development and manage growth including the Official Plan, the New Communities Secondary Plans, the Natural Heritage Network Study, block plans, secondary plans, EA studies for infrastructure and other City building studies. Our efforts in collaboration with other departments of the City, Region and Province help to ensure Vaughan remains a prosperous municipality.

There are a number of challenges and opportunities within the Planning and Growth Management Portfolio. Vaughan’s population of 325,000 is forecasted to grow to a population of 416,600 by 2031. For Vaughan to prosper in our global economy we need to manage this growth while continuing to attract and sustain business opportunities by providing a high quality of life. To achieve Council’s objective of becoming a “City of Choice” we need to optimize community services, improve accessibility and protect and restore our natural and cultural heritage.

We also need to work closely with the community to create high quality mixed use and special spaces within the City. This includes protecting the character and identity of historic communities such as portions of Woodbridge, Maple, Thornhill and Kleinburg. Achieving city building objectives surrounding the development of Vaughan’s three new subway stations, the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, the planned growth of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the extension of Highway 427, Regional Express Rail and the planned transportation improvements along Highway 7 are important opportunities.

Some of the immediate objectives for the Planning and Growth Management Portfolio include working closely with other departments to:

· Implement Council's plan for the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre which includes facilitating the construction of new mixed use buildings, revitalized portions of Black Creek, a public square and a transit Mobility Hub at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre to coincide with the arrival of the new subway.

· Facilitate development of the Mackenzie Vaughan hospital at Jane Street and Major Mackenzie Drive.

· Begin work on an updated Official Plan while resolving outstanding Ontario Municipal Board appeals of the Vaughan Official Plan 2010.

· Support the role of Culture in City building by completing studies including the Culture and Public Art Framework and Arts strategies.

· Restructure or redeploy resources in the portfolio to better respond to emerging needs related to mixed use high rise development, accessibility, urban design and the natural environment.

· Maintain the highest quality of service to the business community by updating our existing information technology systems and by supporting the professional development of staff.

· Obtain OMB approval of Council approved plans (community plans) for the areas surrounding Vaughan Mills mall, Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue and for other communities throughout the City.

· Review block plans for new employment and residential areas including the West Vaughan Employment Area, the 400 North Employment Area, and planned communities in northwest Vaughan recognizing provincial planning for Highway 427, the GTA West corridor and other infrastructure.

· Complete the New Communities Secondary Plan for lands north of Teston Road west of Weston Road and east of Keele Street.

· Work with the Council appointed Urban Design Review Panel and the Heritage Vaughan Committee to ensure their advice is considered while we work towards achieving high quality design standards in new construction and reconstruction projects.

· Engage the public to ensure full consideration of the social, natural and cultural environment including accessibility issues in the planning and design of our buildings and communities.

· Implement the Active Together Master Plan which includes Parks Planning and Parks Development projects including the planning and design of sports fields, upgraded parks and design of the North Maple Regional Park.

This is a historic period of time as Council moves forward with an ambitious City building agenda.

Contact Information

Deputy City Manager, Planning and Growth Management

Jason Schmidt-Shoukri

905-832-8585 ext. 8445

Executive Assistant

Stephanie Ferreira

905-832-8585 ext. 8111 stephanie.ferreira@vaughan.ca

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