Consulting Planner
Robert J. Miller, M.C.I.P.
Hynde, Paul Associates Incorporated
Cover Photo Courtesy of the Ted Bunt Collection
The general purpose of this Plan is to guide Armour Township into the 21st Century by providing a general policy designed to secure the health, safety, convenience and welfare of the present and future inhabitants of the Community.
The plan is intended to provide a framework within which the Council may carry out successive and more detailed steps in the planning process through the exercise of powers conferred on it by provincial legislation.
It is intended that this plan will be a guide to all public and private agencies concerned with development of the Township. The public authorities will be in a position to organize the planning and installation of necessary municipal facilities such as roads and schools. This plan will also serve as a guide to individuals and developers who will be cognizant of Armour Township's policies and will thereby be enabled to plan their own action with reference to these overall policies. The Plan provides a framework within which Council will consider private and public development proposals and the effect of such proposals on the Township.
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This Plan is based on information presented in the appendix to the Plan entitled "Background Report to the Proposed Official Plan for the Township of Armour, District of Parry Sound" in June 1990 and the "Addendum to the Background Report" presented in July 1990. Additional advice and input was received from the Township's staff, Council, various ministries and agencies, and the public.
As a result of both the input and the background study, the following factors were identified as having a significant influence on future development in Armour Township.
The Environment is the most important natural resource in Armour Township. The lakes and the Magnetawan River system make the area extremely attractive for recreational activities, which are the economic mainstay of the Township.
The seasonal population in Armour Township is approximately 2,372, outnumbering the permanent population of 1,045 by a factor of 2.2 times. Past land use trends and an overwhelming number of seasonal residents points to a continuing increase in the demand for recreational facilities, especially those of a year-round nature. As in other parts of the Province, recreational land uses have tended to surround the lakes leaving little or no public access.
The principal land uses in the rural area of Armour Township will continue to be recreational, resource industrial and permanent residential.
Tourist opportunities are considered a growing economic activity in Armour Township in contrast to agriculture and forestry. It is vitally important for the Township to recognize and promote its potential for expanded recreational and tourist activities.
The Official Plan promotes opportunities for commercial uses in hamlets, highway commercial development along Highway 11 and necessary rural commercial facilities.
The location of the Magnetawan River system and the lakes is vitally important to the tourist potential for Armour Township.
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The following goals form the basis for the development and land use policies of this Plan and provide a general guide to Council for the review of all new development proposals:
(a) To accommodate the present and future population by providing for a wide range of housing types, including affordable housing units;
(b) To identify opportunities and to encourage the continued operation and development of tourism and recreational related commercial establishments;
(c) To guide the Township toward its fullest economic potential by striving to obtain a wide commercial/industrial base and to increase employment opportunities while insuring a high level of environmental and servicing standards. Such development is to serve the needs of the permanent, seasonal and vacationing public;
(d) To optimize the use of the Township's natural resources through policies based on sound economic, social and environmental principles;
(e) To enhance and protect the quality of the environment;
(f) To maximize the use of facilities and to encourage a wide range of recreational and cultural facilities;
(g) To provide and maintain a safe, convenient, efficient transportation system for all persons and goods with a minimum of disruption to the environment;
(h) To require a level of services consistent with socio-economic costs, demands and environmental concerns; and
(i) To develop a five-year capital forecast to facilitate the co-ordinated implementation of this Plan recognizing the financial capability of the Township.
Return to the Official Plan Index Page.
View the Zoning Maps.