As the county updates its OP - the 25-year guiding document that shapes the region by designating what kinds of development can occur where - the county is setting aside 39 per cent of land as greenlands and introducing tighter regulations on where golf courses can be located.

"There's a huge demand for (golf courses). They're a big part of the (county's) recreational activities. Canada is a country with a higher percentage of people who play golf; (more Canadians play) than in any other country in the world," said Tony Usher, an independent environmental planning consultant working on the county's Official Plan.

"We've made (golf) accessible. It's affordable. There's a great demand (for more golf courses)."

Simcoe County is proposing outlawing golf courses on greenlands; development restrictions on this category are also stricter. The county is introducing an outright golf-course ban on these lands.

"We're saying it's just too hard to develop a golf course without having some adverse impact," said Usher, who noted the county already has already been protecting agricultural land from sport.

Combined, the greenlands and agricultural categories comprise more than 80 per cent of county lands.

Remapping of the natural heritage systems resulted in the county designating more of land to greenlands; the proposed OP labels 39 per cent of land greenlands, up from 31. The category includes the new Greenbelt in the county's south end, the Niagara Escarpment, the Oro Moraine, provincially significant wetlands and other areas that are home to endangered or at-risk species.

As well as setting stricter development controls on greenlands - only certain projects will be allowed on the least-sensitive lands, after an Environmental Impact Study has been completed - the county is defining and enforcing settlement boundaries.

Golf courses will be allowed in settlement areas.

County environmental planner Gail White said golf entrepreneurs will be able to use up idle land in communities or at the edge of communities.

"The challenge is every application is different," said White, adding that golf courses often create ribbons of trees that are not wide enough to create animal habitat.

"What was a woodland feature is no longer," she said.

Public input sessions are being held on the proposed plan. The first took place last night (Wed., July 23) at the Nottawasaga Inn. A second open house and public meeting is slated for Midland this coming Mon., July 28 at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Complex and a third is slated for Thurs., July 31 in Wasaga Beach at the Wasaga RecPlex.

 For a look at the proposed Official Plan document click here.