03 16 1994 Sp Public2 Minutes
DB CORPORATION 01' DB TOWNSHIP 01' ORO-1ŒDON'1'B
SPBCIAL PUBLIC KBftING
nmœSDAY. KARCH 1'. 1994
" 8122
P.M. - COUNCIL CBJUœas
BLBVBlft'B KBftING 1991-1994 COUNCIL
The following members of Council were present:
Mayor Robert E. Drury
Deputy Mayor Ian Beard
Reeve David Caldwell
Deputy Reeve Norman Dalziel
Councillor Donald Bell
Councillor Alastair Crawford
Councillor Walter Dickie
Councillor Murray Martin
Councillor Leonard Mortson
Absent:
Councillor Joanne Crokam
staff Present:
Kris Menzies, Planner, Gary
cunnington, Administrator, Andria
Darby, zoning Administrator.
Also Present Were:
Jim Kyle, Rocke Robertson, R. Al
Sinton, R. & D. Suwala, Hartley
Woodside, Brian & Siske Pratt, Jean
Crawford, Shirley Woodrow, Mary Dion
James Sabiston, Ernest Bidwell, Don
Bidwell, Robert Bidwell, John Hare,
E. M. Hall, Gary Thiess.
Mayor Robert E. Drury chaired the meeting.
Mayor Robert E. Drury opened the meeting by explaining to those
present that this Public Meeting was to receive public comments
with respect to a proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-Law
Amendment, pursuant to provisions of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990
Sections 17 and 34. The applicant has applied to rezone certain
lands described as Part of Lot 34, Concession 1, Township of Oro.
To date, the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Oro-
Medonte have not made a decision on this application, other than
proceeding to this Public Meeting. Only after comments are
received from the Public, requested agencies and Township Staff,
within the appropriate time period, will Council make a decision 0
this application.
Notice of the Public Meeting was mailed out on February 24, 1994,
to all property owners within 120 metres of the subject lands.
Notice of the Public Meeting was also placed in both the Barrie
Examiner and Orillia Packet on February 24, 1994.
Mayor Robert E. Drury then asked the Clerk if there had been any
correspondence received on this matter. The Clerk responded by
indicating that one letter had been received from N.V.C.A. stating
they have a concern for incompatible development in association
with the intermittent watercourse (Matheson Creek) and request all
structures and sewage disposal systems be setback a minimum of 15
metres. The Authority also has concerns for the potential impacts
of storm water run off and must be assured that storm water
management for the development will prevent increased flooding,
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erosion and sedimentation on upstream and downstream lands. A
preliminary SWM report be prepared to address these issues. If
detention ponds are required, they be zoned appropriately to
reflect the potential hazard. Due to a proposed development on
adjacent lands to the North, the proponents are to investigate th
benefits of integrating storm water management for both sites.
The Mayor then stated that those persons present would be afforde
the opportunity of asking questions with respect to the proposed
Amendment. He then turned the meeting over to the Township
Planner, Ms. Kris Menzies, to explain the purpose and effect of t
proposed Zoning By-Law Amendment.
Kris Menzies:
Thank you Mr. Mayor. The proposal is on the property located on
Pt. Lot 34, Concession 1 of the former Township of Oro. It is
South of the proposal which was previously heard tonight and that
property was owned by a Mr. Copeland. The purpose of tonight's
Public Meeting is to afford Council the opportunity to hear Publi
comment on the Official Plan Amendment redesignation and the Re-
zoning which is currently before Council.
The proposal is to redesignate the subject property from its
current Residential designation to an Estate Residential
designation and rezone the property from a Rural zone to an Estat
Residential zone. The effect of the proposal would be to permit
48 lot residential plan of subdivision. Once again Mr. Mayor, Mr.
Kyle may have some further comment.
Mayor Drury:
Mr. Kyle.
Jim Kyle:
Thanks. I think perhaps I should have left this one up and pull
that one down. There is no space here, the two plans immediately
abut each other. The Conservation Authority has mentioned the
Matheson Creek and as we have been told there isn't a creek there.
However, there is a valley and they still require setbacks from th
valley just as if there was a water course running through the
valley. If there was a water course it would be along this line.
The lowest contour and as we mentioned before, the ravine in the
area comes down and in this location and then peters out to really
not much of a ravine down into this location.
Mayor Drury:
Jim I wonder if you and Kris could just move that all up just a
little bit please, just up top maybe just hang it over because
people can't see that. They see the portion on the top.
Jim Kyle:
Is that high enough? We have provided a block in this location
which will be zoned Inherent Hazard Lands and designated to Open
Space or Hazard Lands in the Official Plan whatever the need may
be. The block is actually more than 30 metres from the bottom of
the valley where any water course would be. They have requested 5
metres which would be in this location here. Furthermore, the rea
of the lots here you have the Town By-law which has set backs from
rear lots and building envelopes and what have you, will be set
back further from at least 30 metres to the lot line and then
another distance to the houses and tile bed envelopes. The
property, for the Sabiston lands is again, wooded, it is rolling
down, up and off into this direction and rolling off in toward the
ravine an attractive setting back on to the ravine, but set back
far enough from the ravine not to have a problem with the
Conservation Authority. The Copeland property has some steeper
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areas where we mentioned that we put larger lots in that location
to provide a suitable building envelope for tile bed and for
houses. The Sabiston property does not have the same constraints
from an engineering point of view. The road construction on this
property, there will be a little bit more grading required. That
is why again, you have the larger lots to retain as many trees as
possible. On the Sabiston Road alignment, there is not that
problem. They won't be grading outside the road allowance, cutti
trees on to property. Again, the lots are smaller and the averag
lot size is slightly over an acre in size. The property has two
connections up into the Copeland property and another connection
into an Official Plan Amendment approved subdivision over in this
location to best suit the traffic flows in the area. The propert
also has a block up in this location up into wilberforce Road and
whether or not that will be an entrance is to be decided by the
Council. We have not shown it as an entrance. If the Copeland
property doesn't proceed for whatever reason, it will become an
entrance onto Wilberforce Road if Council wishes it to become an
entrance. If the traffic consultants determine an entrance is
needed there then it will be opened up and that is why the block i
left in that location.
As I mentioned, Ainley & Associates completed a report for Officia
Plan Amendment #48. This plan was submitted in 1989, we were not
the consultants at the time for property. Mr. Sabiston however,
was the owner and Ainley & Associates said that this property was
to the South of this ravine which clearly on OBM and real light
field investigations, is incorrect and the ravine is in this
location and forms the logical limit. This area is all wooded to
here and then to the South of that is open field. So again, you
have the logical limit for the development down to the South, the
ravine and the wooded lands.
The property as submitted in 1989, had that mistake came out, if
somebody would have caught it at that time, this property would
have been Draft Plan Approved at this state. When we were retaine
to look at the property we noticed that mistake and we came into
the Township of Oro at the time and mentioned that their consultan
had made a mistake. They agreed with us that, yes, definitely the
ravine is here and OPA #48, the planning justification end of it
was incorrect. And our property was to the North and suitable for
development and that Council did not make the determination at thi
time that it was suitable for development. So, that is why we
submitted this plan and when we started looking at the area, we
felt from a proper planning an entire area, this property should
also be developed and it would complete the development in this
location, in the Woodlands area.
The same hydro G report by Terraprobe is a different report, it is
specifically for this property was completed. A preliminary storm
water report was not completed. A plan was completed by our
office, storm water management plan as was for the Copeland
property. We will have to prepare a preliminary plan for the
Conservation Authority in the Town and again, depending on whethe
it was submitted to MOE after a magic date, we will have to drill
again, approximately 5 wells, test wells on the property, prior to
the Official Plan Amendment being approved and do the monitoring
and other work on the property.
Mayor Drury:
Thank you Jim.
Mr. Hall.
Any question, comments or concerns from the Public
Ed Hall:
Thank you. I am Ed Hall a resident of the former Oro and I am
representing the Jarratt-Coulson District Community Group tonight.
with the service road accessing these developments, that is Bidwel
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Road, its intersection with Highway #93 by my measurement is 1 fu
kilometre from Craighurst. So these developments can therefore,
hardly be termed adjacent to the hamlet of Craighurst. This is 0
course, a requirement of our frequently ignored Oro Official Plan.
From the explanation tonight about the Estate Residential, this i
still a good rule that we should develop adjacent to an existing
hamlet for many reasons, particularly the quality and cost of
services like schools and traffic and garbage pick up and policin
It complicates all these things and increases the cost by
scattering the development around the Township. Notwithstanding,
the Estate Residential rules we heard about tonight, \it is bad
business to scatter development.
As of January 1994, Oro had some 2905 lots by my count in various
stages of approval. We have the potential for 10,000 person
increase in the Oro portion of the Township's population. This in
fact would more than double Oro's present population and from the
indication that Jim gave us tonight, where we are getting 50 to 80
building permits a year? That 2,900 lots shows the potential for
58 years of building, development, right now on the books and what
kind of line was that really? What we do need in Oro is an Oro-
Medonte Official Plan that represents the wishes of the populace 0
Oro-Medonte. I urge you strongly, don't approve another lot until
we get a new Official Plan.
Now if you decide to go ahead with this anyway, despite all our
good advice, we suggest that you operate a communal well to serve
all 81 lots in this latest package rather than individual wells
because such a system will tie in much more efficiently when and i
Craighurst expands to this area. Thank you.
Mayor Drury:
Any questions, comments or concerns?
Ernie.
Ernest Bidwell:
I am Ernest Bidwell and I farm Lot 34, Concession 2, Oro. I also
own the 50 acres South of that 34 lot that you are subdividing. I
am very much concerned. They tell me it will make an awful
difference to my farm. Also, there is no water, much, run off
water leaves that lot. The only way out is across my 50 acres and
what will they do if they want to take the water off that lot?
That 50 acres is in a water course. Years ago, they tell me the
creek ran down there from the 3rd Concession of Oro and came out a
the Bidwell Highway where the other creek starts there. I have
been farming where I am, for over 50 years and I don't like to be
pushed out now. Thank you.
Mayor Drury:
Thank you Ernie.
all?
Jim, do you wish to respond to those comments at
Jim Kyle:
Should I start with Mr. Hall's comments?
Mayor Drury:
Yes, please.
Jim Kyle:
Mr. Hall indicated, as he did previously that Estate Residential
should be in (inaudible) as the Township of Oro Official Plan
state, adjacent to hamlets. That is not correct. The Official
Plan for the Township of Oro does not state that Estate Residentia
should be adjacent to hamlets. I have never seen in my ten years
in planning an Official Plan shall be...
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Ed Hall:
What I am saying is I don't care what you call it. You can call
them gas stations you can call them roses, you can call them
petunias, you are talking about putting in 81 additional residence
remote from an existing hamlet. You can't hide behind a different
name. Calling it Estate Residential, that does not justify being
there. My concern is that these 81 residences along with the
others on this service road will result in traffic and increased
traffic at intersections. It will be more difficult for police
when it is out there scattered out in the open. Ask anybody that
lives in Sugarbush that has real problems. You have an impact on
the schools which we cannot afford. We can't handle the people w
got in the Township now. Anything you look at, we can't afford it
We can't handle it, you shouldn't be doing it. What we got to do
is sit back and rethink. It is a time of change, I know a lot of
you guys have said that. I have heard a lot of people say that bu
really, we are at that point, I am sorry you are caught in this
situation but Oro-Medonte should stop. Hold it. Lets look at wha
we have got, what potential there is, where we are going, we are
going to wreck streams, we are going wreck land. Are we going to
be able to build schools? How are we going to live here? We
should plan for that and we should come up with an Official Plan
that harmonizes with that.
Jim Kyle:
Your point was specifically, I was just dealing with your specific
point that was, in some way you referred that this perhaps not
contrary to the Official Plan policies.
Ed Hall:
I said, notwithstanding, the terminology of Estate Residential. I
don't care what you call it. I am just pointing out the impact of
another 81 homes on this road, in this area. It is bad news.
Jim Kyle:
Ok, that is fine. You know that is a legitimate concern that you
are pointing out but as far as the Official Plan policies, Estate
Residential is permitted and it doesn't, you know, it is not to be
beside hamlets. That is the only point I was trying to make is
that the Official Plans policies...
Ed Hall:
You explained that adequately.
Jim Kyle:
As far as the other concerns, scattered development. We have
mentioned that this is adjacent to proposed developments. I don't
believe that you consider this as scattered development.
As far as 50 to 80 building permits being permitted in the last tw
years, as we are all aware, in Ontario right now building permit
activity has significantly decreased over the last four years. I
was mentioning current. I said the last two years had 50 to 80
building permits in Oro. In York Region where I am, where the
population is slated to double in 20 years as it is in Oro, they
have had very few building permits even though they are in the GPA
that is a trend existing throughout Ontario right now. We do not
envision that trend is going to stay around and God help us, I hop
it doesn't.
Jim Kyle:
The concerns of Ernie, and I am sorry I missed your last name.
Bidwell? Maybe I will just start with the water, the handling of
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the water off this site onto your property. What we have to do,
where we are going to put the water from the site is back in the
site. The same as what is happening today. The large lot
development, Estate Residential on sandy soils. The only
impervious road &urfaces are shown and the building envelope and
the tile beds, it is a storm Water Management Report, they will
have to, and this is what the Conservation Authority and the
Ministry of Natural Resources is doing with subdivision approvals
now. In the past, we use to try to outlet it to a pond and then
eventually outlet it somewhere else into a water course. Theyar
telling us now, the best management practice is to put it back as
if there was not development here, infiltrate it into the ground
the property. That is what we will be doing on both of these
developments and that is what is acceptable in these times by the
Conservation Authority. The increase in run-off off the site ont
your property will be calculated and based on our preliminary
evaluation, there won't be an increase in run-off onto your
property. If there is, by our storm Water Report, if it does sho
that there will be an increase in run-off on to your property,
something will have to be done. We can't change the drainage,
first of all, we can't take away water that is going onto your
property and we can't secondly, put more water onto your property
As far as the siltation problem, it is my belief, it is probably
caused from construction of the road or construction at the time
the construction of the subdivision, that is when siltation takes
place. After the subdivision is constructed the ditches are
grassed and the lots are grassed. You don't have that problem.
The Town in its subdivision agreement and through the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Conservation Authority, will implement
conditions that we have to ensure at construction, we don't let a
silt off our property or any construction refuge get into the wat
and drain across the road and onto your property. To the best of
the ability of the developer, that will be done. There is
absolutely no way you can absolutely guarantee that there won't b
any siltation off the property but we will conform to the stricte
regulations to ensure that it is a very, very slight possibility
that it will happen.
As far as the impact on the farming of the field in this location
and I believe you are across the road on your farm. The Ministry
of Agriculture and Food will have to comment on the application.
If we are within a distance from your livestock operation, the
Ministry of Agriculture and Food draws a line around our property
and perhaps the line touches here, perhaps it goes further
according to their calculations. It is the minimum separation
distance. That area won't be allowed to develop. We have done t
line according to the amount of livestock that has been counted 0
your property in the capacity of the property to support livestoc
and the line doesn't go on to the property to impact their
development. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will do the sa
thing and will come up with either the same solution or a differen
one.
As far as ability to farm in the location and these houses saying
you are putting something on the property and it is impacting them
and they want to shut you down. There are very, very strict
regulations in ontario to stop that from happening. The farmers
have very good rights. People moving into the area don't have as
many rights and they will do everything in their power to ensure
that these people do not complain about your operation and won't b
able to shut down your operation in any way, shape or form or stop
you from expanding your operation.
Ernie Bidwell:
Except my age.
II .
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Mayor Drury:
Any more question, comments or concerns?
Brian Pratt:
My name is Brian Pratt and I would like to comment on this busine
about that this won't affect the agricultural land. It will, to
the decrement because Mr. Bidwell will have to plow his manure do
within 48 hours. He won't be allowed to spread it on a hay field
so he will work up more land, create more dust, create more noise
you will have more complaints. So it does make an impact. What'
is, you are taking agriculture is an industry. It is like putt in
a development, a residential development beside a factory. How
many of these people, there is some vacant land maybe close to
General Tire when it was running, how many people would like to
live beside a factory that produced noise and offensive odours.
is something that Council has to think about. They have to think
of agriculture as an industry. It is going to cause problems. I
already has and will keep causing problems. You are putting hous
closer to agricultural land, it is light land, you are going to g
dust in these houses. How deep are these lots that are next to M .
Bidwell's field?
Jim Kyle:
I believe they are 100 metres which is over 330'. This is all
wooded down here. It is not uncommon to put a building envelope'
order to maintain for instance a 30 metre wooded buffer, which is
100' between these houses and Mr. Bidwell's field.
Brian Pratt:
Another thing, you take people that are not use to flies and thin
like that. You put them in houses like this and Mr. Bidwell, I
think you are pasturing that field aren't you?
Ernie Bidwell:
Yes.
Brian Pratt:
Cattle attract flies. It is a concept that city people don't
realize. If you have cows laying along there, they are going to
attract flies so you are going to have a fly problem. You are
going to have complaints that way. You got to think of both sides
Jim Kyle:
Just in answer to that as I mentioned, we do quite a few Estate
Residential developments and the people who move into these
developments are fully aware of what they are moving into. You
might say they are city slickers.
Brian Pratt:
No they are not, no they are not aware of it. They come up and
they see this nice lot and nothing is going on. They get the hous
built and they move in and the farmer is spreading manure 50' from
his back yard. All hell breaks loose because they are not aware 0
it and there is no where in their deeds that you are going to say
that..
Jim Kyle:
Yes there is.
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Brian Pratt:
Are you going to put it in their deed. We were told that they
couldn't do it on the development beside us. That they couldn't
put it in the deed, that the land adjacent to their property was
being farmed. Yes, that is what we were told.
Jim Kyle:
I have seen it put in, registered on title before, a warning
clause. Actually, I remember, unless something has changed since
this time, I know that we have done it once in the past.
Brian Pratt:
Well I think it should be done, but we were told it couldn't be
done.
Jim Kyle:
Ok, well we can check into that.
Brian Pratt:
What kind of a fence will there be to protect Mr. Bidwell's cattle
from dogs? Because everybody that moves out has to have a dog. I
there going to be a security fence?
Jim Kyle:
The fence that is existing there is all we are proposing at this
time. It is up to Mr. Bidwell if he wants something additional to
contact us and negotiate something different in that location.
Mayor Drury:
Brian, what I suggest to you and the audience here this evening is
that the first half of mile that comes out from the City of Barrie
to Oro Township on the other side of the road. There is intensive
farming operations, cash crop operations, manure spreading
operations and right across the road is literally thousands of
homes and I have never had a complaint in all the time that I have
been the Reeve by those people that live in the City of Barrie fro
the farms. Farming operations goes on right across the road.
Brian Pratt:
Well the only thing, Joe McLean has a farm there
Mayor Drury:
Eldon Atkinson.
Brian Pratt:
Eldon Atkinson has no cattle. Quinlans have no cattle either and
Smith's farm has no cattle either. So any place that is close to
residential, and Joe McLean's place in the V is where Bertram's
Lumber was and it is a vacant lot right now. There is a plaza
across the road from Joe McLean's which is vacant too. So there i
quite a buffer area. Joe McLean is the only one that has cattle
there now.
Another thing is, all these developments are coming out onto
Highway #93 and there is a blind spot where that road comes out.
If you are coming South on Highway #93 and turn in towards the
development, if there is a car coming up, you can't see it. There
has to be something done with that.
I .
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Mayor Drury:
All the amount of time I have been on Council I have only received
one complaint of a farm operation but that was a manure spreader
going down the road and the tail gate opened up and dumped manure
allover the road. I have never heard a complaint from a rate
payer with farm operations.
Brian Pratt:
It is more the farmers get complaints than Council. We get the
nasty phone calls that the dog got in our manure pile and then wen
in their house and got their carpet all dirty and things like this
Mayor Drury:
Councillor Martin.
Councillor Martin:
Thank you Mr. Mayor. I might say that I moved from the City out t
the country and there is some nice property just North West of me
and the prevailing winds and I wouldn't create the worst stink he
could put up. My question Mr. Mayor is to Jim. The setbacks from
the ravine under the Flood Water Plan with MNR, is that not 45
metres rather than 30?
Jim Kyle:
They have mentioned in their letter 15 metres, the Conservation
Authority, from the top of the bank,
Councillor Martin:
15 metres from?
Kris Menzies:
Top of bank or toe of slope.
In this case top of bank.
Councillor Martin:
I have heard you mention a number of times tonight a ravine.
that spells...
To m
Mayor Drury:
Comments, questions?
John Hare:
All I would like to say tonight is that all this money that you ar
talking about this subdivisions and that, I see now where we now
have a County Planning Board and really, I think to you all, these
things look nice, but I think you should be putting everything in
obeyance until the County goes ahead and comes out with their
Official Plan before the Township starts doing something on their
own. I believe Mr. Caldwell is the head of it so he might not lik
what is going on here tonight because, if the County is going to
come out with this plan, I believe it should be brought forward
first, after that, then the Townships will know exactly where they
stand.
Mayor Drury:
Reeve Caldwell do you wish to respond?
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Reeve Caldwell:
Mr. Hall made his point. The Minister of Municipal Affairs when
sent a letter to the County and it was communicated to the staff
the County that they want the County to move forwar~ with their
Official Plans as quickly as possible. We are look1ng at probabl
a two year time frame. He also indicated that he didn't wish us
interfere with any municipality's existing planning policies whil
that is going forward. until the County has its plan in place,
there is no intent to stop everything and so forth. I know there
are people out there that would like to see that ~appen but t~e
Minister has already indicated that he does not w1sh to see S1mco
County stand still for 2 years.
Mayor Drury:
Thank you.
Further questions, comments or concerns?
Hartley?
Hartley Woodside:
Even if this were the most perfect development that could be
conceived, which it mayor may not be, there doesn't seem to be an
rationale to proceed at this moment for Council. I say this
because I think it is important for Council to recognize that it i
not benign when you approve a development even if the development
isn't going to be developed for years because things happen to the
land. The trees get cut, the roads get put in and even if the lot
are not sold and the houses are not built for a long time, Council
is tying the hands of future Councils to development of a certain
pattern. It would appear from the number of lots that are
currently approved or about to be approved that you are in fact
tying the hands of future Councils for decades. Oro grew through
the boom of the eighties which almost nobody believes will return
in a hurry, it grew I believe at 1% a year. To imagine the
population of Oro doubling in 10 years is, these are figures that
don't know where you would come up with them. We are not being
driven by demand here from homeowners wanting to move into Oro. W
are being driven by the demands of the developer to develop these
lots to a certain point. That is their right and I grant them tha
right but as Council, I think it is incumbent upon you to look at
this situation and say, wait a minute, we don't have to do this
right now. There is no reason to do this right now and there is
some negative things that happen if we do this right now.
The County has planning. Medonte-Oro is now a new Township and it
reflects a new population and it has some new concerns and there i
nothing driving these developments from your perspective as far as
I can see. There is no reason to be pursued to proceed with these
at this time. So I recommend that you not proceed with these
things.
Mayor Drury:
Thank you Hartley.
Jim?
Jim Kyle:
If I may just respond as far as need for this type of development.
As I mentioned previously, the Township has limited this type of
development to 10% of the total development in the Township of Oro
That 10% was justified in a planning report by Ainley's &
Associates that there is a need in the Township for 10% of the
development to be this type of development. That is based on
people wanting to move to this type of lot, Estate Residential
developments in the Township of Oro. So they have determined ther
was a need for 10% to be this type of development. We are not
talking thousands and thousands of Estate Residential lots. We ar
not talking the same type of need as somebody moving into Barrie
for 100 lots being vacant in a subdivision, the same person is not
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going to be looking at this lot. What we are doing today is that
we are looking to the future of the 10% quota in Oro and the dema
for this type of development. Submitting this plan today to the
Council for a Public Meeting is the first step along the process.
We want to get into that process. That process takes 3 to 4 year
to complete before you can get a building permit for an Estate
Residential development. That is an average throughout ontario f
Estate Residential developments. The developer of these lots
usually sells the lots to individuals or custom builders. Custom
builders and individuals sometimes hold onto an Estate Residentia
lot. Not necessarily do you always get a building permit
immediately like the developer in Barrie putting up all the house
and selling them. These types of houses, a lot of people buy the
because they are becoming rarer and rarer and people want to live
on these types of lots. We are not saying we are going to increa
it to 20% in Oro of Estate Residential. We are saying we are goi
to stay within the 10% quota which Ainley & Associates said there
was a need for. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs in their
planning wisdom said yes we agree, the Township of Oro should hav
10% of its population in this type of development. They recogniz
that there is a limited amount of development in hamlets and that
this type of development is being utilized in Oro and it is
successful. So that is what we are trying to do. In order to get
into the process today as the first step, as I said, by the time
get out building permits, 4 years, 3 years, 2 years minimum are
going to pass. I think your argument is that, lets wait that 2 -
years and see what happens and that is really reactive planning.
Planning in our business is looking ahead seeing what the need is
going to be and getting things approved in time when the market
turns around for to sell these type of lots. We are confident and
the developer must be confident and he is sitting here and I don't
think he has been introduced, Mr. Sabiston and Mary Dion are the
owners of this property and they are confident. Mr. Sabiston does
sell Estate Residential lots and does fulfil developments and take
them through and they are confident that they will be able to sell
these lots once they come onto the market and to wait for a County
study, to wait for the entire planning study for the world to be
completed to determine where things are going to go, just is not
something that, it is just too onerous. As I said, this was
submitted in 1989. We noticed the mistake recently, we came in an
we are going to meet the 10% and we want to proceed with the
development.
Mayor Drury:
Thank you Jim.
Hartley?
Hartley Woodside:
I am not suggesting that we wait for necessarily for 2 or 3 or 4
years here. It would appear, you say you are going to need the 10
quota, from what you said earlier, it would appear.. First of all
no one has informed us as to how many Estate Residential lots
currently exist, what the current percentage is? Did someone say
it is already at about 10%, there were some figures bandied about
earlier in the first meeting?
Jim Kyle:
I think it is approaching, getting close to the 10%.
Hartley Woodside:
That was my impression. Your suggestion was that these lots, in
fact would only be able to go on the market as the overall, not lo
inventory, but the over all number of building permits on existing
homes increased, that is correct?
Jim Kyle:
That is correct.
- 12 -
Hartley Woodside:
So in fact, my point that you are tied to Council, my point isn't
that Mr. Sabiston doesn't have the right to come forward and
doesn't have reasonable expectations to sell these lots, that is
his business, not mine. My point is to Council, that they don't
need to tie their hands for some very long distance into the
future. They are tied to this 10% per year. Perhaps there is an
area in Medonte that they might decide is more suitable for Estate
Residential. Who knows at this point? Council hasn't really
considered it. If you commit yourself to another 80 a year, you
are committing yourself presumably to 10% which is another 800
total lots, so there wouldn't be any new Estate Residential built
until Oro had built another 800 buildings and at the current rate,
is you know, maybe a decade. So what conceivable reason does
Council have for approving, committing themselves at this point,
prior to any assessment of the needs of the joint Township for a
decade or 15 years into the future. To me, that is not good
planning.
Mayor Drury:
Further questions, comments or concerns?
Council Members?
Councillor Crawford:
I just might make one comment, Mr. Reeve. When I came on Council
five years ago there was subdivisions around Oro that were in the
process of development. Harbourwood was one, Canterbury Estates
was one, Cedarbrook at Hawkestone was one. The lot prices were up
around $90,000.00 to $100,000.00 a lot which is, which you are
building a home for and not just a lot. Isn't it interesting that
they are all full now. They were in the process of getting starte
five years ago. What this Council has tried to do is learn by our
mistakes and have some property available for building lots when
the building starts up again. Nobody ever thought there was going
to be the boom that we had in the late eighties. Look what
happened, we were caught without any lots. The ones that were
available were all full and sold and they were clambering for more
to the point where they were paying two to three times as much for
those lots as they were worth. Now what we try to do is to react
to this and to have lots on stream for the next few years so that
when we go into another period of prosperity, when people want
homes and start to build, there is going to be something there for
them. When you mentioned Mr. Hartley, about the settlement policy
the second paragraph you read is exactly what this Council is
thinking of.
There being no further questions or comments, when being called fo
the third time, the Mayor in closing the meeting, thanked those in
attendance for their participation and advised that Council would
consider all matters before reaching a decision. He then advised
those present that if they wished to be notified of the passing of
the proposed By-law, they should leave their name and address with
the Clerk.
MOTION NO.1
Moved by Beard, seconded by Dalziel
Be it resolved that this Special Public Meeting of Council (Part 0
Lot 34, Concession 1, formerlyoro) now be adjourned @ 9:07 p.m.
Carried
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6LERK, DARLENE SHOEBRIDGE