Loading...
08 05 1992 Public Minutes 7:25 'l . THB CORPORATION OJ' THB TOWNSHIP OF ORO SPBCIAL PUBLIC UBTING WBDNBSDAY~ AUGUST S~ 1992 8 7125 P.M. - COUNCIL CHAKBBRS FORTIETH MBBTING 1991-1994 COUNCIL The following members of Council were present: Reeve Robert E. Drury Deputy Reeve David Caldwell Councillor Alastair Crawford Councillor Joanne Crokam Councillor Leonard Mortson Also Present Were: Ms. Kris Menzies, Mr. Bud Arbour, Mr. Conrad Boffo, Mr. Bill Darby, Mr. Edwin Johnson, Keri Titus, Mr. Rick Dickey, Mrs. Kim Viney, Mr. Dave Viney, Mr. Nick McDonald and One Member of the Press. Reeve Robert E. Drury chaired the meeting. Reeve Robert E. Drury opened the meeting by explaining to those present that this Public Meeting was to receive public comments wit respect to a proposed Zoning By-Law Amendment, pursuant to Provisions of the Planning Act, 1983, Section 34 (12). The applicant has applied to rezone certain lands described as Part Lot 11, Concession 6, Part Lot 11, Concession 7, (Hardwood Hills). To date, the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Oro 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 on this application. Notice of the Public Meeting was mailed out on July 16, 1992, to al 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 and Times on July 16, 1992. Reeve Robert E. Drury then asked the Clerk if there had been any correspondence received on this matter. The Clerk responded by indicating that a letter had been received from the Ministry of Natural Resources stating that the property contains a regionally significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). They believe that the ski trails are very compatible with the ANSI, however, are concerned with future development of the property (ie. accessory uses) and would request the opportunity to provide input into the site specific policies as it relates to the ANSI area. The Reeve then stated that those persons present would be afforded 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 the proposed Zoning By-Law Amendment. ;. - 2 - Kris Menzies: This Public Meeting is being called so Council is afforded the opportunity to be given public input into rezoning on Part 0 the East Half of Lot 11, Concession 6 and Part of the West Half of Lot 11, Concessio 7, and is more commonly known as Hardwood Hills. The proponents are requesting what is stated as a site Specific Zoning. The Official Plan for the Township of Oro designates the land as Rural and the Rural Land Use Designation allows for recreational uses. However, the Zoning By Law at this time does not contemplate site Specific Uses such as a cross country ski facility. So the proponents have come in and have asked that Council consider a sit Specific Zoning to allow a cross country ski facility to operate, as well as associated accessory buildings. The application is not for the entire land holdings for the Hardwood Hills Facility, it is only the portion of land which hosts the structures. Mr. Nick MacDonald is her with the Vineys and he may have something further to add for the Public benefit. Nick McDonald: I am from Lehman and Associates from Barrie. The Vineys have retained us to ac on their behalf with respect to these applications. As Kris has mentioned, the purpose of this meeting is to consider an application for rezoning which will place only a portion of their property in a site Specific Zone. The Zoning By-Law will accomplish two things. The first thing it will accomplish is that it will recognize the existence of an existing facility whic has been there since 1983 and also allow the Vineys to expand their facility throug an addition of a number of accessory uses which are very clearly defined on the Site Specific Zoning By-Law. The Vineys purchased the property in 1983. Their total holdings consist of about 320 acres or about 129 hectares, located on th North side of Old Barrie Road between the 5th and the 6th Line. The property is ideally suited for this type of use since it is covered with rolling hills which are common to the North Oro and Southern Medonte area. Also the property is almost wholly treed, with mature trees. In addition, the property is easily accessed from Highway 400 and from Highway 11 for the people that use the property and that is mostly people from Toronto. In'1983 the facility started out with approximately 15 kilometres of trails and as the sport popularity grew, the Vineys expanded the property; added a restaurant, a pro shop and expanded the trail system. In 1990 they put in one of the first snow making facilities in Canada and that gave them the ability to make snow when there was not enough of it around to start off with. ,; - 3 - Nick McDonald: By 1991 the facility became one of the top cross country ski facilities in Canada and was awarded the World Cup in December of 1991. Unfortunately, that didn't happen because the snow was not there and the weather was so poor that they couldn't eve make the snow to hold the event. By 1992 approximately 32,000 used the facility. That translates into an increase, since 1983 of about eight to ten percent a year. So as the popularity of the facility grows it is expected that more people will be coming to Oro to use the facility. A few months ago it was announced that the facility would be the site of the Chief Eagle Festival of Skiing Events, which wil be held in 1993. As part of this event they will be holding the Canadian Sceners Championships, the Canadian Master Championship and a Jack Rabbit event. In addition the Heart and Stroke Club will be holding a fund raiser at the facility on February 14, 1993. As you can see they really go out of their way to attract the type of event that this facility is ideall suited for. The Vineys plan on expanding in the near future by attracting more Worl Class Events of this type and try to offer a wide range of facilities for cross country skiers, such as a training facilit' where people can come and work out and ski; some class rooms so they can teach skiing to younger people and they plan on also putting in a facility for housing the pres and the media during these World Class events. This By-Law will permit this expansion of the facility and as Kris has mentioned, this By-Law only affects a portion of the property. This portion of the property is generally outlined on this map and cons of approximately thirty-four acres or fourteen hectares and that is only about ten percent of their land holdings. The site Plan as we see here will form or does form the basis of a site Plan Application that was submitted to the Township of Oro. It is anticipated that we will be entering into an agreement with the Township of Oro, respecting the location of all buildings and structures on the property. This map here shows the locations of all existing building structures on the property. This Zoning By-Law does not anticipate any real changes to this right now. Although, whenever a building permit application is submitted, Council will have to approve, since there will be a Site Plan registered on title. Basically I just wanted to give Council and the Public a general idea of what we were doing. If there are any questions that Councilor the Public may have, the Vineys or myself would be more than happy to answer them. ] - 4 - Conrad Boffo: I would just like to make a comment that people like the Vineys should not only be awarded what they are asking but commended for attracting people to Oro. Maureen Martyn: The structures that are on the site now, were they there prior to 1983? Nick MacDonald: There was a single attached dwelling. The area that is being rezoned consists of three separate lots which were held in different ownerships but are controlled indirectly by the Vineys'. Now each of th lots there existed in 1983 as single detached dwellings as far as I can tell. In addition the main building on the property or a smaller version of that building was also in existence at the Since 1983 the remaining buildings on property were constructed. main time the Maureen Martyn: And have they applied through the rezoning process or site plans made up for that or what was the process for that? What makes this different? Nick MacDonald: Every building on the property with the exception of the picnic shelter and a pump house was the subject of a building permit application and have current building permits. Maureen Martyn: O.K. So can you explain to me why the new buildings, what makes them different? Wel you said the present application is going through and having a site specific. Why are you going to use site specific now whe you didn't in the past? Nick MacDonald: It is really just to clean up the situatio that has gone on for approximately nine years. The Rural Zone as Kris has mentioned does not contemplate the operation and use of the property for cros country ski facility and in order for the Vineys' to have some security in that they have the proper zoning on the property and can expand without any problems, they wish to make sure that a cross country ski facility is a definite permitted use on th property. Maureen Martyn: So what you are saying is right now it is an illegal non-conforming use. Nick MacDonald: No, I would not say that, no. I would say that it is a legal use but a rezoning of a site specific nature will make it more legal. Reeve Drury: Any further questions, comments or concerns? ,/ Deputy Reeve Caldwell: Nick MacDonald: Deputy Reeve Caldwell: Reeve Drury: -5- This application reminds me somewhat of th Orillia Golf and Country Club situation where it sort of evolved over a period of time and the use, all the uses certainly desirable uses I think in the minds of the municipality certainly in my mind. I can' speak for the other members of Council but it is a case of there are going to be facilities on that site that are going to be used for commercial purposes and I thin that as it has evolved it has gone more commercial in that specific area than it did before and like the Orillia Golf and Country Club it is a case of recognizing the situation that has sort of evolved slowly. I suppose if the municipality had been really on its' toes they would never have issued another building permit from the original buildings until all this process was gone through but we recognize that it is a way of hopefully resolving a little problem there without going a legal route which is another alternative and the Vineys' have chosen to make an application themselves than going that possible route. The one question I had might be ANSI's tha is mentioned by the Ministry which mention skeves. I also believe I read an ad in th paper that it is going to be used in the summer time for motorcross or that type of thing. Is it going to be confined to a certain area or could it also impact on these ANSI's? Well, firstly I believe that Kris has discussed the location of the ANSI with Ki Benner and I believe it is a situation where the mapping the Ministry of Natural Resources uses is not the most correct let me put it that way and nicely I might add and I am not quite sure about where exact 1 the ANSI is. If they are talking about th area which is already developed, I don't think the ANSI is there anymore because there is a very large parking area and I would like to be more clear after discussing with Kim exactly where that is. with respect to motorcross, I am under the impression that they are not intending on holding any type of motorcross event. Perhaps a mountain bike event which will not make any noise and that stuff. They will be confined to the existing cross country ski trails and I am assuming they will not be going off those trails. Those trails are already there and have been cut out of the woods. No it wouldn't. It would be on an area outside what we are really talking today. What I am looking is we are going to be making more than just the winter season us of this property I hope. Any further questions or comments? ,} . -6- Kris Menzies: If I could just augment that, I had the conversation with Kim Benner at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Kim and had a conversation about where the ANSI is actually located and I explained to her that the amendment before Council was the area where the existing buildings are and continuous thereto and if she felt comfortable that the ANSI was outside of that area and did not feel that the cross country ski trails were detrimental to health and the life of the ANSI that maybe MNR could consider the proposal on that stage and we could possibly make them part of the site Plan approval process. So on building to building basis they would have an opportunity to comment and thus if they felt the ANSI was being infringed upon the could comment at the Site Plan approval stages as opposed to making a detrimental comment in regards to the concept and the zoning of the use as it stands. Councillor Crawford: I would like just to clarify for Maureen the difference here is that it went from a private club to a commercial operation jus the same as the orillia Golf Club did. It was a private golf club and this was a private ski club which evolved into a commercial operation and they are both the same. That is why they are both here for rezoning. Just to clarify it and simplify it. Dave touched on it but that is the jist of it all. There being no further questions or comments, the Reeve in closing the meeting, thanked those in attendance for their participation an 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 Caldwell, seconded by Crokam Be it resolved that the Special Public Meeting of Council (Part Lot 11, Concession 6, Part Lot 11, Concession 7, Hardwood Hills) now be adjourned @ 7:38 p.m. Carried