GORE BAY—Wollaston Township has expressed the same concerns raised by the Manitoulin Planning Board (MPB) to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), that the province should reconsider their policy direction regarding development on private roads and unopened road allowances.
“This is the same thing we’ve been fighting with,” stated Ken Noland, chair of the MPB, in commenting on a resolution passed by Wollaston Township and subsequently sent to Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne regarding the provincial direction regarding development on private roads.
“I think that same basic letter was sent before from the MMA (Manitoulin Municipal Association) as well,” said Mr. Noland. “It seems there are the same concerns all across the province. It seems we are right back to the whole thing that the province is almost trying to depopulate rural Ontario. They want people to live in larger cities, not smaller communities, so it would be easier for them to serve the province.”
Wollaston Township, in a letter written by township clerk Jennifer Cohen on behalf of council to Ontario Premier Kathleen dated March 17 stated, “This matter was considered by council at its meeting held on February 28, 2014 and in this regard council adopted the following resolution: whereas Wollaston Township is a rural area with thousands of acres of undeveloped lands; and whereas the best potential for growth for the rural properties in Wollaston Township is tourism and recreational use; and whereas the township cannot afford to extend the existing network of municipally maintained roads to grant road frontage to these lands; and whereas the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has indicated that they may not support policies that will permit new development to occur on the extensions of private roads, on new private roads or unopened road allowances; Therefore be it resolved that Wollaston Township requests that the MMAH reconsider their policy direction regarding development on private lands and unopened road allowances,” the Wollaston resolution continues. “And furthermore, that policies be developed to allow municipalities more autonomy to regulate their own development in ways that are appropriate for their specific area. And furthermore that this resolution be circulated to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and to other rural Ontario municipalities.”
Planning board secretary, “Elva (Carter) has sent a brief note to Wollaston council and members of our planning board, outlining that we are experiencing the same thing and want to know what response we will be getting from the minister. Then this can be dealt with at the board level,” said Mr. Noland.
In her letter on behalf of MPB, Ms. Carter wrote, “The Manitoulin Planning Board is the delegated planning authority for nine municipalities (Town of Gore Bay, Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands and the municipalities of Assiginack, Billings, Burpee and Mills, Central Manitoulin, Cockburn Island, Gordon/Barrie Island and Tehkummah) and two unincorporated areas. This planning board is currently working toward a new/revised Official Plan and this board is not prepared to support policies which prevent development on new or extended private roads.”
“This board will not have an opportunity to comment on and/or support this resolution adopted by Wollaston Township until their next board meeting at the end of April,” explained Ms. Carter. “It would be my opinion that you can be assured of the planning board’s interest in this resolution and the response you receive from the minister.”
Ms. Carter said that until the issues raised by the board, such as Lake Manitou being deemed at capacity for development, the direction on new or extended private lands, as well as the deer yard area issue that has been raised, have been resolved, the board will not be ready to give its go ahead to the new Official Plan.
“Until some of these issues are resolved I won’t be recommending sending the Official Plan forward, when the board won’t accept it,” said Ms. Carter. “It would certainly be better for everyone to agree to the Official Plan policy, the province and municipalities, before the adoption process for the Official Plan takes place. There has to be a majority of municipalities in favour of adopting the official plan.”
At a board meeting last week, it was noted that the 2014 Provincial Policy statement would be taking effect on April 1, 2014. The new Official Plan will reflect all the provincial policy statements, Ms. Carter told the board.
They (MNR) are readdressing their policy on deer yards, but we haven’t received a new date as to when this will take place, Ms. Carter told the board members.
As for the Official Plan, “this is still stalled while we wait to resolve all these concerns,” added Ms. Carter.
