GORE BAY—Two Western Manitoulin municipalities expressed their frustration last week, like the Manitoulin Planning Board (MPB) has done previously, as to the length of time it has taken the province to approve the MPB’s Official Plan (OP).
“There still has been no resolution to the planning board receiving approval of its Official Plan,” Gore Bay Mayor Ron Lane told the Recorder after a Gore Bay council meeting last week. “We just want to know why it is taking so long. It took NEMI (Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands) something like nine months to receive approval of their OP, and still our planning board is awaiting approvals.”
“And because of this we (town) cannot redo our zoning bylaws,” said Mayor Lane. “This can only be done once the Official Plan has been approved. Our zoning bylaws are pushing about 40 years so they need to be revised. This is long overdue.”
At the Gore Bay council meeting last week Town Clerk Annette Clarke noted that a group of Island clerks recently met when the issue came up. She said it was agreed that municipal councils need to consider putting pressure on the province concerning the delay with the Official Plan.
It was pointed out local First Nations and the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy has raised concerns with the proposed Official Plan.
“At some time we are all going to have to put pressure on the ministry to have the Official Plan approved,” stated Mayor Lane.
Councillor Jack Clark questioned whether not having the Official Plan approved is impacting municipalities. Mayor Lane said “one of the impacts is that we cannot revise our zoning bylaws.”
It was pointed out further delays will eventually impact the MPB decision making ability on requests for development.
The Official Plan had been completed and sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 2017, but has not yet received approval from the province.
Theresa Carlisle, secretary-administrator of the MPB, told the Recorder in being contacted by local municipalities, “I have encouraged municipalities to contact the ministry on the Official Plan. I have explained the process that has been taken so far.”
At a Gordon-Barrie Island Township council meeting last week Reeve Lee Hayden said, “we have a letter from a consultant for the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, talking about how our (MPB) new Official Plan is inept. And their position was presented and a meeting held with the minister well after the comment period had been in place for input on the (MPB) the Official Plan.” Reeve Hayden noted the EBC has hired consultant Cuesta Planning consultants Inc. “It states in the letter from Don Scott of Cuesta, “in my review of the provincial policy statement and the concerns of the EBC, the Manitoulin Official Plan is not consistent with provincial policy, does not give sufficient regard to provincial interests under the planning act and that it should not be approved by the ministry until these concerns are addressed. Addressing these concerns would be in the best interest of all parties involved and may avoid a costly Ontario Municipal Board hearing.”
“If this isn’t a threat I don’t know what is,” stated Reeve Hayden. “And this submission was made way after the public comment period on the OP was up. And now we sit with still no answer from the ministry on our official plan.”
Mr. Scott said in part in his letter, “the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy has expressed concerns with respect to the update of the Manitoulin Official Plan; these concerns relate to the inadequate protection of natural heritage features from development, lack of regulation with respect to land use compatibility, new residential uses in rural areas and the inappropriate application of fees and policies to conservation severances.”
“We want to know what the holdup is on the Official Plan being passed,” added Mayor Lane.
The Recorder was unable to get a comment from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs on the issue prior to this week’s press deadline.
