GORE BAY – Gore Bay council is allowing Ontario Aboriginal Housing Support Services Corporation (OAHSSC) to provide a one-page report for a multi-unit housing complex in town, to allow for the transition of property. However, OAHSSC will need to submit a full stormwater management plan after the transfer of land has taken place.
At a meeting earlier this month, Gore Bay council considered a letter from Wanda Chorney, title services manager with OAHSSC, dated July 9, 2020. “OAHSSC is acquiring vacant land at 3 Water Street from the Manitoulin DSB (District Services Board) this October/November. We have been approved for rezoning to construct a multi-unit housing complex, subject to a number of conditions that we need to fulfill. One condition is in regards to conservation and mediation for flooding.”
“We will not start construction until 2022,” wrote Ms. Chorney. “Usually the mediation is included in stormwater management plans that go for approval with site plan approvals to municipal offices, not before land is transferred.”
“Will the town accept a one-page report in order for the property to be transferred to us in October, rather than the full stormwater management plan?” requested Ms. Chorney. “We are also trying to manage our costs while applying for funding, since we aren’t building until 2022. Your guidance and response is very much appreciated.”
“We would need the information to make sure the area would not be affected (by development),” said Gore Bay Mayor Dan Osborne. “Normally there would be a water management plan done first. I would say yes we could accept a one-page report until the land is transferred, but they (OAHSSC) would need to provide the full stormwater management plan as well after that.”
As was reported earlier this year, town council had given its approval to OAHSSC to amend a zoning bylaw toward the development of a proposed 30-unit structure in the town with several conditions, in consideration of the many concerns raised by residents of Hall Street. At that previous meeting, council passed a motion to provide for the zoning amendment application to rezone from R1 to RM, subject to several considerations: mitigation for flooding, conservation of Bickell’s Creek, an environmental study to be carried out, approval of the building design, water-sewer capacity and a traffic study. All have to be in place and council has to be satisfied with the information for the project to move forward.
At the recent meeting in July, the request by OAHSSC passed in a motion that reads: whereas the OAHSSC is acquiring vacant land from Manitoulin DSB this October; and whereas a zoning amendment was granted subject to certain conditions, one being conservation and mediation for flooding; and whereas mediation is normally included in a stormwater management plan presented before the transfer of land; and whereas OAHSSC is requesting the Town accept a one-page report in order for the property to be transferred in October of 2020 rather than a full stormwater management plan; therefore the council of Gore Bay approve the submission of a one-page report in order for the transition of property to occur and the OAHSSC be advised of this decision. Further, a full stormwater management plan be submitted after the transfer of land.”
