Instead of
the Mayor actually responding, it was left to hired legal representation to
respond to the questions that were posed to council. Some blatant
misinformation was provided. I will not elaborate in this article but in a
series of articles I will be publishing over the next number of months, I will
dissect the answers provided and outline many misleading and erroneous
statements. For example the lawyer said the Province was mandating the growth
and the numbers. That is not true. The province have provided forecasts to 2031
and now 2041 for what might be needed. In fact the forecasts were intended to prevent not encourage paving over
farmland. The province a number of years ago realized the growth in Simcoe
County was poorly planned and they found it necessary to create a special
section to control it in the Places to Grow directive. Besides, schedule 7 of
the Places to Grow puts a forecast for Springwater to 2031 at 24,000.
Considering we are around 18,500 it suggests we will see another 5,500 new
residents in Springwater by 2031. If you check the monthly planning report
agenda you will see a report that suggests today that we have enough
lots and development at various approval stages exceeding that 5,500 number
without Midhurst’s 12,000 to 28,000 added numbers. Unfortunately a “Special
Rule” unknowingly, promoted by our heads of council and the landowners, have set
aside good planning principles for the sake of unnecessary and unneeded growth.
The
resolution itself to me is, on one hand ill-conceived but on the other hand
allows all residents to know exactly where our elected officials stand. I
congratulate councilors Hanna and Ritchie for not caving in to the intimidation
of possible lawsuits both against the Council as a whole and individual
councilors. I really don’t like that kind of scare tactic which I think swayed
the Clement and McConkey vote in the end.
The reality
at this point is that the only signed agreement in place to proceed with the
Midhurst Secondary Plan and mega developments is an agreement with the
landowners to pay for the Environmental Assessments at an estimated cost of
$300,000. There are no written agreements for the cost of infrastructure
(estimated at $100,000,000 for the first phase), only letters of position.
Deputy Mayor McLean has referred to these letters as “Letters of Intent”.
McLean with his many years of experience well knows letters of intent, which
are always subject to reaching an agreement are only binding if signed by both
parties. The letters I have seen are not letters of intent and have been
provided by the landowners representative for guidance purposes. If there are
any such letters of intent for the cost of infrastructure then produce them.
The
Midhurst Plan can be stopped but it needs a political will and that does not
exist in this council. Regardless of where you live in Springwater this
Midhurst development will have long reaching negative impacts on your taxes and
your way of life. Get involved as we have an out of control freight train that
is heading for a very dangerous curve and no one is at the controls. If we all
get on board we can slow down the process and allow the voters at the next
election to make the final decision by replacing those that do not have the
best interests of all Springwater Residents in mind.
