On May 17th
of this year the township held an information meeting and provided documents as
an overview for the Midhurst Secondary Plan titled Midhurst 20/20. There was
also a public open house on the Midhurst Secondary Plan EA process on May 29th.
In
September the township published its response to the questions posed and held a
special council meeting on September 17th with a hired lawyer to
outline the township’s position. This is the fourth installment of articles on
this complex issue. I encourage you to read the document yourself (found on the
township website under Governance/Public Consultation/Midhurst Secondary Plan) and
form your own opinion. Certain questions and answers are truncated for space
consideration.
Question 34: What studies have been done to
satisfy the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) (the guiding document for all
development in Ontario)?
Township Answer: The Midhurst Settlement Area
boundaries were originally established approximately 25 years ago……(they
include a number of reference documents you should read.)
My Opinion:
Township’s answer is extremely flawed and at the least misleading. There are
affidavits on file from former councilors Fleming and Parker that state clearly
that the boundaries were a “study area”. It only became a settlement area in
2008. Due to the lack of due diligence on the part of this council and the
previous council, an unplanned area to develop a city was unleashed. The intent
of the council that established the “study area” was to choose a part of it
when the need was evident and then create an area to expand Midhurst. The “study
area” presented a number of opportunities, but it was never conceived that the
entire area would be developed as a city.
Question 35: The County wrote letters in Sept
and Oct 2008 questioning the Midhurst Secondary Plan compliance with the PPS.
Why did the County on Oct 2011accept that it was then in compliance with the
PPS?
Township Answer: They do not provide a real
answer. They refer to the letters that the County sent in Sept, Oct and Dec of
2008 whereby the County expressed concerns that the MSP offended the PPS,
lacked servicing details, questioned the boundary (see above answer),
questioned the population as it exceeded the County’s Growth Plan that had been
signed off by the municipalities and so on. They then refer to the 2011 letter
that approved the MSP but the letter does not say how the MSP was in
compliance.
My Opinion:
The first three letters from the County were spot on in 2008 which explains why
there was not a lot of concern by Midhurst residents, as based on the County’s
objections, the MSP was dead. That is also why there was very little discussion
during the 2010 elections as it was felt that the MSP was a non-starter as it
offended so many higher level policies. Unfortunately the developers and
planners behind the scenes were pulling the strings at all levels, the township
leaders unknown to the residents were lobbying to move the mega growth forward
and we as taxpayers all got taken. At one council meeting prior to the 2011
County approval of the MSP, the Deputy Mayor (whom I hear is slated to make a
run for mayor next year) stated they were working behind closed doors for the
residents. No one imagined that they were working against the best interests of
all Springwater ratepayers and specifically against the Midhurst people who
asked the question.
Question 36: Why did the Province issue a
transition regulation as part of Amendment #1 which permits a portion of the
MSP to develop?
Township Answer: The Township was not involved
in the development of Amendment #1(read the special rule).
My Opinion:
We are not all stupid or idiots, is the short answer, if you think we will
swallow that answer. Think about it. The province conducted both public and
private meetings under the auspices of the Ontario Growth Secretariat which was
established by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Ministry of
Infrastructure prior to the passing of Amendment #1 and the Transition Rule.
Without the Transition Rule the MSP would not be permitted as it still offends
all the policies that were outlined by the County’s objection in 2008. Township
representatives attended both types of meetings (I saw them at the public
meeting in Barrie). The only answer I can give is that there answer is less
than truthful. If they had objected to the MSP it would never have occurred.
Our meeting with the Growth Secretariat revealed that only the citizens group
AWARE objected to any of the growth plans for the entire Simcoe County area. All
municipalities supported the growth as did the development community. You be
the judge. We only have the MSP and a future City of Midhurst because of either
incompetence or lack of care of our two senior elected officials who are also
our County Councillors.
Question 37: Is the 300 Ha permitted for
development within the MSP still held up by and/or under appeal before the OMB?
Township Answer: It is not held up and allowed
to move forward through the Planning Process.
My Opinion:
I agree but my disappointment with the lack of action and fear of developers by
this council is almost unbelievable. Our current council has had numerous
opportunities to stop this absurdity since they took office. They have failed
to meet the responsibilities they promised to us in the last election. The MSP
still can be undone as it is not financially viable. Take the time to read the
excellent reports from Barrie about Development Charges (I attended the
meeting) and their concern about debt. Our situation will be much worse than
that on a relative basis if the MSP proceeds. You and I will pay for it in annual
double digit tax rate increases because our elected officials simply “don’t
know what they don’t know”.
It is still
not too late to slow down and modify this terrible plan for Midhurst. It will affect
all of us especially where it hurts, in our pocket books with increased taxes.
I am pleased that many more people are coming to Council and Planning meetings
in recent months as residents realize that regardless of where they live they
will pay the price of the bad decisions and direction of the Midhurst Secondary
Plan.
Talk to the
Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council and tell them to stop the greatest calamity
that Springwater has ever experienced. The Midhurst Plan as planned is a
disaster waiting to happen and you and I cannot afford it!
