Midhurst Secondary Plan receives approval for first phase

By Laurie Watt Barrie Advance Dec 04, 2012 

SPRINGWATER – Ontario withdrew part of its appeal of the Midhurst Secondary Plan, which opens the door for more jobs and services and unlocks an economic and planning logjam, says Springwater Township CAO Robert Brindley.

“Out of the new urban area, (the province) will allow 300 hectares to be moved forward,” said Brindley, noting the Midhurst plan covers a total of 756 hectares.

“Growth will be measured out and responsible. We’re getting into Midhurst becoming more of a complete community with increased commercial and business structures on Highway 26 and employment areas along Snow Valley Road.

“Without a doubt, 300 hectares of development will have a positive impact on the community, not only from a standpoint of new business, but short-term construction and long-term investment in the community.”

But Midhurst Ratepayers Association spokesperson David Strachan questioned how complete Midhurst can be, because it’s so close to Barrie.

“It’s not a surprise, but nevertheless there’s still an emotional shock. They approved something perceived to be illegal in the first place,” he said.

“The (Midhurst) plan allows urban growth on Class 1 farmland. They’ve rolled it back to 300 hectares, but it’s still on Class 1 and 2 farmland. It’s a classic example of urban sprawl.

“It also violates the idea of a complete community. You’ll never get a complete community in Midhurst because you only have to drive five minutes down the road to Barrie.”

Midhurst Landowners Group spokesperson Cheryl Shindruk disagreed.

She said the project would protect the environment by putting business and residents on town water and sewer, which would, she added, bolster the economy.

“There are already synergies between Barrie and Midhurst. There has been for years, but that doesn’t mean Midhurst can’t be more complete. That’s been the vision for years,” said Shindruk.

“There are vacant employment lands and some occupied are on private services. They’re limited by the fact they have septic systems. The secondary plan will bring urban services into the community and those employment lands can be used more intensely.”

She said developing 300 hectares would result in approximately 5,000 residential units – which could create 7,601 construction industry jobs, 5,148 spin-off jobs in construction supply industries, as well as another 956 infrastructure-related jobs. 

Shindruk estimated 5,000 homes will generate $650 million in household income and new households will spend $240 million on furnishing their new homes and an additional $170 million in other retail spending in the Barrie area.

The representative of five development companies said her group’s plan is consistent with Places to Grow and Amendment 1, the province’s vision for Simcoe County in January.

“The amendment last January really provided the basis on which the (Midhurst) plan could proceed,” she said, adding some subdivision applications on both sides of Bayfield Street have already been filed with Simcoe County. 

Aware Simcoe vice-chairperson Kate Harries said the decision to let Midhurst move ahead resulted from closed-door meetings and shows “a breakdown in the democratic process”, especially as so many citizens oppose the plan that would bring 27,000 more people to Midhurst over the next 25 years.  

“This has happened at a time when MPPs are not able to question (Infrastructure  and Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Bob) Chiarelli. We’re quite disappointed in the Liberal government,” she said.

“The Midhurst Secondary Plan was passed after low-key meetings in the summer, then approved last October (2011). Nobody realized what had happened until the Township of Springwater held off telling citizens until November.

“The process is one of trickery. There have been no consultations or details on what areas will be approved (and developed).”

 

Barrie Examiner November 29, 2012

SPRINGWATER TWP. – It might be snowing, but it’s heating up in Midhurst.

An announcement that 300 of the original 756 hectares had been removed from the appeal process by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) sent planners scrambling and neighbours screaming about the Ontario Municipal Board process.

“It’s a sad day for Springwater, it’s a sad day for Simcoe County and it’s a sad day for Ontario residents,” said David Strachan, a local resident and member of the Midhurst Ratepayers Association.

Strachan and his coalition’s angst springs from a news release detailing how the ministry partially withdrew its appeal of the Midhurst Secondary Plan, known as OPA 38, saying that it now complies with the province’s Places to Grow amendment.

The remaining 456 hectares in the OPA 38 are still under appeal by the province.

The ratepayers are disappointed the original planning for an additional 6,500 houses has grown to 10,000 new homes in the new official plan.

The township passed the resolution in November 2008 and the County of Simcoe offered its stamp of approval on OPA 38 in 2011. But initially, the province stepped in to appeal the plan, stating it didn’t meet the requirements of their Places to Grow Act.

Amendment No. 1 was written in January of this year, and it seems the province has released at least a portion of the land for development in Springwater.

“The government of Ontario now appears to have abandoned its principles and has approved the first phase of the Midhurst Secondary Plan to build on 300 hectares of Ontario Class 1 and 2 farmland,” Strachan said.

“That in spite of a three-million-dollar intergovernmental action plan study which recommended restricting development to the existing primary settlement areas of Bradford, Alliston, Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood and Midland/Penetanguishene,” he added. “There is no Ontario-defined primary settlement area in Springwater Township and not even an approved settlement area in Midhurst.”

At the township office, the planning department is handling the news with caution.

“I am sympathetic for those people who have concerns about growth,” said Robert Brindley, chief administrative officer for the Township of Springwater.

“However, the minister has determined our plan is appropriate. And, the minister was also wise to hold back the remaining (land).

“Now we have time to do it right.”

Brindley points out that the township is in the early stages of the planning process with only phases 1 and 2 of the environmental assessment concerning design completed. Now it will review if and where development is feasible.

At this early stage, Brindley said they are still unsure which 300 hectares will be developed into subdivisions, but he noted some homes will be built on both the east and west sides of Bayfield Street north of Barrie.

“We agree that the remainder of the secondary plan should remain at the Ontario Municipal Board,” Springwater Mayor Linda Collins said in a news release. “Springwater fully supports the approach taken by the ministry.

“In addition to the lands released for development, the secondary plan will designate over 1,200 hectares of environmental protection or natural heritage thus ensuring the continued enjoyment by Springwater residents of our natural surroundings,” she added.

Cheryl Shindruk, a member of the Midhurst Landowner’s Group which is in favour of planned development in Springwater, said the group is pleased with the process and the time frames the ministry has laid out.

“They’ve done a good job to see that it will be done in a managed way,” she said.

But Kate Harries, of the Aware Simcoe environmental protection group, said they’re frustrated that important provincial decisions concerning the Places to Grow amendment are being made without a sitting parliament.

“We’re very disappointed in the Liberal government,” Harries said. “We’re very disappointed this is happening when there’s no opposition, like the NDP, who would have had many questions for (Minister Bob) Chiarelli.

“But yes, we do have hope,” she added. “We hope this is reversible because there’s very strong grassroots opposition to this. And we’re not giving up.”