Mayor Grossi and Council fail to protect the North Gwillimbury Forest
from North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance March 27 2013
On Monday night Mayor Grossi and Georgina Town Council failed to approve our request for an Interim Control Bylaw to prevent development on the North Gwillimbury Forest’s (NGF) wetlands and significant woodlands.
Despite excellent deputations by Paul Harpley, Erin Kemp, Steve Prosser and Sandra Villiers, only one councillor, Dave Szollosy, supported our request for an Interim Control Bylaw.
This is a very disappointing outcome that reflects badly on the majority of Town Council and the Mayor, who failed to listen to citizens and failed to absorb the excellent information provided by the NGFA about the legal necessity of protecting the forest.
As our lawyer, Leo Longo, noted in his March 25th letter to Council, the York Region Official Plan prohibits development in the NGF’s wetlands and significant woodlands. And Section 27 of Ontario’s Planning Act, legally obliges the Town to amend its Official Plan and zoning bylaw to also prohibit development in the NGF’s wetlands and significant woodlands. Implementing an Interim Control Bylaw would have been the logical first step for the Town to comply with its legal obligation to protect the Paradise Beach-Island Grove provincially significant wetland and the NGF. Unfortunately, Council failed to do so.
Despite this setback, we will continue to work with you to ensure that the laws of Ontario are obeyed. Fortunately, there are still a number of provisions that can be used to protect the forest.
For example, if Georgina Town Council fails to amend its Official Plan and zoning bylaw to prohibit development on the NGF’s wetlands and significant woodlands by July 11, 2013, the Planning Act allows the Region of York to do so.
Furthermore, if Metrus wishes to proceed with a mobile home park on its Maple Lake Estates property, it will need to obtain a Section 28 permit from the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. Fortunately, Section 3 of the Planning Act prohibits the Conservation Authority from issuing Metrus a Section 28 permit since its proposed development is located on the Paradise Beach-Island Grove provincially significant wetland.
Thanks for your support. Working together, we will save the North Gwillimbury Forest for our children to enjoy. Stay tuned.
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