Good news update! Maple Lake Estates surrenders its wetland destruction permit

Back: Councillor Emmett Yeo, Councillor Clare Riepma, Mayor Virginia Hackson, Councillor Keenan Aylwin​, Mayor Margaret Quirk, Councillor Randy Greenlaw,​ Councillor Alex Waters, Fron: Councillor Shira Harrison-McIntyre, Regional Councillor Tom Vegh, Councillor Avia Eek, Regional Chairman Wayne Emmerson (LSRCA Chair), Councillor Peter Ferragine (LSRCA Vice Chair), Mayor Bobbie Drew, Mayor Dave Barton​. Absent: Mayor Debbie Bath-Hadden, Councillor Ken Ferdinands, Councillor Wendy Gaertner and Township of Ramara

Thanks to all who made this happen

From Jack Gibbons North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance

Yesterday, Maple Lake Estates (MLE) surrendered its wetland destruction permit and requested that the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) refund its $3,500 permit fee at its earliest convenience. To read MLE’s letter to the LSRCA please click here.

In more good news, Georgina Town Council unanimously passed Councillor Dave Neeson’s motion that:

1. Requests the LSRCA to confirm that it has accepted MLE’s surrender of its wetland destruction permit; and
2. Reaffirms that the Town of Georgina will consider all options to challenge the validity of any existing or future LSRCA permit which would allow MLE to destroy the Paradise Beach-Island Grove Provincially Significant Wetland.
To read Councillor Neeson’s motion please click here.

If you contacted any of your municipal representatives to ask that this matter be addressed, let them know that you appreciate their efforts to right this wrong (scroll down for contact info).

Conservation Authority illegally permits Maple Lake Estates wetland destruction

From Jack Gibbons North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance August 17 2020

On June 18th, Rob Baldwin, General Manager, Planning & Development, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) illegally issued a new permit to allow Maple Lake Estates (MLE) to build a 1,073 unit subdivision on the Paradise Beach-Island Grove Provincially Significant Wetland in the North Gwillimbury Forest.

Mr. Baldwin issued the new wetland destruction permit despite the fact that on May 14th the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) rejected MLE’s request that it review its Dec. 19, 2019 decision which amended the Town of Georgina’s Official Plan by designating more than 99% of the MLE lands as an Environmental Protection Area.

We are asking the Board of Directors of the LSRCA to annul Mr. Baldwin’s illegal wetland destruction permit. To read our lawyer’s letter outlining all the reasons why the permit is invalid please click here.

This permit needs to be cancelled immediately, to ensure that the DG Group does not proceed with tree cutting and site preparation before the Town of Georgina amends its zoning bylaw to prohibit development on the MLE lands.

On Wednesday, August 19th Councillor Dave Neeson will be asking Georgina Town Council to pass a resolution requesting the Board of Directors of the LSRCA rescind Mr. Baldwin’s illegal wetland destruction permit. To read Councillor Neeson’s motion please click here.

Planning staff will also be reporting to Council on progress towards rezoning MLE and other lands newly designated as Environmental Protection Areas to prohibit development in conformity with the new Official Plan.

What Simcoe County residents can do:

Contact your council representative on the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

City of Barrie ​Councillor Keenan Aylwin 705 739-4272 Keenan.Aylwin@barrie.ca
​City of Barrie ​Councillor Clare Riepma 705 739-4271 Clare.Riepma@barrie.ca
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury ​Councillor Peter Ferragine (Vice Chair) no contact info found
​​Town of Innisfil Councillor Alex Waters 705 436-3740 awaters@innisfil.ca
​Town of New Tecumseth ​Councillor Shira Harrison-McIntyre 905 936-9642
Township of Oro-Medonte ​​Councillor Randy Greenlaw 705 487-4005 randy.greenlaw@oro-medonte.ca
​Township of Ramara ​No representative appointed for some years under the ‘leadership’ of Mayor Basil Clarke bclarke@ramara.ca

What Georgina residents can do:

1. Please contact Mayor Quirk and your local councillor and ask them to support Dave Neeson’s motion to protect the North Gwillimbury Forest and its wetlands. And, please thank them for the Town’s clear commitment to rezone MLE to prohibit development while urging them to move forward as quickly as possible on this commitment.

Mayor Margaret Quirk mquirk@georgina.ca
Regional Councillor Rob Grossi rgrossi@georgina.ca
Councillor Dave Harding dharding@georgina.ca
Councillor Frank Sebo fsebo@georgina.ca
Councillor Dave Neeson dneeson@georgina.ca
Councillor Dan Fellini dfellini@georgina.ca
Councillor Mike Waddington mwaddington@georgina.ca

What residents of Ontario can do (Lake Simcoe and our province’s dwindling wetlands are a precious resource for all):

Contact LSRCA chair Regional Chairman Wayne Emmerson wayne.emmerson@york.ca

You can watch the Wednesday, August 19th Georgina Town Council meeting online starting at 7 p.m. by clicking here: https://www.georgina.ca/municipal-government/council-meetings/livearchived-meeting-broadcasts