AWARE Simcoe urges appeal of Midhurst plan

Province should declare a provincial interest, minister advised
AWARE Simcoe October 28 2011
AWARE Simcoe chair Don Morgan yesterday sent a letter to Municipal Affairs Minister Kathleen Wynne, urging her to appeal the Midhurst Secondary Plan to the Ontario Municipal Board. The plan is contrary to the provincial interest in a number of areas, Morgan wrote, including the protection of agricultural resources, the orderly development of safe and healthy communities and the promotion of sustainable development.
Text of letter
(Copies also went to Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli and Agriculture Minister Ted Mcmeekin.)
Dear Ms Wynne
I am writing on behalf of AWARE Simcoe, a citizens’ group that has made prevention of sprawl and preservation of agricultural land a high priority.
We are urging that you appeal the Midhurst Secondary Plan to the Ontario Municipal Board and declare a provincial interest. The deadline for appeal is November 2, 2011.
We consider that the provincial interest is engaged in the following areas cited in the Planning Act:
2 (a) the protection of ecological systems, including natural areas, features and functions;
2 (b) the protection of the agricultural resources of the Province;
2 (f) the adequate provision and efficient use of communication, transportation, sewage and water services and waste management systems;
2 (h) the orderly development of safe and healthy communities;
2 (p) the appropriate location of growth and development;
2 (q) the promotion of development that is designed to be sustainable, to support public transit and to be oriented to pedestrians.
We have been supportive of Places to Grow and Amendment 1 and have participated in the process, most recently by meeting with provincial development facilitator Paula Dill, whose report is due November 1
The Midhurst Secondary Plan (approved by Springwater in 2008 and approved by the County of Simcoe on Oct. 12 2011) will add 3,800 housing units (11,000 people) initially, and eventually10,000 units (30,000 people) to Midhurst.
Midhurst is not designated as an urban growth centre in Places to Grow. The massive development that is proposed will erase hundreds of hectares of exceptionally productive Class I and II agricultural land, and the infrastructure that has to be built to support this sprawling community will traverse unique and environmentally sensitive areas.
It is clear to us that this is a situation where the government has to defend its policies. If it does not, all the Province’s efforts over the past five years to direct growth  and preserve the rural character of Simcoe County will have been for nothing.
Yours sincerely
J. Donald Morgan
Chair, AWARE Simcoe