Amendment 1: County councillors, staff on a high

By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe January 24 2012

Simcoe County politicians and staff seem almost giddy with excitement in the wake of last Thursday’s announcement by the province of the legislation that will guide growth in Simcoe County until 2031 and beyond.

There’s no doubt that the province has loosened the tethers. Responsibility for growth in Simcoe County now rests much more squarely with the county and municipalities, although the province insists that it’s maintaining the framework to support sustainable decisions.

All sides – those who believe growth is the engine of prosperity, and those who believe Simcoe County is at the limit of its carrying capacity – took comfort from ambiguities in the province’s documents.

Over the next few weeks and months,  the ambiguities will get unravelled.

Local politicians clearly feel that the county’s vision of growth  – one that the province has put the brakes to for four years – is getting the green light.

“It’s pretty exciting and I think we need to act on it as fast as we can,” Warden Cal Patterson told county council this morning 

That was before he heard what was said in the 11 a.m. conference call between provincial development facilitator Paula Dill and county planners.

Planning director Bryan MacKell, who is retiring at month’s end to go into private practice with a Barrie consultant , and his replacement David Parks, went into a morning in-camera session, apparently to brief council on their discussion.

Coming out from behind closed doors, the planners did share in public session some information about the Dill conference call.

“We had a very exciting call with Paula Dill,” said MacKell.

“It was more of a closure and we asked some questions of understanding of where we’re going to go with this document. Obviously we want to engage the provincial personnel.” 

MacKell said county staff will be rolling out their interpretation of the Amendment 1 document to all 16 municipal planning directors and a “more fulsome” report will be presented to the county’s corporate services committee March 14.

“We’re looking to work with the ministry and we’re all excited,” said Parks, the new planning director, who comes to the county from Severn Township.

“The ([provincial) staff appear to have direction from the minister to work diligently with us and so we’re going to be moving forward quickly,” Parks said, expressing confidence that the county’s Official Plan, stalled since 2008, will be approved by the ministry “in short order.”

Bradford West Gwillimbury Deputy Mayor Rob Keffer introduced an amendment to a motion authorizing staff and lawyers to attend meetings related to the province’s appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board of the county’s approval of the Midhurst Secondary Plan.

Keffer’s amendment requires staff to take into account the province’s new legislation (Amendment 1).  

Keffer questioned whether going against the province at the Ontario Municipal Board is the best use of county taxpayers’ dollars.

He also asked whether the 20,000 population allocation that’s being left to the county’s discretion will be gobbled up by the Midhurst plan for 10,000 people in the first phase and 30,000 in the long term.

Springwater Mayor Linda Collins spoke against the amendment. “It looks as if some of these things we have on the books may proceed but until we have a clear understanding I’m not keen on rewriting anything,” she said.

“What I heard last Thursday was very positive,” said Collingwood Deputy Mayor Rick Lloyd.who also opposed Keffer’s amendment,

But Keffer’s amendment carried. Opposed were Collins, Lloyd, Springwater Deputy Mayor Dan McLean, Clearview Mayor Ken Ferguson and Deputy Mayor Alicia Savage, Collingwood Mayor Sandra Cooper and Severn Deputy Mayor Judith Cox.

Warden Cal Patterson was among those who supported it.