York Region, Georgina ‘clarify’ North Gwillimbury Forest situation
Approvals stand for Maple Lake Estates development
News release from the Town of Georgina – July 19 2012
Metrus Development Inc., owner of Maple Lake Estates (MLE), has withdrawn their appeal against York Region’s Regional Official Plan (ROP) and is no longer entering into Minutes of Settlement with York Region. Recent claims made by the North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance (NGFA) have required both York Region and the Town of Georgina to clarify the situation.
It is important to note that both the Town and Region believe environmental protection is important however both believe that the most recent NGFA e-mail blast does not accurately describe the present situation and as such does not reflect a complete understanding of what has occurred or what it means. As local and regional governments, both the Town and Region operate openly and with integrity in the public realm. Both respect the rights of landowners and developers in order to ensure that any development that is undertaken is in the best interest of all parties with present and future interests in the area.
The MLE development is a longstanding approved, registered and zoned retirement community of 1,073 homes with ancillary recreational uses and a golf course. The Province of Ontario, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), York Region and the Town of Georgina all recognize the current approved development within the Province’s Greenbelt Plan (2005), the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (2009) and the Town of Georgina/York Region Official Plans.
Since its first blast e-mail (May 2012), the NGFA retained Leo Longo from Aird and Berlis. Mr. Longo asked for party status at the OMB ROP hearing pertaining to the MLE appeal and attended the May 28/29 OMB hearing. Subsequently, a confidential OMB mediation was undertaken between Metrus, the NGFA and York Region. As a result of the mediation, Metrus withdrew its MLE appeal of the ROP on July 11. This means that York Region’s Regional Official Plan pertaining to the MLE development was approved by the OMB effective July 11, 2012.
In summary, the withdrawal of the Metrus appeal does not impact their existing development rights
on the MLE land. Nothing has changed for the MLE development as the existing development approvals remain unchanged. The new ROP (2010) maintains the land use designation of MLE as Towns and Villages” and this designation allows residential development in accordance with the existing approvals.
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