City works on OMB appeal of OP

By Janis Ramsay Barrie Advance Sep 11, 2012

BARRIE – The City of Barrie has avoided scheduled dates to discuss an appeal to its Official Plan.

In 2009, the City of Barrie adopted a new Official Plan, and sent it to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval April 23, 2010.

But several parties came forward challenging the plan, and filed an appeal with the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).

“We had scheduled prehearings August 13 and 14,” said Merwan Kalyaniwalla, manager of policy planning. “But they were adjourned at the request of all parties and I’m not really sure when it will come back.”

Involved in the appeal are Midhurst landowner groups and the Town of Innisfil.

“The Town of Innisfil was an appellant, but now they have asked for their status to change from party to participant,” said Kalyaniwalla. 

It means the town will observe the OMB appeal and maybe provide comments during the process, but won’t be calling any witnesses or have an active role if the matter goes to a hearing.

Kalyaniwalla said some of the initial issues have been resolved, and “all parties are seeking to pursue settlements.”

What’s still left outstanding are “site-specific appeals, growth management issues and population counts for the city,” he said. “They’ve appealed several policies in the document but it all relates back to those issues.”

Initially, the official OMB hearing was set for a week in October, but Kalyaniwalla said that has been adjourned. He said he’d be surprised if it ended up back on the table this year.

If the matter should go to an official hearing, it is more likely to be scheduled in 2013, he said.