LSRCA Staff recommend one-word change to Maple Lake Estates Loophole

from Jack Gibbons Chair, North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance October 23 2013
The Lake Simcoe  Region Conservation Authority’s (LSRCA) staff are proposing a ‘slight’ one-word change to the Maple Lake Estates Loophole.  Specifically, staff are recommending that, instead of saying that the LSRCA ‘will’ approve a 500-acre development application that would destroy a provincially significant wetland (PSW), the LSRCA should say that it ‘may’ approve such an application.

The staff report admits that none of the LSRCA’s five neighbouring Conservation Authorities permit large-scale developments that would destroy PSWs. However, the staff report claims that both the Niagara Peninsula and Grand River Conservation Authorities have policies similar to the LSRCA’s Maple Lake Estates Loophole. Our planning consultant Anthony Usher, MCIP, RPP says he sees no evidence for this conclusion.
To add insult to injury, the LSRCA has a secret decision-making process for approving applications to destroy PSWs.  In our May 13th letter to the LSRCA we asked it to: inform us if Metrus Developments files an application to proceed with its Maple Lake Estates development, and to give all members of the public the opportunity to review any such application and make oral and written submissions to the LSRCA with respect to it.
Unfortunately, the LSRCA staff have not responded to our request for an open, democratic and transparent decision-making process.
We need your help
Please contact Mayor Robert Grossi and the other LSRCA board members and ask them to eliminate the Maple Lake Estates Loophole.   Please remind them that none of the LSRCA’s five neighbouring Conservation Authorities permit 500 acre, 1,000+ home developments that would destroy PSWs.
Please attend the LSRCA’s Board Meeting on Friday, October 25th at 9 a.m. in Newmarket (Click here for the location) to hear my deputation and to see which of our local politicians truly love Lake Simcoe.
Please pass this message on to your friends.
AWARE Simcoe footnote:
Who are the directors from Simcoe County?
Town of Innisfil                              Councillor Maria Baier
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Councillor Del Crake
Town of New Tecumseth                 Councillor Bruce Haire
City of Barrie                                 Councillor Barry Ward
City of Barrie (Citizen Representative) Mr. Eric Bull
Township of Oro-Medonte                Councillor Dwight Evans
Township of Ramara                        Councillor John O’Donnell
City of Orillia (Ex-Officio)                 Mayor Angelo Orsi
for full list of LSRCA board members, click here