Updated: Developers seek additional population allocations for Midhurst

AWARE News Network UPDATE December 7 2015

Springwater Council received a report from its planning director on requests from developers for support in seeking additional population allocations to be used in the Midhurst area. The allocations are part of a bonus 20,000 population granted to Simcoe County when then infrastructure minister Bob Chiarelli announced Amendment 1 to the Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan.

The Midhurst requests (AppendixC – Residential Development Requiring Population Allocation-2) would consume around 9,000 of the county’s 20,000 allocation. ; that’s in addition to residential development for about 20,000 people in Midhurst which has been approved and for which the provincial government has withdrawn its appeal (Appendix B – Residential Development-3).

Mayor Bill French noted that under the Growth Plan, Springwater is to grow to a population of 24,500 between now at 2031. But it’s set to grow to 38,000 with the approved development, not counting the additional allocations now being sought.

Township council deferred any decision to January.

The following is from a November 24 2015 staff report to Simcoe County Council on the issue:

“In 2015, County Council approved allocation of population to two (2) development proposals; one located in the Town of Penetanguishene and one in the Township of Adjala-Tosorontio. The County allocated a cumulative 2,352 in population for the two developments and staff have worked on resolving outstanding Ontario Municipal Board appeals related to the files.

“Along with the previous approval in the Town of Collingwood (300 persons), the total population allocation County wide to date is 2,652. The total unused population allocation is 17,348.

“One new request was received from Midhurst Development Doran Road Inc. (MDDRI) since the last program update to County Council. MDDRI has requested 5,500 in population which can only be considered in the final year of the program in accordance with Official Plan policy 3.5.11 (H). All of the current pending applications are located in the Township of Springwater and are related to the appeal of the Township of Springwater Official Plan Amendment No. 38 (Midhurst Secondary Plan).

“As part of the appeal proceedings, one of the appellant parties to OPA No. 38 has requested that the Ontario Municipal Board hear a motion on the jurisdiction of the Board to render a decision on request for population. The party will be asking if the OMB is able to approve allocation of population without County Council approval. The motion hearing has been set for March 7 to 11, 2016. The County and the Province will both be party to the hearing.”

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Action Alert – received December 5 2015 from the Midhurst Ratepayers Association. This issue is relevant to all Simcoe County residents, as we jointly bear the cost of sprawl. Development does not pay for itself!

Encourage Local Government to REJECT Additional Developments in Midhurst

With the current Midhurst Secondary Plan (MSP), our village’s population will increase by over 850%! Questions immediately arise – Where will these people work? How will we be able to afford this? What will this do to our water, our streets, our community? Why is Midhurst adding 30,000 people when the entire township was only slated to grow by roughly 7,000 people?

The township is now receiving ADDITIONAL development requests (population allocations) for our village – OVER and ABOVE what we’ve outlined below. On Monday, December 7, council will debate whether to allow these applications to proceed or to reject them.

We must remind them that Midhurst is a lovely community whose farmland, water and current residents deserve the utmost respect. We are more than just a place to pave. Please send an email using one of the links below to remind our local government that no more additional developments should be allowed in Midhurst. This cancerous sprawl must not be allowed to grow further.

Please take 2 minutes and send in an email using one of the links below- either a pre-written version or one of your own. We have an opportunity to make a difference. Please help. Thanks in advance.

*Please don’t forget to add your address and full name at the bottom of the email – either pre-written or custom.

Sample letter to <councilmembers@springwater.ca>

Dear Springwater Council Members,

It has come to my attention that council, on Monday, December 7 will be voting on whether to allow additional population allocations (development) for Midhurst. As a concerned citizen, I am asking you to unequivocally reject any additional population allocation applications for Midhurst.

With the proposed MSP, Midhurst’s population is slated to grow 856%. Most of this growth will occur on prime farmland and will therefore change the very nature of our rural community and its economy. Allowing additional development will put further stress on our roads since there are NO new arterial roads being planned to accommodate the 30,000 people that are already intended to be added to this rural village. Further, the environmental assessment and financial impact analysis for the MSP are not finished. Allowing additional developments BEFORE the proper studies have been done to ensure our environment and communal finances will not be harmed is premature and ill-advised.

Midhurst has strong support through out the township to stop the MSP. Further, there is widespread support that the type of growth planned for Midhurst must be stopped in favour of smart, sustainable growth. Please consider that your duty is to represent the best interest of your constituents and the Springwater community. I strongly feel that allowing additional population allocations for Midhurst will benefit neither.

Regards,