News clips: County’s deal with developers

Warden mum on Midhurst land deal

By Bob Bruton, Barrie Examiner September 30 2016

Simcoe County’s deal with developers about Midhurst population expansion still stings.

The arrangement between the county and a developers group, revealed Thursday, would allow an increase of 3,000 additional residents – as part of the 20,000 population allocation under the province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

In a release Friday, AWARE Simcoe said county council’s decision was a ‘betrayal!’, thumbed its nose at Springwater Township residents and made a mockery of democracy.

“The county has done an end-run on democracy,” said its chairman, Don Morgan, in a media release.

“Who is reaping the benefits? Certainly not the people of Springwater whose views have been clearly expressed, certainly not our future generations, to whom we owe a care of duty by preserving the prime, agricultural land that will be paved over if this plan proceeds.”

The Midhurst Ratepayers Association has also opposed the deal, opposing the additional population increase.

Springwater Township Mayor Bill French has said the county made its decision without the township’s knowledge or input.

He and Springwater Deputy Mayor Don Allen, who sit on county council, both recused themselves from the quasi-judicial hearing held in Simcoe County chambers in May due to a perceived conflict of interest.

French has said Springwater “feels a profound sense of betrayal by the county.”

Earlier in the year, township council voted unanimously not to support any of the developers’ applications for additional growth in Midhurst.

Neither Simcoe County Warden Gerry Marshall nor Simcoe County Deputy Warden Terry Dowdall could be reached for comment Friday by the Examiner.

The county said Midhurst developers had originally requested more than 6,000 people in additional population for the Midhurst settlement area. The settlement provides for a population allocation of only half that number (3,000) and, in addition, the county said developers are subject to planning measures that will control the location and pace of growth.

The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe is a framework set out by the province and its vision for managing development. It allows the county the discretion of allocating additional population under specific criteria, within a settlement area, in excess of what is required for up to 20 years.

The Midhurst developers’s request for an extra 6,000 residents is the subject of an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing Oct. 5; the county says this agreement eliminates the need for it, while protecting the county’s right to allocate the 20,000 people.

The OMB hearing is still scheduled for next Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Springwater Township administration centre in Midhurst.

Springwater feels betrayed over County deal for Midhurst development

CTV Barrie September 30, 2016 

The County of Simcoe has reached an agreement with developers regarding a population allocation in Midhurst, but the deal is not sitting well with Springwater’s mayor.

The county announced the deal Thursday, stating it reached an agreement with representatives from the Midhurst developer group for 3,000 new residents as part of the 20,000 Population Allocation program designated under the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

“Frankly, the Township feels a profound sense of betrayal by the County” said Springwater mayor Bill French.
Originally, Midhurst developers had requested more than 6,000 additional population for the Midhurst settlement area which the county and township felt was too much.

A hearing on the issue was scheduled to go before Ontario Municipal Board in October.

“We certainly never expected the County would turn its back on the Township and make a deal with the developers behind closed doors and force additional population on the Township well in excess of its Growth Plan numbers, without even consulting the Township or giving us any opportunity to comment on the deal,” said French.

The deal also shocked a local political watchdog group.

“The county has done an end-run on democracy” said AWARE Simcoe chair Don Morgan. “The county does not follow its own procedures, it’s breaking its own rules and it’s an ongoing situation.”

The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe allows the County the discretion to allocate additional population on certain lands under specific criteria within a settlement area in excess of what is needed for up to 20 years.
The county said the agreement eliminates the necessity and significant costs for much of the OMB hearing and protects many of the existing processes and policies, preserving the County’s right to allocate under the 20,000 Population Allocation Program.

“County Council made a very measured decision on all of the considerations of this complicated matter and this agreement really will be a win for the County, the landowners, the Township of Springwater and in particular for the Midhurst community,” said Warden Gerry Marshall.

“This decision provides certainty and avoids what could have been a lengthy, unpredictable and very expensive legal battle with vast and variable outcomes. Stakeholders from all perspectives should be satisfied that this solution works for the entire region at this time and also for the future.”

In addition, the developers are subject to planning measures that will control the location and pace of growth.
French said he will be seeking legal guidance at the next council meeting and AWARE Simcoe will consider asking Ontario’s Ombudsman to investigate the County.

Development deal irks township mayor

By Cheryl Browne, Barrie Examiner September 30, 2016

Residents and politicians alike are shaking their heads in dismay after Simcoe County officials made a deal with developers concerning population expansion in the small enclave of Midhurst north of Barrie.

The County of Simcoe released a statement on Thursday announcing it had reached an agreement with representatives from the Midhurst developers group in Springwater Township to allow an increase of 3,000 additional residents as part of the resolution of the 20,000 population allocation under the province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Springwater Township Mayor Bill French said he was disturbed by the county’s decision to come to an arrangement without the township’s knowledge or input.

“We are shocked and dismayed at the county’s unilateral decision to settle with the Midhurst developers,” French said shortly after the announcement was made. “Based on the decisions made by county council back in May 2016 to refuse further allocations from Midhurst – decisions that both the county and the township understood to be final – we fully expected the county would continue to support the township on this issue of vital importance to the township’s ability to direct its own future.”

French said he and Springwater council “never expected the county would turn its back on the township and make a deal with developers behind closed doors and force additional population on a township – well in excess of its growth-plan numbers – without even consulting the township or giving us an opportunity to comment on the deal.”

Earlier in the year, Springwater Township council had voted unanimously not to support any of the developers’ applications for additional growth in Midhurst.

French said both he and Springwater Deputy Mayor Don Allen, who sit on county council, recused themselves from the quasi-judicial hearing held in Simcoe County chambers in May due to a perceived conflict of interest

“There was absolutely no consultation with the township or our solicitor, who led the evidence at the May hearing, or anyone else at the township (about this deal),” French said.

“In simple terms, we find it ridiculous and frankly, the township feels a profound sense of betrayal by the county.”

County Warden Gerry Marshall was not available for comment

The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe is a framework set out by the province and its vision for managing development.

The plan does allow the county the discretion of allocating additional population under specific criteria within a settlement area in excess of what is required for up to 20 years.

Originally, the Midhurst developers had requested an increased population of 6,000, but the new deal provides for only half that amount.

Because this request for an extra 6,000 residents was going to go before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) next Wednesday, the county feels the new agreement eliminates a lengthy hearing, while protecting the county’s right to allocate the 20,000 allocation program.

“County council made a very measured decision on all of the considerations of this complicated matter and this agreement really will be a win for the county, the landowners, the Township of Springwater, and in particular, for the Midhurst community,” Marshall said in a news release.

“This decision provides certainty and avoids what could have been a lengthy and unpredictable and very expensive legal battle with vast and variable outcomes,” Marshall said.

“Stakeholders from all perspectives should be satisfied that this solution works for the entire region at this time and also for the future,” he said.

Stakeholders like spokesperson for the Midhurst developers group, Cheryl Shindruk, who said they were satisfied with the last-minute deal struck with the county that could prevent a lengthy OMB hearing.

“We’re very pleased with the settlement that provides landowners with half of the requested amount,” Shindruk said.

However, Sandy Buxton of the Midhurst Ratepayers Association (MRA), doesn’t see it that way.

The MRA has been fighting development on farmland north of the small village since 2008, she said.

“We’re still opposed to any additional population. Is half-a-loaf of stale bread better than a full loaf?” Buxton said of the 3,000 additional population expansion deal announced on Thursday.

“We didn’t know this was in the works. We are totally in the dark about this. We fought so hard to attain party status (at the OMB) and we were all geared up for the OMB next Wednesday.

“We are angry and disappointed with this announcement.”

The OMB hearing is still scheduled for Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Springwater Township administration centre in Midhurst.