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Town denies three MZO applications at Council meeting

November 12, 2020   ·   0 Comments

Following the Town’s approval of a Minister Zoning Order (MZO) from Flato Developments in principal last month, three more popped up on Council’s agenda at a regular meeting last Monday.

Lawyer for San Marco and Lamis Limited, Ron Kanter, requested Council’s support for a MZO on 35 hectares of lands for affordable seniors housing in Alliston, just outside of its existing urban settlement boundary.

Kanter noted that the site in question has a long planning history within the Town spanning back to 2004 and that it has always been planned as a seniors’ community, offering a continuum of care.

“A new long-term care facility will offer opportunity for new designs and new measures to prevent or at least limit or mitigate pandemics such as COVID-19,” he said.

The MZO application for the property has already been filed with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, so the developer then requested the Town’s support, but was denied.

Ward 4 Councillor Fran Sainsbury made a motion to refer Kanter’s deputation to the Town solicitor and staff, so they can meet and discuss the development further; however it was shot down 7-3.

Ward 5 Councillor Donna Jebb noted that the cost to get water to the development area in question would be too high for the long-term care facility.

Ward 8 Councillor Alan Lacey said that a public meeting is coming up shortly regarding the property and it is best to just continue with the existing process for the proposed development instead of opting for an MZO.

Meanwhile Paul Demelo, lawyer for Rock Gardens Estate Inc, which owns 70 hectares of land between the 5th and 6th Line, west of Tottenham Road, on the edge of its existing settlement boundary, requested Council to permit a meeting with staff in regards to its MZO application.

The developer of the property has been in discussions with two manufacturing companies looking to expand their operations to New Tecumseth, which would create close to 2,000 jobs.

“In my respectful submission, this is an ideal time for the municipality to advance economic development and jobs development within the municipality,” said Demelo.

Council voted 8-2 against a motion in regards to the development, since its outside of the 1,000 acres of land up in New Tecumseth’s Industrial Park, which is zoned as industrial lands and has the water allocations needed to operate.

Demelo also brought forward a request for support regarding an MZO for its Coventry Park project, which is an addition of a facility for 200 long-term care beds, and it was denied as well. 

“This is not a welcomed addition or expansion to the Tottenham community, it’s actually expanding down into the rural area of New Tecumseth and it’s very clear to anybody who lives in the country that this is not what they moved to the country for,” said Ward 7 Councillor Shira Harrison McIntyre.

“This is again too much, too big and I will let it go through the process it’s currently under, however as with all the other MZOs, I’m not in support of this.”

By Sam Odrowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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