Community members say they are dismayed that the developer of a proposed subdivision at 206 Townline Road West has opted to go to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) rather than work with council and the community.
The proposed development consists of a 96-unit development on about 4.84 hectares of land at 206 Townline Road West. The development would consist of 74 townhouse dwellings and 22 semi-detached dwellings.
According to an OLT document circulated by the applicant’s legal counsel to neighbouring property owners, on September 22, 2022, the applicant submitted an application to the Town for an amendment to the Town’s Community Planning Permit By-law and an application to the District of Muskoka for a plan of subdivision to permit the development. But Huntsville planning staff say the application was not deemed complete until late 2023.
“The application was submitted in 2022 but was not declared complete until later in 2023, and then the studies were peer-reviewed,” stated Huntsville Director of Planning Services Kirstin Maxwell via email correspondence.
The applicant attended a packed public meeting at Huntsville Council in January 2024. At that meeting, concerns expressed included runoff, flooding in the area, appropriate buffers from a wetland, traffic and the density of the project.
At that meeting, the applicant also noted that a wetland on the property had only recently been identified and resulted in more than a 30 per cent loss of developable land. He said over 3,000 planning hours had gone into the project so far, and “in the last 12 months since the application was deemed complete, we are still seeking approval. We feel that we have done our due diligence and gone above and beyond to ensure all parties have been acknowledged, heard, and complied with.”
Staff indicated that a review of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the development was ongoing. Those in attendance also heard concerns which included sightlines associated with the entrance and egress to the development, traffic flows, snowmobile traffic associated with a nearby trail system, setbacks from a wetland and water body as well as the density of the project and runoff.
“It appeared at the meeting that the builder would consider the recommendations that had been made and were asked by all our Town Councillors to come back to the planning department with some modifications to their building plan,” stated area property owner Anne Riebe who said she is part of a community group that consists of more than 150 residents who surround the proposed developent.
The applicant returned to Planning Council in October 2024 and while planning staff were recommending approval of the application with conditions, council again asked that the applicant consider reducing the density of the project, and redesig the proposed development to avoid infringement on the watercourse and Southeast Wetland on the property.
According to Riebe the developer “appears to have come back with a very bullish response, and simply put forward the identical building plan that they started out with, which I believe speaks volumes for how our Towns considerations were received.”
The applicant has since filed a complaint with the Ontario Land Tribunal for a lack of decision by both the Town of Huntsville and District of Muskoka.
“This is a Case of the Applicants Refusal to address the Concerns of our Community and Council members,” stated Riebe via email correspondence.
In a closed session discussion, council directed planning staff to engage legal counsel to attend the OLT on behalf of the Town. A case management conference will be held on March 6.
Chair of the Huntsville Planning Council Bob Stone said he is hopeful the applicant will agree to mediation, rather than going through a full hearing.
Doppler reached out to the applicant but did not receive a response.
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This developer and their consultants are arrogant. Twice the District, the Town and the existing neighbourhood taxpayers asked them to address our REAL concerns. They had done nothing. Huntsville has several clear cut properties where insolvent developers have left environmental disasters behind. Will this be another? We moved to Huntsville for the Trees, the Rocks and the Lakes. The developer has chosen to ignore our concerns and neighbourhood continuity by not designing an adequate buffer.
Imagine that! The Ontario government reduced/eliminated a number of environmental protections, particularly watershed related, and so now developers feel entitled to ignore local concerns, watershed concerns, etc. and with the support of their chief developers’ friend premier, tell local communities ‘tough luck’. Town Council, stand strong!!