In 2019 I became aware of opposition to a build on Sadler Creek Road in Northern Bruce Peninsula. The owner Sarah is a senior in her 90’s wanting to build a family cottage. A dream from the 40’s when she bought the property herself. Pretty big step for a woman back then.
We got to know the family and they are terrific people. Sarah actually sat in on a court case as a student that my dad was involved in as an OPP officer in Brantford, “the Evelyn Dick murder case”, small world.
We own 107 acres on the same road as the Browne’s/Martin’s. During the process we ended up buying a smaller property to the south end of the bay which we became aware of unexpectedly. In between is a reserve owned by The Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC), Executive Director Robert Barnett. Mr Barnett opposed their zoning approval to Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) after council approved it.
Now he’s opposing our zoning which was approved unanimously by council, after we completed all requirements – Environmental study, Archaeological study, surveying. The EBC could have bought the property like we did but didn’t, we heard they had an offer in. It kind of fell in our lap really. We didn’t want the EBC to buy a property near us and we became aware of the lot which had no signage. Voila.
So now we have to fight what was an LPAT appeal (renamed now Ontario land’s Tribunal) like the other family.
Who pays?
Well we pay out of our pocket and the Municipality has to pay a lawyer which in turn is paid by the taxpayers in the Municipality. Lawyers probably charge $400-800 an hour. Not to mention man hours by municipal staff. The EBC, well I don’t know, donations they receive perhaps? Gov’t money received? (ie. tax monies). Not sure.
So we did everything that was required. Council, whom we elect, voted to approve. Then along comes a man from Toronto with his Conservancy group and he’s holding up the works in my opinion.
It is going to cost the Municipality money that could be utilized many other places and monies we would normally spend locally will disappear and our project is held up. Work for many trades and money spent for materials.
In this case also the land is zoned Planned Development (PD). It was approved to be zoned resort residential with Environmental Hazard (EH) zoning. Basically a conservative cottage for just the two of us and everything outside a tiny building envelope will be EH. Protected.
Right now PD doesn’t protect much really. EH zones do protect which is okay with us. It’s a good balance between having homes to live in and protecting what needs to be.
I urge the public to watch a webinar from March 23/21 by the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy Inc. and Mr. Robert Barnett. Very enlightening in a disturbing way. You can find the webinar at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-DJFos5pnE
Be informed and read, read, read.
Carol Porter,
(Owner of two properties) Northern Bruce Peninsula
