Dear Editor,
There are currently two public hearings scheduled for Monday, Nov. 6 regarding development in Brookswood-Fernridge. How many people know about them? How many people are aware that there are requirements for neighbourhood plans under BOTH the 1987 OCP and the 2017 OCP?
Page 13 of the 1987 OCP states: “The Township will also prepare a detailed service area (neighbourhood) plan to be adopted by Council resolution before development is permitted.”
Page 50 of the 2017 OCP states: “Prior to the adoption of a rezoning bylaw in the Brookswood-Fernridge Community Plan area, a neighbourhood plan for the area shall be prepared and adopted by Council. Neighbourhood plan area boundaries shall be generally consistent with the boundaries shown on Map 10.”
It doesn’t matter whether these applications are advanced under the 1987 OCP or the updated 2017 OCP, the Township’s own bylaws state that neighbourhood planning must be done before development is permitted. If the Township allows these applications to proceed, they are in contradiction of their own bylaws!
Council should NOT allow development to proceed until the neighbourhood planning process is complete, which the TOL’s own website states should be under 12-18 months for Rinn, Booth and Fernridge.
Amy Morose
Brookswood
Editor’s note: As part of third reading of the new Brookswood-Fernridge OCP, council voted to allow development applications in process to continue. New development applications after that vote will have to go through the new 2017 OCP and neighbourhood planning process.