Great news from the TML meeting on 1/12/18!!! The Township of Muskoka Lakes voted 9 – 0 to recommend District include a review of the Resort Village of Minett in their review of the new Official Plan. And they will modify the plan as needed and allow for Township and public input before adoption. This provide us with an opportunity to positively influence the direction of this ill-conceived plan to allow residential developments on commercial properties in Muskoka. We are tremendously proud of the incredible job our supporters have done in making this happen. We also want to recognize the courage of the Township of Muskoka Lakes councillors who stood up and took a stand against unsustainable development in Muskoka.
At the beginning of the meeting, Township planner David Pink noted that staff and councillors had received many communications from ratepayers stating that they would like Township to include a review of Minett in their official comments to District on the draft OP. That’s thanks to you, the Friends of Muskoka!
Frank Jaglowitz, Kate Lyons and Paul Richards all spoke in favour of the review of Minett, citing planning and environmental arguments, the need for alignment with the new Provincial Policy Statement that was not in place in 2008 when the Resort Village of Minett was approved, and the significant public opposition to the scale and scope of development in Minett both in 2008 and today.
Councillors Phil Harding and Allen Edwards stated that they fully support a review of Minett in the District OP review. Harding remarked that “If our council 12 years ago knew what they know today, they would not approve the Resort Village of Minett”. He mentioned low growth compared to projections, recommended new boat and road traffic studies, noted misalignment with the new Provincial Policy Statement and pointed out that the less than 1 km stretch of shoreline in Minett, if fully built out, stands to house more units than Lakes Joseph and Rosseau combined.
The unanimous vote in our favour is a great outcome, however the developer’s application will be considered under the existing OP when it has been deemed complete. But we now have a valid argument to delay its approval until the district has reviewed the Minett policies. Council has requested a review, so they should not approve a significant application before that review is complete and we will stay involved to make sure that any site-plan applications are consistent with the current OP requirements.