{"id":8036,"date":"2020-12-21T19:59:59","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T19:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/environmentaldefence.ca\/?p=28284"},"modified":"2020-12-21T19:59:59","modified_gmt":"2020-12-21T19:59:59","slug":"king-township-rejects-a-trojan-horse-request-for-a-minsters-zoning-order-to-allow-development-in-the-greenbelt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/12\/21\/king-township-rejects-a-trojan-horse-request-for-a-minsters-zoning-order-to-allow-development-in-the-greenbelt\/","title":{"rendered":"King Township rejects a \u201cTrojan Horse\u201d request for a Minster\u2019s Zoning Order to allow development in the Greenbelt"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"King<\/div>

On Monday Dec 14, 2020, by a margin of six votes to one, King Township Council refused to endorse a \u201ctrojan horse\u201d request for a Minister\u2019s Zoning Order that would have permitted a sprawling multi-use commercial complex, including a hotel and conference centre (as well as a long term care facility) on Greenbelt lands, in the functional heart of the sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine. <\/span><\/p>\n

A Minister\u2019s Zoning Order (an emergency\u00a0tool being misused at an unprecedented rate by the present government<\/a>) would have circumvented accepted municipal planning processes and denied residents any say in the matter.\u00a0 Because of the\u00a0passage of the government\u2019s Bill 229, Schedule 6, it would also override longstanding <\/span>Conservation Authorities Act <\/span><\/i>protections that Ontarians have relied on to prevent floods, landslides and contamination and protect important wetlands, forests and significant wildlife habitat.\u00a0 Granting an MZO would also be yet another a breach of the Government\u2019s commitment never to issue MZOs on the Greenbelt.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This request marked the first of many likely conflicts\u00a0 to come regarding the use of MZOs to develop previously protected lands. While the applicant, Augustinian Fathers (Ont.) Inc., was a religious order, its Trustees included key players in land speculation and\u00a0sprawl housing construction who could benefit from establishing a precedent for Minister\u2019s Zoning Orders being used to force development in the Greenbelt.<\/p>\n

\"Forest
This forest is part of a 814-acre estate in the Greenbelt that once belonged to Sir Henry Pellatt of Casa Loma fame. Photo by Pam Wilson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to its status as being zoned off-limits to development on the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt, the isolated, largely-forest and provincially significant wetland-covered 814-acre estate is part of the vital Mary Lake and Seneca Lake wetland complex, and is the former forested preserve of Sir Henry Pellatt, the notorious creator of Toronto\u2019s Casa Loma.<\/p>\n

King Council members opposed the MZO request for development of this land on its merits, with Mayor Pellegrini saying:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWhenever there is an opportunity, I celebrate the Moraine. I am proud of King as a steward of the Moraine; as the proposal violates the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, I cannot endorse it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However the decision was also a fierce and stinging repudiation of Minister\u2019s Zoning Orders in principle.<\/p>\n

Said Councillor Eek of Ward 6:\u00a0 \u201cThe use of MZOs is an irresponsible approach to development under the guise of \u201ccutting red tape.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Councillor David Boyd \u201cAsserting Council\u2019s objection to the letter of support [MZO] request sends a clear message to our community that we value their input and recognize it as an essential component in the planning process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Mary
Mary Lake in the Oak Ridges Moraine, for which the estate is named. Photo by Pam Wilson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Likewise Ward 5 Councillor Deborah Schaefer said \u201c[O]ur Official Plan [OP] has just been approved. It is the outcome of a 3 year process in which citizens throughout King engaged.\u00a0 An MZO renders an OP to be trivial.\u00a0 Both MZO’s implied locating growth outside the current urban boundaries of the respective village.\u00a0 Additionally, the Marylake MZO boldly promised no environmental impact by the proposed activities despite such not being permitted in the Moraine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let’s hope that\u00a0other municipalities follow the example of King Township and refuse to endorse any requests for a Minister’s Zoning Order from developers or other groups.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stay up-to-date on environmental issues. Join our email community.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post King Township rejects a “Trojan Horse” request for a Minster’s Zoning Order to allow development in the Greenbelt<\/a> appeared first on Environmental Defence<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

This post was originally published on Environmental Defence<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"King<\/div>\n

On Monday Dec 14, 2020, by a margin of six votes to one, King Township Council refused to endorse a \u201ctrojan horse\u201d request for…Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

The post King Township rejects a \u201cTrojan Horse\u201d request for a Minster\u2019s Zoning Order to allow development in the Greenbelt<\/a> appeared first on Environmental Defence<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":713,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1303,2159,2160,2158,2161,2162,2163],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8036"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/713"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8036"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10910,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8036\/revisions\/10910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}