New King Township municipal office delayed by OMB decision

YorkRegion.com
May 2, 2017
Simon Martin

Usually when municipalities go to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) it’s because they don’t agree with a developer’s use of land. But the tables have been turned in King Township after developer Cam Milani and Milani Group took the township to the board in regards to the proposed new municipal office on King Road. 

To add insult to injury, the OMB ruled last month that township’s Official Plan did not provide a foundation for the bylaw and that there is no other justification in light of the very strict environmental buffer requirements in the King City Community Plan.  The OMB decided that the bylaw be “held” pending an Official Plan Amendment to support the bylaw.

Mayor Steve Pellegrini said he was disappointed, but that an amendment would take around three additional months.

When the township first announced the $11.3-million construction project at 2585 King Rd. last year, it expected the site to be ready for occupancy by December 2017. That timeline has now been shelved as the township needs to amend its Official Plan before it can move forward.

The new office is expected to be a massive improvement over the cramped quarters at 2075 King Rd., which is “bursting at the seams.” The new office will be located at former Holy Name Catholic Elementary School site and will also have a public gymnasium and York police substation.

Pellegrini said Milani’s appeal likely stemmed from his displeasure with the 30-metre buffer requirements that exist in King’s Official Plan.

“All the other developers have adhered to the buffers,” Pellegrini said.

Milani owns the old Crossley farm just south of the Kingscross neighbourhood off Jane Street. He was happy with how the OMB ruled on the case.

“This is a big win for the residents and landowners of King City whereby the environment can be protected at the same time as accommodating for reasonable developments,” he said. “This new city hall accomplishes that goal while confirming everyone must play by the same rules, including governments.”

Pellegrini let it be known that he was not going to allow Milani’s efforts to change how the township does things.

“He doesn’t like our rules so he thinks by doing this we will acquiesce to his demands,” he said. “To be honest, I would love to get the city hall done. But I’m not going to lower my standards.”

With King City surrounded by the Oak Ridges Moraine, there is only a limited amount of land to develop. Milani said the 30-metre buffers imposed by the township result in a lot of wasted land in the settlement area.

The buffers in other municipalities are much smaller, he said.

The new location of the municipal office didn’t adhere to 30-metre natural heritage buffer. Pellegrini said that, because it was an existing site, it would cause no environmental disruption.  

Total costs including demolition, land acquisition, various studies, consultant fees, relocation and full construction costs for the office is $18.5 million. The balance of funds will come from the sale of the current township office site.