‘It's a non-starter’: Richmond Hill council rejects severance in Oak Ridges despite concerns

‘The difference between having a staff report with recommendation versus just a decision here is that the staff report will not be present at LPAT hearings,’ a planning staff says

Yorkregion.com
June 10, 2020
Sheila Wang

Richmond Hill council made a rare move to turn down a land severance application in Oak Ridges at a public meeting, forestalling a staff recommendation, which was expected in the regular planning process.

Councillors voted at the June 4 electronic public meeting to reject the application proposed to build two semi-detached houses on a lot at 57 Beaufort Hills Rd. in the Oak Ridges area.

The decision was made after a number of residents spoke as delegates at the online meeting against the proposal, which would subdivide the current 0.37-hectare lot into two.

Delegates said the development was not consistent with the character of the existing neighbourhood and would destroy more than 90 trees situated in a natural core area.

Calling it “bad planning,” Oak Ridges Coun. Greg Beros said the proposed development was a “non-starter” and moved to receive the report presented by staff and comments from the public about the application “for information purpose only.”

Regional Coun. Carmine Perrelli then amended the motion by adding that council rejects the application.

He said traditionally public meetings were to get comments from the public but in reality “we can make a decision.”

Beros agreed, despite concerns raised over “bypassing” proper planning protocols by a few councillors.

“This application is flatly being refused. If the applicant has any wiggle room to think he or she can come back with two houses in a different format, that’s not gonna happen. It’s a different application we would have to consider,” Beros said.

Coun. David West said he worried a decision made at the public meeting may put council in a “weaker” position if it was appealed to The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).
“The process we normally undergo is that we have this meeting, and it goes back to staff and then staff makes a recommendation,” West said.

Mayor Dave Barrow, who shared a similar concern, pointed out council has never turned down an application at a public meeting that was intended to receive public input only and asked staff for clarification.

“The difference between having a staff report with recommendation versus just a decision here is that the staff report will not be present at LPAT hearings,” Gus Galanis, director of development planning, said.

Deputy City Clerk Ryan Ban advised council to revise the motion by adding “subject to further discussion with staff and the applicant” in order to move the process forward.

“That’s not my motion,” said Perrelli, who dismissed the deputy city clerk’s advice. “It’s very simple. We turn down this application this evening. This area is not going to change, not now, not ever.”

Residents from the community “applauded” Mayor Barrow and council for taking a strong stand against the development, according to a news release issued by the neighbourhood group Beaufort Hills Road Neighbours on June 8.

It adds that the residents “fully expect” the city will prepare studies to support the decision and allow the citizens to participate in the LPAT hearings, if it is appealed to LPAT.

Watch the full video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jlKVYIV7zo.