Have your say on the redevelopment of Bradford Highlands Golf Club

A controversial plan to redevelop Bradford Highlands Golf Club is coming before the council for the second time in as many months.

Bradford Highlands Joint Venture (BHJV) wants to revise the township boundary to include the golf club property in the urban area and rezone it from open space recreational (OSR), agricultural (A) and residential to property to residential (R1) and residential two (R2), so it can be redeveloped into a subdivision with 998 units. Residents can provide feedback during a public meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, in the Zima Room of the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library at 425 Holland St. w.

Officially known as 23 Brownlee Dr. (plus 2820, 2824 and 2848 Line 5) and located between Line 5 and Line 6, the property abuts 20 existing homes along Brownlee and wraps around a cluster of 14 more at the end of the street.

BHJV — which includes ICG Golf, Bayview-Wellington (Highlands) and 2523951 Ontario Limited — proposes the 60-hectare property to include 342 single-family homes, 196 semi-detached homes, 334 street homes and 126 back-to-backs. townhouses as well as three hectares for parks and more space for stormwater management.

For this to happen BHJV applied for a Community Infrastructure and Housing Acceleration Order (CIHA) but as these are now gone they have more recently applied for a Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO). Before Bill 185, the Reducing Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, which received royal assent on June 6 and eliminates the CIHA, both orders gave the provincial minister of municipal affairs and housing the power to make land zoning orders to determine permitted use, size. and distance between buildings.

Council adopted an application process for MZO in January and was working on implementing a separate application process for CIHA during the April 2 council meeting, based on a report by senior planner Thomas Dysart and in response to BHJV’s application, which was the first of its kind for the city.

While the council’s discussion was meant to focus on the process for CIHA, several residents took the opportunity to speak during the open forum and voice their concerns about the proposed development, with some councilors sharing, of also concern, particularly about how newer development would fit in. with existing real estate properties.

Just over a week later, on April 10, Minister Paul Calandra introduced Bill 185 aimed at building housing faster by amending 15 other pieces of legislation, including planning, council tax and development laws.

While city staff explained the many ways the city’s planning policies will need to be updated as a result of the bill, a more recent report from Dysart explains that Tuesday’s public hearing, which would have been required as part of the CIHA, is still required as part of the MZO process and in accordance with the Planning Act.

As previously reported, this is not the first time the public has had an opportunity to voice concerns about the proposal, and it comes with a troubled past, including a case in the Ontario Land Tribunal and difficulties with official plan changes for both Bradford, as well as for Simcoe County.

BHJV representatives are expected to be on hand to respond to public feedback and answer questions from councillors, but the council is not expected to make a decision until after staff have reviewed the public feedback and provided a future report.

Anyone unable to attend the meeting in person may still submit written comments on planning file no. D12-24-05 by e-mail at (email protected)and these observations shall be accepted until such time as the board takes a decision on the matter.

For more information, visit townofbwg.com/bradfordhighlands.