Council loses patience with long-delayed developments

Council loses patience with long-delayed developments

LISA TALLYN Staff Writer CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer The clock is ticking on three proposed rural estate subdivisions after Halton Hills council decided to set a deadline for action for an Acton area plan. Sanmike Construction requested an extension of its draft plan approval of a rural 20-lot estate home project at the southeast corner of Regional Rd. 25 and 32 Sideroad, north of Acton. The subdivision was previously known as Halton Greens or Debryn-Pecan when it was originally draft approved in 1988. But little action has taken place on the site in the last 19 years. Planning Director Bruce MacLean is recommending council extend the draft approval until October 30, and he has made it clear to the developer that this will be last time. Current delays have been attributed to a Land Titles Act appeal by neighbours and draft plan conditions revisions required by Halton Region. Settlements on both issues are imminent, said MacLean, and he sees no reason why Sanmike couldn't register the subdivision by the fall deadline. BRUCE The actual project is now contrary MacLEAN to the new Official Plans of both Halton Region and the Town, pointed out Mayor Rick Bonnette, who seemed to have lost patience with the project. He wanted a list of other similar proposal languishing on Town planning books. "I think we should give all of them nine months, and say `either get in or get out!'," the mayor said. "Because, quite frankly, today they would never have been approved. "After 19 years, surely to God they've could have come to some resolution on this...It's a joke in my opinion by the developers. I think they're just stretching everything so they can to try to wait for the land value to increase in value." His sentiments were echoed by many councillors around the council table, some of whom were even reluctant to even grant the nine-month extension. "I think council has sent a clear message tonight," said MacLean, who plans to bring forward a report on the two remaining long-term developments and what processes are necessary to ensure no further extensions or approvals to allow their continued existence. These two are the Churchill Valley Estates (23 homes) on Winston Churchill Blvd. and Esquesing Developments Ltd, (20 homes) on Sixth Line. A similar deadline was imposed last year to a proposed rural estate project in the rural cluster of Bannockburn at the corner of Hwy. 7 and Fourth Line (now a temporary golf driving range). Its deadline is in March. The Town of Halton Hills decision is a recommendation only to Halton Region, which has the final authority. (Cynthia Gamble can be reached at cgamble@independentfreepress.com)