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44 THE RURAL VOICE
NEWS
GREY LAND
USE FREEZE
ANNOUNCED
The continuing debate over planning
and land use issues in Grey County took
a dramatic turn last month with the joint
appearance of two provincial cabinet
ministers before a meeting of county
councillors.
Ontario's Minister of Municipal
Affairs, Dave Cooke, and Ruth Grier,
Minister of the Environment, flew into
Owen Sound the morning of May 14.
After repeated delays due to fog, which
strained patience but gave rise to pre-
dictable jokes, the ministers arrived to
deliver a seven -page letter to Warden
Jim Milliner, meet with county officials,
and hold a brief news conference, before
returning to Toronto.
In their letter, the ministers an-
nounced that, as of that date, the county
was to restrict consents (severances) to
those which conformed completely
with the Official Plan, and which had the
support of all provincial and other re-
view agencies; that all severances
would be monitored by the Ministry of
Municipal Affairs; and that a joint
county -provincial steering committee
would be formed to oversee develop-
ment of a new Official Plan, and to carry
out a detailed study of all lots created in
the past five years.
At their press conference both minis-
ters commented that the results of two
recent studies of planning in Grey
County had been "disturbing," and had
necessitated provincial intervention.
The number of severances granted rose
650 per cent between 1986 and 1989,
and many of the consents did not con-
form to the Official Plan. Rapid growth
in the county has led to an intense, at
times bitter, public debate over land use
activity.
The Ministers also used the occasion
to release two long-awaited reports on
planning activities in Grey County. The
first was the report of the Ontario Envi-
ronmental Assessment Advisory Com-
mittee (EAAC), chaired by Dr. Philip
Byer. The committee received 56 oral
and 140 written submissions, and the
report notes that the "importance of land
use and environmental issues for the
residents of the county is reflected in the
large number and high quality of sub-
missions made to EAAC."
The 51 -page report provides a de-
tailed examination of the existing plan-
ning and land development policies, the
complex economic, social, and environ-
mental issues affected by these policies,
and a number of recommendations for
both the county and the province. It also
comments on the inadequacy of existing
municipal and provincial legislation to
deal with the current planning, develop-
ment, and environmental concerns of
southern Ontario.
A second report, from the Ministry
of Municipal Affairs, was prepared in
response to a request from a group of
Grey County ratepayers for a Commis-
sion of Inquiry. The report recom-
mended against the necessity of an in-
quiry, but concluded that"there is a need
for improvements to the planning proc-
ess in Grey County" and recommends,
among other things, the creation of a
new Official Plan, improved internal
procedures, a streamlined approval
process for subdivisions, and more
hydrogeology studies for new lots.
Initial reaction to the province's
surprise move was cautious and
guarded, as both council members and
public interest groups are taking time to
digest the reports and announcements.
At press time, County Council was pre-
paring its response following a meeting
with ministry of municipal affairs offi-
cials. Stay tuned.0
Anyone interested in receiving a
copy of the EAAC Report on Environ-
mental Planning and Approvals in Grey
County should contact the Ministry of
the Environment's Public Information
Centre at 416-323-4321. For copies of
the Municipal Affairs report on Sever-
ances and Zoning By -Laws in Grey
County contact the Guelph Regional
Office at 519-836-2531.
THE RURAL VOICE
IS MOVING!
Effective June 3, we will be
located at:
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P. O. Box 429, NOM 1H0
Phone: 519-523-4311