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Grimsby frozen out of Greenbelt adjustments “We believe it is political,” Mayor Bentley By Mike Williscraft NewsNow Adjustments to Grimsby Greenbelt lands have been wholly rejected by the provincial government and town officials are not happy. A 10-year review of designations assigned when the Greenbelt legislation came into existence in 2004 has been underway for about two years. Public meetings, presentations, direct meetings with government officials and a great deal of paperwork has gone into the development of Grimsby’s case for getting parcels of land freed up from the intensely protected areas. “If this was an exercise in futility, it should have never happened,” said Ald. Nick
DiFlavio at Grimsby’s council meeting Monday night. “They had 700 requests but made no changes. The staff time, meeting with ministers at AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference), soil analyses, all wasted. How does that happen?” Mayor Bob Bentley believes he knows. “We believe it is political,” Bentley said. “It was a surprise for sure. I have contacted our MPP (Sam Oosterhoff) already. We just wanted them to base their decision on science. If it’s good farmland, protect it.” Town CAO Derik Brandt said part of the frustration is no information has been provided as to why the Town’s request was rejected.
“It doesn’t say the design is wrong, no, it’s tender fruit land, just ‘no’,” noted Brandt. Bentley said there is an opportunity to comment on the findings but no formal appeal mechanism is in place. “We even offered land in trade. We were one of a few municipalities to do that,” Bentley added. “I was told by two different (Cabinet) ministers that it was an error and would be corrected after 10 years.” Bentley said in 2004 that the province admitted to errors in improperly designating lands due to a paperwork error and that it would be a formality to adjust when the 10-year review rolled around.
Table for two
Lisa Webb enjoys a tasty morsel while her weimaraner, Hudson, patiently waits for his share at last weekend’s Winter WineFest on Main Street Jordan. For more coverage, please see Page 6. Williscraft - Photo
18-storey condo approved by Grimsby council Grimsby town council got what they wanted in a proposal to design an 18-storey condo complex in the fast-developing Winston Road area passing the proposal 7-2 in a recorded vote on Monday. Silvio Guglietti, owner of developer Rosehaven Homes told council his organization had
done everything Grimsby officials asked along the way to creating an 18-storey and 14-storey design for his lands at 10 Windward Drive (the former Planet Nite Club property). “If I did townhouses or stacked townhouses it would all be sold and I’d be gone,” Guglietti told
council, noting his team was directed by staff to go up, not out, in the 20 previous version of site plans for the project. “Staff encouraged us at every turn to go narrower and taller. We kept it narrow and really, really sparse because we were pushed that way.”
Ald. Nick DiFlavio agreed. “Mr. Guglietti said he has done everything asked...I have to say, it is true,” said DiFlavio. Adam Mottershead, who made a detailed presentation to council including a video analysis of shadow impact on the neighbourhood, See CONDO, Page 2