Here is Staff report on the Bushland Heights application for which there is  the statutory public meeting on February 5.  As I reviewed earlier, this development proposal is very significant as it for a small subdivision of 88 single detached houses on land characterized as rolling landscape with two tributaries of the East Humber traversing it.  In addition to the environmental concerns there is the question of access to this subdivision.  One possibility would include using an easement to Manitou Drive which triggers issues about impact on that neighbourhood and impact on that road currently designed to serve a couple dozen homes.

The proponent’s proposal shows significant disrespect for the King City Community Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.  Not only does the development plan show significant intrusion on the buffers to the natural heritage features they do not offer any compensation initiatives (e.g. plantings elsewhere) and they do not offer technical studies to demonstrate that the intrusions do not harm the features intended to be protected.

It is also very disappointing that the proponent has rushed to the OMB rather than first hearing Council’s decision about their development proposal.  As I reviewed earlier the transition time to moving to the new Land Tribunals in place of the OMB has created the situation whereby developers who think they may be challenged by the Council are registering quickly with OMB.  They do so with hopes of being eligible for review per the current/traditional rules of OMB and not by the new ones under the Land Tribunal.