Scugog council to discuss MZO request for controversial Port Perry development in September

DAN CEARNS The Standard

SCUGOG: Scugog council will further contemplate a request for a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO), from Avenu Properties Corporation, for a Port Perry development in September.

The proposed development is located on lands east of Simcoe Street and south of Castle Harbour Drive. A report will come to council for discussion, at the September 16th meeting.

“In December 2023, Avenu Properties initially made a request to Council, to consider a Community Infrastructure Housing Accelerator (CIHA) application. The Province of Ontario has, however, eliminated the CIHA program and Avenu Properties has subsequently requested the Township to support an MZO,” a Scugog Township press release explained.

At a meeting in June, several members of the Scugog community spoke against the request. This included Rob Messervey, from the Scugog Lake Stewards.

“I don’t see the imperative, nor the benefit, nor the feasibility of an MZO, to establish unit density at this development, at this time,” he said.

The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN) also have concerns about the proposed development which were included in a letter to Scugog council.

“While we understand the Township’s desire to see more residential development in the community, this should not happen without extensive and meaningful consultation with MSIFN. A Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator order will significantly impact the exercise of our Constitutionally protected Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. MSIFN and Ontario municipalities used to rely on technical reviews of projects like this, from Conservation Authorities working under the Conservation Authorities Act. However, the province has removed Conservation Authorities from the planning and assessment process, for these municipal development projects. This is the first major project, both the Township and MSIFN are being asked to consider, without the resources and technical expertise of Kawartha Conservation. We are concerned about the level of due diligence the Township has conducted, to date, with Avenu Properties, especially given the inability of Kawartha Conservation to review and comment on the proposal. Also concerning is the notice, from Avenu Properties' (March15th, 2024), it is refusing to fund MSIFNs costs for a third-party technical review of its technical work and reports,” the letter states.

Though a letter from Andrew Biggart, representing Avenu Properties, stated, the MZO will only be issued “if the Minister is satisfied that sufficient study has occurred to justify the requested Zoning.”

Through the provincial ministry of municipal affairs and housing, an MZO can be issued to override certain planning procedures, in order to move a development date closer.