Residents opposed to a development in east-end Orillia are urging the city to follow its policies and not approve the project.
Orchard Point residents first publicly aired their objections in September, citing concerns about safety, traffic and the environment.
Now they’re saying Coland Developments Corporation’s proposed Club 888 — an eight-storey, 44-unit condo building on the shore of Lake Simcoe — has elements that are contrary to policies in the city’s Official Plan.
That document states development “shall be maintained in conjunction with efficient pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular transportation networks.”
That isn’t the case with Orchard Point, the residents said, noting there is only one road, without stop lights, to exit the point onto Atherley Road, there are no sidewalks on Atherley Road in that area, and cyclists wanting to head west would have to cross the busy street.
“There are numerous facts about this development that go directly against city policies and provincial policies,” said Kathy Hunt, who lives on Driftwood Road, adjacent to the site of the proposed development.
Similarly, the Official Plan states zones designated as living areas should provide “a transit supportive and pedestrian/cycling-oriented development pattern.” As Hunt pointed out, the nearest transit stop is down the road at Invermara Court.
After raising these and other concerns during a meeting with city staff and council members, Orchard Point residents weren’t pleased with the response.
“What really annoyed us after our last meeting with the mayor, our area councillors and planning staff was that it was recommended to us that we should hire a professional planner to state our case,” Hunt said. “Instead of taking our word for it and asking their planning staff to take a closer look at this, they’re asking us to hire a planner to tell them that, to explain that to them.”
While they felt that suggestion was unfair, they reached out to eight planners between Barrie and Huntsville. Many said they were too busy, while others cited conflicts of interest.
“All they need to do is reach a little further afield,” said Mayor Steve Clarke.
He maintains hiring a professional planner is the residents’ best bet.
“That will add a lot of legitimacy to their case when it comes to council,” he said, adding city staff’s job is to determine whether proposed projects “tick all the boxes” of planning principles.
“Staff cannot take the side of development or the side of anti-development.”
Hunt said the city should take its climate change action plan into consideration when looking into developments like this one.
“This development is on Lake Simcoe. One of the reasons we think this should not be approved is related to the environment and climate change,” she said. “These developers are coming in, eradicating the green space that we have — the small amount we have left.”
That is a “specific example of where they may benefit from a professional opinion,” Clarke said, adding the city does “not want to degrade the environment.”
Concerns about the effect on the environment are shared by Judy Kemp, who lives at Sophie’s Landing on the other side of Invermara Bay.
“We chose (to move) here because we thought Orillia had enormous potential, good potential. The abundance of wildlife that we see every day is amazing, and that would all go away. I’m afraid something like that is going to set a precedent,” she said. “The mistakes they make now, we’ll have to live with forever. This is our chance.”
Those who speak out against changes occurring near their homes are often accused of having a NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude, but “it’s a bigger issue than not in my backyard,” Hunt said.
Jill Rettinger agreed. That’s why she’s lending her support to the Orchard Point residents even though she lives on Victoria Point, where she is also concerned about the environmental implications of development.
“It’s easy for others to point a finger and say, ‘You just want to protect your little backyard.’ That’s human nature to want to protect the environment you live in, but this isn’t just people who are fighting for their own little backyard,” she said.
“It’s the backyard in a broader sense. My backyard isn’t just the small area that surrounds my home that I’m fighting for. My backyard includes Orchard Point. My backyard includes Scout Valley. My backyard includes the west end. People need to stop taking a myopic view and pointing fingers," said Rettinger.
“It’s going to happen all over Orillia and it’s just going to drift right through,” added Orchard Point resident Wes Trinier. “The same things that we’re all experiencing now and have been for the past 10 years will happen to them. You can’t win.”
The province has mandated the city to plan to accommodate an overall population of 49,000 by 2051, and Orchard Point has been designated an intensification area for about a decade. The problem, Trinier said, is there is no “cut-off” for intensification.
With all of the development that has taken place and more that is on the horizon in that area, he said it should be obvious to the city that Orchard Point has done its part in terms of intensification.
“I would suggest Orchard Point may very well be there now. I see the logic in that,” Clarke said. “Every neighbourhood is going to have to do their part for intensification. We are growing, and I think that’s going to stay true, but we can’t overburden individual neighbourhoods. We also need to broaden our borders, but we can’t do that forever. Finding that balance is the key.”
Rettinger said she understands the city has a growth goal to meet, but she wants staff and council to “consider slowing down a bit to analyze the targets and ensure what growth does occur is smart and is consistent with the climate strategy.”
She suggested the city adopt a policy that there be no net loss of wetlands now as well as with any land that might be annexed later, and consult with environmental experts regarding wetland and forest preservation.
“That would be consistent with their climate change strategy and it would be a forward-thinking plan that would lead to preserved water quality, health and well-being, economic benefits, recreation benefits. There is an opportunity for Orillia to be a municipal leader,” she said.
The city is planning to remove the intensification designation from Orchard Point and return it to stable neighbourhood status, but that can’t happen until the Official Plan is updated. That process is expected to take place next year.
“We’re truly trying to find anything we can do to help the citizens of Orchard Point until we can down-designate,” Clarke said, noting he is still in communication with the ministry about trying to get stop lights at Orchard Point and Atherley roads.
While redesignating the area will be a welcome change for those residents, other neighbourhoods can expect to see intensification. Rettinger will be among those paying attention to what happens elsewhere in the city.
There is a municipal election next year, she noted.
“Perhaps it’s time for citizens who are concerned to make this an election issue,” she said. “If the accountability is with our city council, then we have an opportunity to hold them accountable.”
Coland Developments Corporation has applied for a zoning bylaw amendment to allow for Club 888 to proceed, which means a public meeting is necessary. A date for that meeting has not yet been set.
