Admiral Collingwood Agreement
OMB Hearing Scheduled For July 9, 2007
Has Been Cancelled Based On The Accepted Settlement Offer
The OMB Expects An Update On Or Before August 17th
An agreement has been reached between the Town of Collingwood and the Developers of the proposed new Admiral Collingwood and Admiral Village development. Over the past few weeks, the developers, officials from the Town of Collingwood and legal representatives from both sides have held a series of meetings to try to hammer out an agreement prior to a scheduled Ontario Municipal Board Hearing set to begin on July 9th. The OMB Hearing has now been cancelled. The agreement comes as good news for all sides in the ongoing dispute, and especially for Downtown Collingwood. The new residential/retail - seniors housing development will be an outstanding addition to the southern entrance to the Collingwood Downtown Business District and will no doubt serve to act as an example of downtown redevelopment for other towns and cities to learn from.
The dispute began when the new Collingwood Council overturned a decision by the previous Council, and voted to revoke the site-development agreement on the Admiral Collingwood project. At a meeting of Collingwood Council on Monday January 15, 2007, Council voted to reverse its agreement and commitment to support the proposed Admiral Collingwood development in Collingwood’s Downtown Core.
Press Release Issued By The Town of Collingwood:
COLLINGWOOD/ July 4, 2007 - Admiral Collingwood Development Corporation and Admiral Village Inc. have accepted a settlement proposal, respecting their site plan appeal, that was agreed upon by the Town of Collingwood Council at a Special Meeting held July 3rd, 2007. The Town’s Offer was presented yesterday afternoon (July 3, 2007) through the Municipal Solicitor Mr. Leo Longo, Aird & Berlis LLP which has been accepted (in principle) by the proponents this morning (Wednesday July 4, 2007). The proposal was based on an Ontario Municipal Board mediation between the parties following the presentation of a new amended 5 storey proposal.
The proposal has been satisfactorily reviewed by both parties Heritage Consultants and a third party independent heritage architect consultant. Admiral Collingwood Development Corporation and Admiral Village Inc. appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board under Subsections 36(3) and 41(12) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.13 as amended, from Council’s refusal to execute the Site Development Agreement and to lift the ‘H’ Holding Symbol on the lands respecting 263 Hurontario Street, 55 Hume Street, 276 & 282 Ste. Marie Street in order to permit a development of a six (6) storey mixed use development. On January 15th, 2007, Council approved a resolution presented by Mayor Carrier to repeal the decision of the previous Council to authorize the execution of the Site Plan Agreement in the absence of a satisfactory Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). Council agreed to work with the developer’s team, staff and respective heritage consultants to develop a more compatible development in Collingwood’s Downtown Designated Heritage District.
The Ontario Municipal Board has announced today the cancellation of the hearing that was scheduled to commence on July 9th, 2007 based on the accepted Settlement Offer. The Town of Collingwood will be preparing the formal Minutes of Settlement to be signed by the lawyers setting out the agreement. The proponents have accepted the terms the Town set for resolving the site plan, including their financial obligations for off-site landscaping and intersection signalization. They will prepare the necessary drawings to be attached to the eventual site plan agreement. It is anticipated that this will be completed over the next 2 months allowing the agreement to be signed and the OMB appeal to be withdrawn.
The OMB expects an update from the parties on or before August 17, 2007 on the status of finalizing the site plan agreement and addressing the outstanding "H" removal requirements; and has indicated they would be willing to expedite a short hearing in September if needed. The appeal with respect to the lifting of the ‘H’ Holding Symbol on the lands has been adjourned until the proponents are able to fulfill all outstanding requirements.
