Prince Edward County is going to be looking at the approval process of a recent development for any lessons they can use to make future processes run smoother.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, councillors voted to approve a study and report on the process the controversial Cold Creek development took to eventually get approved.
Councillor Chris Braney proposed the motion, saying that he had concerns with how the development was handled, and that important feedback from the community was ignored.
“The sooner we can get transparency for the community on this, the more relieved I’ll be,” said Councillor Braney. “I don’t want it rushed. I want to make sure that it’s as fulsome and transparent as we could possibly get it.”
An 870-unit housing development was approved for the area around Sandy Hook Lane near Picton in an area that could have significant effects on Warings Creek, the only cold water creek in Prince Edward County. While the development was eventually approved, that approval came after complex jurisdictional matters, irregularities, and major community pushback that included an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
Councillor Phil St-Jean put forward an amendment to remove the words “serious irregularities” from the motion, saying that he would prefer a report focused on lessons learned from the process.
“My concern is those two words ‘serious irregularities.’ And when that’s included in that whereas clause, I feel that it’s presumptive that something awful happened,” said Councillor St-Jean. “That there was there was no transparency, that there were things that were done underhanded.”
That amendment passed on a recorded vote, with councillors Phil St-Jean, Sam Branderhorst, Kate MacNaughton, Janice Maynard, Sam Grosso, and Bill Roberts along with Mayor Steve Ferguson voting in favour.
Council voted to approve the motion as amended on a recorded vote. Councillor Pennell was the only councillor to vote against the amended motion.
