Tim Schilling

The Tribunal considered a proposed partial settlement regarding appeals of the new Town of Collingwood Official Plan.

The settlement involved modifications to general policies to ensure consistency with the Provincial Policy Statement, 2024, particularly concerning natural heritage and infrastructure.

Based on uncontested expert planning evidence, the Tribunal approved the modifications, finding them consistent with provincial policy and good land use planning, without prejudice to remaining site-specific appeals.

The applicant appealed the Town's failure to make a decision on a zoning by-law amendment application to rezone the subject lands from commercial to residential to facilitate the development of 15 townhouse dwellings.

The parties reached a settlement wherein the applicant agreed to file a new application for commercial development on a different block to offset the loss of commercial zoning.

Based on uncontroverted expert planning evidence, the Tribunal found the proposed amendment consistent with provincial policies and in conformity with applicable official plans.

The appeal was allowed in part and the amendment approved in principle, with the final order withheld pending the new commercial application being deemed complete.