Ontario Land Tribunal
Tribunal ontarien de l’aménagement
du territoire
ISSUE DATE:
Aprill 17, 2026
CASE NO(S).:
OLT-25-001007
PROCEEDING COMMENCED UNDER subsection 34(11) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended
Applicant/Appellant:
Steve Barclay
Subject:
Application to amend the Zoning By-law – Refusal or neglect to make a decision
Description:
Amend the Zoning By-law to permit the construction of a single detached dwelling (cottage) and ancillary uses.
Reference Number:
Z07/24
Property Address:
Grey Road 1, Big Bay Estates, Part Lot 43, Colpoy’s Range, RP 16R70 Part 12 Roll No. 420362000835612
Municipality/UT:
Georgian Bluffs/Grey
OLT Case No.:
OLT-25-001007
OLT Lead Case No.:
OLT-25-001007
OLT Case Name:
Stephen Barclay v. Georgian Bluffs (Township)
Heard:
April 8, 2026 by Video Hearing
APPEARANCES:
Parties
Counsel/Representative*
Steve Barclay (“Appellant”)
Self-represented*
Township of Georgian Bluffs
Laura Dean
MEMORANDUM OF ORAL DECISION DELIVERED BY D. COLBOURNE AND JACKIE DENYES ON APRIL 8, 2026 AND ORDER OF THE TRIBUNAL
INTRODUCTION
1This was the first Case Management Conference (“CMC”) held to organize an appeal brought by the Appellant against refusal by the Township of a proposed Zoning By-law/Amendment in the Municipality of Georgian Bluffs to rezone the Subject Lands from Planned Development (PD) and Environmental Protection (EP) to site specific Shoreline Residential (SR) with EP overlay to permit the construction of a single detached dwelling (cottage) and ancillary uses pursuant to section 34(11) of the Planning Act (“Act”).
2The Subject Property is located at Grey Road 1, Big Bay Estates, Part Lot 43, Colpoys Range, RP 16R70, Part 12, Roll No. 420362000835612.
3No sworn Affidavit of Service (“AOS”) confirming proper Notice of the CMC had been filed by the Appellant, and as such, the Appellant was given one week – until April 15th, 2026 – to file this Affidavit with the Tribunal. As this was a procedural matter, the Tribunal’s Panel was prepared to proceed with the CMC.
4Counsel Ms. Dean advised via email to the Case Coordinator in advance of this CMC that it was the intention of the Township to request a date for a Motion, in person, to dismiss this application, citing no reasonable prospect of success pursuant to section 19(1) of the Ontario Land Tribunal Act (“OLTA”), section 34(24) of the Act and further that there are no land use planning grounds to allow part or all of the appeal.
5Ms. Dean confirmed that there is no agreement on any of the issues.
6Mr. Barclay read a brief statement provided and shown below, and further suggested that a Motion to Dismiss based on no evidence would be ridiculous.
Good morning, I am Stephen Barclay, the self-represented Appellant. I acknowledge the Township’s motion to dismiss. My position is set out in the draft Procedural Order and Issues List. Key points: The Township’s head planner, Michael Benner, reviewed my application, confirmed its residential intent was acceptable, and scheduled a staff report for Council. The Grey Sauble Conservation Authority also confirmed development is feasible on this 1.5-acre lot. Despite this, the then-Interim CAO Brittany Drury directed him not to present the application. Michael Benner then directly told me to appeal the non-decision to the OLT. This internal contradiction — where the head planner supported moving forward but the CAO blocked it — raises serious questions about procedural fairness. It is also inconsistent with the 1972 entrance agreement approved by both the Township and Grey County, which expected residential development. After 50 years, denying this modest zoning amendment on a legally existing lot of record would render it sterile and without reasonable use, contrary to the Provincial Policy Statement 2024.I respectfully ask that the motion be denied and the appeal proceed to a hearing on the merits. Thank you.
7Given the positions taken by the Parties, the Tribunal scheduled a one-day Motion to be proceed by video hearing on Thursday, April 30th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
8Parties and/or Participants and/or Observers are asked to log in to the event at least 15 minutes before it begins, to test their video and audio connections:
GoTo Meeting: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/638422541
Access code: 638-422-541
9Parties are asked to access and set up the application well in advance of the event to avoid unnecessary delay. The desktop application can be downloaded GoTo Meeting or a web application is available: https://app.gotomeeting.com/home.html
10Persons who experience technical difficulties accessing the GoTo Meeting application or who only wish to listen to the event can connect to it by calling in to an audio-only telephone line: +1 (647) 497-9373 or (Toll-Free) 1-888-299-1889. The access code is: 638-422-541.
9Individuals are directed to connect to the event on the assigned date at the correct time. It is the responsibility of the persons participating in the CMC by video to ensure that they are property connected to the event at the correct time. Questions prior to the event may be directed to the Tribunal’s Case Coordinator having carriage of the case.
10As of March 30, 2026, all hearing events are governed by the Tribunal’s Artificial Intelligence Practice Direction. This Practice Direction requires a party, participant, or witness to include a declaration within each submitted document if generative AI was used to create or generate content.
ORDER
11The CMC directives above are so ordered.
12This Panel is not seized, but may be available for case management, should the Tribunal’s calendar permit.
“Jackie Denyes”
jackie denyes
Member
“Douglas Colbourne”
DOUGLAS COLBOURNE
VICE-CHAIR
Ontario Land Tribunal
Website: www.olt.gov.on.ca Telephone: 416-212-6349 Toll Free: 1-866-448-2248
The Conservation Review Board, the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and the Mining and Lands Tribunal are amalgamated and continued as the Ontario Land Tribunal (“Tribunal”). Any reference to the preceding tribunals or the former Ontario Municipal Board is deemed to be a reference to the Tribunal.