Burlington City Council Passes Resolution Opposing Millcroft Greens Proposed Development Application on Greenspace & Floodplain
MAYOR’S TAKE:
Burlington City Council supports growth in the right place, at the right scale. Development on greenspace in a floodplain is not the right place for development — and it’s not needed, given we have adequate urban land identified in our Official Plan to accommodate Burlington’s share of growth identified by the Province.
That’s why Council opposed the proposed Millcroft Greens development application for its golf course. It is greenspace and designed around a floodplain.
The figure eight nature of the course provides for natural storm water management.
Council does not support converting greenspace to housing – whether the lands are publicly- or privately-owned — or in the Greenbelt.
We have learned through the pandemic how critically important greenspace is to our mental and emotional well-being and we have to hang on to it. The golf course is currently zoned “open space” and we don’t believe it is a suitable location for development.
The application does include redevelopment of a parcel on Dundas Street, noted as “Area E” in our Council resolution (and on the map above). This parcel is not greenspace nor in the floodplain. It currently houses a parking lot and shed for the golf course. Burlington Council separated that parcel out in our resolution to support development here, as it does not compromise open greenspace or natural storm water management.
Furthermore, there is no guarantee these will be affordable homes for first-time buyers. The application calls for single-family units that will very likely be in the millions of dollars given the location.
We can accommodate our share of new housing units in more appropriate areas around our GO stations, aging retail plazas, select growth areas, and major transportation corridors like Plains Road and Fairview Street. Those growth areas are built into our Official Plan and will more than accommodate new housing. We don’t need to sacrifice greenspace or build on floodplains to accommodate our sharing of housing.
I am currently working with our local MPPs to hopefully bring forward a resolution asking for the Province’s help to protect the greenspace piece of this proposed development application. I will share more news as it’s available.
At our Burlington City Council meeting in December 2022, we approved waiving legal privilege in order to let the public know of a resolution we passed in-camera opposing the proposed Millcroft Greens development application on greenspace.
You can view the full motion we approved in the minutes from the Dec. 13, 2022 Council meeting or below:
Regarding Confidential legal update on a litigation matter re Millcroft Greens, 2155 Country Club Dr. and 4274 Dundas St. (L-49-22) — The committee provided instructions to legal department staff in closed session for this item.
That Council waive privilege with respect to the following portions of the in-camera resolution passed at Committee and that solicitor-client privilege be maintained in all other respects over the balance of L-49-22:
Direct the ED of Legal Services & CC, or her designate to advise counsel for Millcroft Greens that the City is opposed to the proposed applications, save and except for Area E which Council supports in principle, and to finalize an Issues List supporting that opposition;
Authorize the ED of LS & CC, or her designate, to attend at the Ontario Land Tribunal to represent the City’s interests and position on the appeal of the Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Plan of Subdivision by Millcroft Greens Corporation; and
Direct the Mayor to work with the Ward Councillor and Deputy Mayor for Housing to bring a resolution to Burlington City Council and Regional Council seeking the province declare a provincial interest.
