October 4, 2017…

   October 4, 2017

    The Honourable Kathryn McGarry

 Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

 Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Whitney Block 6th Floor, Room 6630

 99 Wellesley St W Toronto, ON M7A 1W3

  MGP File:     16-2551

  Attention: Ala Boyd, Manager – Natural Heritage Section, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

 RE:        Proposed Natural Heritage System Mapping

 EBR Registry Number: 013-1014

 Sarjeant Lands, 206 Scarlett Line, Township of Springwater

 GCSJ Hillsdale Development Inc.

  Malone Given Parsons Ltd. (“MGP”) are the planning consultants representing GCSJ Hillsdale Development Inc. (“GCSJ”) owners of approximately 30.9 hectares (76.3 acres) of land municipally known as 206 Scarlett Line (the “Subject Property”). The Subject Property is located on the east side of Highway 93 (Penatanguishene Road) at the northern limit of the Hillsdale Settlement Area. The western portion of the property is located within the Hillsdale Settlement Area (14.5 ha) and the remaining eastern portion of the property is outside the Settlement Area (16.4 ha). This letter is submitted on behalf of GCSJ, as portions of their landholdings (Figure 1) have been identified in the Province’s draft mapping as additional lands to be included in the Natural Heritage System. The Request

 We are writing in response to the Province’s Release of Draft Natural Heritage System Mapping, EBR Registry Number 013-1014.

 The purpose of this letter is to provide comments on the Province’s Draft Natural Heritage System Mapping as it relates to the subject property and specifically request:

  •that the Natural Heritage System (NHS) mapping remain in draft form until local municipalities can effectively review the mapping and make any refinements to the proposed additions to the NHS through the Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) process; and,

 •that a correction to the mapping be made that is consistent with the detailed site work that has been completed for the subject site.

    In February 2015, the Province began its Co-Ordinated Land Use Planning Review which culminated in updated provincial land use plans for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.  Four updated plans were released in May 2017: the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (the “Plans”).

  With the release of the updated Plans, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has prepared draft mapping of the Natural Heritage System (NHS) across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The MNRF has indicated that the NHS mapping will be finalized by the end of 2017 with municipalities having to identify and protect in their Official Plans what the Province has defined in their mapping. The new draft mapping shows a portion of the subject property within the proposed NHS designation (as shown in Figure 1).

   Figure 1 – Subject Property on Natural Heritage System Excerpt

 See Email correspondence.

   On April 11, 2017, we submitted Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments and Draft Plan of Subdivision applications for the subject property. As part of the submission, detailed site work was completed including an Environmental Impact Study, the purpose of which is to identify whether there are any significant natural heritage constraints within the study area and if so, to assess how future development of the site can be achieved with proper protection of these features. As a result of this work, we respectfully request a correction to the draft mapping that is consistent with the identification of the significant natural heritage constraints as shown in Attachment A.

    Conclusion

  It is our understanding that the Province is proposing to incorporate comments to the NHS as appropriate and is aiming to finalize the mapping by the end of 2017 with municipalities having to identify and protect in their Official Plans what the Province has defined in their mapping. We do not support this process but rather recommend that the Province adopt the process taken by the Province/Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the Agricultural System mapping that the proposed NHS mapping remain in draft until finalized through the MCR process.

  We also respectfully request that the MNRF remove the portion of the Subject Property identified as Natural Heritage System as per Attachment A as these lands do not have environmental constraints. We would be willing to meet to discuss the detailed site work that has been recently completed for the Subject Property.

  We appreciate this opportunity to provide comments and revisions to the Province’s Natural Heritage System mapping.  Thank you for your consideration.

     Respectfully submitted,

 MALONE GIVEN PARSONS LTD.

    Matthew Cory, MCIP, RPP, PLE, PMP

 Principal, Planner, Land Economist, Project Manager mcory@mgp.ca

   cc.  GCSJ Hillsdale Development Inc.

 Brent Spagnol, Township of Springwater

     ATTACHMENT A

 Requested Revision to the Draft Provincial Mapping of the Natural Heritage System

 Subject Property, Township of Springwater

[Original Comment ID: 211113]