According to this ERO…

According to this ERO posting (ERO #025-1368), the proposed Zoning Order would include exceptions to the requirements of the Town of Oakville’s Zoning By-law including, amongst other things, building height, setbacks, maximum lot coverage, density, dimensions of accessible parking, and any requirement for Inclusionary Zoning and community benefits. It claims that the approach is designed to better reflect evolving market conditions and support the delivery of a transit-oriented community.

In reviewing the technical documents and supporting reports for this proposal, I have some questions:
1. Why were some Phase 2 ESA soil samples compared to MECP Table 2 and others compared to Table 3?
2. Please make Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) for 590 Argus Road and Phase 2 ESA reports for 157 and 165 Cross Avenue available for public review. In the document package that was made available for public review, only drafts of these document were provided.
3. It is unclear how the construction and on-going use of proposed Sites 1, 2, 3 and 4 could affect nearby Sixteen Mile Creek. How will the Ministry consider this in a part of its evaluation?

Finally, one of the supporting documents provided by the Ministry upon request was a copy of the Oakville TOC Virtual Open House that took place on Dec. 10, 2024 (Dec. 10, 2024 Slide Deck). The proposed development of Sites 1, 2, 3, and 4 would have a significant impact for the entire Oakville community. I am a life-long resident of Oakville, and did not receive any information related to any of the public engagement sessions listed in the Dec. 10, 2024 Slide Deck which covered a compressed, limited period of time between Dec. 3, 2024 and Feb. 2025. As such, I did not have an opportunity to attend any of the meetings withing this short timeframe. There is likely many other interested stakeholders, including residents, that were also uninformed. Consultation should be proportional to the scale of potential impact that a development project proposal could have on a community. It is recommended that prior to making a decision, the Ministry offer additional public consultation on this proposal through meetings and Open Houses, for interested stakeholders to be provided an opportunity to have dialogue, and better understand, and potentially provide input to the proposed development at Sites 1, 2, 3 and 4.

For these reasons, I do not recommend that the Ministry make four Minister’s Zoning Orders for a Transit-Oriented Community in the Town of Oakville.