The Blue Mountains council does not have the option to reconsider its recent approval of a rezoning for a three-storey apartment building in Clarksburg.
On April 2, council passed a bylaw to approve the controversial apartment proposal in Clarksburg that includes 10 residential units and two commercial units. The decision divided council and was approved in a 4-3 vote.
The apartment plan also generated significant opposition from local residents. At its meeting on April 15, council received a letter from Clarksburg business owner Keri Lockhart asking them to reconsider the approval of the development.
“A two-story building with a green space and adequate parking lot would sufficiently help out the need for apartments, add to the commercial spaces available to grow our town and with a bit of imagination add a bit of charm to the facade to allow it to blend in with small town Clarksburg,” Lockhart said in her letter.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, council also heard from several residents who expressed concerns about the approval of the development.
The comments from the public and the request from Lockhart for a reconsideration caused some confusion at the council table and resulted in a brief break to allow town staff to confer on the issue.
After the break, Clerk Corrina Giles noted that council had approved the rezoning bylaw for the Clarksburg apartment proposal at its council meeting on April 2. Giles said, other than the letter from Lockhart, the item was not on the agenda for the meeting.
Adam Smith, director of planning and community development, added that with the approval of the rezoning bylaw, the 20-day appeal period had started. Any planning approvals in Ontario can be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
Smith said it would be inappropriate for council to appeal its own bylaw on the matter, which at this point in the process would be the only avenue for council to reconsider the matter.
However, Smith also noted that, on this file, third-party appeals to the land tribunal are permitted and the appeal period is still open.
