Controversial development voted down by Scugog Council

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard

SCUGOG: Grassroots organizers, opposed to a new housing development near Lake Scugog, scored a victory on Monday, September 16th, when, after a marathon meeting of the town’s Planning and Community Affairs Committee, a request to support a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) was voted down, by a margin of 4-2.

A capacity crowd of 400 was on hand for the meeting, with several having been turned away. The meeting was moved from council chambers to the Scugog Arena Community Centre, in order to accommodate the most public participation possible, as the matter had taken on a very high profile, since it was announced in June of this year.

In the ensuing months, the community rallied against the project, under the banner of ‘Save Port Perry Wetlands,’ with hundreds of signs on local lawns and a great deal of activity online, organizing opposition to the development.

The proposal put forward, by Avenu Development, called for up to 600 dwelling units and commercial uses, within a number of different building styles, including detached homes, townhouses and apartments. However, with limited sewage capacity, the development hinged on a proposed system which will use regional water supply, with a private communal wastewater treatment system out-letting to the lake, in conjunction with grey water reuse.

The Avenu proposal did include dedicated space for medical professionals and affordable seniors housing. However, with the location near Simcoe Street and Castle Harbour Drive, there was pushback from the community about connectivity to essential services in town. Currently, the existing waterfront trail is not maintained in winter, which would make for an arduous two kilometre walk, for residents without access to an automobile.

The meeting featured more than a dozen delegations speaking out against the proposal, including Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation Chief Kelly LaRocca, who expressed great concern consultation with local Indigenous leaders hasn’t taken place in a meaningful or ongoing matter, to date.

The proposal originally came before council in December of 2023, when Avenu Properties initially made a request, to Council, to consider a Community Infrastructure Housing Accelerator (CIHA) application. The Province of Ontario has, however, eliminated the CIHA program, and so, Avenu Properties had subsequently requested the Township to support an MZO. In June, council directed staff to prepare the report which was presented to the Committee, and moved to council to be ratified, which, at the very least, pressed pause on the proposal, until more answers can be obtained regarding key environmental and infrastructure concerns from the community.