Below is the text of the February 8, 2021 email sent by JCRA, including a link to a pdf copy of our letter to the Minister MMAH:
JCRA has received questions asking what, if any actions, residents can take regarding the Amazon facility given the Town of Oakville voted to accept H&R REIT’s Settlement Offer at the Planning & Development Council meeting on January 27th.
- Write the Minister, Municipal Affairs and Housing
At the Special Council Meeting held January 27, 2021, the JCRA and residents learned, for the first time, of the non-compliant status of the existing warehouse building. Residents and the JCRA also learned that the existing Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO), which only permits agricultural uses, covers the entire property, not just a portion of the land, as previously advised by both the property owner and Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) staff.
At the meeting, residents learned, for the first time, of the non-compliant status of the existing building, and its use as a warehouse. We also learned for the first time that the existing Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) covers the entire property, not just a portion of the land, as previously advised by both the property owner and Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) staff.
Currently, we do not have clarification on any potential consequences of this new information. For that reason, JCRA continues to believe it remains in the best interests of the community to NOT remove the MZO and Parkway Belt West Plan (PBWP) regulations. We want to ensure constraints on future expansion of the Amazon facility, and of the site itself.
We wrote the Minister on Friday, February 5 to advise him of that and we copied our MPP, Mayor and Ward 3 Councillors.
Residents can also write to ask the same. A PDF copy of our letter is attached here. IF you want to email the Minister, we suggest sending your email before the end of this week since we do not know how quickly a decision will be made.
Minister Steve Clark – ministermah@ontario.ca
MPP Stephen Crawford – stephen.crawford@pc.ola.org
Mayor Rob Burton – mayor@oakville.ca
Ward 3 Councillors – ward3@oakville.ca
- Legal challenge to the Occupancy Permit when Issued.
Any one can legally challenge the Occupancy Permit that will be issued by the Town’s Chief Building Officer to the property owner following final Site Plan Approval. This would be heard in the Ontario courts. Significant funds to retain legal counsel would likely be required.
If you have any additional questions, please let us know