Nicole Blom says she is shocked that the Town of Newmarket is even considering rolling back environmental protections on the one remaining undeveloped corner of town to allow for a major new development project to go ahead there.
"The fact that this is up for debate already seems ridiculous. People fought for years to protect these lands, and they did not fight for this protection act simply to turn it over 20 or 30 or even 50 years later," wrote Blom in a letter to the town for the public meeting on Monday, Jan. 18.
She isn't the only resident voicing opposition to an application by property developer Shining Hill Estates to have the southwest corner of Newmarket redesignated as an environmental protection area to allow a residential subdivision to be built.
Ahead of the public hearing on Monday, 23 written submissions were sent to the council, all of which voiced some level of opposition to the idea. Five other people are scheduled to speak at the public hearing.
While four residents submitted a form letter to council, the remainder of the submissions have different takes on why they oppose the project.
But the most common reason stated is the need to protect what few green spaces and natural areas remain within Newmarket boundaries.
"People desperately need green space for their physical and mental health as evidenced by the thousands of people who are out using the trails and hiking paths in our community," writes Leslie Allan.
"Our children deserve more than just a legacy of an overdeveloped town with little to no green space."
There are very few trails in the area that is currently protected from by Newmarket bylaws as part of the Oak Ridges Moraine. What trails there are in the area are within locations already zoned for development.
But for many residents, the issue is about protecting the environment.
"We need fields, wetlands, forests and other natural areas, not only as human beings but for the animals and indigenous plant life that lives there too. We need a balance; please do not approve this to be developed," said Ashely and Patrick Arkeveld.
Some residents also worried about what impact allowing development in the moraine will have on ground water.
"The Oak Ridges Moraine is an ecologically important landform, put in place to protect wildlife and the safe movement of naturally roaming animals. This area is a natural watershed, development will put at risk the natural water purification," write Rod and Janell Speers.
"Why is there not a permanent 'not to be developed' solution?"
A housing market analysis given to York Region council on Thursday revealed that housing availability and affordability is not keeping up with population growth, with the region expected to grow by 2.02 million people over the next 30 years.
Even with a looming housing crunch, Adam Smith argued that the town should prioritize the environment given the risks of issues like climate change.
"As a late-20s millennial who wants nothing more than to own his own home, this is not the way. I would rather preserve our Canadian ecology first and foremost," he states.
"Likewise, with the current state of the unstable housing situation, it is obvious these homes will simply be bought up by already wealthy multiple-property owning landlords as a way to further cement their wealth."
Several people advised council that Newmarket should focus on more high-density developments rather than allowing developers to spread out further.
"Instead of promoting urban sprawl, we must focus on building up," wrote Franco Colucci.
Valarie Laengert was one of the few people to offer a compromise solution.
"Perhaps a compromise would be to allow high-density development on five hectares and leaving the other 150 hectares as open space, as has been suggested. We need more lower-cost housing in our area, which high-density development could help to provide," she wrote.
The public meeting on the project will be live-streamed on the Town of Newmarket's website, starting at 1 p.m.
If you would like to make a submission to council, you have two options:
- Email your correspondence to [email protected] by end of day on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. Written correspondence received by this date will form part of the public record or;
- Make a live remote deputation by joining the virtual meeting using the town's videoconferencing software and verbally provide your comments over video or telephone. To select this option, pre-register by emailing your request and contact information to [email protected].
