Corsica Development Inc., owner of the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) lands, has now appealed planning applications to permit low- and medium-density residential development to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). David Bronskill, a lawyer acting on behalf of Corsica, sent a letter to the Town of Richmond Hill shortly after the 180 days the municipality had to respond to such applications expired. A staff report is still pending, so the matter has yet to go before town council.
While he indicated his client’s continued willingness to work with the town, Bronskill cited a lack of progress as the impetus behind taking the plans to the OMB.
“Faced with near silence from town staff, an obvious site for appropriate infill development, and planning applications that are worthy of approval, our client has determined that it must appeal the applications … to move this matter forward,” he wrote.
DDO Defender Karen Cilevitz described the news as unfortunate.
“We sit in this limbo where we honestly do not know where our town stands and how our town is going to address this,” she said. “We remain in constant fear of what could happen to this property.”
The Richmond Hill Naturalists have already applied to be a party to the hearings.
Councillor Godwin Chan said he was surprised and disappointed to learn of the appeal, but he acknowledged the developer’s right to do so.
“This is not really respectful of the democratic process, whereby we, the elected officials, would be deliberating the issue and make the decision,” he said.
Chan stressed that there will be a public meeting regarding the applications, (hopefully early in the new year) since council will have to take a position after it receives the staff report.
At press time, no hearing dates had been scheduled at the OMB.