At least one resident of the South Peninsula in the Ramsey Lake Road area plans on moving because a community action group lost an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board against the development of a subdivision in their backyard.
Dalron Construction got the go-ahead from city council for the new Twin Lakes Subdivision between Bethel Lake and South Bay last summer despite objections from area residents.
A community action group, led by Laurentian University English department chair Thomas Gerry, appealed that decision to OMB. They lost their appeal last week.
The group is mainly concerned about the blasting that will take place during construction of the 69-unit development.
The blasting will likely damage the wells of residents in the area, who after 40 years still do not have municipal water or sewer service, according to Gerry.
The group wanted a delay in construction until the city provided them with service. They are not satisfied with assurances from Dalron they will be compensated if their wells are damaged.
Gerry told the judge at the March 9 OMB hearing the area hasn?t had a traffic study since 1995.
Congestion is becoming an issue out there, and the new subdivision will only make a bad situation worse, he said.
He argued Dalron has mislead council and the OMB as to how much greenspace will be left once the houses are built.
In a message to residents, members of the action group and Northern Life, Gerry said in denying the appeal, the judge focused only on the planning details.
?With these he could find no problem - including Dalron?s use of the wrong map for their presentation?,? he wrote.
Gerry has found the whole process taxing and frustrating.
?This neighbourhood is being endangered and we?ve tried everything to get the message across,? Gerry said Tuesday.
Despite an engineer?s report that states otherwise, the powers that be are convinced it will all be fine, he said.
The subdivision was not based on sound planning principles for two reasons, Gerry has argued.
Originally, the proposal was for 54 houses, Gerry said last summer when the issue was before council.
Several of the neighbours bought their homes from Dalron and were assured there would be limited future development in the area, said Gerry.
Dalron indicated the plan for the subdivision had been altered to dramatically reduce the amount of blasting to take place.
?Craig Gilbert
