The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) has given its blessing to a deal that will see the largest residential development in Port Carling’s history move forward. But while pleased with the outcome, the developer is not happy with the lack of public consultation and what he says was needless expense for taxpayers.
The deal, reached in private between Hannah’s Landing Inc. and the Township of Muskoka Lakes, means the property, located on Port Carling’s east side will be able to include up to 321 residential units and 3,982 square feet of dock area on the Indian River.
Hannah’s Landing President Jeff Goldman tells the Moose it’s all come at a cost to taxpayers…
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Goldman says Hannah’s Landing had to spend tens of thousands of dollars in the process and that at the end of the day, the deal reached was no better than what Hannah’s Landing had initially proposed. He estimates the Township likely spent similar amounts….
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Muskoka Lakes Mayor Alice Murphy has provided a lengthy statement to this station. For that full response see the next published story.
Muskoka Lakes Township Mayoralty candidate Don Furniss tells the Moose he wishes there could have been public consultation. He estimates between $40,000 – $50,000 was spent by the Township throughout the process and that it would have cost significantly less if it had been done differently.
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Hannah’s Landing will still need draft plan and/or site plan approvals from the Township and the District before proceeding. Once it’s built, Goldman says at least 15 percent of the units at Hannah’s Landing will be classified as ‘attainable’.