Council votes to adopt MOS for Big Bay Point Secondary Plan
by Michelle Minnoch

Council voted unanimously in favour of adopting the Memorandum of Settlement for Official Plan Amendment #17, Big Bay Point Secondary Plan.

The County of Simcoe has not yet taken any stance on OPA #17, and Kimvar Enterprises Inc., who designated the Big Bay Point Resort Secondary Plan area, has made appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) regarding the Resort Recreational Zoning By-Law and the Big Bay Point Resort Recreational Community Holding Zone By-Law. The hearing for the plan is scheduled for May 28, 2007 and is expected to take up to six months.

According to Staff Report PDS-021-07, through the Office of the Provincial Development Facilitator (OPDF), Kimvar, the Town of Innisfil, County of Simcoe, City of Barrie, and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs have met to discuss issues of OPA #17, including; development limits and densities; resort residential character of the proposal; environment, natural features and the lake; servicing; and the new proposed public collector road link. A decision was reached regarding reducing the project size, a Development Structure Plan was created, and areas of protection were considered.

Changes to the proposed revised plan include; the size decreasing from 12,500 square metres to 8,000; hotel rooms increasing from 200 to 400; the spa and conference centre reduced to 5,000 square metres from 18,500; open spaces increased to 169 from 154; the civic resort decreased to 1.6 Ha from 2.1 Ha; the marina down to 18.7 Ha from 20.8 Ha; and the resort theatre to include 300 seats, down from the estimated 300 - 600.

Revisions were also made to the residential aspect of the resort. Low density resort residential has been eliminated, and the medium density resort residential has increased to 672 from 276; high density resort residential has fallen from 2,222 to 928.

The report states the Town stands to gain from the venture, with an annual fiscal impact between $500,000 and $2.1 million. The County will also benefit, with revenue from $370,000 to $1.4 million.

There was no discussion regarding the recommendation at council.