Arnprior committee approves Gillies Grove-adjacent severance

ARNPRIOR – During a Feb. 5 committee of adjustment meeting at Arnprior’s Nick Smith Centre the committee listened to the proponent, and then a long line of opponents to a severance application that would allow Cavanagh Communities to build a single lot between the Galilee Centre and the Arnprior hospital as well as a sensitive old growth forest known as Gillies Grove.

On Friday (Feb. 7) afternoon, the committee approved the application.

The controversial issue spawned a special interest group known as Save the Grove Again (SGA) last September who have been fighting the sale of the land by the Galilee Centre to Cavanagh Communities.

SGA believes the sale would endanger the old growth forest directly behind the 20 acres of land Cavanagh hopes to purchase.

Roughly 100 people showed up for the Feb. 5 evening meeting not including town staff, the committee of adjustment and the proponent, represented by Russell Gibson and Jacob Bolduc, all who were set up at the front of the room. Those in attendance were overwhelmingly opposed to the land severance issue at the heart of the matter. Mayor Lisa McGee and a number of councillors were also in attendance, and remain neutral on the issue.

The first part of the meeting was led by staff who reviewed the project and where it stands from a town point of view. They spoke of the land, some of its features and some of the staff’s concerns with the project.

“Undeveloped shoreline is a rare feature along the Ottawa River,” town planner Alix Jolicoeur said.

Staff reported their independent environmental impact study showed “no negative impact,” on the sensitive lands around the proposed lot.

Following the presentation which ended with staff recommending the severance, committee of adjustment chair Bradley Samuel pointed out the committee is an independent body not employed by the Town of Arnprior.

“We may come up with our own recommendation,” he said.

Bolduc said the proponents “agree with the conditions as presented.”

One of the questions staff and the committee had to answer for the creation of one lot was “is there a developable area,” based on the setbacks, 120 metre buffer between the sensitive land as well as the flood zone.

“Yes, there is a portion outside of the buffer zone, flood plain and environmentally sensitive land,” Samuel said.

Following the discussion questions and delegations were accepted from the community of which there were roughly 15 different presentations.

All the delegations were opposed to the severance and felt the first lot would only lead to more lots being created at the site.

“Further development will be subject to further development applications,” Samuel said.

Samuel said the application must be taken at its word and judged on the merit of one new structure being proposed. The committee could only rule on whether a neighbour’s property access was being infringed on and whether an existing driveway was wide enough to become a public road if required.

The meeting was adjourned with no decision, but the committee approved the severance Friday.

Following the decision, opponents to the project have 20 days to file an appeal with the Ontario Land Tribunal.

To qualify for an appeal with the tribunal, the appellant had to be present at the Feb. 5 meeting and pay the $300 fee to file a notice of appeal no later than 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 27.