For Immediate Release – May 07, 2013
Local Groups Come to an Agreement with Developer and City
Friends of Bennett Lake (FOBL) and Lo-Ellen Park Residents Association (LEPRA) have come to an agreement with Dalron Construction Ltd. and the City of Greater Sudbury, avoiding a long and costly Ontario Municipal Board appeal hearing scheduled for June 17.
The OMB appeal was launched by FOBL and LEPRA after Dalron’s application for rezoning and plan for a subdivision on Fairlane Dr. at the south-west end of Bennett Lake was approved last May. The groups launched their appeal after the Planning Committee and Council ignored their pleas that important provisions in the Greater Sudbury Official Plan regarding development had not been fulfilled. These provisions called for access to trails, traffic and stormwater management studies, and detailed concept plans for new development in the Lo-Ellen area.
Friends of Bennett Lake, a City-endorsed Lake Stewardship group, was concerned about the loss of a unique undeveloped lake in the heart of Sudbury. This lake and its surrounding trails have served as a wildlife refuge and outdoor recreation area for more than 50 years. It also functions as a valuable outdoor classroom for Laurentian University and local high school students. The land bordering Bennett Lake was identified in the City’s Green Space Advisory Panel 2010 report as highest priority for acquisition as a natural park.
The deal, reached earlier this week, addresses concerns over the transfer of parkland and the rerouting of trails. Under the agreement, the development will be reduced in depth and the parkland will be transferred to the City and zoned as natural park before this phase of the development is started. Public access on existing trails will be maintained with the granting of a right of way to the public. The concern over stormwater from road and driveways entering Bennett Lake was addressed by directing runoff into city storm sewers. Traffic issues were addressed by ensuring that future development on Dalron’s property that stretches to Regent St. would not use Fairlane Dr. as a through street. Concerns over storm sewer capacity were not addressed since they will have to be dealt with when the plan of subdivision is submitted.
Dr. Raymond Jacques of LEPRA and Greg Dalton of FOBL felt that the deal reached through negotiations with Kristi Arnold of Dalron had achieved a number of important objectives, but they were disappointed that an agreement could not have been reached during the planning process through productive discussions between the City, the developer, and citizens.
Greg Dalton commented: “We hope that City Planning staff and Council will see that public
involvement in the development process can lead to productive solutions. This involvement
should take place before development applications are granted final approval. This will help us
all to avoid costly and adversarial OMB appeals in the future”.
Dr. Jacques noted that the land bordering Bennett Lake has been identified in the past as a
sensitive wetland and a significant wildlife corridor but without current wetland/watershed
studies, these low-lying areas that protect our lakes from harmful runoff are threatened by
development. With more runoff entering our lakes and streams, blue-green algae blooms are
inevitable.
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