GORE BAY—The Manitoulin Planning Board (MPB) has voted in opposition to the request from the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) to leave the MPB and have its own land use planning authority.

“We have motions of non-support from Burpee-Mills, Assiginack and Billings,” said Elva Carter, MPB secretary, at an MPB meeting last week. She read a letter from Austin Hunt, mayor of Billings, on behalf of council dated March 21, 2016, which reads, “we are sorry to have the proposal from NEMI to form a separate Official Plan (OP) and board from the rest of Manitoulin. We feel it will mean extra operating costs and variations for both. We feel a board for all of Manitoulin would be more beneficial.”

“However, we realize that every municipality has a right to have and manage their own planning,” wrote Mayor Hunt. “If Municipal Affairs does approve their (NEMIs) application, we hope some form of continuing cooperation may be enacted.”

“These are the only municipalities we have received written confirmation from,” said Ms. Carter.

MPB member Dan Osborne pointed out that Gore Bay council has passed a motion of non-support for NEMI breaking away from the MPB.

Central Manitoulin has also voted in opposition to the request, said Mayor Richard Stephens. “One composite board for the Island and having regular processes in place is in the best interest of all the Island municipalities,” he said.

“Gordon-Barrie Island council has voted the same (in opposition); we do not support NEMI leaving (the MPB) or having its own planning authority,” said Lee Hayden, reeve of Gordon-Barrie Island.

“We’re not in favour (of NEMI’s request),” state Eric Russsell, reeve of Tehkummah township.

It was pointed out on May 26, 2015, the MPB board had passed a (recorded) vote opposing NEMI’s request for its own planning authority, stating that the MPB should pass another motion to this effect that this remains their position.

A motion was put forward by Richard Stephens and seconded by Dan Osborne indicating the MPB position is that it is still in opposition to NEMI’s request to leave the MPB. It was at this point that MPB member Melissa Peters requested a recorded vote be taken on the board sending the letter to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) stating its position on the board. Ms. Peters voted against the motion which was passed when board members Lyle Addison, Dan Osborne, Eric Russell, Paul Moffatt, Lee Hayden and Ken Noland voted in favour.

The MPB also considered a request from NEMI to the MMAH for its draft OP.

Ms. Carter noted NEMI has adopted its OP so it has now been sent to the province for a final decision. “The proposed NEMI OP is now in the ministry’s hands. As for our own draft OP, it has gone back to the province for final review before we can adopt it.” And prior to this, a public meeting will be held to get further input on the MBP OP.

The NEMI OP can be approved by the province, approved with modifications or rejected, the board was told.

A motion was put forward at the MPB meeting indicating in part that while the MMAH welcomes any municipality seeking their own OP, the position of the MPB is that a separate municipal OP does not contribute to better or consistent planning in the Manitoulin Island planning area.

“I agree,” stated Lyle Addison, Robinson township member on the board.

Ms. Peters again requested a recorded vote be taken. She cast the only vote against the motion, with Richard Stephens, Lee Hayden, Lyle Addison, Dan Osborne, Eric Russell, Paul Moffatt and Ken Noland voting in favour of the motion.

The board also agreed to send a letter to Lynn Buckham, regional director with MMAH. In the letter dated March 23, 2016 from the MPB it goes through the history of the MPB, and the current issues surrounding NEMI’s request to discontinue as a partner of the MPB and a request for its own land use planning authority.

The MPB letter states in part, “the request by the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands to be granted their own land use planning authority and to discontinue being a partner of the Manitoulin Planning Board is not supported by this board. This proposal is viewed as a fragmentation of an experienced planning authority that has provided fair, knowledgeable and practical land use development within the policies of the Planning Act, OP, Provincial Policy Statement 2014 and all ministry land use guidelines.”

“All partner municipalities and the province has had an excellent relationship for plus 35 years reflecting the collective will of the entire planning area to working together. NEMI shares boundaries with three neighbouring municipalities and it is considered important that land use planning remain consistent not only across the planning area but for those neighbours,” reads the MPB letter. “The municipalities have established the use of shared services for the good of all municipalities and the sharing of the services provided by the Manitoulin Planning Board is also important to the municipalities. Each board member, excepting the board member from NEMI, confirmed their council’s position was to not support the request for NEMI to leave the Planning Board.”

“The MPB requests that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing take into consideration the good planning relations and consistent decision making that has been performed by this existing planning authority and not support the fragmenting of this planning area by granting additional planning authorities to any individual municipality,” the MPB letter reads.