Council waived a notice of motion to reconsider the heritage impact assessment and traffic impact study for the Blair business park Tuesday, tabling an immediate vote to reconsider the two documents and pave the way for the developer behind a million square foot e-commerce warehouse to move ahead with the project in Blair.
In March council voted against the staff recommendation to support the two studies that would have given Broccolini Real Estate Group the green light to proceed with a Minister's Zoning Order on the site.
After council voted not to support the project, Broccolini filed an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), a move that has since prompted council to reconsider its stance.
The motion to reconsider the two documents, tabled by Coun. Mike Mann and seconded by Coun. Shannon Adshade, was opposed by councillors Nicholas Ermeta and Jan Liggett.
The motion asked council to approve the alteration of Old Mill road, the demolition of three homes on the property and all recommendations of the traffic study, including a peak season truck traffic cap of 262 trucks per day and 131 truck per day cap at non peak times. Mann also wants to see a berm wall built along the Dickie Settlement side of the property to create a visual barrier, all projects the developer was amenable to during the March meeting.
"Sometimes we need to make difficult decisions that one group in particular may not like for the betterment of the entire community," Mann said after bringing his motion forward.
Mann said he has had time to reconsider in the two months since and feels he had "tunnel vision" in only considering one view and failing to consider the community at large.
"Ultimately our role is to do what is best for everyone," he said, adding he believes supporters of the project were reluctant to voice opinions because of rhetoric from the Blair Engaged group.
Mann thinks the project will be key to the region attracting talent and key to the economic prosperity of Cambridge.
"This is the right development in the right spot," he said. "The developer has proven that they are willing to listen and engage with the community."
The studies have been analyzed and peer reviewed, he said.
"The community wants this."
Coun. Adshade said his support for the motion comes in knowing that Broccolini's appeal is "highly, highly likely to be approved" at the OLT.
Fighting the application with an external legal team would be time consuming and costly, he said.
It also takes the decision out of council's hands and he fears the city could lose "the important modifications and accommodations the amended motion provides" including the traffic caps.
Coun. Jan Liggett didn't buy it, reminding councillors how they were accused from the get-go of failing to consult residents or Six Nations in supporting the MZO.
"Here we are again, tonight. I mean I didn't even know this motion was coming forward," she said, questioning the urgency. "The proponent has filed at the OLT, but we haven't even got a hearing date yet."
She said there has been plenty of time to bring it forward to council, but nothing happened.
"It looks to me and it's going to look like to the public, that we're trying to circumvent public consultation. And in my opinion, they're going to be right on that."
Coun. Ermeta agreed. "I talked to a lot of people who don't like what's going on. And that's why a lot of them don't vote."
In a letter to councillors, Blair Engaged member Tim Armstrong called the meeting "somewhat alarming," the motion itself "underhanded" and said it "shows this Mayor's lack of regard for the citizens of Cambridge."
"Not giving notice when you are fully aware there was an OLT request by Broccolini was no surprise," Armstrong wrote.
"I also find it troubling that when dealing with GSP you have two standards."
Armstrong was referring to the recent move by council to waive development fees for the Preston Springs project, a project handled by GSP Group, the same planning firm for the Broccolini project.
Chris Pidgeon, the lead planner at GSP told council last month one of the reasons they didn't have a complete application for Preston Springs is because they couldn't complete a proper traffic study during COVID shutdowns.
Yet the traffic study done for the Blair warehouse was completed using data collected during COVID lockdowns.
"I hope you can look at yourself in the mirror," Armstrong wrote.
"Each of you lack any integrity. I cannot describe the disdain I have for this group and can only hope in the upcoming municipal election you get defeated. I can assure you our community will work to that end. We will specifically focus on our mayor who resides in North Dumfries."
