Ski Club development petition goes to council

A group of citizens concerned about the impact of a proposed development at Mansfield Ski Club is presenting a petition to Mulmur council this month asking members to reject the site plan application.
The change.org petition has garnered almost 18,000 signatures from around the world, with half from Ontario and 125 from Mulmur.
The petition is going to council’s Jan. 13 meeting. That same meeting agenda will also include a response to questions posed during an October delegation by resident Catherine Lyall who spoke on behalf of a group of 30-plus Pine River Valley residents, including club members and non-members, who share concerns about the project.
Discussion on the matter will be reserved for a public meeting scheduled for the Feb. 3 meeting when the proponents will make a presentation and members of the public will be invited to comment.
The meeting is not required under the Planning Act. It is a chance for people to share concerns, and ask questions.
The formal meeting took place in 2016, and although the developers are in the process of making a site plan application, which does require council approval, a formal public meeting is not required.
The citizen group has been voicing opposition to a 93-unit condo development to create a village setting at the private ski club. A rezoning has already been approved and site plan approval is pending for a phased-in development of 48 units in phase one and 45 units in phase two. The initial plan is to proceed with the first 12 townhome units, in one four-storey building to be located south of the main chalet. The development proposal is submitted by Mansfield Property Management, a subsidiary of Mansfield Ski Club.
The petition states, the development “does not preserve the rural character of Mulmur and sets a terrible precedent for future developments in our Township and surrounding areas.”
Organizers aim to protect the health of the Pine River and safeguard it from wastewater treatment discharge and water taking, adverse impacts on local wells and stormwater runoff.
“The taxpayers of Mulmur could bear the burden of taking over the assets/infrastructure if something goes wrong, without any benefit from the development to residents. It’s the wrong type of development in the wrong place. Please stop this proposal,” states the petition.
“If approved, this development will set a precedent for Mulmur and nearby communities – zoning can be changed and high density developments are welcome in a rural setting. We are not against development. We are concerned citizens who want to ensure our community and environment is not negatively impacted by high density, unsustainable expansion.  In fact, we encourage environmentally sustainable site design, water conservation, environmental energy and material choices, and preserving the scenic beauty of Mulmur. There are too many risks to the Pine River ecosystem, the surrounding neighbourhoods, and of a development that may fail within years and become a burden on the township. We ask Mulmur council to reject this site application plan.”
The petition can be found at www.protectpinerivervalley.ca. Information about the development can be found at www.mansfieldskiclub.com/the-chalets/, and site plan application documents are posted at mulmur.ca.