The Norfolk County Official Plan is still in limbo waiting for the Ontario Government to give its approval. The section concerning commercial/industrial development along the waterfront seemed too restrictive to Peggy Scruton and others involved in marine services so they appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). A hearing was held in Simcoe on January 20.

The appellants won their case … although it was a foregone conclusion as Norfolk County planning department and the appellants had previously agreed on the solution.

A number of local people involved in commercial/industrial operations were concerned with wording in the new Norfolk County Official Plan. They feared that document was, in effect, too restrictive for shipbuilding, marine services, etc. For example, one clause indicated there could not be any outside storage. The appellants feared Port Dover’s traditional marine services, as well as commercial fishing and processing would suffer, and, in fact, no new commercial operations could be established.

Mrs. Scruton told The Maple Leaf on Thursday her group wanted to be sure there would be a future in shipbuilding and marine services, saying “boats are wearing out” suggesting Port Dover will need businesses to repair them and build new boats.

She explained there were other concerns in the Official Plan regarding parts of harbourfront. The presentation to the OMB noted that River Drive occasionally floods but the Official Plan allows for residential and recreational development on that roadway. The OMB was advised that when the winds are such that lake water backs up into the River Lynn it causes flooding on River Drive, Black Creek area and other low-lying properties. There have been applications for multiple housing units (condo) in that area which, if approved, could be flooded causing considerable cost to the owners, and also to Norfolk taxpayers.

The appellants were concerned that if residential and recreational interests were allowed side-by-side with commercial/industrial operations “it could cause friction as they are not compatible”.

Mrs. Scruton explained the discussions with the Norfolk County Planning Services Division had carried on “in an amicable fashion” with Manager Jim McIntosh and Planner Mary Elder being co-operative. “They treated us with courtesy,” Mrs. Scruton commented.

The end result being a ‘Marine Industrial Priority Area’ was agreed on for Port Dover.

Manager Jim McIntosh told The Maple Leaf that wording in the Official Plan has now been “modified to better represent the marine industry”. He agreed the discussions had been in a spirit of co-operation. The county and the appellants had mutually agreed on the wording for that section in the Official Plan dealing with Port Dover and that was passed on to the Ontario Municipal Board member who heard the case. Her official ruling is expected in several weeks and is expected to reflect what the two parties had agreed to beforehand.

Peggy Scruton is the third generation of the Gamble family with an involvement in Port Dover shipbuilding and allied industries, and today her sons are part of that tradition. She stated on Thursday, “I am not taking any credit for bringing concerns to Norfolk County” and appealing to the OMB, adding “something had to be done” but fishermen and others “are too busy but I could never had done it without the assistance of a lot of people.”

Zoning changes may be requested in the future affecting that part of Port Dover, Planning Division Manager Jim McIntosh says there will be public meetings in every instance before decisions are made. - Wednesday, January 27, 2010