Saugeen Shores has requested that the plans for Cedar Crescent Village (CCV) be brought forward to a Section 28 Hearing with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA).
Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau says he hopes the SCVA will schedule the requested hearing “in short order” and render a decision on the file.
Saugeen Shores staff continue discussions with SVCA staff but after seven months of review, SVCA staff have not yet made a decision on the merits of the permit application.
The town, in a news release, says “This lack of decision is creating significant delays in the project timelines. For this reason, the town has requested a Hearing in order to advance to a decision on this matter.”
A member of the SVCA board is Saugeen Shores Vice Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt who indicates a typical permit would take 4-weeks to 3-months for a decision but he calls the 7-month delay on the CCV issue “not real fair.”
In July, after an additional study to map the floodline for the property was completed by Shoreplan Engineering Limited, town staff, Shoreplan staff, and the SVCA’s team met to discuss the revised work, in order to advance the project.
In August, it was requested that the application be brought forward to a combined Administrative Review and Section 28 Hearing on two technical matters that the experts cannot come to a conclusion on; the Floodline Hazard Assessment and the Dynamic Beach Hazard.
Without a decision regarding these existing conditions for the site, advancing the site plan and engineering works is not possible and further design work for the project is currently on hold.
Town staff will continue to work with stakeholders to advance the project and final design will be refined and will come forward to council as part of the Site Servicing Agreement for final approval once the decision has been made by the SVCA on the required permit.
The multi-million-dollar Cedar Crescent Village project would include a restaurant, special events hall, retail and recreation space to be located at the harbour at the Port Elgin Main Beach.
