Oakville Council approved additional planning and conservation measures designed to conserve the cultural heritage value and attributes of the Glen Abbey Golf Course at its Planning and Development Council meeting last night. These measures included specific official plan and zoning amendments, a Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation Plan by-law, and a Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation Plan for the Glen Abbey property. Staff also tabled proposed amendments to existing town site alteration, private tree protection and property standards by-laws with respect to cultural heritage landscapes and protected heritage properties. All of these measures have helped further the town’s implementation of the planning and cultural heritage studies that were undertaken while the town’s interim control by-law (ICB) restricted Glen Abbey to its existing uses.
“The ICB provided the town with sufficient time to carry out studies on the cultural heritage value and interest of the property, as well as the potential impact of ClubLink’s proposal to redevelop its Glen Abbey Golf Course property on the growth of our community,” Mayor Rob Burton said. “Council is confident that the official plan and zoning amendments approved tonight conform to provincial, regional and town official plans and that the Conservation Plan creates a workable plan to retain the cultural heritage value of the Glen Abbey Golf Course property.”
Town Council officially designated the Glen Abbey Golf Course property for its heritage value on December 20, 2017. The designation recognized the property as a significant cultural heritage landscape. Provincial policy and the 2017 Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe require that significant cultural heritage landscapes be conserved. The Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation Plan for Glen Abbey Golf Course, as well as the official plan and zoning by-law amendments, provide guidance to ensure that any future alterations to the property conserve the significant cultural heritage landscape of Glen Abbey. The plan also outlines what activities would require town consent, and what would be exempt.
While the town has now updated the planning and heritage requirements for the property, the town must still respond to Clublink’s request under Section 34 of the Ontario Heritage Act to remove the golf course in its entirety. This application is the subject of litigation between the town and ClubLink as to whether ClubLink has the authority under section 34 to make the application. A court hearing to determine the dispute will take place on July 16 and 17, 2018.
In the interim, by court order, the town has agreed to render a decision on the ClubLink application. This decision will come before Heritage Oakville on February 6, 2018 and to Planning and Development Council on February 12, 2018.
