Oakville Council Rejects Bid to Demolish Glen Abbey

Published September 28, 2017 at 5:33 pm

Town council has voted unanimously to reject ClubLink’s application to demolish Oakville’s Glen Abbey Golf Course.

Town council has voted unanimously to reject ClubLink’s application to demolish Oakville’s Glen Abbey Golf Course.

The Sept. 27 move comes two days after ClubLink announced it was seeking to remove and demolish Glen Abbey and all buildings on the land – aside from the ones covered under the redevelopment proposal.

Its plans include 141 detached dwellings, 299 townhouse dwellings, 2,782 apartment dwellings with retail and office commercial uses, parks and open space and natural heritage uses.

The Canadian Open has been held at the course 29 times.

Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus designed it to be the championship’s permanent home in 1976.

The applications don’t represent good planning and are not consistent or in conformity with applicable provincial, regional and town policy.

“The town’s Livable Oakville Official Plan sets out the vision for our community to preserve the stability of residential neighbourhoods and identify specific areas where growth should occur,” said Mayor Rob Burton.

“ClubLink’s proposal did not adhere to our official plan, nor did it conserve the golf course, which is subject to a Notice of Intention to Designate as a significant cultural heritage landscape issued by council” under section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

ClubLink had applied to the town for an official plan amendment, a zoning by-law amendment and approval of a plan of subdivision to redevelop the golf course property into 3,222 residential units and mixed commercial and retail uses, as well as a dedication of the club’s valley lands as natural heritage.

Council’s decision refuses the official plan and zoning amendments required for the development to proceed.

Pursuant to a Planning Act requirement, the application for the approval of a plan of subdivision must still come back to planning and development council on Nov. 6 for decision.

Town Planning staff had recommended refusal of the application to council.

According to Mark Simeoni, the town’s director of planning, “the town’s cultural heritage landscape study identified the Glen Abbey property as a significant cultural heritage landscape that should be conserved. The town-wide urban structure review identified where and how the town should grow, and Glen Abbey was not identified as a potential site for future growth. These conclusions are so significant that staff must recommend that the applications not proceed.”

Staff and members of the public also highlighted specific concerns regarding ClubLink’s applications related to various technical matters associated with the proposal, such as traffic, and impact of the development on the Sixteen Mile Creek watershed.

These technical comments underscored the community’s concerns that the size and scope of this development would impact the approved vision for the community set out in Livable Oakville.

Earlier this week, ClubLink also announced that while it would not be filing an objection to the town’s Notice of Intention to Designate the golf course lands under Section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, it would be proceeding with an application to remove the golf course and demolish all buildings, other than those proposed to be retained as part of ClubLink’s redevelopment proposal, including the RayDor Estate House and the Stables.

“This is a separate application and staff will meet with ClubLink in the near future to begin the process for consideration of this application,” said Simeoni.

“Once a complete application is submitted and staff completes its review, this application will be brought forward to council for its consideration.”

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