The BCO has received a date from legal counsel for the Case Management Conference (CMC) for the Manors of Belfountain Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearing. This CMC meeting will take place Feb 1, 2024, 8:00am-4:00pm. This is the next step in preparation for the hearing.
On August 8, 2023, the community approved the BCO filing to appeal the NEC decision made on July 20, 2023. The appeal was submitted to the NEC August 9 by legal counsel.18 appeals were made to the NEC that day regarding Manors. Once the appeal was submitted, the BCO was committed to follow this process through.
The CMC is a preliminary meeting between the adjudicator, lawyers and parties involved in the case. This conference helps the adjudicator establish:
On August 8, 2023, the community approved the BCO filing to appeal the NEC decision made on July 20, 2023. The appeal was submitted to the NEC August 9 by legal counsel.18 appeals were made to the NEC that day regarding Manors. Once the appeal was submitted, the BCO was committed to follow this process through.
The CMC is a preliminary meeting between the adjudicator, lawyers and parties involved in the case. This conference helps the adjudicator establish:
- Time frames
- Determine the issues
- What is agreed to and what is not
- Determine how the case may need to proceed
- Try to resolve all the issues
The BCO will need to retain experts to present our issues at the hearing. The experts include legal counsel, a planner, a hydrogeologist and a natural heritage expert. The cost for experts is sizable.
The dates for the hearing will be scheduled at the CMC. The number of days required for the hearing will be based on how many issues need to be resolved. At this point we anticipate the hearing will be a minimum of 11 days, (this would include opening comments, three days for each expert to present the issues, and closing comments).
For both the CMC and the OLT, the experts will be paid from generous donations and participation of residents in various fund-raising events that involve the community. These events will take place overtime.
The experts that present at the hearing will be speaking on behalf of the community. They will be exemplary in their fields and have the knowledge and expertise to win this appeal. An expert will be required for each specialty.
Thirty years ago, the Belfountain community and supporters fought to prevent a subdivision with fewer proposed houses on the same land for the same reasons we have today. The adjudicator ruled that something would be built on this land. No developer has been able to address the hydrogeology functional servicing issues for this development to date. The cost for the hearing in 1991 was $120,000.
At the community meeting in August residents demonstrated strong support to appeal the development decision of the NEC, for conditional approval of 75 houses on the Manors of Belfountain land.
We are now on the cusp of preparation for the first step of this process, the CMC meeting. We need your help; we need volunteers to help organize fundraising events and donations and get the word out there to let neighbours and friends know how important it is to get involved. No experience is required, just a willingness to participate.
We have scheduled our first fundraising meeting for December 19th at 7:00pm. To attend, email secretary@belfountain.ca to receive the Zoom meeting link.
If you, or someone you know, are unable to participate and would like to donate, you can do so by either of these methods:
- Donating directly to the B.C.O: 100% of donations made are used to pay legal fees, experts’ invoices, and administration costs. No tax receipts are available. The B.C.O. is an incorporated non-profit organization supported by volunteers. You can donate directly to the B.C.O. by cheque, cash or e-transfer by contacting treasurer@ belfountain.ca, or click on the link below to use PayPal at BCO to support the initiatives. 100% of donations made are used to pay legal fees, experts’ invoices, and administration costs. No tax receipts are available. The B.C.O. is an incorporated non-profit organization supported by volunteers. B.C.O. administration costs are outlined in our financial statements which are reviewed publicly at the Annual General Meeting and posted to our website.
- Donating through Small Change Fund: For those of you who would like a tax receipt, we are pleased to announce that we have partnered with Small Change Fund. When you donate $25 or more you will receive a tax receipt. SCF does retain a percentage of the funds donated to support the services they provide as outlined on their website, see recent changes. The project: (Manors of Belfountain Subdivision) Belfountain-needs-your-help. As projects are resolved and donations received are higher than the invoices for the project, the overage will be applied to the most urgent of the remaining issue.
- Donate in Person: You can donate in person at the Belfountain Christmas Potluck on Friday December 15th at 6:00 pm. For RSVP information please go to Belfountain.ca
Please share this email and spread the word to everyone you can think of that can help us with this fight. The time is now. Let’s start telling people about this. Ask everyone interested in protecting Belfountain, to register at www. Belfountain.ca so we can be sure to reach everyone and provide updates.
Please come out and join us in our fundraising efforts so we can win this hearing. There is nothing we can’t do together!
See you all then!
Judy
Belfountain may be small, but we are mighty when we work together!
