<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">To GREN Members,</div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">On Christmas Eve, the Township of Wilmot posted a notice for a Special Council Meeting planned for January 4th to support an MZO request in Wilmot Township. There is shock and dismay in the community as the timing of this MZO is highly suspicious - being announced at the last minute late on Christmas Eve with the meeting scheduled first thing in the New Year when there is almost no ability to reach Staff to learn anything about the MZO request and no opportunity for local media coverage to inform the public either over the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve holidays while also in the midst of the most serious COVID-19 variant seen thus far in the ongoing pandemic.</div><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We can learn almost nothing about this MZO other than it is for likely residential expansion beyond the current urban boundary and leapfrogs existing farms like Pfennig’s Organic farm. There is no Staff report, no information on the Wilmot Township Website, or details seemingly available anywhere.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://calendar.wilmot.ca//townshipcalendar/Detail/2022-01-04-1700-Special-Council-Meeting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="">https://calendar.wilmot.ca//townshipcalendar/Detail/2022-01-04-1700-Special-Council-Meeting</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It may also involve breaching the Countryside Line (according to the Regional Official Plan mapping from the Region of Waterloo website and attached below), has lead to the discovery that the Wilmot Official Plan may be illegal and not in conformity with the ROP, and would set an extremely dangerous precedent for developers to be able to circumvent what is supposed to be permanent farmland protection in Waterloo Region by requesting an MZO and using the provincial government to overturn local environmental and farmland protections.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We are unsure if there is any Council or Staff support for this application, if there have already been in-camera meetings, or if it is simply at the request of the land speculators. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Elsewhere in Ontario MZO requests have been defeated early by not receiving local Council support. Minister Clark has at least been somewhat consistent that he won’t approve an MZO without strong local Council approval first and the Blair MZO fiasco in Cambridge should certainly make local Councils very weary of getting caught between developers and the province. Wisely the Cambridge Council has issued a moratorium on all MZO considerations until a policy for MZO’s and public engagement is developed and approved which might be prudent for Wilmot Township to consider as well.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="">The public is increasingly outraged by the use of MZOs and in particular the timing here is extremely troubling - already this Wilmot situation is being cited elsewhere in the province as a perfect example of the bad planning the Premier is encouraging. This is not how we plan a world-class community by announcing things over the holidays with an immediate meeting scheduled with no information publicly available and no time for any media coverage or ability to respond.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">MZO’s not only bypass all public engagement and consultation but also bypass environmental assessments, proper planning, and override all local protections such as our Countryside Line, Protected Countryside, ESPA’s, PSW’s, etc. It is shameful to see developers even trying to use MZO’s here in Waterloo Region when we are renown for good planning and lead the province with our SmartGrowth success.<br class=""><div class=""><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Anyways, the outrage in the community is already significant and will likely grow as more people learn about this situation. Frankly, it sure doesn’t look good and it’s situations like this that sink entire Councils and tarnish communities for decades as a banana republic where developers run wild - not the reputation Wilmot wants I'm sure. It’s not surprising that citizens are so cynical of government when such important decisions shaping the future of our community for decades are being undertaken in a rushed, secretive manner in the middle of Christmas holidays such as this.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">We need people to e-mail and phone Wilmot Staff and Councillors. We also need people to appear as virtual delegations on Zoom at the Wilmot Township January 4th Special Meeting at 5:00pm (also an unusual time for a Council meeting). We also need people to share this concerning news with others in the community since there is no local Wilmot media publishing over the holiday prior to the planned meeting.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The Wilmot Township Clerk can be reached at: <a href="mailto:clerks@wilmot.ca" class="">clerks@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8444 x9228</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Wilmot Township Planning Staff can be reached at: <a href="mailto:harold.okrafka@wilmot.ca" class="">harold.okrafka@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8519 x9236</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">New Wilmot Township CAO Sharon Chambers can be reached at: <a href="mailto:sharon.chambers@wilmot.ca" class="">sharon.chambers@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8519 x9237</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The Wilmot Councillors can be reached at:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Les Armstrong - Mayor - <a href="mailto:les.armstrong@wilmot.ca" class="">les.armstrong@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 634-8519 x9231</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Angie Hallman - Ward 1 - <a href="mailto:angie.hallman@wilmot.ca" class="">angie.hallman@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 998-3983</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cheryl Gordijk - Ward 2 - <a href="mailto:cheryl.gordijk@wilmot.ca" class="">cheryl.gordijk@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 998-8317</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Barry Fisher - Ward 3 - <a href="mailto:barry.fisher@wilmot.ca" class="">barry.fisher@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 807-8597</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Jeff Gerber - Ward 4 - <a href="mailto:jeff.gerber@wilmot.ca" class="">jeff.gerber@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 496-5769</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Jennifer Pfenning - Ward 4 - <a href="mailto:jennifer.pfenning@wilmot.ca" class="">jennifer.pfenning@wilmot.ca</a> or (519) 998-6029</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Please share any questions or ideas. I’m reachable via phone (519) 240-1648 or e-mail anytime.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thank you,</div><div class="">Kevin.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">——————————————————</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><b class="">1) Rough Map of Proposed MZO area in Wilmot Township</b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>