City spends close to quarter of a million at OLT hearings

By Staff

July 15th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

During this term of Council 2018 to date, a total of $219,735.29 was spent on lawyers and Planners to represent the city at Ontario Land Tribunal appeals.

More detail later in the day.

The Carriage Gate development – Beausoleil, at Pearl and Lakeshore was one of several that appealed

 

 

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5 comments to City spends close to quarter of a million at OLT hearings

  • Alfred

    Penny.

    I think you are hitting the nail on the head here.

    As an example it costs an applicant almost $100,000 to go to the OLT. To sever a lot in 2. This would be for a 1 hour hearing. In planning terms, as minor as you can get.

    Now whe are to believe that the City only spent to date $250,000 for multiple OLT. hearings for multiple planners, lawyers including preparation time and hearings that could last for weeks. On decisions that involve 24 storey highrise buildings. In planning terms, as major as you can get.

    Penny the people who are being fooled are the uninformed voters who thought it would be cool to remove the previous rock steady Mayor and council (Yes Burlington has the numerous awards to prove that) and replace them with this Mayor and council.

    Let me see? Food for the children or much higher property taxes? Go MMW.

  • Penny Hersh

    We have no idea where in the appeals process these figures are taken from and how many more appeals are in the queue. It is a bogus figure and not a true indication of just how much more in taxpayer dollars these appeals will be paid for by the residents of Burlington.

    This council once again is patting itself on the back by insisting that the costs for legal fees to represent itself at the OLT( during this term of council ) be made public. My question is who are they fooling – themselves or the residents of Burlington?

    Interesting that the attachment that was to be part of the information sent to residents was missing.

    Half-truths, smoke and mirrors yet again.

  • Alfred.

    Almost forgot the topic of conversation.

    To be clear these costs are only associated with a few OLT appeals. As the Editor wisely pointed out. We have over 50 appeals to go. As I have said before, the City will lose most of them. The taxpayers of Burlington will be on the hook for Millions of dollars in legals and planners.

    That your Mayor.

  • Alfred

    Perryb.

    Clearly at the rampant pace at which the City is losing all of it’s OLT appeals. It begs to suggest that the City of Burlington does not even remotely have a carefully developed strategic land use plans and zoning rules which they can defend at the OLT.

    Perhaps you can explain why they seem to lose all the time? (eg. OLT is corrupt and controlled by developers) that one is getting a little old.

    You know by now that the Province, not the City makes the development and housing rules in Ontario. The OLT makes sure it stays that way.

    By the way it appears that the newly democratically elected Provincial Government will soon be taking non complying Mayors and councils out of the equation. Considering them and the local Nimby’s as nothing but money and time wasting speed bumps adding millions to the cost of housing when interest rates are rising and housing prices are dropping.

    Mere pocket change as you describe.

  • perryb

    For developers, their costs are mere pocket change as the price of rampantly overruling carefully developed strategic land use plans and zoning rules. Which they easily recover when the buildings are sold (and maybe never built).