Blair residents' letter calls out council on silence around warehouse MZO

A group of Blair residents is calling out Cambridge city council on its support for a minister's zoning order (MZO) for a million-square-foot warehouse on Old Mill Road. 

"Your silence about the support of the Broccolini MZO is speaking volumes to the citizens of Cambridge," writes Tim Armstrong in an open letter to council. "Your unwillingness to engage the Citizens of Blair in a dialogue regarding this development over the previously agreed to official plan for this site demonstrates the underhanded way this development has been supported by council and staff."  

The group, Blair Engaged Inc., has previously approached council expressing concerns around the mega warehouse set to go up in Cambridge's Village of Blair. The residents have also hired legal counsel to help them try and obstruct the MZO and have protested at the Fountain Street roundabout near Highway 401.

Armstrong's letter goes over what he calls 'some fun facts.'  

"When you announced this deal several councillors were on media saying this MZO applications was on land already zoned for this development and it was comparable to what was agreed to in 2015; of course this was a lie," he writes in the letter. "As you know there are three rural properties and one agricultural property that was not part of the original plan." 

Armstrong indicates in the letter that their planner Susan Roberston will be at a public meeting the group is holding on July 6 to give a detailed analysis of what has been proposed, based on the openly available details versus the city's official plan agreed to in 2015.

A city communications official provided a document that outlines the zoning for the proposed lands as M1 with a holding prefix applied to it. The zoning provides for general industrial uses with no outdoor storage or outdoor operations. The symbol H, denotes a holding zone "in which the lands affected may be used only for a purpose specified in section 2.1.4 of this by-law until the prefix has been removed from the zone symbol by an amendment to this by-law."  

Further in his letter, the Old Mill Road neighbour questions the council's need to go into an in-camera session to discuss the details of the proposal.

"As you are well aware we have requested an investigation of this code of conduct violation as the Municipal Act is very specific about when a council can go into in camera and we believe you did not have cause," writes Armstrong.

In his letter, he also claims, council support for the MZO put pressure on a private landowner, who owns a corner plot zoned as RR1, a zoning that accommodates non-farm related dwellings in rural areas outside settlements, to sell the property. Armstrong further claims in his letter that the move gives leverage the the developer. The property owner turned down CambridgeToday for an interview request.

He then points out concerns in council's support for the jobs that the warehouse will create.

"Your support for Amazon without any research into their deplorable HR Practises, low paying jobs, use of contractors and part-time staff to avoid paying benefits, the fact that their Carbon Foot print is equivalent to 5 Coal fired electrical generation plants," Armstrong writes in his letter, adding, the developer's planner, Chris Pigeon, claimed the plant would be developed with a view to be environmentally friendly. 

"Unfortunately the trucks and airplane trips used to facilitate next day delivery create much more pollution that any activity their facility can offset," writes Armstrong.  

In addition, he writes, the development lies on the Haldimand Tract, which extends for 10 kilmetres on both sides of the Grand River. 

"You have neither consulted the citizens of Cambridge nor the Haudenosaunee Confederation demonstrating your lack of respect for both parties," Armstrong claims in the letter. A confirmation call to the Confederacy and the city about such lack of consultation was not returned by publication time.

Armstrong points out in his letter that the group has put in various freedom of information requests to bring out information, which he claims wasn't shared with Cambridge residents. 

"Your only chance to save a political career will be to do the right thing and rescind your support for this MZO," he writes. "The information wave is just starting and if you had justification for your support of this undemocratic MZO you would be open to discussing the merits of your decision."