Cambridge council delays decision on Flag Raiders MZO

Delaying the decision but still wanting to make it as soon as possible.

That's the conundrum out of Cambridge council following the most recent meeting involving Flag Raiders Paintball.

The Cambridge-based paintball business has been locked in a multi-front struggle with the city in the hopes of being allowed to reopen for business. Council was tasked this week with making a decision on whether or not to support the owners' application for a Minister's Zoning Order but chose to doll out more homework instead.

"I do believe the majority if not all want [Flag Raiders Paintball] to be in Cambridge, want them to operate," said Councillor Donna Reid. "We're trying to find a way forward that meets all of the policies and procedures that we have within the city and within the region, and we're struggling here to find a way for this to happen in the right way."

Councill Reid represents Cambridge's Ward 1 which does include the Flag Raiders property on Kossuth Rd. and while she'd like to see them open and successful, she's unsure an MZO is the way to do it.

"I'm not really a fan of MZOs," she said, pointing specifically to a lack of appeal process once an MZO is granted.

"So my constituents who feel very differently about having this within their neighbourhood would have no opportunity to appeal it should they wish to do so," Reid said. "That's taking away some of the rights that people have."

That hesitation toward the use of an MZO was also shared among some of the other councillors who, despite that, said they would still like to find a way for Flag Raiders to reopen in time to salvage some of the summer season.

There are also though now doubts as to whether that's still even in the cards.

"I'm in a quandary," Reid said. "I really want Flag Raiders to be able to exist and to be able to run this summer, I'm just not sure that's a possibility."

"I just don't think this is going to result in what Flag Raiders has hoped."

Council has now tasked Flag Raiders with consulting again with neighbours, the Region of Waterloo, Grand River Conservation Authority, Six Nations of the Grand River, and Mississaugas of the Credit and then report back to city staff as to the results of those consultations.

City staff, meantime, say the earliest they could have another report ready and back in front of council isn't until mid-July.