Skip to content

Webers owner seeks to fast-track rest stop, restaurants in Moonstone

Tom Rennie wants Oro-Medonte to support MZO for project on land OMB ruled on in 2013; Residents raise concerns about $15-20-million development
2020-07-16 Crestwood JO-001
A Google Maps image of the subject lands for the Crestwood Park Holdings rest stop and community facility, at 99 Mount St. Louis Road next to Hwy. 400. Contributed image

Another development project in Oro-Medonte Township is seeking a minister’s zoning order (MZO), this time for a future rest-stop facility at Highway 400 and Mount St. Louis Road.

However, the development sounds familiar to local neighbours and councillors.

Crestwood Park Holdings Inc., owned by Tom Rennie, is proposing to develop 8.5 acres at 99 Mount St. Louis Rd., next to Highway 400, for a new rest stop and community facility. The land is currently zoned rural/agricultural and environmentally protected.

Rennie, who is also the operator of Webers on Highway 11, is in the process of collecting letters of support to apply for an MZO for the project, which would seek to change the zoning to commercial.

Robert King, who spoke during the open forum portion of Wednesday’s council meeting, owns a home adjacent to the proposed development.

“Mr. Rennie has not respected the environment or legal process, in my opinion,” said King.

The proposed facility would include a gas bar, convenience amenities, electric vehicle charging stations, two restaurants (one being a second Webers location), and local tourism facility. There would also be public washrooms and recreational facilities, such as soccer and baseball pitches and an outdoor skating rink.

In December 2013, Crestwood Park Holdings took the township to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) over their decision at that time to not allow a change in zoning from agricultural/rural and environmental protection to commercial to allow the building of a second Webers location on the same property.

“This panel concluded on the evidence that the proposed development would have an unacceptable adverse impact on both the local community and the natural environment and should not be in any event approved,” wrote the OMB's Colin Hefferon in his 2013 decision.

Residents now feel this new application is a way to skirt the decision.

King said his plans to build a dream home on his property were halted when Rennie submitted his original proposal 10 years ago.

“This seemed absurd to me at the time, so I got involved voicing my opinion and concerns,” said King, adding that once the OMB ruled against the development in 2013, he began the process of building his new home on his property.

“We moved into our home in November 2019," he said. "My family stands to be severely impacted.”

King alleged during his address that Rennie has already removed hundreds of feet of Ministry of Transportation fencing along the highway abutting the property, dredged the pond with an excavator, removed trees, built a roadway through the woodland, and erected two commercial-grade bridges spanning the Coldwater River without applying for any permits.

“There are numerous properties along the Highway 400 corridor, five minutes north and five to 10 minutes south, that are already zoned and designated for this type of use,” said King. “Why is it necessary to have this development on environmentally protected land?”

Rennie spoke during his deputation to address concerns about the 2013 OMB decision.

“The proposal before you is vastly different from the one that came before you 10 years ago,” said Rennie. “That one was for a standalone restaurant and was not a rest-stop proposal.

“The government has made clear that ‘Open for Business’ is a fundamental policy of this provincial government,” he added.

According to Rennie’s proposal, approximately 200 new jobs will be created through the development. Crestwood Park is planning to invest $15 million to $20 million to develop the location.

Coun. Cathy Keane asked Rennie to clarify why he was asking for support of an MZO at this time.

“As there are additional updates to bring the lower-tier Official Plan into conformity with the newly revised Simcoe County one, there was a recognition of that need. This application had been re-engaged to changes to provincial legislation in 2019," Rennie said. "There have been meetings between us and the province and it was determined that requesting an MZO would be the most efficient way of doing that."

“So, this is essentially a matter of speed and getting things moving faster?” asked Keane.

“In this particular case, yes,” said Rennie.

Coun. Ian Veitch pressed Rennie on why this project could not go through the normal course of process, and asked director of development services Andria Leigh if Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark had any guidance on when MZOs should come into play.

“The short answer is no. There are no clear guidelines in the Planning Act that say, these are the types of scenarios where an MZO is considered appropriate,” said Leigh. “The requests are submitted to the minister and then it’s up to the minister to determine whether they believe, based on the information that they’re provided, whether it is the appropriate tool and what steps must be followed to use that tool.”

Leigh said that as there has been no official site-plan application made yet to the municipality, staff have not yet thoroughly reviewed planning documents in regards to the proposal.

“Have we got some public consultation underway, for example, with the (Mount St. Louis Moonstone) ski resort?” Veitch asked of Rennie.

Rennie said public consultation would be part of the site-plan application process.

Veitch said he had discomfort moving forward with supporting a request for an MZO without getting more information from township staff.

“The MZOs do have a purpose. However, with this presentation... I’m hesitant in approving this one,” said Keane.

“I understand the thinking behind this concept, but I think we need to have more information going forward and make sure... residents understand that this is a different request than what came forward before,” said Mayor Harry Hughes.

Since the provincial government was formed by the Progressive Conservatives in 2018, 16 ministerial zoning orders have been granted by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing province-wide, including two in Oro-Medonte Township: one for Burl’s Creek and another for the Oro Station Automotive Innovation Park on Line 7.

There are three more projects in Oro-Medonte currently in the process of obtaining local support to apply for an MZO: the Crestwood Park project, McLean Park, and a new Medical Innovation Park project planned for Line 7.

“We have to be careful about what MZOs we’re going out with. We’ll only be allowed a certain number. We really need to decide among us if this is a priority. It’s an interesting proposal, but I’m just not sure if it makes the grade,” said Veitch.

The delegation and correspondence was received for information and review. Staff was also asked to review the materials from the proponent and report back to council.


Reader Feedback

Jessica Owen

About the Author: Jessica Owen

Jessica Owen is an experienced journalist working for Village Media since 2018, primarily covering Collingwood and education.
Read more