A quick update, folks, on the progress of our Friends of Olde Berlin Town campaign in pursuit of a compatible, inclusive development of 22 Weber St W that permits existing neighbours to thrive and the heritage district to endure.
The Dec. 3rd Case Management Conference (CMC) at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) was significant. The Adjudicator denied the Applicant’s lawyer’s “highly unusual” request for additional stories at the OLT as opposed to via the City of Kitchener’s Planning Department, which would bypass municipal review and public input. The Applicant, a corporation named “30 Duke St Ltd”, has been ordered to re-submit their application request for a 19-storey build and all supporting documents to the City of Kitchener by Dec. 31, 2021.
Should the applicant increase their request to 19 storeys, the review of the application will be returned to the City’s domain, including a new Neighbourhood Information Meeting. We may have opportunity to comment on the heritage aspects during a review of the Heritage Impact Assessment at Heritage Kitchener.
A fourth CMC is now scheduled for 10am, Monday, April 4, 2022 to consider potential motions to dismiss on jurisdictional grounds, acceptance of additional participant- and party-status requests and revisions to the Draft Procedural Order. You can see the Memorandum Of Oral Decision (minutes) and Draft Procedural Order here.
A great precedent in support of due process, folks!
How can you help?
1. Request one our three lawn signs – whether you live in Olde Berlin Town or elsewhere in Kitchener.
2. Sign our petition and encourage others to sign on, too. As Official Plan amendment applications are subject to regional review, everyone throughout the Region of Waterloo is welcome to sign.
3. Contribute to our campaign. We continue to need your support to pay our lawyer and expert witnesses to uphold our communally-approved land-use legislation and Heritage District Plan. It is not too late to make a tax-deductible donation for the 2021 tax-year via the ACO. Every contribution counts, regardless of size.
4. Prepare written comments for delivery to the City. Details to follow.
Further information is available at our campaign website, www.obtfriends.ca. Please be in touch with any questions to obtfriends@gmail.com.
Please share this message widely. We are succeeding together.
Thank you,
Hal Jaeger
on behalf of Friends of Olde Berlin Town