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 big news from the October 5th Case Management Conference (CMC) at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT):
- The OLT scheduled the 20-day hearing to begin August 29, 2022.
- An additional 10 applications for participant status were approved, bringing the total to 21. One remaining application will be considered at the next CMC at 10 a.m., December 3, 2021.
- The City of Kitchener advanced 31 issues, many of which cite the same legislation that Friends of Olde Berlin Town wants the OLT to recognize and uphold. The City also announced its plan to bring four expert witnesses to the hearing; it continues to contemplate a Motion to Dismiss the hearing on jurisdictional grounds.
There is reason for hope, folks! Many thanks to everyone who shared their concerns with the Planning Department and Council at the Neighbourhood Information Meeting and other forums.
On another front, the City released its 2021 Growth Monitoring Report. It shares the Region of Waterloo’s estimate that, in 2019, the Major Transit Station Area in which 22 Weber St West is located surpassed the minimum density target set by the province. The argument that the developer’s application must be approved to satisfy the provincial density requirement has been undercut.
Our lawn signs are popping up throughout the neighbourhood and across the City. We now have the following two lawn signs, conveying different aspects of our concerns. Please request a lawn sign here. 
The City’s legal team is directed by Council, so please let City Council know your desired outcomes and request that Council remind Planning Staff of their duty to uphold our Official Plan and its subsidiary legislation, when it is in compliance with provincial and regional legislation. And, if you haven’t done so already, please sign our petition and encourage others to sign on, too. As Official Plan amendment applications are subject to regional review, all members of the community throughout the Region of Waterloo are welcome to sign.
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. Please contribute to our campaign today. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to date. Every contribution counts, regardless of size. In addition to the much-needed funds, your contribution signals your support to the rest of the team and enables us to carry on. Ready to volunteer some time and energy? Please contact us at obtfriends@gmail.com.
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.