ERO 019-0549 (Macey Bay…

ERO 019-0549 (Macey Bay Development)

As a frequent visitor and cottage owner in this area I am concerned about damage to the local environment.

Years ago there was a small trailer park at the Macey Bay site that has not been in use for a long time. The area is adjacent to environmentally significant wetlands that form part of the habitat for Species at Risk that would normally use the dryland site for foraging, nesting, overwintering and other purposes. I understand that what is now proposed is a dense development consisting of 180 trailer units with a total of 378 bedrooms.

I have read the peer review dated May 11, 2018 prepared by North-South Environmental Inc. for the Township of Georgian Bay commenting on the environmental impact reports prepared for the developer (link below). It appears that those assessments contained many oversights and suppositions. It is difficult to see how such a dramatic increase in density can occur without a significant negative impact on the Species at Risk. At peak occupancy there would be hundreds of people, vehicles and pets overrunning the area. It is unrealistic to think mitigating requirements such as pets on leash and buffer zones would be followed or effectively enforced.

If development of the site is to be permitted, it should be dramatically scaled back. I note that the shoreline for the site would support only a few cottages yet what is proposed would be over 10 times that sort of density. The preferred option is not always the one that maximizes profit for the developer.