By Doug Draper
A developer’s plans to build a controversial condo tower along the shores of the historic Fort Erie, Ontario community of Crystal Beach has been approved.
A digital image of the controversial condo tower planned for Crystal Beach, Ontario.
According to a decision, approved by the OMB this January 31 following a hearing last November, OMB board member Reid Rossi concludes that the 12-storey condo, planned in a community of mostly one or two-storey homes and other buildings, “represents good land use planning” – that despite arguments from many local residents that the tall structure would be an assault on the character of the surrounding community and would front one of the last few publicly-available beaches in the area.
Fort Erie Mayor Doug Martin, who took a pasting from many residents in the municipality for supporting the proposal by the Burlington-based Molinaro Group, has always argued that the condo would save beachfront for the public rather than eliminate it. It would also bring some badly needed new development into a Crystal Beach community that has been floundering since the closing, more than a decade ago, of a historic amusement park by the same name, he said.
The 'Bay Beach' shores of Crystal Beach where the condo will apparently go.
Not surprising that Martin was therefore quoted in the local media this January 31 saying that “a new history of Crystal Beach begins with this decision.”
For others, the OMB decision is one they fear could open the way to the shores of a quaint Lake Erie community being lined with high-rise condos along its shores.
This is at least the second time in the past five years that the OMB has approved plans by developers to build a high-rise condo in one of Niagara’s older lakeside communities. The last plan the OMB gave its blessing too (also opposed by a good number of residents) is for a multi-story condo to be built along the shores of Lake Ontario in Port Dalhousie.
Decisions like these have sometimes triggered discussions on whether the OMB – a provincially appointed body – should be dismantled. But little has ever come from those discussions.
(Visit Niagara At Large at http://www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to resident in our greater binominal Niagara region.)
Niagara At Large 
Right. What did we expect? Jeffrey Simpson’s column last week in the Globe and Mail print newspaper drew attention to the fact that only Ontario has such a body that can, and usually does, override Municipal Planners decisions about good local planning. Taxpayers, residents, resident’s organizations are almost without exception, the losers in these battles. And, at their personal cost too. None of it is about NIBYISM. Just reasonable planning, I think.
Simpson’s column drew an outcry of letters to the editor againts the OMB. Enough said.
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The basic reason behind this outrageous decision is that there has not been enought enforcement of provincial policies prohibiting development on hazardous dyanmic beaches of the Great Lakes. Had these policies been applied, the development could have been built on a more appropriate place on the other side of the road. The reasons for this non-appliance of policy, which is intended to both protect natural areas and keep buildings away from dangerous sites, is the lack of consern for the environment by local elected municipal representatives. If they used their power to exclude the designated dynsmaic beach area from Fort Erie’s designated settlement area- the OMB would not even have the power to be involved. This shows the need for environmentally concerned people to run as candidates- and for others to help them against their developer cronies!
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I find most of what doug here writes about he never has his facts quite right…..so take from this what you will …… Ever read anything he writes about the Niagara Regional Police….yeah, take it from there …. Not good journalism in my books!!!
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Quoting from a related “NiagraThisWeek” article by Richard Hutton we get this from Fort Erie’s Town Planner, Rino Mostacci.
“Council has the option to do anything they want,”Mostacci said. “If they don’t want to move forward, they will need to be prepared for consequences.”
Those consequences could be financial or even simply the fact that something still would need to be done with Bay Beach, Mostacci said.
“The town might be held in breach of contract,” Mostacci said. “Plus, there would be no plan for Bay Beach.”
So by his own admission, Mr. Mostacci and staff knowingly encouraged, endorsed, and engineered a proposal that not only limits our options to but just this one it also insulates The Molinaro Group in any legal challenge or review by the current Council.
Respectfully, the question needs to be asked… Just who’s interest does Mr. Mostacci have at the forefront?
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John, Maybe Mr. Mostacci is finely looking at moving into the Fort Erie area – Maybe a nice new 12 story condo over looking Lake Erie – were no other building around sit higher then about 3 story’s exist near it ( Boy what a view! )
and Finley he wouldn’t have that hour plus commute drive to work and back during the week..
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Well now.. there’s a thought. Why he would be close enough then to my neighbor… wouldn’t he ? lol
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whoops…
Close enough to BE my neighbor.
John
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Why? was a condominium at the bottom of Jarvis Street a bad idea,Mayor Girve Fretz and council killed that condo project which did not ask for taxpayers money but the condominium on the Bay Beach is acceptable? and given millions in taxpayer inducements. Town staff should be relieved of their high paying jobs and sent back to St. Catharines and Grimsby. and mess up their own communities.
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