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Municipal Heritage Committee endorses staff report and adds their own recommendations

The Town's Municipal Heritage Committee (MHC) unanimously endorsed the staff report sending Benny Marotta back to the drawing board.

Municipal Heritage Committee to consider Marotta Rand proposal next week

SORE has learned that the Town's advisory Municipal Heritage Committee (MHC) is to consider the latest outrageous Marotta proposal for the Rand Estate next Wednesday evening, July 8 in the Town Council Chambers. 

SORE reports on last night’s public meeting on Marotta Rand plan

An overflow crowd packed the Council chambers and an overflow room last night for a statutory public meeting on the latest Marotta Rand proposal. In a meeting that lasted until 11 pm, Council heard from over 20 delegates, not a single one of whom supported the proposal.

SORE reminder about Tuesday public meeting on Marotta Rand proposal

SORE reminds its supporters and all interested parties about the Public Meeting Tuesday at 6 pm in the Council Chambers. It is scheduled last of...

SORE comments on last night’s open house on latest Marotta proposal

Thank you to the many people who registered to watch last night’s Open House presentation on the new Solmar/Two Sisters Rand Estate proposal. To summarize,...

Reminder on Rand proposal open house at 5 pm Monday

SORE reminds its many supporters and all interested parties about the Public Open House on Benny Marotta’s latest outrage tomorrow at 5 pm. The Open...

Important public meeting re new Marotta Rand application

As we communicated last week and as you’ll now have seen in local newspapers and social media, a new Benny Marotta proposal for the entire...

Marotta completely ignores OLT decision with new Rand application

Rand Estate patron Benny Marotta is at it again with a new and even more outrageous application for the entire estate. Mr. Marotta now seeks approval from the Town for an (ostensible) 5-story hotel on the front half of Randwood accompanied by 227 residential units on the back half.

Marotta withdraws court appeal of OLT Rand decision

Solmar had appealed the October 2024 OLT Decision to the Divisional Court. A hearing was finally set for April 2026, only to see Solmar finally withdraw its appeal as the court date approached.

SORE issues clarification on its Rand zoning application

SORE is providing the following clarification on a zoning application it wishes to bring with respect to 144/176 John St E in light of recent social media posts by Councillor Wiens. SORE approached the Town months ago with an intended rezoning application for these properties. The intent of the application is simple.

More Marotta chicanery at OPA Open House last night

At the Sept. 2 Open House, Mr. Marotta's planner confirmed that this was all about asking Council to approve a panhandle subdivision street that Council already turned down in April of 2023 and that was definitively turned down by the Ontario Land Tribunal last October after a 7-week hearing.

Marotta takes another swing at Randwood

SORE has learned that Benny Marotta is back again with another hard to believe application to the Town. In OPA 06-25, Mr. Marotta's company Solmar is seeking to have the Town approve a new subdivision street up the 200 John Street panhandle that the Ontario Land Tribunal explicitly and firmly rejected last October after a 7 week hearing. Solmar is also seeking approval for an access where 588 Charlotte meets John Street at the Heritage Trail.

Marotta continues Rand litigation against Town and promises new lawsuit against Council

Benny Marotta withdrew entirely from the Ontario Land Tribunal proceedings on his proposed Rand subdivision after the OLT ruled against his company and sent him back to the drawing board to work with the Town and SORE on an acceptable approach. Mr. Marotta has though, for the time being, continued his judicial review application seeking to overturn the OLT decision.

Ontario Land Tribunal dismisses Marotta Rand subdivision application

The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) has this week issued a final order dismissing the Marotta/Solmar applications for a high density subdivision on the back half...

Marotta appeals Ontario Land Tribunal Rand decision

Benny Marotta this week has filed appeals of the recent Ontario Land Tribunal Rand subdivision decision to both the courts and the OLT. SORE’s report...

Update on Marotta Rand OLT hearing

The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) panel hearing the appeal by Benny Marotta on his proposed Rand Estate subdivision has adjourned as planned until late July. 

Update on Marotta Rand OLT subdivision hearing

We thought it timely to provide an update on the upcoming OLT hearing on the proposed Marotta subdivision. In our last update, we noted that...

Character area study for Rand Estate and vicinity – Upcoming public meetings

Urban Strategies delivered a draft report to the Town in early December. That report fulfilled the requirement in the new but not yet in force Town Official Plan to do a character area study of the area including the Rand Estate before any land use planning decisions are made on the subject lands.