Following is the text of a letter sent to NOTL Town Council on Jan. 29: Good Afternoon Council. We note an in-camera meeting concerning the Rand Estate is on the Council agenda for January 31st. We write concerning two matters. While we have regretfully yet to see a written copy of the JP’s decision, we […]
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How the Lord Mayor candidates answered SORE
Responses to SORE questions from three candidates for Lord Mayor are presented side-by-side for easy comparison.
NOTL candidates provide responses to SORE survey
SORE is pleased to post the responses from candidates for Lord Mayor, Town Council and Regional Council to the questions we recently put to them.
Marotta Group granted stay on Heritage Act prosecution
SORE understands that a Justice of the Peace granted a stay of the Heritage Act charges laid by the Town for the outrageous clear-cutting of the back half of the Rand Estate just after the last municipal election in 2018.
SORE provides update on OLT hearing and Marotta Group prosecution
SORE was given party status following the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing.
Trial dates set for Marotta companies prosecution
The Town’s prosecution of the Marotta companies for the outrageous clear cutting of the Rand Estate shortly after the last municipal election will finally be heard by the courts.
Tribunal schedules case management conference for Marotta Rand subdivision proposal
The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) has scheduled a Case Management Conference (CMC) for the Marotta Rand Subdivision proposal for Friday, September 9, at 10 am.
Recap on public input session
Last night, the Town hosted a public information session on the current Marotta group Rand subdivision proposal. Several SORE experts – heritage, planning, traffic, servicing and natural environment – outlined serious issues concerning the proposal. A number of community members also asked questions and raised various concerns. SORE thanks the Town for hosting this […]
Marotta takes subdivision proposal to OLT
The Marotta group has elected to open up yet another litigation front with the Town over the Rand Estate.
Rand subdivision concept announced by SORE
Since the unveiling of Benny Marotta’s utterly atrocious subdivision plan for the back half of the Rand Estate, SORE has had its team of experts hard at work to determine what form of residential development might be feasible on this iconic estate. SORE’s team of experts has been able to come up with a preliminary subdivision concept that we believe to be feasible for the Rand Estate.
Benny Marotta folds his tent on CRB
In the latest (self-inflicted) wound, one of Benny Marotta’s companies informed the Conservation Review Board on Tuesday, Nov. 2, that it was withdrawing the challenge to the Town’s Notices of Intent to Designate 200 John Street and 588 Charlotte Street under the Ontario Heritage Act. Our supporters will recall that after the previous Council issued […]
SORE Wins Cultural Heritage Landscape Protection Award
SORE is very pleased to announce that it has won the prestigious Margaret and Nicholas Hill Award from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. The ACO’s announcement can be viewed at acoheritageawards.ca/save-our-rand-estate/. SORE is grateful for the recognition both of its almost four years of hard work and of the provincial and national significance of the […]
Marotta appeals Town order to look after Rand Estate
In the latest installment of Benny Marotta’s legal assaults on the Town over the historic Rand Estate, Mr. Marotta has now instructed his lawyers to challenge orders issued by the Town under its Property Standards By-Law.
SORE reports on July 14 public meeting
In a meeting that stretched to 5 hours, Council and the community on July 14 heard numerous delegations from members of the public as well as SORE on the myriad issues raised by the Marotta subdivision proposal.
SORE files peer review reports with Town
SORE has filed three peer review reports with the Town concerning the proposed Marotta subdivision covering Stormwater and Drainage, Grading and Servicing, Natural Environment.
Marotta subdivision would be two or three times as dense as most adjacent neighbourhoods
The SORE core team has undertaken a comparison of the density of the proposed Marotta Rand Estate subdivision with the closest neighbourhoods to the Estate. Provided are both “Gross” and “Net” density graphs illustrating the comparison.
SORE comments on June 15 Open House
SORE thanks the almost 200 households that signed up for the June 15 Open House and the 30 or so people who asked questions. The evening illustrated the extreme challenges of conducting public consultations by video.
Additional information on Marotta Subdivision application and Town process
We have prepared and present an aerial depiction of the subdivision proposed by the Marotta Group for the Rand Estate. This is truly one of those cases where a picture tells a thousand words. The Marotta application proposes to festoon virtually every square foot of 200 John and 588 Charlotte Streets with houses.
Marotta Group subdivision applications for Rand Estate released
The Town has published a Notice of Complete Application for the subdivision proposed by the Marotta Group for the back half of the Rand Estate. There will no longer be a LPAT hearing in July on whether the application is complete. The Town has now accepted the application as complete with the filing of a report the Town had requested.
Town triumphs in another developer lawsuit
SORE is pleased to report on a decision last week of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice of relevance to both the Rand Estate and to heritage protection in NOTL.
SORE: Building Support to Save the Rand Estate
Save Our Rand Estate – also known as “SORE” – was created to support responsible development, specifically of the Rand Estate. We welcome projects that respect the unique historical and cultural heritage of NOTL. At the same time, we are prepared to stand up against developers who show little regard for our cultural heritage and the Town Official Plan.