SORE is pleased to report that it has been given party status by the Conservation Review Board for the appeal by the Marotta group of the designation of all four Rand Estate properties under the Heritage Act. SORE’s application for party status was supported by the Town but opposed by the Marotta group. The Board noted that SORE has retained ERA, one of the leading heritage planning firms in the country, and commented that it was satisfied that SORE has a genuine interest in the matter and would make a useful contribution to the hearing. No date has been set for the hearing at this point.
SORE is also pleased to report that the firm of Turkstra Mazza (Scott Snider) has been added to the Town’s legal team for the various legal matters arising out of the Marotta group application. Snider is a recognized expert in municipal law matters and is a welcome addition to the Town’s team. SORE thanks our new Council for this early and decisive action.
Also, on December 21, in response to a request from SORE, the Town published an update on the injunction application. In short, no date has yet been set for the hearing. There was no update on the promised prosecution of the Randwood owners and individuals responsible for the reported illegal destruction of the protected Dunington-Grubb designed landscape.
SORE continues to encourage the Town to prioritize and pursue the prosecution vigourously, as that is the only means by which the Dunington-Grubb landscape can be restored at the owner’s expense. SORE has retained legal counsel to initiate a private prosecution, should the Town not do so.