The Province has agreed to keep about 30 hectares of the Millcroft Golf Course zoned as open space, but the order is on hold until the minister is satisfied occupancy permits have been or will be issued for homes the Province is allowing on part of the golf course lands.
Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing made Zoning Order 011-2026 on Friday, Oct. 23. It covers five areas of the course at 2155 Country Club Drive. The ministry's decision notice says it only partly fulfils the City's request to keep the land's recreational and open space uses and prohibit development there.
The catch: the order takes effect only once occupancy permits are issued for all the homes planned on a section called Low-Rise Residential Neighbourhood 8-1 under a companion order, Zoning Order 009-2026. Until the minister is satisfied that condition has been or will be met, the open-space order is suspended. That companion order allows about 138 single-detached homes and townhouses on the golf course lands.
Once in force, the order keeps the existing Open Space zoning under Burlington's 2020 zoning bylaw, with one change: a cemetery or crematory would not be allowed.
The decisions came weeks after Burlington council, on Sept. 29, refused the planning applications for the housing development. The housing order was requested by Millcroft Greens Corporation and supported by Ontario's ministers of seniors and accessibility and of the environment.
Residents raised concerns about more frequent and intense flooding, according to the ministry, and Conservation Halton noted that parts of the lands fall in its regulated area and overlap known flooding and erosion hazard limits. The City's request drew 151 comments through the province's online registry and 7 by email, and the ministry says most from the public and community groups supported it.
The landowner argued the privately owned lands should not face permanent open space restrictions unless they are bought and the owner compensated.
City staff are reviewing the provincial decisions to see how they affect the development council refused, the City says. The last day to appeal council's refusal is Wednesday, Oct. 28.
