Saugeen Shores has requested that the plans for Cedar Crescent Village be brought forward to a Section 28 Hearing with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA). In an August 23 media release from the Town, should it proceed, the development, which includes a restaurant, a special events hall and retail and recreation space, would be located at the harbour at the Port Elgin Main Beach.

After seven months of review, SVCA staff have not yet made a decision on the merits of this regulatory permit application, which the Town said is causing significant delays in the project timelines. For this reason, the Town has requested a Hearing in order to advance to a decision on this matter.

In July, after an additional study to map the Floodline for the property was completed by Shoreplan Engineering Limited, Town staff, Shoreplan staff, and the SVCA’s team met to discuss the revised work, in order to advance the project. In August, it was requested that the application be brought forward to a combined Administrative Review and Section 28 Hearing on two technical matters that the experts cannot come to a conclusion on; the Floodline Hazard Assessment and the Dynamic Beach Hazard, the press release said.

Without a decision regarding these existing conditions for the site, advancing the site plan and engineering works is not possible. Therefore, further design work for the project is currently on hold.

“We believe the application is complete and that the professionals engaged in the process are unable to reach consensus,” said Kara Van Myall, Chief Administrative Officer of the Town, adding that the request for a Hearing was the appropriate path forward.

The hazard limits are based on the existing conditions and provide the framework for development of the site layout. Depending on the determination of where these lines exist, the design of the development will change. With this, the detailed design of the project cannot be completed and the project is not able to advance. The Town of Saugeen Shores has been consulting with the SVCA about developing this site since 2019 when the Town received a favourable indication from SVCA that the project could advance in the proposal location.

Town staff will continue to work with project stakeholder and should a favourable decision be made by the SVCA, final design will be refined and will come forward to Council for final approval.