The Ontario Municipal Board held a Pre-Hearing Conference yesterday at Town Hall to set a date for the full hearing of the appeals opposing the approval of the Speedway Project by the Town of Fort Erie and the Regional Municipality of Niagara. 

The project is being appealed by the Fort Erie Citizens Coalition, the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society (PALS) and Mr. Randolph Paura.  Four other individual appellants have consented to the dismissal of their appeals, subject to the project’s owner acquiring their properties if the project is ultimately approved by the Board. 

Legal Counsel for the parties advised the Board that 4 weeks will be required for the hearing; and the Board Chair indicated that the Board could schedule a hearing in mid-May to hear the appeals.  However, due to scheduling conflicts and other concerns raised by the appellants no date was agreed to at the Pre-Hearing. 

A further telephone conference call for the parties will be scheduled by the Board for February 17, 2012 at which time a hearing date will be set and a Procedural Order form the Board will follow setting out the Issues to be addressed at the hearing as well as deadlines for the parties to exchange witness lists and expert witness statements.

This Blog will be updated following the February 17 teleconference.   More detailed information about the Speedway Project is also available on the Town web-site.