The Friends of Saugeen Shores or FOSS aren’t done yet. FOSS made several presentations to the Ontario Municipal Board, challenging the Wal Mart application to build in south Port Elgin. Last week, the OMB ruled in favour of the development. FOSS lawyer Eric Gillespie tells Bayshore Broadcasting News, the group will be meeting sometime this week to review its options. Gillespie says they are not surprised with the decision. He says the group has 15-days from the date of the decision to seek permission to appeal. That will be one of the options FOSS will consider. Gillespie says despite the decision, the issues raised by FOSS remain outstanding but they are encouraged that the municipality is starting to address the concerns. Issues such as personal safety around the rail trail, the safety for cyclists in the area and transportation concerns to get people into the site and then back out again. Gillespie says since the hearings, the town has been addressing some of those concerns but more needs to be done. He says the OMB decision notes all of these concerns as legitimate but not within the realm of the OMB’s mandate. Gillespie says in that regard they’re quite pleased with the OMB hearings. No date for this week’s FOSS meeting has been set yet.
