31 Sand Road - 31 Sand GP Ltd.

The owner of 31 Sand Road submitted Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications on June 26, 2025. Town Planning staff deemed the applications complete on July 21, 2025.

A complete application under the Planning Act is one that provides the municipality with all of the prescribed information (i.e. reports, drawings, studies, etc.) and any locally required supporting studies.

Prior to Council considering and making any decisions with respect to the proposed development, there will be an extensive planning process including future staff reporting to Council with information and recommendations.

The merits of the proposed development will be addressed through the Town’s technical review process and further reports to Council.

A statutory public meeting was held on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers (19000 Leslie Street). The meeting provided an opportunity for Council and members of the public to provide feedback on the development applications. Council did not make any decisions on the applications on October 21.

The statutory public meeting was an opportunity for the public to hear from the owner regarding the proposed development in an official Council meeting format. The developer made a presentation, received feedback and responded to the questions from Council and residents who registered to speak.

You may share comments in writing via email to planning@eastgwillimbury.ca. See the next question for information on how written comments carry the same weight as oral submissions.

Council is live streamed. You can watch the video recording of the meeting on the Town’s YouTube channel.

Written comments are submissions (letters, emails, etc.) provided by residents, agencies, or interested parties specifically in relation to a planning application.

Written comments are part of the statutory public record for the development application under the Planning Act and carry the same weight as oral submissions made at the statutory public meeting.

Written comments are typically compiled by Planning staff and included in the planning report or background file regarding a development application. They are not treated as stand-alone agenda correspondence items and are not addressed through individual correspondence. The Planning report will address concerns raised in written comments.

You may share comments in writing by emailing planning@eastgwillimbury.ca.

The Council meeting on September 16, 2025, was the first time Council and staff heard claims regarding the potential existence of a built heritage resource on the property. Specifically, residents have claimed that a historic log cabin exists within an existing structure on the property. In response to residents’ concerns, the owner has agreed to retain a heritage expert to conduct an assessment of the structure.

EG is aware of the community’s strong interest in the future of the property with respect to a potential built heritage resource. Staff are working closely with the owner, legal counsel, and heritage experts to assess claims that the structure on the property is a built heritage resource of cultural heritage value or interest.

No, it is not.

EG's heritage properties are listed in the Town’s Heritage Register. There are 392 properties listed in the Heritage Register, with 12 of those properties being designated pursuant to section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act

You can view the Register of Cultural Heritage Properties to determine if a certain property is on the list. You can also view the Heritage Registry Review Report, 2021. 

More information on Heritage in EG can be found here: Heritage - The Town of East Gwillimbury.

Were any site visits or inspections of the property conducted by the Town prior to deeming the application “complete”?

Yes, as a part of the submission, the developer submitted a Stage 1 and Stage 2 Archeological Assessment. These reports can be found in the online portal (under Application documents and materials) which includes all documents related to this application.

The Stage 2 Assessment recommended a Stage 3 Assessment be conducted for an identified area of the property. This means, a further and more detailed archaeological study of that area will be conducted.

Why did the Archaeological Assessment as part of the completed application not identify the log cabin?

An archaeological assessment focuses on the identification/evaluation of potential subsurface remains (like artifacts and other physical remnants of the past).

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is somewhat broader and focuses on cultural heritage resources and built heritage.  

Further archeological assessment and Indigenous engagement are underway.

• The developer will be undertaking a Stage 3 Archeological Assessment over an area of the site identified during the Stage 2 assessment already conducted.
• The Stage 3 assessment will involve engagement with Indigenous communities.
• Town staff have also reached out to the Georgina Island First Nation to ensure they are informed and included in the process.

Health and safety, and property standards are top priorities.

• The structures that were demolished were in very poor condition, with ongoing health and safety concerns and a history of property standards complaints dating back to 2021.
• For public safety, the property was secured with on-site security during demolition.
• The Town and owner are aware that there has been ongoing and recent trespassing on the property. Trespassing onto private property is illegal; if you observe trespassing on this property, please report to York Regional Police.