By Staff
December 13th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s the last Development and Infrastructure Committee Meeting of the year and it is going to be a whopper.
There are a reported 27 delegations registered to speak on three of the items on the agenda – which at 10 minutes each could amount to as much as four and a half hours of council members having to listen to the people who elected them.
They deserve it.
The committee meets at 1 pm and runs, usually until 4 pm – but they have gone over that in the past.
The evening session begins at 6:30 pm – can last until 10 pm with an additional half hour if council agrees, they usually do.
Mayor Rick Golding serving as chair of a city council meeting.
This council doesn’t do very well when it has to listen to delegations; the Mayor tends to get very short – this kind of thing is just outside his comfort zone.
Here is what our champions of the democratic process are looking at for a work load Tuesday.
Declarations of Interest:
Election of Chair and Vice Chair:
Statutory Public Meetings:
Statutory public meetings are held to present planning applications in a public forum as required by the Planning Act
Proposed Zoning By-law amendment for 514 Pearl Street
Character studies and low density residential areas
Note: This item will be discussed at 6:30 p.m.
Delegation(s):
Consent Items: Reports of a routine nature, which are not expected to require discussion and/or debate. Staff may not be in attendance to respond to queries on items contained in the Consent Agenda.
Sweden Denmark update report
Burlington response to provincial consultation on Ontario Municipal Board reform
Regular Items:
Joseph Brant Museum transformation project – 50% detailed design costing
Asset management policy and plan update
State of the downtown report 2016
Proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment for 4853 Thomas Alton Boulevard
Note: This item will be discussed at 6:30 p.m.
Section 37 community benefits for 4853 Thomas Alton Boulevard, ADI Developments Inc.
Note: This item will be discussed at 6:30 p.m.
Confidential Items: Confidential reports may require a closed meeting in accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001. Meeting attendees may be required to leave during the discussion.
Procedural Motions:
Information Items:
Staff Remarks:
Committee Remarks:
Adjournment:
Burlington’s city council – they may well be a bleary eyed bunch by the end of the day.
They all go home and come back in a week to sit as a city council and put a rubber stamp on the most of what got discussed at length during the Standing Committee meeting.
I was pleased to read in the upcoming Council meeting Agenda, that D&I Committee voted to refuse all of the application. The Council refused the staff recommendation.
There were at about 12 sets of resident delegates all opposed.
It was moved by Councilor Lancaster to refuse the OPA and the Zoning amendments, and by the Mayor to refuse the Section 37 benefits. Both motions Carried.
I want to congratulate Council Committee on listening to the residents and refusing the application, despite it being ADI with their reputation, and the staff recommendation to approve.
I’m presuming that Councilors will uphold their vote at full Council.
Maybe there’s some hope when residents take their opportunities to engage, and that everyone will see how important the opportunities to delegate with adequate time to present really are.
Absolutely. This development is irresponsible and a danger to public safety. The section 37 community benefits are completely unacceptable and are knowingly low relative the City’s own comparison document.
Section 37 —19 stoeys is too high in middle od residential. More importantly what will city get. It should be well more than commensurate in lieu of the advantages ADI is receivingB