City holds additional casual public meetings on the Grow Bold concept that is driving the creation of a new Official Plan.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

February 13th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was a respectable turn out

The high point had about 35 people in the room along with five staff members from the Planning Department.
Large maps were set up on easels along with copies of the latest versions of the draft of the new Official Plan in 3 inch binders.

Rendering with Bake Shop

Rendering of a 24 storey structure a developer wants to build across the street from the 23 storey tower already approved by the city.

The interest in the Official Plan has been highest in the downtown core where the city is going to see a 23 storey tower rise opposite city hall. For those who live downtown the idea of seeing something so big so close is, to some, frightening.

That there is a 22 story tower under construction a five minute walk from city hall doesn’t seem to be as bothersome.

The city has planned Town Hall type meetings where people can meet informally with Planning department staff to ask questions and seek clarification.

Andrea Smith

Andrea Smith, the planner doing much of the heavy lifting getting the new Official Plan written and revised and ready to go before city council on April 4th for approval.

Andrea Smith, the planner who has been doing much of the actual writing of the new Official Plan, was the lead person in the room.

Councillors Paul Sharman and Jack Dennison were on hand; Sharman was briefing Mark Carr, host of Cogeco TV’s The Issue, on what the mobility hubs were all about. Not sure Carr was getting the most balanced explanation.

The meeting was held in the Haber Recreation Centre, the most vibrant place in the city where hundreds of kids are on the gym floor practicing basketball or volleyball.

Lancaster as Dep Mayor Sept 28-15

Councillor Blair Lancaster once sat in for the Mayor during a Council meeting.

Missing in action was the ward Councillor Blair Lancaster.

Mark Bales, lead talker for Carriage Gate, the corporation that has city council approval to build that 23 story tower opposite city hall, was working the room and making sure that the message was being delivered.

ECoB, the Engaged Citizens of Burlington, are waiting in the wings to file an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board arguing that the development doesn’t comply with the Official Plan that the city is working from.

When ECoB met with the Mary Lou Tanner, Deputy City Manager last week they asked if an additional public session could be held during the day time that would allow seniors to get out and take part. Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward supported that idea – there will be a meeting at the city hall on the 15th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

The casual – opportunity to ask questions meetings – are being followed by a Statutory meeting required by the provincial Planning Act; an occasion when anyone can delegate and give a ten minute view point on what they like and don’t like about the proposed Official Plan.

Expect this to be another boisterous meeting during which those opposed to the plan press city council to defer the plan until after the October municipal election.

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1 comment to City holds additional casual public meetings on the Grow Bold concept that is driving the creation of a new Official Plan.

  • Sharon

    Can someone please answer this question? Why do the residents of the “downtown core” think nothing should ever happen to the “core”? Can’t close Central, can’t build condos (which in fact might have students to fill Central). You all act like you are the untouchables. Did anyone have a problem with the condos on Fairview beside Walmart? And obviously no one had any issues with building north of Dundas. I am just so tired of hearing about what you cannot do in the precious downtown. It’s not like any of your houses are being torn down.

    Edited.