Questions were pretty clear - the answers leave a lot to be desired.

News 100 blueBy Staff

February 26, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

During the numerous delegations that were made before city council residents brought up different concerns.

Underway - too much

Is the city trying to do too much at the same time. The New Street Road Diet didn’t work – perhaps a project diet is needed.

Jim Young, Deby Morrison, Dave Lawson, Susan Goyer, Michael Hriblijan, David Myers, Steve Keech, David Zavitz, Mark Henderson and Nancy Cunningham argued that there was insufficient information on Transportation, Transit and Infrastructure planning for a decision to be made and that Transit and Transportation Plans and parking standards to support the proposed new Downtown Precinct Plan have not been completed.

City staff responded with the following:

One of the objectives of the Downtown Precinct Plan is to mitigate future traffic congestion associated with growth through a variety of measures including development of specific transportation demand management measures and enhanced pedestrian and cycling amenities and networks through strategic connections of height and density within walking distance of major transit stations.

Bustamente H&S

Rosa Bustamante, Manager of Mobility Hubs.

In addition to the existing and proposed city-wide multi-modal transportation policies contained within the Official Plan, the Downtown Mobility Hub Area Specific Plan (ASP) process is currently undertaking additional multi-modal transportation studies to understand potential impacts the proposed precinct plan could have to mobility within the Downtown Mobility Hub.

This assessment will provide staff with recommendations regarding potential enhancements to the transportation network, parking strategies and rates as well as strategies to mitigate any transportation impacts. This work will result in new policies being developed through the ASP to ensure a diverse transportation system with many practical and realistic choices in order to integrate mobility with land use within the Downtown.

ADI - Bustamanta # 2 steps in process

Public gets a lot of time to speak – the answers given are more than confusing. Statutory meeting where a new set of questions can be asked takes place on Tuesday the 27th.

Through the Downtown Mobility Hub Area Specific Plan, the existing capacity of the Region of Halton’s water and wastewater infrastructure is being reviewed and any growth-related infrastructure upgrades will be identified through the completion of a Functional Servicing Study. This study will inform future Regional planning for capital works investments.

Preliminary analysis has not identified any specific issues with the existing water and wastewater infrastructure located in the Downtown.

Those residents who delegated feel that with so many studies to be completed it seems more logical and responsible to wait until the studies are completed before adopting the draft Official Plan.

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3 comments to Questions were pretty clear – the answers leave a lot to be desired.

  • George

    1. ECoB provides a challenge to request proper planning.

    2. Burlington City Staff provide “bafflegab”.

    3. The Burlington Gazette provides information to the Citizens of Burlington.

    Thank Goodness for ECoB and The Burlington Gazette.

  • Stephen White

    Part of the problem/challenge throughout this entire debate has been a lack of simplified communication and concise answers from City officials. Words are bandied about like “multi-modal transportation” and the average citizen, who also isn’t an urban planner, or who may not be closely following this issue, is left to decipher what was said and what it means. The process isn’t enhanced by a dizzying array of charts, graphs and PowerPoint slide decks. It also isn’t realistic to expect citizens to digest a 500 page Official Plan.

    Here’s what is becoming increasingly clear. Approving an Official Plan for which there are additional plans, studies and undertakings underway and not completed that feed data into the Official Plan, or which highlight potential problems, risk, costs, contingencies, etc., is not a great strategy. It’s very nice to state “Preliminary analysis has not identified any specific issues with the existing water and wastewater infrastructure located in the Downtown” but a preliminary analysis is not a final or authoritative conclusion.

    As mentioned previously, the City has completely lost control of this process. Proceeding with approval of the OP with so many unanswered questions, or where public uncertainty is high, is neither prudent nor politically astute. To borrow a line from my grade 8 Woodworking teacher “Measure twice, cut once”.

  • Hans

    Re: the quotation in the article above – It looks like city staff have degrees in Jargon rather than Planning.
    The staff response is completely worthless. The “additional multi-modal transportation studies to understand potential impacts the proposed precinct plan could have to mobility within the Downtown Mobility Hub” should have been done long before any towers were contemplated.