Support for the newly created citizen's group is small but it is very early in the process - let's see what they get in the way of traction.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

November 27th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

 

What might turn out to be one of those pivotal events took place on Saturday when 25 people meeting in the Part Room of Buntin’s Wharf decided to put their money where their mouth is and raised $5000 in minutes to take an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board asking that the 23 story tower that was approved by city council not be permitted to proceed as a tower that high.

The group took on the acronym ECOB – Engaged Citizens of Burlington and decided to incorporate and create a city wide citizen’s organization to keep city council both transparent and accountable.

Burlington aerial

Do the citizen’s of a city like Burlington have it within them to create a city wide movement that will holds the men and women they elect to council accountable?

Within hours of the news story published in the Gazette two comments were posted. The first wanted to know where to send money.

#1
Congratulations to this group for attempting to restore both democracy and planning/development sanity to Burlington. Once your group is legally incorporated, please let everyone know where we can send financial support. I applaud you for doing what our elected councillors (MMW excepted) refuse to do–represent the people of this city.

The second wanted to join.
#2
How can one join (and/or contribute to) this group?

ECOB founding Nov 25 back of headsIt will take some time to determine whether or not the group can achieve what it has set out to do. They are working within a very short time-frame.

Assuming they do manage to get all the paper work done – incorporate, get their bylaws in place, open the bank account, draft the first version of the OMB appeal and file it at city hall – the development of the tower comes to a screeching halt and will be in one of those OMB limbos waiting for a hearing to take place.

Something to watch.

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1 comment to Support for the newly created citizen’s group is small but it is very early in the process – let’s see what they get in the way of traction.

  • Tom Muir

    They don’t necessarily have to wait until incorporated to file the OMB appeal.

    The time frame to appeal is partly theirs to decide – they already have the $600 filing fees, and enough support expertise to write the initial version of the appeal to state the grounds in sufficient form.

    Incorporation to dodge personal liability for costs will I think be protective when the appeal gets serious. Before that the cost is the $600.

    There are questions about the timing and conditions of the OMB/LTAP transition that are outstanding. But if they have decided to appeal for sure, those are going to be facts of life.

    The real deadline clock of 20 days does not start until the official amendments to the OP and bylaws and other development permission conditions outlined in the Council approval, are brought to procedural vote at Council, and this takes time.

    I don’t know when the planning/legal plans to have this ready for a vote.

    Stay tuned, as this may be a wrinkle.