By Staff
April 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It is another one of those opportunities where ward 2 council member Marianne Meed Ward invited people to a meeting where they could roll up their sleeves and put some of their ideas on paper.
Mayor, on the left talks to citizens about plans for downtown development during a Downtown Destinations event put on by ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward.
The meeting – this Thursday at the Lions Club – at 6:30 is a continuation of the Destination Downtown series of meetings that began in 2015
At that time the city was working on a re-write and update of the Official Plan. Since that time the decision was made to scrap the Official Plan we had and start all over again.
The DRAFT of the new plan has been released and will be going through a series of public meetings.
There is an opportunity for the Planning department to explain what an Official Plan does and does not do.
Burlington has this huge fear of a development application coming in – finding that it isn’t all that keen on what was put in front of them but worried silly that the developer will appeal a city decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
Robert Molinaro explaining the plans for a development in ward 2 during a Downtown Destination event.
The good news at that level is the province is currently reviewing the OMB and its role.
Early signs are that the public might see a vastly different OMB role – one that would limit what developers can do.
The problem with that is one ends up with a municipality that gets the NIMBY (Not in my back yard) infection and nothing gets built.
Finding a balance is the challenge.
Members of Council are beginning to voice their views and concerns – so far they have been talking about the issues within their wards – the Plan is a city wide document. Are we seeing early signs if NIMBY?
