Mobility hub studies put on hold.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

June 7th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Reality has hit the city’s planning department.

They have put the Mobility Hub Study on hold while they deal with the re-examination of the adopted Official Plan and the Interim Control Bylaw, passed on March 25, 2019.

Paradigm -3 from front

The first three of a five tower project right beside the Burlington GO train tracks has sold well. It was the right kind of development in the right location.

Work on the Mobility Hubs, including the development of the Downtown Mobility Hub Area Specific Plan (secondary plan), has been taken out of the day to day operations.

What will the impact of that decision be? There are so many balls in the air that it is difficult to fully comprehend what can impact what – loads of room here for unintended consequences.

Kudos for the Planners for making a tough call.

The focus on the GO stations as the location for growth was a sound decision – the trick is to get it right the first time.

Return to the Front page
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

4 comments to Mobility hub studies put on hold.

  • Kelly

    Thank you for this update. Bill 108 has affected us for sure. Let’s focus on what WE CAN DO.

  • James

    Save and except the downtown mobility hub that isn’t really a mobility hub at all, the other 3 hubs provide ample suitable space outside of existing residential areas for the highrise developments that seem to be focused strictly on the downtown core. The longer these hubs get delayed, the more pressure and focus on downtown. Why delay them? This study has been ongoing for over a decade, what’s taking so long? Why not direct the highrise within these hubs where people can easily walk to public transit instead of adding to existing traffic congestion? If Burlington is being forced to grow, why not direct that growth to these hubs? It just seems that the opportunity these hubs possess to resolve many of Burlington’s development pressures and compatibility issues are being wasted by perpetual delays and lack of leadership. There is a win-win opportunity staring us in the face with these hubs if planned correctly.

  • Roger

    Finally some sanity

  • Penny Hersh

    Why am I not surprised? I would like to know who really made this decision? Everything in this City is delayed by yet another Study that has not been completed. The game plan has changed with the passing of Bill 108 and once again Burlington is not prepared. This Downtown Mobility Study should have been done years ago before some of the decisions were made by the previous Council.

    Many residents felt that there should have been some major changes made in the Planning Department. Just because the “Bold Grow” campaign has disappeared from printed materials doesn’t mean it is still not in place.

    I guess that it will be easy for this Council to blame the Provincial Government for passing Bill 108 for the development intensification moving forward. I for one am tired of hearing Council blaming the government when the City has not done what was necessary with regard to un designating the downtown mobility hub and change the boundaries of the Downtown Urban Growth Centre.

    The Interim Control By-Law simply slowed things down, and it will be interesting to see if the developers start taking the City to the OMB for non-decision once the 210 days has run out.

    “Kudos for the planners for making a tough call”. I have to disagree, this department is simply not able to keep up.

    The buck stops at Council, let’s see if they take responsibility instead of blaming everyone else.