Hazy, Lazy Days of Summer

I read in the Toronto Star yesterday about the Ontario Municipal Board "endorsing" a plan for high rise clusters in the west end of Toronto. It is that kind of language that leads the general public to believe the OMB has a role to play in planning. Since they are not elected, it's easy for people to believe there is something not right about that. It also makes it easy for city politicians to shift blame on to the OMB for decisions they have previously made or didn't make when they should have.

The west end of Toronto, near the Lake and the CNE has many run-down former industrial properties. The city's plan has obviously designated the area for renewal. The Zoning Bylaw, which puts the teeth into an Official Plan, must permit multiple residential development.

I say "must" because no developer in his right mind would purchase sufficient property to build a cluster of high rise structures in downtown Toronto, if he didn't know for certain he could use the property for that purpose.

I don't have to be there to follow the story; the artsy crafty people have formed a community in the area because the old buildings have cheap rents. They have appealed to the politicians to save them from the big, bad developers. Councillors, perhaps knowingly, perhaps not, have leaped on their chargers to defend the righteous and downtrodden people of the arts and the crafts.

It is such a simple formula. Add a reporter or two, also looking for fame and fortune in slaying the dragon, and suddenly you have a completely distorted representation of the facts. Even those who know the truth of the matter stay quiet and keep heads down until the clamour subsides.

There is an indication now, the city, after two OMB hearings, is considering taking the matter to court and spending thousands more of taxpayer dollars for legal costs to argue that their own planning regulations should not be followed.

You may wonder, why does that story matter to us. Well, we came within a vote of it happening here just a few short weeks ago. The Separate School Board, after months of work with the town planning department to determine that the Wellington site for a new high school would be an appropriate purchase, did exactly that.

After more months and expense on architects and such, they received a date for a public planning meeting. At the planning meeting, even with no concerns expressed from the immediate neighbourhood, Councillor Stephen Granger moved the application be refused. Councillors McEachern,Gaertner and, it seemed the Mayor, supported the motion.

One more vote, and the matter would have had to go before the OMB. The Town would have been in the position of having to defend the refusal of a planning application which completely conforms to our plans. The planning department recommended in favour of it. Half of the council supported it. The application was being made by another elected public body. Vast sums would have been spent on legal costs, for no good purpoose whatsoever.

The substance of a good debate is when two rational sides of an argument can be made. When it is over, no matter the decision, everyone can feel they have given it their best shot. They can feel they have justified their place at the table.

When I am reclining on my backyard deck staring up into a canopy of maple leaves, I try to understand why four elected representatives would collectively arrive at that position on the Wellington Street Catholic High School.

For the life of me, I cannot fathom the logic.