Why Oh Why

I have been asked. Why did the developer's representative call me to seek understanding of the town's reason with a fifth tribunal proceeding for a different decision on a request for a joint board hearing after four unsuccessful attempts.

I have been straightforward before and I suppose might be expected to be so again.I did not support any of the applications for a joint board hearing. I am content for the public to know that.

When the Public Planning meeting was held in March 2008, planning staff's recommendation was to approve the Westhill Development proposal in principle. The Ontario Municipal Board already had the matter in hand. The final decision was not ours to make.

Roger Beaman, external solicitor for the town was at the town hall that night to advise Council before the upcoming Ontario Municipal Board hearing.

The planning report was long and complicated. Work had been ongoing for ten years ..

The developer had a phalanx of experts. No expense had been spared. Lebovic builds multi-million dollar mansions. Whatever it costs to produce one, that's what it costs to buy one.

There was a file six inches thick of dealings with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority alone. The land is in the Lake Ontario drainage basin as well as the Oak Ridges Moraine.

The Ministry of Environment had signed off. The Region had not expressed concerns.

Apparently, Bob Rae, when he was Premier in the early nineties, had suggested the golf course condominium concept as an alternative to subdivision development.

The land is legally designated. There is only one way to stop development. That is to purchase it with public resources and take it out of the market.

The town's planners had serious concerns about certain aspects of the proposal.

Since the decision was the Ontario Municipal Board's to make, it was vitally important
our expert arguments receive full consideration. The cards were already stacked against us. We needed to do it right. Mr. Beaman was on hand to guide us because of the significance.

The Ontario Municipal Board, as any other tribunal, concerns itself with hard evidence. Political grandstanding carries little weight.I hear they have already had some experience of that with our Mayor and friend Susan Walmer.

Notwithstanding the facts, staff recommendations were set aside by council that night. Councillor MacEachern compiled a many-clause resolution, on the hoof so-to-speak, which essentially denied the application.

Neighbouring residents to the development,Wallace McCutcheon among them, were at the meeting. They were opposed to the application. An environmental lawyer, Mr. Northey, was there to represent them.Other forces were rallied to the cause in the council chamber.

I supported staff recommendations and voted against MacEachern's resolution. It was another one of those eight in favour and one against.

Next day, I received a call from Mr. Lebovic to express his appreciation. The developer has been contributing to our Arts and Culture Fund for a number of years. He had always been present in the Council Chamber and participated in the annual grants awards. He is not a stranger.

He is a property owner. Pays taxes to the town. Has been a benefactor. Has the same right as any other taxpayer and business owner to ask for an opportunity to speak with an elected representative of the town.

Add to that my personal belief, the industry which builds homes for people, provides jobs for people, shovels millions into tax coffers at all levels of government of the people, and contributes most of the funds for charitable endeavours sponsored by politicians, are not the enemies of the people.

Mr. Lebovic invited me for lunch. I thanked him and refused. I told him I did not vote in support of his project. I supported staff recommendations regarding outstanding items which needed to be resolved before final agreement could be reached

He responded he wished the Mayor had been as frank when they lunched together and he had received assurance of her support for the project.