Wednesday 's Planning Meeting

Was a Statutory Meeting to provide for the public to have their input.

There have been thirty-eight previous meetings. Most comments appeared to have been made already.

The Mayor referred to many private meetings between herself, neighbourhood groups and individuals and the Director of Planning, to satisfy various concerns.

It seems not all parties received the same consideration.

A spokesperson for the prominent site of the former Price Chopper store had serious concerns with the Fol-de-Rol Promenade Study and received short shrift.

Re- development of the site is contemplated.

The study requires the building be placed at an angle and height to be limited.

The property fronts onto Yonge Street. Property to the North is under-utilised, shabby and ancient industrial. South is a dollar store, a bank and a major intersection. The rear has road frontage, faces an apartment building ,a handful of homes and overlooks a park.

The spokesperson for the proposed development spoke to economic viability and problems with requirements of the Promenade Study.

The comments were "received". I sought clarification. The points had obviously been made before. Would there be consideration or was the "stakeholder" wasting her time in making them yet again?

"Oh well, said the Mayor, we can't all get what we want, can we."

The response put a new slant on the word "stake-holder".

Word on the street from the real estate industry, there will be no more time wasted or investment made in our downtown core without a change in understanding of the meaning of the word stakeholder. I guess we know what that will take.

A spokesperson for Smart Centres spoke of their plans to continue development on the south side of Wellington at Leslie and the 404.

No change is proposed in O.P.Amendment No. 30 of the current Official Plan.

It means Smart Centre's further development is not contemplated in the revised O.P.

They're the people who had to hand over $50ks at three permit stages to a total of $150ks to ease competition from their development to the downtown core.

Concerns expressed by Smart Centre spokesperson were clearly not a concern to the Town.

Consultants were not asked to comment.

Residents from the station neighbourhood were there to speak of ongoing problems with commuter parking.

It seems the $74 million pile of concrete on Wellington Street has not provided the relief anticipated.

The Mayor explained the elevator is not working.

The Fol-de-Rol Promenade Study recommends a "linear park" alongside the railway track on Berczy Street in place of parking.

Residents detailed the problems created by parking on their streets. The consultants had some interesting answers.

The chief consultant explained it's not anticipated commuters will continue to bring cars to the station. They will walk or use buses. He didn't explain why they're not doing that now or why change may be anticipated.

One consultant offered that parking on both sides of a street is a form of traffic calming.

The first joined in again...... homeowners don't own their roads. They are publicly owned. Part of their function is to provide parking.

Residents are probably well aware of the need for visitors, service people and delivery vans to park on roads.

It's an amenity we have enjoyed and expect to continue to enjoy. Since our property taxes pay for construction and maintenance of roads , I think we can be excused for feeling a degree of ownership.

The separate problem of commuter cars parked for an entire day, thereby removing amenity customarily enjoyed by residents ,creating problems for snow-plowing and hazards for children and blocking residents driveways, were clearly not registering with either the Mayor or the consultants. I am not sure there's any real difference between the two.

The three plans combined into a Revised Official Plan are intended to be adopted by this Council on September 28th.

As of now, an election is underway. On October 25th, the electorate will exercise their single opportunity to determine membership of the next Council.

In homes,businesses and gatherings all over Aurora, people are discussing how well were they served in the last four years. Or do they need to make a change.

Results may not be assumed.

For a Council to adopt plans for the next five years, at a time when they may be on their way out of office; the plans may be part of the reason for their exit, is in my judgement more than a mite presumptuous.