CORRESPONDENCE

Good Afternoon,
With respect,

I am a councillor voting in support of the staff recommendation on the development proposal on Yonge Street which you find so offensive.

I am confident of the professional competence of Aurora planning staff.

I did not support the first application because it did not conform to the various
planning instruments used to guide development in our town.

Since that time the property owner has filed an appeal with the Ontario Municipal Board.

He also retained a solicitor who sought a board directed mediation procedure
which would require the town and the property owner to work together to bring the plan into conformity with the town's planning requirements.

The recommendation before council last night was to give staff authority to work with the applicant.The current proposal is deficient in two respects and more than meets the requirement in others.

The alternative to this route is an OMB hearing expected to take five weeks. I believe the process would cost taxpayers of Aurora half a million dollars.

To spend that money and go before the board while our professional advisers are
telling us the application does conform in all but a couple of respects , would not in my judgment be serving the community well.

Property owners have rights in Ontario, as you are well aware. They are entitled to make an application and have it processed in accordance with the Planning Act. They are entitled to straightforward consideration of their application and a fair and reasonable decision within a certain period of time.

Contrary to popular opinion, municipal councils have no authority to refuse an application without good and proper reason. If we don't do our jobs properly,the Ontario Municipal Board will do it for us.

I voted in favour of the recommendation last night . I will do so again next Tuesday.

I do not take my responsibilities lightly. As I am doing with you, I will make sure the people of the town know that I do not favour spending half a million dollars of their tax money to defend the indefensible.