Second Letter To Elderberry Hills Resident

I expect there will be more. It is part of Ms Walmer's pressure technique.Did I tell you, every time a group of Selkies Club supporters left the council chamber on Tuesday, Ms Walmer hurried out after them. No doubt to give them the benefit of her expertise in influencing decisions.

Most of the Selkies Club swimmers are not from Aurora.

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Good Morning,

I have received your e-mail. It's the second one from your neighbourhood citing various sections of the town's planning instruments.I expect there will be others.

We received two delegations on Tuesday at Council-in-committee. Ms.Susan Walmer also cited the merits of our adopted planning documents and contended the application you refer to is not in compliance. I do not agree with Ms.Walmer.
Her information is not correct.

Mr. Wong, our agenda, is publicised before our meetings. It includes a full and
comprehensive report from our planning staff.

Ms Jane Pepino, a senior partner in the Aird and Berliss law firm attended the meeting on behalf of the owner.

An O.M.B. hearing is scheduled for the application. Ms Pepino informed Council she had approached the O.M.B. and requested a board ordered mediation process and that has been granted.

It means the applicant, the town, and neighbours participate in a process to bring this application into conformity with the town's planning requirements. We are advised by staff it more than complies in most areas and is deficient in only two.

Staff recommended the plan be approved in principle and they be authorised to
participate in the mediation process.

The alternative would be for the town to surrender our authority to the Ontario Municipal Board .The decision would no longer be ours to make.The only opportunity for your influence would be as interveners at the formal process of an Ontario Municipal Board Hearing as objectors.

The cost of a five week hearing, I estimate on the basis of information received on other hearings, would be an estimate of $500K. The favourable staff report would not support a second refusal .

Opposition from council would be seen for what I think it is, political posturing.

It's the reason the Ontario Municipal Board was created. Well, not the first reason.
The first was to prevent municipal councils from bankrupting their towns during
the depression in the 1930s

The fact is Mr. Wong. property owners in Ontario have rights. They have the right to make an application for development. The right to the application being considered in its relationship to planning requirements. The right to a fair,reasonable and cogent decision from the municipality.

I do not take my responsibility as a councillor lightly, Mr.Wong. My accountability is to the community as a whole. I do not regard spending $500K on an Ontario
Municipal Board hearing trying to defend the indefensible a responsible decision.

I voted to approve the staff recommendation last night and I will do so again. I am frankly at a total loss to understand why other councillors voted against it. Their
vote does not reflect your best interest.

I would ask you to avail yourself of the planning staff's report to council to acquaint yourself of the true facts of the matter.

I have complete confidence in the integrity and competence of the town's planning department.

It is a reliable source.

You have my permission to circulate this e-mail to any of your neighbours who may have similar concerns as yourself. It may help to cut down on the internet traffic.

With respect.

Have a great day. It will not come again.