FIREWORKS

Seems a number of snits were thrown at  Council last week.

Pesky property owners were the rascals. 

Councillor Gaertner argued successfully to maintain a considerable buffer between housing types. 

Councillor Humfryes was outraged by a delegate's lack of respect in daring to come before Council after appearing at an advisory committee she chairs. 

Councillor Mrakas was seriously miffed by developer disrespect for Council and the town's Official Plan. 

It seems a recommendation was made to reduce a buffer from thirty meters to ten. It was ten before it was thirty.i remember the night they made it thirty . It wasn't a staff  recommendation. 

Thirty meters is the depth of my property. 

My lot line touches my neighbour's . I've never thought of that as a bad thing. It's an old subdivision. Modern lots are considerable less. 

Councillor Gaertner's mailing address is a basement apartment in my neighbourhood. If it 

 was being described ,it likely wouldn't have a lot depth. It may actually be just a mailing address.

Councillor Gaertner said when people buy a property they are entitled to be assured of respect for 

their lifestyle . We may take it to mean those who live on large lots should not have to associate with riff-raff who live on smaller lots if they don't want to. 

Councillor Mrakas was  outraged by a subdivision application to change density from 2  to 3 lots per acre. On a Facebook page, he displayed extreme displeasure  at the disrespect shown to Council and the town  by a developer. 

Councillor Humfryes , according to page 9 of The Auroran, was well-nigh speechless with rage over the issue of a permit to demolish a derelict  stucco house sitting on a makeshift platform for five years in a subdivision of million dollar mansions on smaller lots than mine. 

A permit was prepared by staff. The Heritage Advisory Committee heard a presentation a month ago 

to seek clearance. Councillor Humfryes chairs the committee. Councillor Gaertner is a member . The committee decided the application should be reviewed by the committee before being approved by the committee. By the end of the month,when the committee reported, the  committee had not yet 

reviewed the request.  

Council goes into summer recess now. Committee meetings are not necessarily scheduled

Sometimes, when scheduled, committees fail to meet for lack of a quorum. 

The developer  sought and was granted delegate status at Council to expedite the matter. 

The house has cracks in the stucco walls. Asbestos has been discovered. With exposure to the elements, mould has permeated the building. . 

An offer to build a replica rather than restore has been made. 

Developers have been known to be willing to turn cartwheels to persuade Aurora Council. Money usually greases  the skids.

Councillor Pirri says  he knows the house can be fixed. 

The Mayor was prepared to move the demolition permit but withdrew the motion under the circumstances. 

Readers may recall the saga of the trees from four years ago. A lot could not be graded to prevent drainage into the walk-in basement  of a million dollar home without removal of three trees. 

This was the lot the stucco house was removed from.

A neighbour cherished his view of the trees so much  Councillors Humfryes, Gaertner,Abel Thompson,Gallo and others could not bring themselves to dash his dreams forever. 

The request came to council  time and time again. Report after report written by staff wa rejected

before finally the trees were removed and the family of five,three teen-agers could move home from a hotel  during the Christmas holiday. 

Councillor Humfryes and Gaertner ,if I re-call ,never could bring themselves to vote for the tree removal. 

That reminds me of something else. 

For a very long time,a question has lingered about whether Councillor Gaertner actually lives in Aurora.