Citizen unrest sweeping Burlington
City manager goes after citizens group over high-rise opposition
In the 45 years I’ve watched and participated in city affairs, there hasn’t been a time when citizen unrest has been so sweeping.
Unfortunately, city manager James Ridge has burned bridges, not built them, and in an election year, to boot. It started with the rush to push the new Official Plan through. Staff has worked on it since 2012, but in October, 2016, the project changed from amending the current OP to a producing a new one. That necessitated more work, more studies, and more time, and the first draft went to council in April. Council “received” it, and directed staff to consult with the community.
Staff did engage citizens along the way, but did they heed what they heard? The draft OP changes the city dramatically. The catchphrase for the plan is “Grow Bold”, but many are upset with staff and council’s interpretation of “bold” — very tall and very dense.
It doesn’t help that this small (seven-member) council — same people for the last eight years — has appeared to ignore the current plan and zoning in some decisions. Developers are now applying for ever taller and denser buildings, with less and less parking, which changes neighbourhood dynamics, as populations grow and parking shrinks.
The final straw was approval of a 23-storey condo opposite City Hall, where zoning allows 12 on part of the property. The draft would permit up to 17 under certain conditions. Burlington’s tallest (landmark) building, under construction on Lakeshore, is 22. And the 23-storey, according to Councillor Marianne Meed Ward, provides less commercial space downtown than it replaces.
Discussions are underway for redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel into two very tall buildings. These two projects have infuriated many. And there’s another condo application — 18 storeys — for James and Martha.
Now a city-wide citizens’ group has formed — ECOB — Engaged Citizens of Burlington. Their meeting Jan 18 aimed to get more people involved. Ironically Mayor Rick Goldring held his “reverse town hall” meeting the same night.
It appears each attracted about 50 people, interestingly, with the same issues top-of-mind — the draft OP’s heights, and the rush for its approval. The first time citizens saw the heights was September, and the GO mobility hubs Dec 4.
The ECOB meeting drew many new faces. There was an impressively factual presentation on the draft. Attendees from Aldershot and Tyandaga in Ward 1, Alton, and several from central Burlington vowed to contact friends throughout the city.
There was anger when it was disclosed that City Manager James Ridge had requested removal of some text on the group’s website, and demanded an apology, “or I will take all necessary steps to hold you accountable for these defamatory comments.”
The paragraph in question referred to a letter-writing campaign, and read:
“How can staff in the planning department be pushing these amendments when they know that they are not following the Professional Code of Practice of the Ontario Planners Institute which requires members to serve the public “to provide full, clear and accurate information on planning matters to decision makers and members of the public”?
Ridge’s email stated: “This directly alleges that City staff committed professional misconduct, and is categorically untrue.”
Could he not have written or called, asking that the paragraph be removed? Why resort to threats? Unnecessarily heavy-handed. I’d be livid as a councillor. ECOB removed the paragraph, did not apologize, but suggested the Discipline Committee of the OPPI decide.
They’d like Official Plan approval delayed until after the Oct. 22 election, and the final version to include the transportation, transit and bike plans currently under development. And they would like “precinct” plans adjusted in areas where heights are such a lightening rod.
About 150 attended Tuesday’s planning committee, which heard about 30 delegations. It could make decisions this week, or wait for Councillor Jack Dennison’s return from a previously scheduled absence.
Perhaps the question is: Whose OP is it — citizens’ or the bureaucracy’s?