Criticized new Official Plan wins backing

Residents concerned over direction Burlington is taking to shape it future

Burlington’s new Official Plan (OP) has been approved by its planning committee and goes to council, likely in May, for adoption. Halton has to approve it.

The City began amending its OP in 2012, then decided a brand new one was needed. Staff has been urging approval, while citizens pleaded for time to assess the dramatic changes it imposes on the city.

Delegations criticized the excess planning jargon used at meetings, yet little changed. Often, responses to questions were “we have to get down to the granular level”, or “wait for area-specific plans”.

Downtown has been divided into precincts for years, but boundaries and names of most have changed, making discussions difficult to follow. Black and white letter-size agenda maps make detail unreadable, and staff or councillors talk “Downtown Core” precinct, and “Brant Main Street precinct” interchangeably. Downtown now allows mainly four to eight storeys.

The public first saw the downtown precincts in September, and the GO station mobility hubs in December.

There are too many missing pieces for public comfort. No backup traffic, transit or parking studies yet. Later. Citizens pleaded for a 3D model, showing how downtown could look.

Staff declined, saying too many assumptions would be necessary, so on the weekend ECOB (citizens group) unveiled its own, made from Lego!

2016’s census shows Burlington’s population was 183,314. The OP aims for 193,000 by 2031

- only 9,686 more in 13 years. But 22 and 8-storey Bridgewater condos are underway now, plus a 17-storey. 23 storeys are approved on Brant. The board approved Adi at Lakeshore and Martha

- 26 storeys, the city’s precedentsetting tallest. A factor in that decision was that tall buildings exist already. On Monday the City asked for a review of the decision.

Applications for towers pile in — in downtown alone, a 24, an 18, and the proposed Waterfront Hotel redevelopment’s two. Interestingly, consultant Glenn Wellings, who chastised citizens in January for “self-interest,” represents the proponent for the 24-storey condo opposite the approved 23-storey tower on Brant.

Plains Road has Solid Gold’s two — 10 and 12-storey — and the Bingo plaza, with two 8-storeys plus 117 townhouses.

And there are other intensified applications across the city.

Council has consistently approved developments beyond OP allowances, and will likely continue, even above the proposed 17-storey downtown limits, as they did with the infamous 23-storey.

In January, council heard from stakeholders, tweaked the plan, and recently heard again from 36 people, this time mainly developers and consultants.

To its credit, council accepted few of their demands: more flexibility on height and uses, and reclassification from employment to residential.

Residents were concerned mainly about height, density and congestion. A recurring issue was downtown’s designation as a “mobility hub.”

There were great presentations from some who had been following

There are too many missing pieces for public comfort. No backup traffic, transit or parking studies yet.

the process closely.

Gary Scobie noted the “precedent at the lake” (Adi) and remarked that three councillors (Rick Craven, Jack Dennison, and John Taylor) were on council in 2006 when the current OP was approved, supposedly compliant with Provincial legislation, but which wasn’t kept current, and didn’t contemplate much of what has occurred.

“Trust us, they’re asking,” Scobie said. “I’m afraid I just can’t. Council got us into this. Now I request Council to get us out.”

He asked Council to request the province to accept the proposed 69,000 people and jobs planned for the GO mobility hubs as our contribution to intensifying, and free downtown from its “crippling” intensification.

Anyone who uses Lakeshore at rush hour understands.

Both Joe Gaetan and Deedee Davies questioned underlying assumptions around immigration, (Gaetan with a superb chart) and loss of retail, especially a food store. Both stressed getting it right.

Davies wanted the right parking, and ensuring spaces for couriers, delivery vans and tradespeople, to prevent double-parking. Why the emphasis on condos when we need more employment? She suggested bonusing in exchange for some affordable housing.

Will council make any further changes?

Freelance columnist Joan Little is a former Burlington alderperson and Halton councillor. Reach her at specjoan@cogeco.ca