Gordon Prentice at Large - Politics in Newmarket
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- Written by: gordon prentice
A key report from Planning Staff explaining the process to be followed in setting a height cap for new developments in Newmarket will go to the Committee of the Whole on 11 June and up to the full Council meeting on 18 June where it will be debated and voted on.
Back in February Regional Councillor John Taylor tabled a motion directing staff to report back on the issues involved in setting a height cap for new developments in Newmarket. At the time I asked him what it all meant.
The motion was subsequently amended at the Council on 5 March (see below).
This report could have a huge bearing on the Secondary Plan, setting height parameters that would guide developers.
In the meantime, as part of the Secondary Plan process, the Town has convened Focus Groups who are dreaming what a future Newmarket might look like. They are busily colouring in work books and sticking photos of buildings on giant maps of Newmarket. But the one thing that would give their imaginings context – a height cap – is still missing.
Seems to me that Newmarket Council should grasp this nettle and give its view now on what kind of height restrictions would be appropriate.
This would inform the work of the planners and everyone else involved in drawing up the Secondary Plan.
Taylor’s motion should not sit outside that process, running in parallel.
There is a great danger we shall all be strangled by process and procedure. We need to hold firm to the simple proposition that we don't want Newmarket to end up looking like Richmond Hill with giant towers studding the landscape.
We need a good turn-out at meetings where the height cap is considered.
We shouldn’t just be spectators.
When opportunities present themselves to address the Council directly, either as individuals or as part of a community group, we should take them.
If we don’t, and if we are silent, the developers win.
1. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES – FEBRUARY 27, 2012 – ITEM 19
MOTION – MULTI-STOREY HEIGHT RESTRICTION
Regional Councillor Taylor provided a Motion regarding multi-storey height restrictions associated with development.
The motion was amended to include the words “and hard cap” after the word “restriction”.
Moved by Regional Councillor Taylor
Seconded by Councillor Emanuel
THAT Council direct staff to bring a report to Committee of the Whole in 60 days outlining the process(es), including public consultation, for which Council could enact a height restriction and hard cap for multi-storey buildings in the Town of Newmarket. Furthermore that Council direct staff to include in the report an analysis of any issues associated with height restriction policy for consideration by Council.
CARRIED
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
York Region is booming.
By 2031 our population is forecast to grow by a staggering 425,000 people to around 1,500,000.
This is the equivalent of adding a city the size of Hamilton to York Region’s current population.
I find myself wondering if all these newcomers – and the rest of us - will be able to move around or will we be trapped in our cars in permanent gridlock.
It is as plain as a pikestaff that traffic will slowly grind to a halt unless we increase the opportunities for people to get out of their cars and onto buses and trains.
As it is, the GTA has the longest commutes in North America.
So my heart lifts when I read that the number of trains to Union Station will be increased at the weekends from 23 June to 3 September.
We are told it is a pilot project to assess the need for more transit on the line.
Duh?
Of course we need more trains!
As the roads clog up with traffic, people will increasingly make the rational choice and let the train take the strain.
I want to see trains running frequently to and from Toronto - but this can only happen if we dual the track and this will cost money.
If public money can be spent to extend the 404 why can’t we similarly invest in a half decent railway?
At last year’s Provincial Election, the Liberal Platform promised:
In the next phase of the Ontario liberal Plan, we’ll expand service by delivering full-day, two way GO train service on all corridors – that’s the equivalent of 71 million fewer car trips annually.
So, how are we going to make this happen?
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- Written by: gordon prentice
The notorious attention seeking Newmarket councillor, Maddie Di Muccio, is at it again.
She launches a furious tirade of abuse at fellow councillor Tom Vegh, calling him a "bumbling Jerk" who is "less than a man" and a "coward".
By any measure, this is strong stuff.
But her outrage is entirely synthetic.
She tells us there was some kind of debate in the hallway outside a Committee room involving Vegh and her husband, John Blommesteyn.
As we know, Blommesteyn bought a host of Tom Vegh domain names to squat them and game the search engines to direct traffic to his wife’s website.
Unethical?
You bet.
Tom Vegh has every right to be upset.
Instead of badmouthing Vegh she should have a quiet word with her husband whose actions throughout have been totally reprehensible.
Blommesteyn says Maddie never knew what he was up to and, in any event, there is an innocent explanation. He was only trying to get Tom Vegh to become more active as a councillor!
Oh please!
This kind of behaviour pollutes local politics. We don’t need it.