The Spec.com
The Chedoke browlands debate will begin during Monday’s planning committee meeting at City Hall, when residents will have the opportunity to speak. But they will be doing so without knowing details of the developer’s newest proposal for the land.
“I want to tell council how important that land is, and not only that, I want to tell them about the lack of transparency in this process,” said Andrew Knowles, set to speak at Monday’s meeting.
Negotiations between counsel for both Deanlee Management and the city are being held in private.
“I have a real problem for council to make any decision while the balance of the community is in the dark — I just think that is highly unfair and undemocratic quite frankly,” said councilor Terry Whitehead.
After previous delays, Whitehead said he is confident Deanlee will put some kind of proposal on the table Monday.
“There is an in camera discussion in the context of a settlement offer that will be considered by the planning committee,” said Whitehead.
Deanlee initially proposed building up to 700 units on the Chedoke Browlands after the company bought the land from Chedoke Health in 2007. The City of Hamilton countered with 450 units and the two sides have been going back forth ever since. Residents have been vocal about the possibility of losing their treasured green space.
The battle continues with more action as Whitehead said he is going to explore the opportunity of purchasing a piece of the land, a woodlot with a baseball diamond that was used by the community for a long time, to preserve it for its green space
“This is something I am going forward to council with,” said Whitehead. “I’ll be asking to investigate for the purpose of purchasing. Then whatever comes out of the investigation, we will have to make a final disposition on what we are going to do.”
The investigation would take a few weeks and Whitehead says they should have something back by September. He says he has wanted this piece of land since day one, and it should come as no surprise to Deanlee.
The last Ontario Municipal Board hearing in July was delayed again when Deanlee legal counsel Paul DeMelo asked for an adjournment because another party entered into the negotiations in what was described as a partnership with Deanlee. The identity of the new party is still unknown.
Whitehead also has an issue with this.
“The other argument I’m making is that we are dealing with a different player now, we are dealing with a different number, a different proposal. As far as I’m concerned it should be treated as a new proposal and we should start all over again in the process,” Whitehead said.
Regardless of Monday’s outcome, an OMB hearing is scheduled for September.
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