Mark Newman,

Oct 19, 2007)

Maintaining public access to Mountain brow trails, keeping as much green space as possible, limiting development to single family homes or three or four storey buildings and saving the former continuing care building at the north end of the site were among the common themes that emerged from a public meeting on the future of the Chedoke brow lands Oct. 11.

About 60 area residents attended a public information centre at Mohawk College, where with the help of city staff, they broke into 12 groups and mapped out the kind of development they would like to see or at least could live with on the brow lands.

Several residents expressed previous concerns that development of the brow lands will lead to increased traffic in their neighbourhood. Some maintained that no development on the site would be their preferred option.

Last month, the residents and city planning staff embarked on a process to create a modified secondary plan for the site which the residents hope will limit the size and scope of future development. The meeting at Mohawk was the second step in the process which is expected to continue into December.

The 9.6 hectare (24 acres) parcel of land in question was purchased by Deanlee Management of Mississauga from the Chedoke Health Corporation last spring with the deal expected to close in December 2008.

In June, Deanlee submitted a proposal to the city for a development that would include 750 condominium units in buildings ranging from two to eight storeys in height. Each unit would sell for about $300,000.

While no specific number of units was mentioned at the meeting, none of the groups supported Deanlee’s target of 750.

“I think the process is good,” said Barry Colbert, an assistant professor of business and economics at Wilfrid Laurier University and one of the residents taking part in the secondary planning process. “I really admire what the city staff has done and the work they’re putting into, in a very organized way, gathering input from the whole community.

Mr. Colbert is also a member of a sub committee that was set up last week with a representative from each of the 12 groups.

The sub committee will take all of the recommendations from the meeting and try to come up with as many as four options for brow land development. Those options will be presented to the residents at their next meeting on Nov. 13.

“Given what I saw (of) the different designs tonight, I think there’s…enough commonality, I think we can probably come to a couple of different designs,” Mr. Colbert said. “I came into this meeting kind of skeptical that in two hours we could really accomplish anything.”

Brenda Khes, senior project manager in with the city’s planning division, said planning staff will be sitting down with the sub committee shortly to work out the list of options.

Once the options are determined, Ms. Khes said it will be up to the community to choose their preferred plan.

“It may be one of the (options) or it could be a combination of all of them,” Ms. Khes said.

After the residents pick their desired option, Ms. Khes said planning staff will review it, along with Deanlee’s proposal and get comments from other organizations such as the Niagara Escarpment Commission and Hamilton Conservation Authority.

“We’ll look at this plan that the community has come up with and we’ll say is this a reasonable alternative to what Deanlee is proposing?” Ms. Khes said. “Is it something that we should come up with a compromise situation or do we pick one?”

Planning staff will prepare a report for the city’s economic development and planning committee and city council, who will ultimately decide (providing the decision is not appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board) what kind of development will take place on the brow lands. The report will outline the residents’ proposal, Deanlee’s proposal and the public consultation process.

While staff could also suggest a proposal that contains elements of the residents’ option and Deanlee’s proposal, Ms. Khes said, “I have no idea at this point” if there is enough common elements between both sides to work out a compromise development plan. She said what ever option is recommended has to be defendable at the OMB.

The issue is not expected to go before city council until next March, Ms. Khes said.

At the economic and planning committee meeting the residents and Deanlee will be able to make presentations to the councillors.

Ward 8 councillor Terry Whitehead was encouraged by the number of residents who showed up at the Mohawk meeting.

“They showed up, they participated, they put pen to paper and now they’re in the driver’s seat as far as I’m concerned,” Mr. Whitehead said.

The west Mountain rep feels his council colleagues will respect the residents’ input.