By: Laura Steiner/Local Journalism Initiative
A group of concerned local residents are appealing a recent decision made by Milton Council to the Ontario Land Tribunal. (OLT) The decision approved a controversial development at the northwest corner of Bronte, and Main St.
The development, brought forward by Durante group will see two residential towers (one at 17 storeys, and one at 18 storeys) built on the space of the former TSC Store. Over twenty speakers addressed Council at their June 21, 2021 meeting, citing concerns over traffic, parking, and the building height. The development was approved in a recorded vote of 5-3.
The residents, known collectively as Our Milton would like the OLT to take a second look at the decision. “We decided to appeal the decision in the hopes that the Ontario Land Tribunal will bring some common sense to the table,” Caley French said via an email.
The development is directly across from the area known as a Heritage district, and traffic jams The report recommends fewer parking spots for the condo towers. Residents fear that additional parking will spill onto the surrounding roads, which could also be used by motorists to avoid traffic jams.
The group hasn’t heard from either the Town of Milton, or the developer itself. “It is a shame that the Town of Milton will now be defending the decision on behalf of the developer rather than the local citizens,” French said. Milton’s population is expected to increase to 238,000 by 2031. The Region of Halton is projected to have a population of over 1.1 million within the next 20 years.
The Town is in the middle of an Official Plan Review, which will see changes made to building rules affecting the community until 2051. Milton has been designated a Place to Grow. One of the ways to accomplish that is through intensification- a policy that sees growth up through the use of condo towers like these, instead of single family homes. Development in the downtown area is further hampered by the fact that land on the north side of Main St. between Martin and Bronte, has been designated as a flood plain.
French stresses the Our Milton group is in favour of development, as long as it’s strategic. He says. “We are doing what is right to try and ensure our heritage area and downtown core remain safe and accessible to all residents.” The group has a petition against the development that has gathered just under 2000 signatures.
To learn more about Our Milton- Miltonians for Sensible Development visit their Facebook page. They are starting to fundraise for legal costs associated with the appeal estimated to be between $10-30,000 depending on how long the appeal will take. Interested residents can donate via e-transfer sent to: ourmiltonfunding@gmail.com
Residents to Appeal Durante Decision
Three of the five council members that voted in favour of the development stated at the Public Town Meeting that they were voting in favour of the development primarily because they did not want the Town of Milton to spend taxpayer money defending a not in favour of the development decision at the Ontario Land Tribunal. Now miraculously the Town has found at least $50,000. conceivably as much as $100,000. of taxpayer’s money to defend the in-favour decision and support the developer Durante Group at the OLT. All of this against the will of its own citizens and the over 2,300 that signed the in opposition of the development petition. The hypocrisy of those Council members and Town Staff is immeasurable and appalling.
How do all the large developers like Mattamy ,Great Gulf homes, Green for lLife and all the rest of developers that have followed the 4 story guidelines The Town of Milton put in place for high rises around the Character area and Bronte street make profits while staying within the guidelines?
If all these developers can follow the rules and build them 4 stories and still make huge profits so can the the Durante group.
The other thing, I and many other Tax payers believed Mayor Gord Krantz should recused himself during any part of the Durante developments talks then and in the future ,as Gord is a lifelong friend of the Durante family.
This development breaks many rules both from an official plan standpoint and tall building guidelines standpoint. It’s not fair that residents in the mature character area are held to high standards to maintain the look and feel of their homes while right across the street a developer an do whatever they want in the name of growth and density. This double standard simply isn’t fair. If you care about what a development like this will do to the look and feel of the downtown core, contact your local councilor. Building glass towers that block escarpment views won’t draw business to the downtown core.
I have lived in this area for twenty years and choose this neighbourhood because I believed it was protected from this kind of development. I am angry with the Council members and the mayor for siding with the developer against the citizens most affected by this decision. There is a reasoned and compelling argument to oppose this project. This is not NYMBYism, elitism, anti-progress or anti-development. This is pro-democracy at the municipal level. If we can’t assert our rights in our own neighbourhood, Milton has a real problem going forward. A word to the business community who supported this development: We need to talk. You are inadvertently alienating 2300+ residents in the community you serve in the hope of attracting far fewer customers from the towers. A more sustainable development of, for example, three 6 or 7 storey residential buildings, (with more on other adjacent properties) could bring you new customers and not do irreparable damage to this neighbourhood. I am speaking as an impacted Miltonian.
If you would like to know more about healthy neighbourhoods I would encourage you to watch a YouTube video about Jane Jacobs. https://youtu.be/AUeuQT6t7kg
Thank you