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Page 4, Whihy Free Press, Wednesday, October 25, 1995 Brooklin residents thwarted again nf i dwluaMV~me1eld ~ !. Tor tiie second straight week, Brooklin residents have failed to keep an unwanted project out of their neighbounhood. Town council Monday endorsed a planning and development comimttee recommendation that WhitWy' new - but flot yet legal - officiai, plan not be changed to prevent a confroversial commercial and residential complez from being bulit on the southeast corner of Baldwin Street (Hlighway 12) and George Street. Despite receiving a second petition from another 150 area homeowners, council voted to retain the sites "mixed use" land uanation rarner than thO low:-densÎit y a ýre sidential designation sought by the rosidents. Although opponents wamed that flot heeding their request would "denigrate" downtown Brooklin, council was not swayed. Instead, it agreed with councilor Joe Dtumm that to bow to the reoidenWd wishes would be a "death knell" to the village. Bagot Street resident Michael Schuck and Baldwin Street homeowner Leslie Frenchi appeared before council to ask that it not approve the committees rocommenclation from the previous week. MON. TO FR1. 9:00.- 7:00 - SATURDAY 9:00 - 6:00 209 DUNDAS ST. E.. WH-ITBY -OT6-l- (IN THE WHITBY CORPORATE CENTRE>)~ WW~0~A ACSfrom PSTOFFICE>r 25y ivdi ro nfo r nineCtrio uniipa9 Bor5 THER&'gency U30 GAS HR __ 1 SOV 2GRATSYE lI addition to a 100-name petition submitted by Frenchi last week, Schuck presented council with a second 156-name document. In both cases, the petitions were objecting to the, proposed complex which includes a shopping plaza, 99-unit apartment building and townhouses. According to Schuck, the second petition would also "dispel the mYth" that downtown Brooklin merchants favour the proposai, even though the Brooklin Business Association (BBA) supports the mixed use designation. "Contrary to the BBÏA letter (to council), many of the Brooklin businesses do not; support it. Several signed the petition," said Schuck. Although only a handfu of village resîdents were on hand. Monday as opposed to the dozens which attended last week, Schuck insisted opposition to the project has not; abated nor the residents demand that new development; be directed elsewhere. "Growth is a natural evolution, we accept that," sa.id Schuck. "We're pleased ,. k welcome development in the east end, it adds t th community," he said. "But the proposed development would denigrate Brooklin. It makes more sense to look southward. for higher density.w Under Whitby>s extisting 1974 officiai plan (a document which stpulates preferred land uses in a municipality), the site is designated residential. But under the new plan adopted by coumcil a year ago, mixed use categories were given to several properties along Baldwin Street, north and south of the traditional downtown core. Council feit a more intensive mix of retail, service,> commercial and office uses would better serve a projected population of 13,000 ini Brooklin by the year 2011. Noting a recently commissioned consiltants' study on downtown Brooklin recommends that new development be lin keeping with the surrounding area, Schuck said 1Utra Cuis Quality Haircare Affordable Prices SPLPERMS - $55.00 and up S Yemarnsd I was not aware of plans ko change it. I addition to French and Schuck, council aise heard from planning consultant Bryce Jordan, Who represented developors Norm Picov and George Bacher, and Connie Heron, chair of the BBA. The former urged council to retain the nnxed use designation, while the latter explained that her organization supported the desgnation "in principle," but had concerna about the actual proposal. lI urging council support of the comrnxttee recommendation,. Drumm eaid downtowns ini many Ontario communities are dying because of uncontrolled development outside the traditionai. core areas. "This is to keep Brooklin alive and keep it growing. We want to, keep people corning back into kown," he said. Drumm recalled that village resident and Wbitby businessman Bill iàttle "jumped ail over. my bones" 'during the latter's vehement opposition to councril's original plan to allow development outside the downtown core. "fNevertiielees, he made a point," Drumm admitted. "If you build on the poriphery, the downtown will die and he's right," Drumm continued. "Hie wanted more commercial downtown, but we have to take it one step at a time." Drumm said coundil could not permit Brooklin ko grow ko 13,000 people or more without expanding the downtown boundaries. "ThereMllb, a price tô, pay if council says no ttus proposition. It will be the death knell of downtown Brooklin." FOX concurred with Drunim's assesament. "Downtown Brooklin will only reflect what's happened ko downtown Whitby," said Fox. "Because of the mailse, a lot of business people will just pack up and move away." Fol.lowing counis decision, Schuck kld reporters it came as littie surprise ko the residents. However, he expressed disappointment in that councis argumenta were "based on hiskory and evolution rather than the concerne of the residents." Schuck said opponents will determine their "future strategies and tailoring them ko the needs of the community which did't seem to b, represented tknight." He did flot know if this would include an appeal to Durham Region council - which, must stl approve the officiai plan - or ko the Thne Regency U30 Bay This beautiful Regency Gas Firepace us availablé in your choice of bayfront of Flush taceplate styling. Delivering 30,000 BTU of incredible heat, your Regency can keep your family warm. ..even during power outages. Cal today for great savings on Regency. ( êr ofOhurch & &Ht...e2) LýVi ac 1- 800 -563 -6032 686- 3666I PORT PERRY AJAX [j 1 DRUMM FOX coundil i.. at odds with its own. advisers. Tm at, a loua k, understand how thus enhances the e.isting character of the neighbounhood," he saiîd. "By conf-ast, the mixed use designation already existe south of tue downkown." lI her remarks, French noted that councillors and Whitby resdents alike frequently make favourable- commenta on the appearance of Port Perry's downtown. French said Port Perxy's attractive qualities are no accident because Scugog Township council has been "very successful in resisting commercial influx" into what she described as that community's "gateway" of older homes and churches. "I feel coundil sliould do the same for our gateway at the north of Brooklin," she said.. During his presentation, Schuck admitted that the residents' concerna may be coming forward "ua bit late" in the proceas, but he asked council no t tk "confuse tardinesa with apatuy." Councillor Dennis Fox took note of Schuck's admission by pointing out that Whitby's new officiai plan bas been five years in the making. "There were plans to create commercial development in other areas. and council last year came under extreme attack for allowing it," sa.id Fox. "That's why coundil changed it and rin not prepared ko change my mind on what 1 hear tonight," he said. "This is not, a quick decrision arrived at by council. It came with five years of input and ko ask to change it now, I find it remarkable." Fox said Brooklin residents and merchants were quite "vocal" about previous plans for the village's future and council responded accordingly. 71 think the people of Brookiin. were more aware of tue battie againet strip mails outside the commumnty," replied French. "They were not aware of i: proposels tk change the zoning in 1 lhe downtown core," she said. a