This past Tuesday, at General Committee, Council discussed proposed changes to the site plan control by-law. The recommendation before Council was that single detached homes be added to the site plan control by-law. As I have always said, this is a good first step towards providing better protections for our stable neighbourhoods. I believe that this is the first part of what should be a 3-prong approach – Site plan controls, architectural guidelines and then changes to the zoning. All three are necessary if we are to have any meaningful protections for our stable neighbourhoods. If we leave it at just the first step, then we will not resolve the ongoing issues that our residents are concerned about the most… inappropriate developments that are out of character with the community. I am pleased to note that Council in the majority agreed to move forward with the changes to the site plan controls by-law.
That being said though, I can’t help but comment that the discussion around the issue of development and of protecting stable neighbourhoods was interesting to say the least. I guess it is an election year! As some around the table are now loudly proclaiming their support for added protections and for upholding our Official Plan!! The voting records and comments of these same folks about previous development applications would tell a different tale than the one that’s being spun now.
Not sure where they’ve been for the past 4 years, but the rest of us have been working hard to make meaningful changes to land use planning legislation so that we can uphold our official plan and make decisions about growth that are in the best interest of our community!!
I believe we are at a pivotal moment in our history where decisions we make today will shape what our Town becomes in 20 years… I think then, that it’s important to know where candidates stand on development and infill within our town. Do they support appropriate growth? Growth that meets the needs of our community as per the vision outlined in our Official Plan? Or will they continue with the “anything goes” approach to development that some have taken for the past 8 years?
The future of Aurora should be built on smarter growth, growth that considers the needs of our community today and in the future. The anything goes approach to development is not what Aurora needs. Aurora deserves better than that!!
