Latest Updates
Find the latest updates from the Mayor and City Hall.
Branthaven on Ghent hearing wraps after one day
A four-day Ontario Municipal Board hearing of the 58-townhome project by Branthaven on Ghent Ave has wrapped up after one day of testimony. Both the rezoning, to permit the townhomes, and the site plan of the project, are in front of the board for a decision. Residents had requested a number of conditions be put on site plan approval, covering groundwater monitoring, construction staging and landscaping. I brought a motion covering several of these items to committee and council, which was approved. A decision on both the rezoning issue and the site plan is expected within 4-8 weeks.
Residents seek changes to Ghent site plan
City staff have reviewed and support (with modifications) several conditions requested by residents on the site plan for the Branthaven townhome project on Ghent related to groundwater monitoring, construction staging and border vegetation. With council's approval, staff would bring these conditions to the Ontario Municipal Board hearing Nov. 26. The OMB will ultimately decide on the project, including site plan.
Judge to rule on city jurisdiction at Airport; region asks for groundwater plan
Following a court appearance on Oct. 4, the judge is prepared to rule on whether the city's site alteration bylaw applies to the Burlington Executive Airport.
The Airport maintains the city has no jurisdiction because their infilling activity is related to expansion of the airport and runways, which is federally governed.
The city maintains that not withstanding federal control of aeronautics, local and provincial laws apply, including the site alteration bylaw.
Residents have expressed significant concerns about the amount, location, height and quality of landfill, particularly after an environmental report found it did not meet provincial standards.
Site plan joined to Ghent OMB appeal
My Take: I did not support the original rezoning to accommodate the back-to-back and standard townhouses (but did support a modified project of semi-detached with some standard townhouses that would still have met intensification requirements). As a result of council's support for this project, residents must spend their own time and money to uphold the city's zoning at the OMB. I also share the concern about lack of notification regarding the site plan not coming back to council. Though there was no legal requirement for notification, out of courtesy to the neighbourhood, providing this information to residents and their elected representative would have helped build trust and good will.
Private tree bylaw not recommended
Staff have released their report on the feasibility of a private tree bylaw which provides options for council's consideration and outlines which ones staff support.
Staff do not support proceeding with a private tree bylaw, and instead endorse pursuing public education.
Council can approve one or more of the suggested options, take no action, or wait till staff bring a formal recommendation report back for consideration in September.
I support introducing some sort of private tree bylaw, and am willing to look at a carrot rather than a stick approach to start. The bylaw could initially simply be a tree registry where residents must notify the city they are going to remove a private tree, and either make a contribution to a tree planting fund or plant a replacement tree on their property. We could also use the registry to track progress toward reaching a tree canopy goal, as other municipalities do. If we find that too many healthy trees are being cut down, we can initiate stronger measures through the tree bylaw. Trees may be on public property but they provide a community and city-wide benefit, and as such we must work to protect them.