"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Separate the men from the boys

Dear Mayor and Councillors
 
My name is John Pearson  and I am the owner of 36 Victoria Street. I concur with the article in the Municipal World, February 2014, "current and future owners who wish to alter the exterior, renovate, or replace, or demolish the structure face a long and uncertain review process. Typically the authorities can delay such actions, impose penalties for noncompliance or "illegal" work or, in some jurisdictions, simply and unequivocally deny the request".
 
My experience in consulting with The Heritage Program Planner, which is required as the  property is "listed",  would verify the above  article.
 
For this reason I do not want a BY LAW registered against my title forcing Heritage Designation on my property or that of my fellow neighbours
 
 
 
 VOTE THIS STUDY DOWN -- DO NOT DEFER IT -- AND PUT IT TO REST FOR GOOD.
 
Thank You
 
JOHN PEARSON
 
 *******************

A Public Planning Meeting will be held at the town hall tomorrow night. 

A  report giving the entire history of  a consultant study with appendices attached  should be accessible on the town's web site . It is part of the program. 

No better example  exists to illustrate how a  "Study"comes about on a pretext of  demand from the community .

Get the popcorn and chips and whatever libation is to your taste and settle down to watch the shoot-out  at the old coral.

A determined effort  will be made to keep the  study going. 

An even more determined fight to stop it  in the here and now is on track. 

I am  wholeheartedly with the opposition. 

For the life of me , I see  no reason why anybody in his or her right mind would voluntarily agree to a restrictive bylaw being  registered against  title of their property, to be administered no less, by a faceless bureaucracy.

Furthermore, no business case  has been made to suggest  neighborhood heritage designation is of any benefit  whatsoever  to the municipal corporation. 

Council can and should  make the decision at the Public Planning Meeting. 

They may not. That's happened before.

This is not the first hearing.  A delegation expressing strong opposition has already presented. 

Council members, in favor of the project, expressed themselves surprised and astounded by the strength of opposition.  They stated they were certainly opposed to imposing something not supported by the majority.

Since then,  a measure of reversal appears to have happened. 

 Forces in support ,mainly staff ,consultant  and original handful of proponents, have presented  purported rebuttal on shaky premise. 

Opposing Forces  continue to gather strength  each and every day .

Powerfully worded e-mails from people with deep roots in Aurora have been forwarded to Mayor and Council .
 
Desperate accusations  of lies ,misrepresentation and worse have been hurled  by  proponents at opponents. 

Who , in turn, have held their ground and maintained dignity.

I  do not suggest to-morrow's meeting starts out without bias . 

Au contraire 

The outcome is not a foregone  conclusion.

This fight  will be well worth watching.

To coin a phrase ...  or two ....

it will separate the men from the boys....

the women from the girls.


18 comments:

Anonymous said...

But will the ones with clout allow the meeting to be streamed ? It is odd how many times meetings that are of interest to the public do not get streamed. It can't all be the fault of communications.

Anonymous said...

Too much money has already been squandered on this proposed Code of Conduct for the homes, trees and surroundings of Aurora residents.
Brought to you by the same folk that banned team baseball in the town park.

Anonymous said...

We cannot count on common sense prevailing, Evelyn. I am certain that a # of councillors have committed their votes to the proponents. It may well be a repeat of that dreadful public meeting over the Centre when a pattern of pandering to the loudest most demanding residents was set.

Anonymous said...

I just drove north from Richmond Hill to Aurora following Yonge St. right through our proposed heritage area. Avoid it at all cost. If this is about planning it is not money well spent.

Your poster, a resident of the area, has it correct. Can you imagine having to get on your knees, probably pay a fee and wait wait wait to get approval to paint your front step? Oh but wait, perhaps there would have to be a public meeting before a final decision could be rendered.

Priestly's long arm excavator should be more in demand than more consultants.

Anonymous said...

The whole thing is headed for the courts.
As long as there is money in the Hydro Fund, it will be abused. This was not the reason this Council, all of the members, were elected.

Anonymous said...

Interesting meeting. Councillor Gallo was missing. It begs the question if he might be avoiding confrontation over his declaration of Mayordom ?

Anonymous said...

It is ironic & sad that Council have moved to support the initiatives of those who did not vote for them & forgotten about those who did.
I expect the resident critic to be all over my comment. So be it.

Anonymous said...

Once again it has become a personal fiefdom instead of a town council representing everyone and dealing with essentials such as services and taxes.

Anonymous said...

19:19
Or maybe he had another engagement!

Always with the conspirasy theroies.

Anonymous said...

Apparently, it also separates the published from the unpublished, comments-wise.

Anonymous said...

Auroran has their maintenance sign up again. Weird.

Anonymous said...

Cllr Thompson will be unable to resist referring/deferring.

Anonymous said...

Scott Johnston has a great cartoon about the ward system.

Anonymous said...

Have a good evening, E. For once there is some balance to the proceedings.
it is a shame that residents cannot count on their Council to act for them and have to get into these ugly situations. I had hoped we had seen the last of them.
There had better be streaming.......

Anonymous said...

It was easy to tell that it's an election year with all the ass-kissing that went on.

Anonymous said...

23:06
I prefer the word " grovel "

Anonymous said...

I don't understand. It sounds like the proposed Heritage designation was put off again. Is this going to cost the town more money ?

Anonymous said...

Everything costs us more money. There not a meeting in that chamber that doesn't cost us big buck every time.