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Developers vs. ratepayers The lot coverage debcate continues by BLAKE PURDY Staff Writer A heated battle between the planning department and developers on one side and ratepayers and elected officials on the other could shape the future of residential develop- ment in~the town. The battle is over lot coverage - what per cent of a lot a house can cover. At present, the town's official plan sets 25 per cent as the maximum lot coverage allowable. However, the region's official plan, when finalized in the near future, will not likely contain a maximum lot coverage clause. The planners and developers want the maximum allowable lot coverage increased to permit more flexibility in styles of the various housing types. The ratepayers and some of the politicians who serve them do not want the allowable lot coverage increased because they feel the result would be "undesirable development". The planners and developers argue that increasing the allowable lot coverage would make housing affordable to a greater number of people because a greater variety of housing types, styles and si.es could be built. The ratepayers and some of the politicians argue that increasing the allowable lot coverage would not be in the best interests of existing or future residents because it would place the future of the town in the hands of developers who, they fear, wnuld exploit the change and build the largest and, therefore, most expensive houses possible. The planners and developers have put in many long hours of hard work, attempting to have the allowable lot coverage increased. The ratepayers and some of the politicians have put in many long hours of hard work, attempting to protect the current allowable lot coverage. The two-parties have banged heads over the issue on several occasions. The most recent collision occurred at the May 17 meeting of Whitby Council's administrative committee. Executive members of the Corridor Area Ratepayers Association, which has fought the change tooth and nail and has presented its argument to the committee several times, listened as developer Stan Silver pleaded for an increase in the allowable lot coverage. He put forth a number of reasons. Many of the environmental areas outlined in the existing official plan are designated for medium and high density residential development and in those areas new single and two fanily dwellings will not be perinitted, Mr. Silver pointed out. "In my opinion, particularly related to medium density housing, it will be virtually impossible to comply with the 25 per cent coverage unless the housing to be built under F Ai the medium density zoning is built in a three storey or higher configeration", he said. "If my memory serves me correctly, this council and. various interest groups within the town have publicly expressed their dislike of three storey and higher townhouses which classify as medium density housing and yet this is the only practical way to stay within the 25 per cent coverage permitted". "To arbitrarily increase the minimum lot sizes for townhouses to facilitate this compliance is to raise the cost of the housing of those units, again defeating an objective of the official plan which is to provide accommo- dation within the financial capabilities of lower income people and to increase the lot sizes beyond comparable lot sizes in the province", Mr. Silver feels. He also wants the allowable lot coverage increased "to relieve the existing and potential hardship this requirement has placed on the homeowners of those existing and future new homes are or will be built using up all the available coverage thereby preventing them from adding to their homes building additions to satisfy future needs or desires". "In all probability, a considerable number of homes which now exist in Whitby do cover more than 25 per cent of the lots on which they stand and, therefore, are in a non-conforming situation", Mr. Silver pointed out. "An example would be West Lynde Estates where the average coverage is approximately 29 per cent". Continued on Page 2 Vol. 6 No. 21 Wednesday, May 26, 1976 16 Pages Herta Park (right) screams as she comes upon the scene of a murder, in the Whitby Theatre Company's mystery comedy "Catch Me If You Can", to be presented at the Whitby Centennial Building June 3 to 5. The man with the knife in his hand is Dave Victor, and the corpse is Joe Mullen. In case one thinks this picture gives away the mystery of who the murderer in the play is, it does not, for it was set up to show sorne of the action, but not give any dues as to who is the real villain of the piece. See Page 12. Free Press Photo. Indus trial parks good exampies of move to east About 600 to 700 people, representing the Toronto real estae market. the Region of Durham and the Town of Whitby attended a reception to promote Whitby's two newest industrial parks Thursday. The general theme of the reception was stated by Regional Chaîrnan Walter Beath, who emphasised that future growth will be in the area east of Metropolitan Toronto. "The wise men came from the east, and we are pleased that you see the east has some possibilities", he said. "We invite the people of the real estate profession to view the properties here. Look us over; talk to our people. We could be good for one another". The properties mentioned by Mr. Beath are the Tricont Industrial Park, owned by Tricont Rojects Ltd. and Lakeview Industrial Estates, owned by JDS Investments Ltd. Both industrial parks are on the east side of Thickson Road, south of the CNR tracks, and are being joinly promoted by the two development companies. Among those attending the reception were Jerry Friedman, president to Tricont Projects Ltd., and Mark Friedman,vice-president; Jack Israeli, president of JDS and vice-president Dave. Smoskowitz; and John Todd, president of Fisher Scientific Co. Ltd. in whose plant the reception was held. The Fisher Scientific build- ing consists of 100,000 square feet of warehousing space and 5,200 square feet of office space. The warehouse has been moved from Don Mills, and will be opening in Whitby in mid-June. Mr. Todd said the Whitby warehouse will be a distribu. tion centre for Ontario anc for Canada for many of hh company's products. Fisher Scientific sells laboratory supplies of all types to hospitals, all levels of schfools and universities, industry, research organizations and government, he said. Sixty employees will be working in the Whitby office which is located on the JDS lands. During a series of brief speeches, Mr. Israeli predicted that the area east of Metro- politan Toronto "is going to really explode into a develop ment area". "We are looking to the east not only for development, but a turn around in the economy. A million people have to be accomodated and we need jobs". Mr. Israeli stated that the Durham Region had shown a responsibility and foresight in opening up subdivisions for residents who are moving with the industrial companies to the east. Continued Page 2 IT'S MURDER!! Mock meeting Monday get a preview of what town tion of the program, now in council will look like ih 20 its fourth year, which pairs years when members of the students from local high could be a previev. youth and civic administration schools .with Whitby Council program hold a mock council members and department meeting Monday at 8 p.m. in heads to provide them withan of future council the municipal building at 405 insight into Dundas Street West. admidnistration. tinoMhepormnwi