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PAGE 10, wHIBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1991 Concerns lead tô reviewof apatetpa By Mike Kowalekl Concerne over population density and increased trafic has prompted further review of a major housing project near the Twn hall. Town council's planning and development committee last weelk deferred action on a 600- unft, ïpartment building complex planned e. the sotheast corner ofR&V.; land Rd. and Brock St. Although recommended by -the planning department <but sub- Ject ta severai conditions), both councillors and nearby residents had reservations about the pro- posal. Staff will now determine how, or if, these concerns can be addressed. -But while the project may be larger. in scope than what the committee prefers, residents were warned te expect sonie form of high density development. .The Grand Oak Group is seek- ing a rezoning of the 16-acre site ta, permit construction of four aartment buildings comprised of472 units, plus 128 garden apartment units. The development would be located west of Whitby's munici- pal office and the recreation centre now under construction. The four apartment buildings will consist of three 12-starey structures and one eight-starey building. The 12-starey buildings are planned as condominiums while the other is being considered for use by the Durham Region Non- Profit Housing Corporation. The garden apartinents are smaller structures, having 16 dwelling units per building. Although not scheduled as a public meeting, residents were permitted to comment on the staff report approving the pro- ject. But in contrast ta, two meet- ing last faîl, only a handful of hoeowners were present ta register their objections. Paul Basi of 22 Bassett Blvd. expressed disappointment in the "democratiecprocess of Whitby.» Referring ta, previous meetings and a 500-name petition against the development Basi said, "I can assure you tkat if this was Europe, it wouldn't happen.» NAc Corneal of Bassett Blvd. rejected the findinT of a stud prepared for Gran~ Oak wh indicates that eisting roads are capable of handling increased traffie. (However, traffic lights wiil be required in some locations, said planning director Bob Short.) «We have trafic from Garden St. com ing on to- Bassett now,» said Corneal. «The numbers can say what you want them ta when you're promoting something, but we wiIl have more traffic,» he added. Russell Hu.tchison of 34 Lime- stone Ores. was worried about the impact on achools from an influx of children. Noting that the development is projectedto generate 1,320 people, Hutchison said 700 will eelementary students.- Since neither board of educa- tion has plans for another achool current facilities will exceed capacity, claimed Hutchison. Lu the staff report1 the, Dur- ham Board of Education expets existing schools to suffice, although the Durham' separate school board has reservations.. Whufle it does not oppose the application, the board is concer- ned about the impact on recently-opened St. Mathew's school on Willowbrook Dr. With a capacity of 401 stu- dents, St. MaIthew' enrolment is expected to, reach 623 students in September, 1993, excluding the Grand Oak proposai, states the staff report. After hearing that nearby school sites were removed years ago, Hutchison said the Town is rsosble for pointing out this mitakt the school boards. Councilior Ross Batten, com- mittee chairman, disagreed. Batten said achool board trus- tees are elected officiaIs and res- ponsible for their own actions. «We have ta, assume they know what theyre doing. They have their reasons and we can: t ques- tion them- or turn them down," said Batten. "Could they not malce a mis- take?» asked Hutchison. «When something sticks onut, it'sup tayou toaaress it when it's so obviaus » he added. SCouncillor Uo Drumm picked up on Hutchison's argument. Drumm said separate school board officiais cannot decide whether they support or oppose teapplication. àe on't know what they're saying, yes or no," said Drumm, who was also critical of a specific suggestion in the boardSs res- pense. According ta the report, board officiais suggest the impact on St. Mathe*'s can be lessened by increasing bachelor and one- and two-bedroom units and reducing famiiy units. «That's a very 'un-Oatholic' view,» said Drumm. Since the site is designated hi h density residential in Whtb8soficiaI plan, Drumm said the designation. must be foliowed. "I have every intention of honouring high density but to this degree is tao mucâh, said Drumm. «Six ta eight stareys are fine, but 12 storeys I can't su pport.» Drumm preferred a density of 51-55 people per acre rather than the 82.5 figure the proposaI. will generate.. Batten did not believe Drumm's density goal can be obtained but felt a lower number is psif I would be prepared ta, sup- port some high densities i the area but not necessarily the ones before us,» said Batten. «Tis area isp r of an overal developmet ceme, but.we've- squeezed ourselves, back ta whrere wo-have tohave some hi h densities.» CouIncillor Lynda Buffett sup- ported the referral motion, yet wondered how much more can be done. Through landscaping and architectural design, te develo- per has made the project compat- ible with. nearby facilities,'said Buffett. 1«When y ou talk about a 12- storev and eight-storey buildine. on its own, it sounds massive,' said Buffett. «Lt ail depends on where you place it. Given the official plan desi§na- tion, Buffett. said it -was flot reaiistic» ta reject the proposal. .She pointedont that the offi- cial plan provides for 400 more people that what is proposed by "We're trying ta make the area as most esthetically pieasing as possible while worldng within te offcial plan guidelines,» said Buffett. There was no indication of when the application will be back before the committee. Whi tby band mostly aStl'affai r By Daniel Fromstein When the ties that bond a band are forined in. blood.,' it makes it even easier te create cohesive music that still retains the diffrent personalities of each band meniber. Proving that blood is indeed thicker than water, Blood Ties, a Whitby-based band with three cousins among the five band- members, has initiated its assauît on the local music soene. The band played at O'Tooles in Whitby on J une 26 ta an enthu- siastic reception. "A lot of- people came outb consideringit was a Wednesday/' says lead singer Leigh Kemp, 21. «We drew better numbers than some banda appearing on F'riday niglits." .K.emp wsjoined at O'Tooles by iead guitRia ob Herdman, 18, brothers Brad Stella, 17 (basa guitar, keyboards), and1 Jeremy Stella, 19, (drumna), and their cousin Mark Stella, 24, (rhythm guitar, keyboards). .Biood Ties - mixes its cover material of rock banda of the 70s (Bad Company, Free) and newer banda (Tragicaiiy Hip, Firehouse H-oneymoon Suite) with original MUSIC. "Our on*&iais are really versa- tile » says Jeremy Stella. %yrange from hard rock to folky southern rock. We play slower staff, heavier stuif and Épianoey' stuff. Whitby tawards an eight-song independent cassette. The band hopes the cassette wiii be ready for circulation before the end of the year. Although Jeremy Stella says that the band doesn't try to write pretentioua songa with deliberate messages on issues such as the environment, Kemp adds that the lyrica are aiwaya "«wel thought-out.» AIl of the band members have fuli-time jobs in addition te their par-ie duties with Blood TMes. K emays that gon at- time ta fuil-time woulddepend on the succesa of the as-yet- ta-be-reieased cassette. One thing this band does not lack, however is confidence. «Lýoot ror us,» Kemp says. «We'll be doing a lot of staff in the very near future.». «Somiewhere down the line everyone is going ta relate to something.» Sinceniuch of Blood Tles' oni-I diferent musical styles, Kemp sees alot of roomfor progesa. «Were flot just afukbn, he sayu. LoVAI Tii b. > ~ir~e1iyworking4 tUnes L BAND 'Blood Ties' perform at O'Tooles i Whitby. The. band performe cover material. and original2