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~1 I Il By Mike Kowalski Twog*ant retail warehouses proposed for Whitby have recei- ved the backing of Durham Ren council. wÈ a vote of 22-6, council last weapproved a n application to build Pie lb n ikenhead's stores on Vitra Street, east of Thickson Road South. But how soon work on the combined 242,000-sq. ft. ware- houses cari begin is unknown at this tixne. Supporters and foes alike of the controversial bulk merchan- dising outiets anticipate council's decision being chaIlenged before the Ontario Municipal Board (0MB).ofcusan 'm nveryhappy usean relieved,"» said Wh itby Mayor Tom Edwards. "These matters always have some stress with them," he said, in, reference to opposition from area merchants. worried about the impact on existing businesses. "I'm g1ld it was such aheavy vote. TwIaenty-two to six is a strnindication of how counicil fe, dwards said. While he would prefer to see construction of the two $5.5- million warehouses commence this year __ "we need that (tax) assessment and construction jobs" _- Edwards noted that the matter is not yet settled. Town council must still hold a public meeting in order to change the proposed site's cur- rent zoning from industrial to commercial so that Price Club Warehouse planis approved at rates comparable to other comrnercially zoned land in SER PAGE 39 Fundling cuts expectedI to have only s mallmpac on Town financ.,es By vMike Kowalski Whitby will not sufer too greatly from cuts in provincial trans e ayments te municipahi- ties, says the Ton's budget chief. Councillor Dennis Fox does not expect a recently announced roll- back in unconditional grants from the province te have a major- impact on Whitby's finances. Fox, Whitby's budget chair, believes Town councl- will be able te keep the zero per cent tai increase contained in this year's budget. He ia alse confident that coun- cil's decision te absorb Whitby>s share of Durhamn Region's tai hikce and spare local ratepayera an increase in their régional taies, can aise be mantained. «Its ail tentative but right now our preliminary reading is we won't ho affected, there won't bh any difference said Foi. uFrom what we can control, local and region taxpayers won't payabove<92 levels,» he said. Sresingthat-he was speaking ByfMike Kowalski A slumping real estate market bas forced maýjor changes in a housing development proposed for downtewn Whitby. Instead of a previously appro- ved 125-unit condominium a part- ment complex developer B.G. Schickedanz lnvestmnents Ltd. wants te build a 65-unit town- bouse project in ita jlace. If approved by Town council, the townhouses would ho built on the north side of Mar Street, between Ash and Hickory streeta. only for himself and not the Town, Fox said council has not yet dealt with the issue but will shortly. A rezoning application to per- mit the project was the subject of a public meeting held Meore council's planning and develop- ment committee on Monday. The site is currently occupied by the 118-year-old Heard bouse, the fate of wvhich was a source of controversy when council appro- ved a six-storey apartînent build- in o th proert in1989. tut since tht carlier decision, a downturn in the real estate market has prompted a change in plans, representatives of the developer told committee. to cut transfer payments will SEE PAGE 39 Maktngmnge0ik Josephe said the public has become "grun shy" about con- dominiums and more likely to gurchase less expensive town- The majorîty of units in the revised proposaI will consist of two bedrooms and sell for under $100,000, Josephe said. Solicitor Frank Feldman said the Victorian-style design will compliment the neigbbourbood and that townbouses are "more SEE PAGE 29 where is i