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Duirham plan& is approved DURANGO COY, coach and manager of the Tram p Champs, performs at Col. J.E. Farewell Public School Thursday. Coy has been staging trampoline shows for more than 30 Pearo by Jeremy Dresar, Whitby Free Press By Mike Kowaleki Durham Region fInally has a new officiai, plan -- but oniy a few eope know if it's the one Dur- ham reaiiy wants. Last week, Ontario Municipai. Affairs Minieter Ed Philip for- maliy approved the Region e offi- ciai plIan -- a document which wiil deerine land use policies in Durham over the next 30 years. However, details of the minis- ter's approval are beinç kept quiet until Durhamn politicians and staff are briefed on what, if. any, changes have been made to their final submiesion to the pro- vince. It je not yet known if ministry concerne, such as too much land being set aside for deveiopment, have been resolved. Nor has the fate of a controver- sial highway propoeed for west Whitby been addressed te Town counci's satisfaction in the minieter's decision. According te a ministry state- ment, the plan includes "enhan- ced protection" for the environ- mentaliy-sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine and the Lake Ontario waterfront. It also provides for long-termi preservation of agrjeulturai lande, including the R ugo Park agriculturai reserve in Pickering. gBut beyond some commente from Philip, the government statement makes no mention of the contentious issues which pro- voked outrage from regionai, councillors earlier this year. 'The minister signe the plan and we're in the procese of put- ting together ail the paperwork necesar teforward it te the Regon, ead ministry officiai "We want te ensure that regionai council is first apprised of the minister's decision so we're not prepared to taik in dtal of any com1promises or whatever,» Adopted by council in 1991 te replace the existing 1976 officiai plan, the Region's initial submis- sion was rejected by niinistry staff as too ambitious. The plan set aside too much land for industriai and residen- fiai deveélopment and not enough. SE2 PAGE 26 Varying degrees ofpublic inpuît into budget. ByMike Kowaleki How much input do Why residents have in determining how their municipal tax dollars are spent? Depending n who is doing the spending, the amount of infuene lcalratepayers have on the budget .rcs vre arnong the vriuspblic bodies entrusted with their money. Whether it b. Duha Region, Town couneil or the. sehool boards, each level of municipal government has a différent approach to, preparing its budget. For the past two years Durham Board of Education trustees have held public meetings tSrough;out the région prior to strilcng their budget. Ratepayers have been aliowed to present briefs and make suggestions to trustees about what areas of the budget to eut or leave alone. Last week, trustees were in Whitby to receive submissions from SEE PAGE 31 C m 0yys IOYÀ