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Three briefs oppose changes Planning board delays decision on business section Members of Acton Planning Board decided they wanted more time to analyze results of a survey and three opposing briefs before they made any decisions about changing the coning of the town a commercial holding zones We certainly find ourselves in a very difficult position here opined board chairman Sid Saltz Which ever way we go we will be stepping on somebodys toes Three opposing Planning board heard an oral brief from lawyer and had two written briefs opposing changes In the C1H tones from the Chamber of Commerce and the Acton Development Commission A survey the board commissioned high school students to carry out seemed to be Inconclusive so members by resolution decided to review and further discuss the proposals which involve residents mainly on Church Bower and Mill Streets When they have reached a consensus of opinion thev will hire a professional consultant to find oat if any changes or alterations are legal before they make a firm recommendation to council Some members of the short- handed board also found the oral brief by unsettling and they did not want to make any concessions or changes until a full board was on hand Mr aids explained he was chairman of the planning board when it was decided to tone all Bower Avenue from Willow St to the CN tracks as commercial figuring it would be the best provision for subsequent downtown commercial develop ment Council did not go along with their proposals so the board resigned at that time He said the present proposals before planning board which would rezone commercial holding zones to allow residents to alter or add to their homes would discourage commercial development He proposed instead that if possible the zoning be maintained end an be made to the zoning bylaw which would allow residents In C1H zones to alter their homes so long as they complied with or R4 zoning if a developer came along Mr explained there be the long waits for a change of zoning and then a Swimming Class Enrolment Now Being Filled Lessons April 6th to May 25th Fm 10 Bus leaves Acton Y for Guelph Y at 645 pm every Friday night FOR REGISTRATION CALL Pratt possible hearing before the Ontario Municipal Board which would discourage commercial development and probably send It elsewhere likely to Milton or Georgetown Those who invest money are In the business make money he stressed long waits where capital sits 1 do not appeal to them In my opinion we should stifle the downtown Mr Bra said and If regional governm decides Acton won t expand borders where will business when the downtown area is fil up he asked He said it wo hamstring the town Braida urged the Board to leave the zoning as II and put In an amendment to bylaw He said changing the zones to residential would be doing a disservice to existing merchants He told the board he was presenting his views taking into account the background and t want to go back to zoning which would be so inflexible no one could want to do anything with it Mayor defends change After Mr had left Mayor spoke in defense of the change of zoning suggesting that what was done ui was the best thing at the time but several years have passed and the thinking then has Bylaws are made to be amended from time to time he said and he felt It was time to change If commercial outlets are red on Bower Avenue and on Mill St It Is no ad vantage to the merchants there now he told the board It would be better he reasoned to include portions of Main St in C1H zones In lieu of Bower and Church which would be better residential From a retailer point of view the more businesses open adjacent to them the more benefits would result of Mill St on the south side what have we got commercially the mayor asked ticking off businesses there he suggested left plenty of room for development I d like to see Mill St fully developed before Bower and Church The mayor said the downtown area was already unattractive to shoppers with its soaped up markedup windows and certain u ill I dim ii sritUT Ninety Eighth Year No 39 ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY MARCH people would like to see them unproved before houses are torn down on Bower Avenue Before encumbering residential homes on Bower and Church we should utilize every thing possible on Mill St he continued It is much better to shop in adjacent stores than to shop in one store pass two empty stores and then have to go over to Bower and Church Sts to finish Survey inconclusive At this point In the meeting Councillor BUI Coats arrived with results of the survey commis sioned by the board and carried he high school Mr Coats explained the students 009 HI 0 surveyed some homes in CI zones as well as C1H for a total of Tabulated results showed that most people in the survey did not know how the C1H by law fected them and did not feel it restricted any improvements they might want to make in their premises Most people in the C1H survey were in favor of reverting to a res dentlal zone but those in the CI zone were not This answer was clouded by many not sure answers which further confused planning board intent It sure is not consistent I can t follow the logic said board member Dave It shows too much of our planning la not meaningful to the said the mayor Mr Muckle indicated he leaned toward the argument set forth by Mr Braida to leave the alone and allow residents to change properties provided they adhered to certain standards He felt this would solve any complaints The mayor said he favored more public participation so residents would know how the by law affects their properties before any decisions were made but was willing to make some concessions to Mr Braida argument Mr Muckle referred to the survey which indicated only of those in the ClH zone would appear at a public hearing In his estimation this did not favor a public meeting He felt the board should also ask the consultants opinion about the legalities of Mr Braida proposals Chairman Saltz thought the board would arrive at the best compromise by leaving Church and Bower and developing Mill St although he noted they might be going contrary to opinion as expressed in the briefs from the Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce Executive decision it was noted however that the Chamber brief was an executive decision as opposed to a general meeting and the mayor said in his opinion it would still be better to fill in Mill St before going to Church and Bower with com mercial properties I feel this conflicts with the Chamber brief he declared This rankled Mr Muckle Do you suggest going against all advice and representation he asked the mayor We have received no mandate whatsoever than to preserve the status quo and no advice from any profes sional agency or anyone to do as you suggest He felt the board should consult the planner before going any further But board member Frank Simian said members should take all the information home and study it before any dedslais were made I still feel as Mr Duby does Simon said declaring Mr arguments about Chamber says change would be backward step In opposing any changes In the present ClH zoning the Acton Chamber of Commerce submitted the following brief to Acton Planning board Over the years the Acton Planning Board and the Actorr town council have received advice in regard to zoning and town planning in general Large amounts of the taxpayers money have been spent on professional consultation as well as free advice obtained In as a result of a survey taken by the University of Toronto All these concur that steps should be taken to preserve and enlarge the central business district In order for the central business district to develop it must be possible for a developer to assemble lands without the delays of rezonlng and without interfering with the Official Plan of the municipality Bylaw 14161968 contains all that is necessary to guarantee the foregoing and it is the opinion of the Acton Chamber of Commerce that nothing has changed In the Interval since to require council to rescind this by law The Chamber recognizes the fact that there are certain inconveniences which may or may not present themselves from butwehave confidence in the members of the Acton Committee of Adjustment that they will continue to use their good Judgement when and if applications are made to them for variances to properties occupied as residences within the zone We therefore submit that any change in the present plan would be a backward step growth in Acton Itself were not valid because most shoppers couldn t care less if a new plaza wasinthetownorEsquesing for Instance and this should have no bearing on the decision We have waited for six or seven years for a big outfit to buy in the commercial holding zones but they haven arrived yet and although Mr felt this could happen anytime It might not either In Mr opinion the town needs larger stores not the smaller type being built He referred to neighboring towns and cities noting down town stores were never replaced with something larger and he felt Acton case was no different Let fill Mill St up on both sides one end to the other he urged I don t think anyone will build a commercial property on Bower Avenue In the chairman estimation It was up to planning board to make the decision not the consultant who would likely only give them several alternatives and ask them to make the decision anyway We should be able to make the decision ourselves agreed vice- chairman Vic Councillor Chapman polled as to his opinion said he favored central development to keep business In one area downtown It was agreed further study was necessary before any decision was reached and the consultant would be contacted to explain the legalities of any alterations In the by law Appoint to attend meetings Members of Acton Planning board were so pleased with the report Frank Simioni brought back from a recent Bruce Hewlett meeting In Georgetown about Ontario Hydros 500 KV lines they appointed him to attend all subsequent meetings Mr reported he felt most of the people who attended the meeting Georgetown were there to protect their own property rather than being Concerned about the region as a whole Mayor agreed noting the only place the hydro lines could go was across open farmland and over the years It had never hurt anyone He and other members of the board felt that If Hydro had to avoid all the areas referred to In the criteria the lines would be doomed Oakville planner to speak planner Ron a resident of township will speak to a Joint meeting of the Acton Development Commission and the Planning Board on regional government planning The press and public are barred from the meeting Members of planning board agreed to attend following receipt of an Invitation at their meeting Thursday and passed a resolution which would allow them to be paid the usual rate tor attendance Your headquarter tor T Black ft White TV Stereo and Components Drop in now and see and hear Zenith s latest entertainment units In Action 1 and Son Lid Wyndhftm A Phone no Cue and area over Survey results ClH 1 Do you know how the ClH bylaw affects you Do you feel that this has or will restrict any Improvements you want to make in your premises 3 Do you feel that being In a zone has increased the value of your property would you be in favor of reverting to a residential rone Would you appear at a public rezonlng hearing CI Homes Yes 11 Ho 2 Yes No IB Not Sure 3 Yes No IS Not Sure Yes No 13 Not Sure lb Yes 10 Yes No Bare