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The Oakville Beaver, W ednesday January 18, 2006 - 5 Bronte residents and businesses also split over latest plan Continued from page 1 The plan, which is a variation on a number of proposals suggest ed over the last year, calls for a sixstorey building on Bronte Road and a 10-storey building on Jones Street. Located in what many have described as the "heart of Bronte," the quadrangle is the block of land that was formerly home to Lakeside Marketeria, operated by the late Bill Hill, a well-known Bronte grocer. The property is located between Lake Ontario and Lakeshore Road, and is bounded by Bronte Road, Ontario Street, Jones Street and Marine Drive. Lansdown says the latest plan, which was offered up by the devel oper last Monday, includes build ing designs that step-back from the street, to minimize creating the effect of a canyon at the street level. He adds that the plan also calls for a combined 16 storeys, down from the developer's original request of 20, and a prior plan call ing for 18 storeys. "I don't believe it's as intrusive as it once was," says Lansdown, who believes the new placement of buildings minimizes the impact on existing residents. "It' s a level of massing that I think could be acceptable to the community." And while the new plan calls FOR: Ward 1 Regional Councillor Mike Lansdown says the latest pro posal represents a compromise. AGAINST: Ward 1 Local Coun cillor Ralph Robinson cannot accept a 10-storey development. who maintains that building height is the issue in the plan, regardless of how build ings are shuffled around the site. "If you have a belief, you can't let some thing negative like the OMB stand in your way," he says. "That' s just like giving up." And Robinson believes that the major ity of residents will continue to oppose the development because of the high-rise buildings. During a public hearing on develop ment of the site which was interrupted by the new offer from the developer, many residents expressed concern with, the impact of high-rise development on the community. They also expressed doubt that the development could proceed with out disrupting the historic village ambi ence of the area. But local business owners told council lors that they need more people to live in Bronte to ensure the survival of the busi ness area. Town staff has been directed to report to council on the latest proposal for a pub lic meeting on Feb. 27. Members of the community will be given a chance to comment on the pro posal, which is available on the town's web site (www.oakville.ca) or in paper form through the clerk' s office and the planning department at Town Hall. for the relocation of the historic Glendella house, Lansdown notes the developer is also offering the town a heritage easement on the building, which will allow the Town to control future uses of the house. Finally, he says he's pleased with the plan for a public town square, which would provide local residents with public space for events at no cost to the town. Although the C3R zoning on the quadrangle lands calls for a building height restriction of three storeys, the developer is arguing the restriction is not supported by the Town or Regional official plans. Lansdown admits 'that he would probably have supported maintaining the three-storey zon- ing limitation, if it were written into the official plan, but fears that the current zoning might be over turned on appeal. "I'm uncertain as to our chances at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB)," notes Lansdown, who says the Town stands to lose all th&gains it has negotiated if the developer takes the application before the OMB and wins. "What we're looking for here is compromise," says Lansdown. "What we're looking for is a trade off that satisfies the greatest num ber of people." But Robinson says the Town should go to the OMB to fight to maintain the zoning on the prop erty. "I will never, ever, ever accept those 10-storeys," says Robinson, PETITE CLASSICS Sizes 2-18 SIDEWALK SALE - 7 0 %o j ENTIRE COLLECTION (some exceptions apply) MAPLE GROVE VILLAGE, OAKVILLE (905)845-0655 W h e n w a s a n th e la s t t im e y o u e sca p e d to a n d d e v o te d e n tir e w e e k e n d y o u r s e lf? 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