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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Tuesday, December 22, 2009 · 8 ROPA 38 had divided northern and southern councillors Continued from page 3 "This is the end to a plan that we started three years ago to have a sustainable future for Halton," said Burton. He said ROPA 38 includes five areas of groundbreaking work, referring to policies over the aggregate industry, urban growth, financing 171 SPEERS RD. #19, OAKVILLE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 9:30-9:00pm, Wed. 9:30-6:00pm, Sat. 9:00-5:00, Sun. 12:00-5:00pm FORVNEWABLE! A AIL CLIENTS EYELA 50%LASH OFF EXFOILNS TENTIO www.hairchateau.com (check website for new client discount) 905 338-1237 Display Electric Fireplace Models 40% OFF for growth and complete communities, air quality and the enhanced NHS. "It has been a long journey, it's been an emotional one," said Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette in retrospect. "It was almost like a great divide between the north and the south (of Halton). "Maybe not everybody got everything, but at least we're a lot closer than we were two weeks ago." Halton Hills Councillor Clark Somerville wasn't as rosy. "I'm not going to be the one to say, `Let's hold hands and sing Kumbaya' because I don't think we're there yet," he said to his council colleagues. "Can we not have dialogue? Can we not stop the schoolyard bullying?" Both Burlington Councillor Carol D'Amelio and Fogal said they were compromising by supporting ROPA 38. "It isn't perfect and I wish the farmers could be happier," said Fogal, but she was pleased with a recent amendment that recognizes many land- scape companies that started life as home businesses as existing, rather than illegal, uses. After the council session, Burlington resident Tom Muir, an activist who has long pushed for developers to pay more for growth, was dumbstruck council was arguing so much about the possible effects of the NHS on farmers, and not discussing how ROPA 38 designates close to 3,000 hectares of existing farmland for future residential subdivisions and employment areas, new urban areas that will accommodate more than 80,000 people in Milton and Georgetown. "The loaf is gone and they're arguing about the crumbs," said Muir. What is ROPA 38? ROPA 38 is the culmination of the Sustainable Halton process begun three years ago designed to both provide a regular update to the Region's Official Plan and bring it into conformity with the Province's Greenbelt Plan and Places to Grow Act released earlier this decade. It is perhaps most notable because it outlines future areas of growth in the region. Currently, Halton's population stands at 480,000, according to recent statistics, but Provincial legislation requires the Region plan to accommodate 300,000 more people by 2031. However, much of that planning work was already done in the 1990s when the Region outlined major growth areas in Oakville and Milton. Another 155,000 new residents, mostly in north Oakville and Milton, will come to under-construction or already-planned areas, according to Regional staff. To accommodate the remaining 145,000 people, ROPA 38 has outlined that about 61,000 will be housed in infill developments -- townhouses and apartments that would be built in under-utilized urban areas such as vacant or parking lots and strip malls, for example -- within the already built boundaries of Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Georgetown and Acton. Specifically, much of that population would be focused in the provincially-outlined urban growth centres of Milton east of its historic core, downtown Burlington and midtown Oakville. New "greenfield" growth areas -- essentially designating currently agricultural and rural lands for urban development -- in Milton and Georgetown would also accommodate populations of about 60,000 and 20,000 respectively between 2021 and 2031. Along with future strategic employment areas included in ROPA 38 maps, urban Milton would essentially extend from where it is now almost to the borders of both Oakville and Mississauga. Children's Dental Care From cleaning and fillings to braces and more... We provide a warm and caring environment Call your family dentist Dr. Shady Saleh today! · Evening and Saturday Appointments · Direct Billing To Your Insurance Company BBQ & Fireplace p Accessories in Stock 25 to 40% OFF "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a 905-847-3201 Appleby Mall