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r h. Wednesday, February 3, 1982 24 Pages Study plan will determine town's future The outcome of the Dundas Street Thickson Road Sub-Central Area Study Plan will have a dramatic affect on the Town of Whitby's development well into the 21st century. The study, presented at a special meeting of Whitby Town Council's administrative commi- ttee last week, was prepared by planning director Bob Short. It calls for the develop- ment of 558,000 square feet of commercial space in the area. According to Durham Region's official plan, which supercedes all town or district plans, allocates 1,769,000 square feet of commer- cial throughout the en- tire town. Of this, 500,000 is located in the downtown core, 800,000 in the Ross- land Road Garden Street area, 69,000 throughoiít the rest of the town and 400,000 in the Dundas Thickson area. Therefore, the study calls for more square footage than the plans allow. This was confirmed in a letter to Short from the region's planning commissioner, Dr. Mofeed Michael. Michael pointed out that the study area already has 350,000 square feet of commer- cial space in use and that the study brings the total up to 558,000 square feet. "The Durham Region official plan allows an approximate maximum of 400,000 square feet within the Thickson- Dundas Sub-Central Area," Michael said.. Michael added that if the town wishes to allo- cate the proposed 558,000 square feet to the area, then it must be subtracted from other designated commercial areas. Centre Ward Councill- or Barry Evans believes that the outcome of this study will determine the town's future. "I think the council's decision on this item will affect commercial development for the next 25 years," he said last week. He points out that "there isn't a recom- mendation in the- study." However, there are some serious questions to be raised. "The whole question is the square footage of the floor space," Evans said adding that when he read the 558,000 square foot proposal it was "a bit of a shock, to say the least." "However, that didn't take into account the other areas of town." Evans said that if the study is accepted it could have an adverse affect on other areas and that developers hoping to bring these lands on stream will not be "very happy." The councillor, a member of the ad- ministrative commi- ttee, was also quick to point out that they're "still in the fact finding stage" and another public meeting on the matter will be held February 18. Evans also said that the matter of square footage could be looked at in two different lights. "One is that the region is incorrect in its analysis because there seems to be two possible CONT'D ON PG. 6 Vol. 12, No. 5 ÎR F R E- 9