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PAGE 8,WEDNESDAY DECEMB ER 28, 1983, WH ITBY FR EE PREÉSS '83: IN REVIEW The Brooklin development issue After 10 years and no small amount of contro- versy, the Brooklin approved the develop- ment of 10,000 bornes in Brooklin, but development bas run in- to yet another snag which could put the pro- jeet on the sheif for as long as five or six years. Whitby town council- lors told* a bhandful of Brooklin ratepayers last week they were misled when'they believed ful approval for the project bad been given by -the Ontario governiment last September. It turns out Housing Minister Claude Bennett "deferred" approval of two parcels of industrial land which were part of the town's deal with First City Developrnient Corporation. The town's agreement witb First City includes the designation of two parcels of land for in- dustrial use, without whicb First City is flot obligated to go ahead .with its plans for sijb- ýdividing Brooklin. "First City is under no obligation to pr:e-ec! untii those two parrels have been approved by the minister," North Ward Councillor Ross Batten told the Free Press Monday. Batten said the Ministry of Agri- culture is, opposed to approving the industrial plots because valuable agricultural land would be lost. .1 _He said the town didn't realize these two plots could bold up the entire development in- definitely. "What be (Bennett) didn't announce, and wbat we didn't notice were the industrial lan- ds," 'Batten said. Bot.h the town and residents of Brooklin believed in September tbe green ligbt had been given to begin construction as early as this spring. Batten said the town began to makÏe inquiries recently because no detailed discussion of the project was taking piace. "We began to realize, bey. nobody's talking ta us about subdivisions," Batten said. "We start- ed to enquire because we wanted to clarify our position. " It was then the town Iearned First City dues flot bave to proce ed with its development plans untiî'full approval of tbe site bas been given. In tbe town's agree- ment with tbe *develop- ment company, First City was given two years to begin construc- tion of the 10,000-borne subdivision The town couid collecta $2 million letter of credit if First City defaulted., But as it stands now, tbe two-year period does not begin until full ap- proval to the site bas been given by the On- tario governnient. Some Whitby council- lors believe this gives tbe develoepr a "brea th- ing space" and could hold up development for several years. Tbe industrial lands are an important part of the project, Batter says, because town planners wanted ta avoid making Brooklin a "bedroom community" by creating industry and jobs in town. Most import.antly, for nmany Brooklin resi- The latest snag in the Brooklin development bas Dut the-Town 0f Whitby "behind the eight-ball" in any future negotiations with First City Development Cor- poration, East Ward C'ouncillor Joe Drurni dents, the delay means much-needed -sewers whicb First City promis- ed to construct, will be put on hold until the gov- ernment gives the go- ahead' for development. As part of the town's agreement with First City, and perhaps the -main reason wby the development was agreed to, the developer promised to begin con- struction of an $8 million sewer line within four years of the original agreement. Tbe fate of the sewer line, as well'as the en- tire subdivision, now lies with the Ontario government. on spacious lots, à>ome- thing Drumm says won't seil in today's market. "The market is just flot there for the kind of bouses Brooklin was conceived to bave," Drumm says. "I'm just concerned now that we won't get the things that we thought we might in the original agree- ment." Druznm added he wants .to know the town's legal position re- garding the status of, the original agreement now that there is some ques- t.ion whether that agree- ment will be approved by the Ministry of Housing. "IWe bave a partial agreement <only, 1 Druznm said. "ll want t« know if the first agreement is legally binding or not." Drumm said the "bal is squarely in the court of the ministry" at this point, adding that rtesi- dents should be talking to their MPP's ta put pressure on the Ministry of Housing to approve the industrial plots whickt are holding up the development. step forWard yet," said' Attersley. "'What we're tryixig tô do is get this whole Brooklin thing in action. " The entire project bas been on a holding pat- tern because the agriculture - ministry bas not agreed to par- cels 0f land being cbanged from their present status. When completed, sanitary sewers will be extended to Broolîn and the community will grow from its present 1,600 to Town Council's change in direction on the plan was agreed to in a private ssion two weeks ago. According ta Atter- sley, Markborough bas been informed of Coun- cil's decision. Because Markborough does not bave a similar agreement with the town, Attersley says theY MaY fle an.objec- tive.