Vaughan’s new council was elected on a mandate of change, but in its first real test since taking office, the majority of councillors followed in the footsteps of their predecessors.
Regional Councillor Deb Schulte pressed her colleagues at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting to request that York Region remove the controversial urban boundary expansion from the city’s new official plan, which the previous council approved during its dying days in office.
But only Maple/Kleinburg Councillor Marilyn Iafrate and Woodbridge West Councillor Tony Carella backed Ms Schulte’s proposal. The five other council members who voted — Regional Councillor Michael Di Biase declared a conflict — rejected the idea.
The boundary expansion, as it stands, would allow about 9,600 homes to be built across large swaths of rural land on either side of Hwy. 400 between Teston and Kirby roads.
As planned, these areas will be dotted primarily with single-family homes.
This is not what Vaughan needs. It is precisely this type of development that has created a city comprised of cookie-cutter homes, bland strip malls and congested roads.
The highly touted official plan was supposed to guide Vaughan’s metamorphosis into an attractive, sustainable city. That was to be achieved by focusing efforts on intensification within the current built-up boundary and developing an efficient, well-planned public transit system.
Although building highrises in existing neighbourhoods is often met with opposition, when done properly, it can create vibrant communities with a diverse mix of people.
This density is also needed to ensure a multi-million dollar public transit system, which includes the Spadina subway extension, will have enough riders to be viable.
Unfortunately, the previous council undermined these goals by including an urban boundary expansion aimed at providing more single-family detached homes.
The move was defended on the grounds it’s the smallest boundary expansion in the municipality’s history, plus it’s necessary to satisfy market demand for this type of housing and ensure provincially mandated growth targets are met by 2031.
Other councillors argued it makes sense to build homes there given the proximity to areas along Hwy. 400 designated for employment lands.
But various reports have suggested there’s plenty of room within the current boundary to accommodate the estimated 418,000 people expected to make Vaughan home over the next 21 years. And the plan already calls for a couple of thousand low-density homes within the current boundary.
Ms Schulte was attempting to correct a colossal mistake made by the previous crop of councillors. But the new council rejected change in favour of the status quo.
Councillors argued a balance needs to be struck between intensification and old-style development of detached homes on large lots.
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua’s reasoning for not rescinding the boundary expansion was bewildering. He argued that in the interest of providing “stable governance”, it wasn’t appropriate to overturn decisions made by the former council.
But that’s precisely what this council was elected to do. At the end of last term, the previous council pushed through the plan that will guide the city’s growth. The current council is tasked with implementing the plan’s vision, so it is appropriate to correct the major mistakes it contains such as the boundary expansion.
Fortunately, the new council agreed to consider phasing in development on the lands to the north only when plans for developing areas within the existing boundary have been worked out.
That would go some way to addressing the problems created by allowing the urban boundary expansion.
This pledge should be met with cautious optimism, however. When the idea of phasing in development was proposed to the last council, it was shot down, despite the fact city planners supported the idea. No one likes to admit to failure and, certainly, a council’s mistakes are often looked upon unkindly by citizens.
However, failure is sometimes integral to finding success. We urge Mr. Bevilacqua and his council to remember that the next time an issue is before them that demands corrective action. http://www.yorkregion.com/opinion/editorial/article/928660--lights-on-nobody-home
David Pylyp There was an opportunity here to demonstrate some leadership that is lacking in the area of transit planning; being ECO friendly and fight against addition diesel powered trains plowing their way through the residential corridor, make a bold statement about integration of Community Centers and a better quality of life. If appears that Vaughan will continue to be a satellite bedroom community with a few business centers escaping the punishing taxes of Toronto.
Add your comments. Would you like to live here?
