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Residents call for referendum on growth proposal

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In Adjala-Tosorontio
Aug 16th, 2013
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By Brad Pritchard Alliston Herald Aug 15, 2013  |  
ADJALA-TOSORONTIO – At what will likely be the final public meeting for the Everett Secondary Plan, residents fiercely opposed to the controversial growth proposal demanded council slam on the brakes until a referendum is held. About 100 residents, mostly from the community of Everett, filled council chambers for the public meeting last night (Aug. 14).
The meeting began with an update from director of planning Jacquie Tschekalin. She said the proposed population for the hamlet over the next 20 years has been slashed from 10,000 to 6,620 people. In addition, she said the expansion of the development boundaries for the new homes and commercial area have also been scaled back.
The township has also included new policies that will essentially restrict any new development in the township’s other settlement areas unless they are currently in the planning process.
Other minor changes were also made to reflect comments from the County of Simcoe, New Tecumseth, residents and other agencies.
After the update, about 10 residents participated in the question and comment period, none of which spoke in favour of the proposal.
Everett resident David Perryman challenged council to ask residents to decide the future of growth in the township before going any further.
“I hesitate to use that word referendum, call it a vote if you will,” he said. “But I think from tonight and all the public meetings I’ve attended, you’ve seen a clear and obvious position taken, and that is we are not in favour of the way it is presently being rolled out, with seemingly, council members not really knowing the answers to some questions or using very vague terminology to answer some of the questions we have.”
Mayor Tom Walsh said he wouldn’t support holding a referendum.
“I’m certainly not in favour of that because there is a way of doing this through the planning that goes to OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) if you don’t approve of what we do,” he said.
Other members of council were more open to the possibility, including Deputy Mayor Mary Small Brett, who promised to investigate the request further.
Perryman also accused council of not listening to the concerns of residents throughout the public consultation process.
Small Brett disagreed, saying it’s council’s job to make the right decisions on their behalf.
“We’ve been looking at growth since at least 2000 when I came onto council,’ she said. “Through the planning act, growth is permitted and implemented and yes I’m comfortable with my decision. I believe that this is the proper way to go. But that doesn’t mean were not open to listening to information from the residents, discussion from the residents, that’s why we’ve had the public meetings.”
Resident Chantale Gagnon and organizer for People United for a Rural Everett (PURE) said the township still hasn’t justified the growth plan.
“We keep being told that it’s going to balance the taxes or even lower them,” she said. “And every study I’ve read does not say that. And all the towns around here have seen tax increases. There is no guarantee it will actually be leveraged or there will not be an increase because we add people. I keep saying that because I haven’t seen the numbers.”
Tschekalin said there is no way to provide more financial analysis since expense priorities for future councils could change.
Developers
Landowners within the settlement area interested in being part of the development include Walton International, R&M Homes, along with five or six other developers who own parcels anywhere between 40 to 100 acres.
Tschekalin said the developers have indicated they are willing to contribute to the infrastructure cost of building a new sewer system and treatment plant for the community. However, she said nothing is set in stone in terms of how much money they will be asked to pay.
Tshekalin also confirmed a developer, not the township, initially tabled the idea for the growth plan.
“Walton did come into the township originally,” she said. “But since the beginning of the plan, the township has taken over development of the plan.
Heated Debate
Later on, there was a heated exchange when former councillor Leo Losereit blasted council for a resolution it signed in November 2012 with Walton International that agrees to the firm paying $275,000 for the growth plan’s study costs.
“How could you be so irresponsible in signing this cost recovery agreement…that says if you don’t go ahead with this secondary plan, we, all the residents in this town, will be dinged for $275,000,” he said. “Now, every percentage point in taxes equals about $20,000. So, if we don’t go ahead with this, we are going to be hit with a large tax bill.”
However, after the meeting Walsh said Losereit was trying to twist the truth. He said there is “no way” residents will be forced to pay back those costs if the plan were to potentially fall through.
“They (Walton) agreed to pay for that and we would collect what we could from the developers to pay them back, but if we can’t get anything from the other developers, they are just out of that,” Walsh said.
Walsh said he doesn’t see anything inappropriate about the deal council signed with Walton.
“We’ve been upfront, we’ve had more meetings and open houses that have been normally done,” he said. “We’ve tried our best to work with Everett.”
The plan could see some minor changes based on the comments made at the meeting before council votes on the official plan amendment, which according to Walsh is expected to take place in September.

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