The Citizen, 2011-02-24, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011.Writer objects
to comments
Rezoning approved
for Brussels homes
THE EDITOR,
I am writing this letter to express
my concern with the comments
made at the Huron East Council
meeting last week concerning
the proposed fourplex in
Brussels.
We felt it made sense to hold up
construction until we got some
information about the proposed
building before it is built. What is
the construction facade – brick or
siding? Is it a rental unit or being
sold as a freehold unit? Are they
targeting senior living, young
families or low income? Does it
fit into the neighbourhood?
These are all questions that need
answers before construction
begins. These are all factors that
affect the value of the neighbouring
lots.
As we have made an investment in
the lots on the east side of Sports
Drive, we felt that these concerns
needed to be addressed before
council passed it through. Would it
not be prudent to have some input
into a project that will affect the
value of your investment?
We had thought we had most of
these concerns looked after. Sandra
Weber has been excellent providing
us with all the information needed as
soon as she received it. After talking
and meeting with her we were
satisfied with the construction of the
proposed building. We had
dropped any opposition to the
building, I guess not fast enough for
everyone.
That there have been “For Sale”
signs there for years is irrelevant to
the fact that the municipality just
provided services to the lots in
question and gave them some value.
The lots we own are being sold as
single family residents. We have one
sold and will be building in
the spring. Another is being
looked at. They will be built to fit
into the neighbourhood. We aren’t
sure what we are speculating on, just
trying to market a residence that fits
in the neighbourhood. Maybe we
should be more loud and boisterous
and see if that accomplishes
anything.
Jim McDonald
D&J Construction Ltd.
A proposed rezoning that would
allow a fourplex to be built on
Sports Drive in Brussels was
approved by Huron East Council at
its Feb. 15 meeting, but not before
there was further discussion from
both sides.
At an earlier meeting of council,
concerns about the building were
aired by Jim McDonald of
D&J Construction regarding the
look of the building and how it
would fit in with existing homes in
the area.
The differences between D&J
Construction and Howick Homes,
the developers of the fourplex, had
been settled, but council received
two more letters of objection prior to
the Feb. 15 from concerned citizens
whose property values would
potentially be affected.
“I am opposed to low income
buildings, as it lowers my property
value if I ever decided to sell my
home as well as what kinds of
neighbours will be moving into
these homes and what problems will
occur,” one letter read. “Low rental
income people, on the most part, do
not have respect for other people’s
property or vehicle. I have had to
contact the police on occasion due to
some incidents from these
neighbours that show no respect.”
Another letter of objection stated
similar concerns, saying that
property values could be affected
and there would be concern in the
neighbourhood regarding the kind of
person who would move into such a
home.
“It will be next to impossible to
sell [our home], especially if you get
low income people in there, nothing
personal,” the second letter said.
At the Feb. 1 meeting of council, a
representative of Howick Homes
stated that it was yet undecided if the
homes would be sold or rented. The
concerns stemmed, however, from
the thought that the units would not
be able to sell and Howick Homes
would have to resort to renting the
units. This was when concerns
began to arise.
Councillors, however, tended to
disagree, saying that development in
the municipality would be a good
thing, especially, as Brussels Ward
Councillor Joe Seili pointed out, if it
was in an area with lots that had
been for sale for years.
One objector in attendance said
that while the intent of the homes
might be to draw retirees or young
couples into purchasing the homes,
with the school closing, there would
be nothing to draw young families or
retirees to the area.
“This will bring in low income
people and they can destroy it,” he
said. “And once you get them in, you
can’t get them out.”
Seili disagreed, saying that a key
to economic development is to
promote living in the community.
He also said that the types of people
who would live in such homes
would add to the community, not
detract from it.
Brussels Councillor David Blaney
agreed, saying that the same
concerns were raised about a similar
building in Grey and there are no
longer any concerns because the
building is full of “people anyone
would be happy to live with”.
Seili went even further, saying that
if this type of affordable housing
would have been available to young
couples years ago, perhaps Brussels
wouldn’t be losing its school.
Councillor Larry McGrath also
pointed out that from what had been
presented to council, the homes
looked to be “top of the line” so if
the developer had any notion that his
building would be torn apart by a
tenant, he should be the first one
with concerns, and he has none.
The rezoning application was then
passed by council.
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The Citizen
Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
The Forest & The TreesBy David Blaney
Have you ever noticed that
sometimes the environment seems
like the weather? Everybody talks
about it, but nobody does anything.
The world has seen meetings in
Kyoto, Durban, Brazil and probably
several other places I’ve forgotten -
elephantine bureaucratic labours that
produced the political mouse of
current carbon reduction targets.
Now I have nothing against Kyoto et
al, but how much commitment does
it take to get paid to spend a few
days in an interesting city with good
night life and less snow than I’m
dealing with currently?
I’d like to suggest that the next
meetings (and you can be assured
there will be more) should be held in
Iqaluit and all the participants be
transported there by dog team.
That’s the kind of thing that shouts
commitment.
The idea has other advantages as it
wouldn’t require nearly as much
carbon offset sleight-of-hand to
justify the massive amounts burned
by the jets everyone uses to get to
these soirees. All you get out of a
dog team is a little methane and
some readily recyclable carbon.
Besides, the threat of having to do it
again might get the participants to
come up with something useful.
The foregoing rant is by way of
introducing a column on the
environment that The Citizen has
been kind enough (or brave enough
according to some) to let me write. I
know that a good reporter is
supposed to get the who, what,
where, when and why in early, not
five paragraphs after the start, but
it’s my column so I’ll do it my
way.
Before you run screaming for the
exits shouting, “Please Lord, not
another environmental column” I
want to assure you this one won’t be
a David Suzuki clone. As much as I
admire his work and dedication, and
as much as the cause he espouses is
vital, I don’t have his scientific
background or his resources. I am
also getting just a little tired of
others who lecture us with visions of
the apocalypse, being told that I and
my generation are responsible for
the current mess, and that our only
hope is to go back to eating nuts and
berries. We may end up eating nuts
and berries as the apocalypse rolls
over us, but even baby boomers
don’t have the collective ego
required to believe that our
generation is solely responsible for
the potential end of civilization as
we know it.
As for myself, my interest in
things environmental began in
earnest when I had a stint working
on issues for MPPs at Queen’s Park.
This was so long ago that garbage
was still garbage, not solid waste,
and dumps had not yet been
transformed into sanitary landfill
sites. Since then I have owned a
recycling business (ok, it was
actually an auction company, but
I’m trying for serious credit here),
worked for a nature foundation,
served as the program manager of a
renewable energy NGO, and been
chairman of the Huron East Water
and Sewer Committee.
It’s not enough to be responsible
for the end of civilization I admit,
but I hope it has given me the
background to provide a little insight
into our sometimes tempestuous
relationship with Mother Nature.
Oh, by the way, the column’s title
refers to the fact we need to see both
the ‘forest’ and the ‘trees’ if we are
to deal with our environmental
problems.
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The Citizen
Letter to the Editor
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen