FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kanata Councillor
Peggy Feltmate called for the City of Ottawa
to use its full powers under the Planning
Act to oppose the Ontario Municipal Board
(OMB) decision to allow development between
Kanata and Stittsville.
“When
consultations occurred in 2003, residents
made it clear that they wanted the lands between
Glen Cairn and Stittsville kept outside the
urban boundary. It is time the needs of the
community were the first priority in planning
decisions,” Feltmate said.
Changes to
provincial planning legislation passed this
year mean that the refusal of municipalities
to expand urban boundaries can no longer be
appealed to the OMB.
“If
we believe the planning process should work
for individual taxpayers not the development
industry, the city has a responsibility to
act”, Feltmate said.
The OMB decision
will allow development estimated at three
times the size of Glen Cairn to be built between
Kanata and Stittsville.
“Residents
of Kanata and Stittsville are already concerned
about problems with traffic congestion and
city facilities bursting at the seams. Adding
30,000 people and their cars only increases
the problems”, Feltmate said.
Feltmate
expressed concern that the most recent decision
of the OMB continues the pattern of favouring
developers over communities.
“For
Kanata residents it has become a pattern.
You do the work, you convince democratically
elected councillors to make the decision that
is right for the community and then an un-elected
OMB gives the developers what they want,”
Feltmate said.
“Here
the numbers make it clear that growth is only
occurring at 45% of the projected rate, yet
the OMB is still trying to claim the land
between Kanata and Stittsville will be required
for development.”
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Information:
Councillor Peggy Feltmate
580-2474
-
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