FEAR OF OMB MEANS ANOTHER PLANNING DECISION THAT HURTS KANATA
January 16, 2006

Late last year, Council agreed to accept the decision of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) to allow development between Glen Cairn and Stittsville to be developed. This development will mean up to 32,068 people living between Glen Cairn and Stittsville.

Because of the impact of 32,068 more people on our roads, recreation facilities and other infrastructure, I did not support the decision. It was far from certain the city would win, but the consequences of this development are severe enough that I felt the city should do everything possible to prevent it from happening.

The argument in favour of allowing the development is that at least the city gets some say over the process and the timeline. However, there will still be problems with the demands developing the land between Glen Cairn and Stittsville will place on our infrastructure.

While this is one of the largest developments the OMB has allowed, the pattern is all too familiar. Fear of losing at the OMB causes councillors to support proposals that communities oppose.

We saw this with the land north of the Beaver Pond and we are seeing it here.

There is some good news. Changes to provincial planning legislation will place additional restrictions on the OMB. They will not be retroactive, but in the future they will make it easier for council to make the right decision without fear it will be overturned.

In the case of the development between Glen Cairn and Stittsville there is at least a requirement that a community design plan that will help reduce the impact of the development on neighbouring properties be in place. I will be working to make sure those commitments are met.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who spoke out against the proposal to allow development of the lands between Glen Cairn and Stittsville. The opposition to the proposal certainly helped ensure some conditions were placed on the development. My hope is that when the role of the OMB is reduced community input will play the role it should in the planning process.

FEDERAL ELECTION - KANATA RECOGNIZED FOR PARTICIPATION

We have always been proud of the Kanata tradition of community participation. My experience has been that, whether it is about federal, municipal or community issues, Kanata residents take discussions about issues seriously.

That is recognized outside of Kanata. Recently TV Ontario asked me about why Kanata had one of the highest voter turnouts in Ontario at the last federal election. The program comparing our community to another in Ontario will be broadcast between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on the 23rd.

Next Monday, we have a chance to defend our record. Regardless of how you vote, it is a right that people have fought and died for you to have. With the sacrifices veterans have made and with the sacrifices people are making today in many parts of the world for democracy, to not use your vote would be tragic.

We don’t think of federal elections as affecting municipal issues like traffic congestion or sewer replacement, but they do. Whether it is the role of the National Capital Commission in pushing the construction of a bridges from rural Kanata to Aylmer or the level of federal support for municipal infrastructure, what the federal government does will have an impact on the services the city offers and how much those services cost.

WORKING FULL-TIME FOR KANATA

I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 580-2474 (office), 580-2514 (fax), or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca