West Harbour Residents Association

                                                          c/o John Macdonald

                                                           123 Burnet St.,

                                                            Oakville, Ont., L6K 1B9

 

                                                           December 13, 2005.

 

                                                            cc. Jim Brophy – Pres. WHRA

                                                                  Bill Boughner – VP WHRA

                                                                  Carol Gilbert – Sec. WHRA

                                                                  WHRA Exec.

                                                                  WHRA web site

                                                                  Anne Mulvale - Mayor

                                                                  Fred Oliver - Councilor

                                                                  Cathy Duddeck - Councilor

Mr. Allan Ramsey

Senior Planner

Community Planning

P.O.Box 310

1225 Trafalgar Rd.

Oakville, Ont. L6J 5A6

 

Dear Allan:

 

 Persuant to our numerous discussions over a couple of years on this matter, I enclose the WHRA Report prepared by Hart Jannson and under separate cover, the Gregg Daly Report which WHRA commissioned on the C3 question.  (Five copies of Daly Report sent Dec.7)

 

     Before we begin, I’d like to thank you for your patience and for all the meetings we have had.  Basically we at WHRA have had to get up to speed on Zoning/Planning issues.

 

Historical Perspective

     Some twenty to thirty years ago, West Harbour was still a Commercial area with Residential.  The zoning was changed to Residential for Burnet and south,  to C3R for Lakeshore and a C3 transition zone was predicted for the block between.  This made perfectly good sense at the time because it was the way East Oakville had evolved.

     Fast forward to 2005/2006 and we can see that the prediction made for the transition zone just didn’t materialize.  Other than Wilson st., every street, forsythe, Chisholm, Kerr, Brant, and Brock has gone 100% Residential.  Why then would we keep the prospect of commercial usage open on these streets?

1)                 Because we have to protect the rights of Wilson St. commercial activity.  The alternative solution is addressed in the Walker Knott Report.

2)                 Because a change would impose a 10 foot buffer requirement onto the C3R owners.  This too, has a solution which is in the Walker Knott Report.

3)                 Because you said that there were no registered complaints from the C3 zoning.  There are several reasons for this (a) you register only those complaints which violate bylaws;  (b) we are Canadians, we don’t complain about neighbours;  and (c) since it’s virtually all Residential, there is no commercial activity anyway to complain about.

 

     However, let me give you my own experience.  I used to live at 101 Burnet St (corner of Kerr.)  (I’m now at 123 Burnet St.)  The house north of 101 Burnet, on Kerr, contained a home of a family therapist.  His clients always parked illegally on Kerr in front of his or at the side of my house.  I rarely ever parked at the side because parking created a traffic hazard due to visibility at the busy Kerr/Burnet intersection.

 

     I had to bag leaves because I couldn’t put them at the curb due to the parking.  I had to reshovel snow banks which were pushed into my driveway entrance by the clients.  I was made uncomfortable by all the people going by me, as I did my work outside, with low cast eyes, wanting to retain their privacy.  It was unsuitable business activity for a pure residential area where parking was not adequate and people are not prepared to walk, even from the Beer store parking lot, 100 feet away.  Did I complain?  Never.  Would you have logged it?  Yes, because there was a parking infraction every day.

 

     The fact that our C3 residents and/or R4 residents backing onto C3, have not complained is not an issue.  The issue is: What complaints would we have if someone in C3 (other than Wilson) wanted to open a commercial establishment, that would not be in keeping within the character of the now 100% residential neighbourhood?  We would all be spending wasted dollars at OMB.  What is the point?  Why dangle the prospect of Commercial in a Residential area?

 

     You have asked us to answer all the questions and objections associated with changing C3 to R7 for Forsythe, Chisholm, Kerr, Brant and Brock.  We have done that.  We have, with great expense, had a professional Planner provide the solution.  Changing this zoning is very important to us.  We request that you take this seriously and recommend such a change to Council.

 

     Thank you for your support in this matter.  Please contact me if further information is required.

 

 

                                                                       Yours very truly,

 

 

                                                                       J.K.Macdonald

                                                                       V.P. WHRA.