Another puzzle for those interested in Cobourg's planning

Last week we reported that the Director of Planning for Cobourg was bemoaning the fact that the Provincial Planning Statement hadn't allocated enough growth to Cobourg. Stating that Cobourg's projections were twice as much the allocation and mused about how Cobourg could get more. Well on Monday evening a Special Meeting to discuss the rezoning and planning amendments to a new area of Cobourg is being discussed. A Numbered Company has submitted a plan for 600 acres of development. Mixed housing, commercial, schools and parks - the whole enchilada.
The snag is that it is outside of the "Built Boundary". This line on a map is something that the province has demanded the Town produce. The line on a map shows the existing Town development line and the areas outside of it. The Province has demanded in its intensification policies that the Town should be infilling the vacant lands inside the Town before going outside the line. The discussion of what's in and how we handle it is part of the Official Plan Review scheduled to be finished soon. So How does this application to build outside the line fit with the new OP? That's the discussion going on! Can we approve development outside of the line when the policies determining future development outside the line haven't been set yet?
The Planning & Advisory Committee hasn't got a position on this yet and some on the committee think that any development not inside the line is premature and shouldn't be approved. Others are thinking that because we don't have policies that development is allowed. A real cockup! But the bottom line is that if this application goes through the Town is committed to millions in infrastructure upgrades and future maintenance for ever. So what will Council do?

"We can have the Community Centre for little cost to taxpayers" so saith the CAO of Cobourg, Steve Robinson. In this story, the account of a mayor's breakfast (any linkage to a dog's breakfast is mischievous), the CAO explained that because of the Town's investments (Council's Play Money) the final price may be very low. OK if that is true the BR will have to change its stance from a negative to a positive. Being negative was natural because we had not been told that we could get a $30 million dollar facility for next to nothing. Now that we are being told, and it's in the words that many tourists can identify with - "Almost free!", we are going to be more supportive.
In fact we are going to be so supportive that our attitude will be it must not cost a dime in taxpayers money. Following the Robinson principle the money will come from gas tax rebates, 33 cent dollars, dividends from the town's investments and if there is the need for any more there must be a financial contribution from the groups who will benefit - the hockey groups, the soccer groups, the lawn bowling groups and the YMCA who wants to privatise it. Put those monies together and we now have a free facility!

The politics of growth

At the Mayor's breakfast the other day Director of Planning, Glenn McGlashon, told the assembly that under the provincial growth Plan Cobourg will be getting 30% of the total. That policy limits growth to designated areas and slower growth to the rest. Obviously Northumberland County, which is a rural rump, in the eyes of the Province, is not a high priority and has been allocated 12,000 new residents and 3,000 jobs between 20007 and 2031. Break that down to a yearly basis and you see just how stupid these bureaucrats are. Cobourg, according to the pointy-heads in QP will be allowed to grow by 3600 people and 900 jobs in the next twenty years. Cobourg's optimistic dreams, developed by consultants, have projected 9,300 people and 2,300 jobs for the same time period. Joining Council many years ago I was told by "housing guru" Don Kirkup, "Cobourg has historically built 175 houses a year." And that has not changed one iota over the past fifteen years, despite bursts of activity in the housing sector. SO, multiply that projection by twenty years and then add in 2.2 persons per house a realistic population projection will emerge - 7700 - the number of estimated jobs is unknown to me but the Cobourg Development people will tell you that there is a slight climb each year. We now know that the population will grow but who's numbers are correct and why do they matter?
Growth is a municipal phallic symbol. The more a Town grows the better the leaders feel and their positions of local pride are justified. Never mind that houses are taking over green fields, never mind that taxpayers money is subsidising the builders activities - just build the damn houses and we'll all feel better! But there is a downside and that is the evergrowing need for taxpayers money to subsidise the results of that building. Roads have to be plowed, Sewage plants have to be expanded, (even though the County Study has shown that Northumberland has more capacity than demand), and more residents expect services that will to expand to accommodate them, witness the demand for more space at the Seniors Centre.
But back to the political dispute between the County and the municipalities and the hard place that the province has placed Northumberland County in. Northumberland County is only one of two Counties that does not have an Official Plan. So why should the Province waste much time and effort in Growth policies in Counties that have no structure to handle Growth? Secondly, like little feuding Emirates, the seven Municipalities all want the same thing - a disproportionate slice of the pie. The rurals don't want the urbans to get the growth and the urbans feel entitled to get it.
Finally it appears that the Provincial Statement has no teeth, as a local developer told me yesterday, "If the Town has the capacity to accept growth and the builder wants to put his money in who's to stop him?" Good question, no answer.

Morning relief - check out this collections of pics, titled "The ten worst losers in sport" here

Good? news for the local real estate industry. Dave Chomitz has posted the April stats here but for those who like pics here is the visual stat. Click on the image for a larger size.

Another tired political excuse?

The admistrator of the Golden Plough is leaving and this is what the CAO said in announcing it.
"C.A.O Bill Pyatt says Lonergan wants to spend more time with his family and is considering a return to teaching or consulting in order to achieve that goal." (report from gonorthumberland.net)
This tired and worn out political phrase is usually put out by others to describe the involuntary leaving or forced resignation of a colleague. What is it that the Director of the Golden Plough has done that deserved an quick exit and how much will it cost the County in exit packages? This man was a big honcho in Private Sector Nursing Home Management before coming here and if he didn't have a bulletproof contract I'd be very surprised. Never mind I understand that his replacement, who comes cheaper, will move into a very swanky office rehabbed at great cost amid budget cuts for the facility.

Howcum we are being stiffed by the Americans? First the application of the "buyAmerica" rules by the State administrations, the classic example of the plastic pipe in Camp Pendleton California and now the mighty mouse, I wish I was five feet tall - Gary Bettman the NHL Commissioner. Jim, I own RIM, Balsillie wants to buy the Phoenix Coyotes out of bankruptcy and move it to Southern Ontario. A simple procedure but what would be hard is owning an NHL franchise and not being allowed to play in the league. Bettman controls who plays and he doesn't like Jim the RIM, and it shows. Stay tuned.

One of the named and Shamed strikes back

Michael Savage here strikes back about being banned from the UK. I have also put the video up on the video page for your education.
"Well, I don't know who this pork eater is, but I have a question for her. I hear she is the Home Secretary of the former England. When has this witch heard my show, since it's not syndicated in England? When has this witch listened to my program in England? And which show or shows is she referring to?"

More evidence for the sceptics

One of the problems that Obama faces when he tries to convince the world that he is on top of things is the apparent problem of his top men at Treasury being seen as the main sources of the Financial problems. he also is faced with a growing perception of double standards in dealing with the Financial crisis and the resulting fallout in the general economy. This story just convinced the sceptics that the fix was in and the crooks are still in charge.

This story is a wonder, I said to myself, "Is Pete Seeger still alive - apparently so" and still impressing. I found a youtube vid - look on the video page for it here - stirring!.

How a brave cashier foiled the robber

This story details the robbery on Sunday night at the Esso Station in Cobourg. What was not told was the actual conversation between the Cashier, a veteran of many years midnight shifts, and the robber. A man described as 5'3'' and young walked into the store, waves a knife around and said, "Give me all of your f*****g money. The Cashier, who shall remain unnamed, replied, "We don't have any f****g money now F off before I call the cops!" The robber tried once more, "Give me your money." The Cashier again replied., "I don't have any f*****g money, F off before I call the cops!" At that time a trucker came in and the robber fled. This cashier deserves an award for the bravery displayed.

Named and Shamed

The UK has banned 16 people from the Country since October. Read the story of who they are and why they were banned. And George Galloway had nothing to do with it.

A visit to the Council meeting

Went to Council meeting last night, something I usually don't do, the disdain emanating from the elevated Throne that the Mayor sits in is palpable right back to the bench that i was sitting on. However bypassing that a couple of items stood out.
In the section called "coordinators' reports" this is where councillors can get up and talk about anything they have done and is considered information for the others who weren't privileged to be at the same meeting/event, Councillor "I have a terrible haircut," Bob Spooner dropped this bombshell (probably not even realising he had). "I was privileged to be at the Y's AGM the other night and was astounded to learn that the Y has 442 volunteers supporting the work of the Y. Without them the Y couldn't function without great cost to the taxpayers!" Did he just say that? No Bob the Y wouldn't function without volunteers it would just collapse, the taxpayers have nothing to do with this Private organisation except to provide a subsidy to the building. Members support the Y not taxpayers. Now with an opinion like Bob's floating around it is understandable that the public and private perceptions of the Y are confused.

The other item, the one I went to see was the approval of the money resolutions I noted last week. BTW Ian Davey did get back to me and provided the exact amount of money being applied for - a total of $34,450,000.
8.04.33hrs DM Broc rises to read the motion
8.06.45hrs DMB explains that his motion only asks for money for the Community Centre, the decision to build comes later
8.07.45hrs Coun. Mutton asks if we made the application date and an exchange takes place about the online application process. Apparently DMB met with the Poobah from Ottawa _ Rick Norlock and mentioned to him that the process was brief, RN said don't worry the bureaucrats will be getting back to the applicants to flesh out the applications, Yep we made it.
8.09.10hrs voted and carried.
8.09.10hrs DMB rises to make another motion authorising the application for the rest of the money.
8.09.35hrs DMB defends the decision to build Kerr St because it will be needed to handle traffic to and from the Community Centre!
8.10.15hrs vote called for
8.10.35hrs voted and carried.
So there it is folks how to apply for thirty five and half million dollars- all in six minutes.

Sunday

Let's celebrate Journalists' Freedom Day today. In this story Olivia Ward of the TO Star reprises the lives of three dead brave writers. Quoting pieces from a book by Terry Gould Ward pays tribute to those who knowingly write in the face of certain death.
"These are not foreign correspondents who were caught in the crossfire," says author Terry Gould, Vancouver-based author of Murder Without Borders: Dying for the Story in the World's Most Dangerous Places. "They're people who took a stand in their own countries and hometowns. They were warned they were going to die, but they were not afraid to speak the truth."Gould's book chronicles the life stories of Vega, Hassan, Garcia-Esperat and other high-profile journalists who refused to be silent and paid the ultimate price."They knew they had only three options: agree with the aggressors, stay silent, or continue to expose the crimes," the author says. "They knew they would be the first to fall, but they believed something good would come of it."

Read this load of crap from Warren Kinsella and you will understand that those of us who are not Liberals are repulsed by the arrogance of those that are. In his blog here he lays out the return of the Messiah and the welcoming back of the "Canada's Natural Governing Party" - nauseating! So Iggy is now leader and all the pols wrath will be directed on the BQ and the NDP for not granting the NGP its wish for an early election. Another year of whining from the Liberals about not being allowed to get back into power. Perhaps if they, the NGP, would tell us what they wanted to do instead of bleating about them not being the Cons and should be elected because they are not, then people might be interested in turfing Harper.

Now for the biggie. here is a copy of a snippet of the agenda for Monday evening. This is how you spend many many millions of dollars, write it in a vague bureaucratic way and then get to vote on it with as few details as possible. But the advocates will say, as Bob-"I can see clearly now"-Spooner did the other day, "We are not voting on the money we are only applying for it!" True Bob but who will dare to vote against the money fairy when it arrives?

May Day - remember this

The Winnipeg Strike remembrance day is today for an historical perspective click here to go to the CBC's video for a retrospective.