Enough Said

Well Gang:

Barring any unforeseen “developments” (pun fully intended) I think it’s pretty safe to say “The Preliminaries” are over!

With a clear majority of Council in favour of the existing “Crystal Beach Gateway Project”, it certainly appears they will make their commitment official, sometime in March, with the rezoning ruling.

Whether you support the existing plan or not, I think we can agree that “next up” would be O.M.B. hearings ?

While I currently don’t have any involvement or “special insight”  in any such action, like you, I do know that some organizations and individuals, have in fact, started in that direction. Frankly, some of you reading this, more likely than not, possess more knowledge on the matter than I so my commenting on either the concept or mechanics of the issue would be ridiculous.

There are  a couple of instances when I KNOW  I should keep my mouth shut.

1)  When I don’t know what I’m talking about.
2) When I do know what I’m talking about but it simply will not make a difference.

A check of these particular criteria has led me to conclude that it’s time to shut this “bad boy” down.

After witnessing Monday night’s shameless display of disrespect, dysfunction and deceit and working on the assumption that the Bay Beach issue will in fact go to the O.M.B. (and yes it is an assumption)

I suspect attitudes, positions, and arguments, will become much, much more extreme. So much so that managing a reasonably “open & friendly” forum like this one will become impossible (at least for me).

Conversely, contemplating the possibility that the issue, as it stands, does NOT go before the O.M.B. leads me to consider that perhaps I’ve made a very serious error in the selection of where my wife and I would eventually retire to.

As they say…”live and learn”

To those of you who have read the comments on this weblog…

I THANK YOU for your time !!!

To those who have contributed …

I THANK YOU for your words !!!

Sincerely,

John

 

I was “speechless”…

Considering last nights meeting was NOT supposed to be a “free for all” for supporters or detractors of the proposal, I respectfully submit that, perhaps, some participants would have been better off had they remained, at least, ON TOPIC… ?

(As in focusing on the issues of "appropriate land use" and "re-zoning")

Then again, maybe Forrest’s Mama was right after all...

“Ya never know what yer gonna get” ?

Your Thoughts ?

John

Town/Region Co-op ?

With Councilor Ann Marie Noyes’s motion for Town Council to consider exploring a possible partnership with The Niagara Region in regards to Bay Beach, I’m curious as to whether or not anyone has any thoughts on the matter ?

The floor is open for discussion…

Enjoy the weekend!

John

Remember Seinfeld's “Bizarro World” ?

From Fort Erie Times Archives

http://www.forterietimes.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=770619

Pilot project aims to maintain Crystal Beach’s ‘cottage community’ look
Posted By Mark Ladan
Posted 2 years ago
       

To ensure cottage-like look of the old village of Crystal Beach, Fort Erie Town council is moving ahead with something called a Development Permit System (DPS).
The first step in the pilot project is to develop regulations that must be adhered by builders and 
homeowners, when doing any work on a home or commercial building that requires a building permit. At its Monday meeting, council approved a staff recommendation to send out a request for proposal to companies that are experienced in developing such regulations. Staff estimates developing the regulations will cost about $20,000.
In the case of Crystal Beach, the regulations would likely require that new homes or renovation projects to stick with “cottage-type” designs, including a certain range of exterior colours and building materials. If the pilot project is successful, it could be implemented in other neighbourhoods in Greater Fort Erie.
All members of council, with the exception of Ward 3 Coun. Bob Steckley, voted in favour of proceeding with the pilot project. He said he’s not necessarily opposed to it, but felt staff hadn’t provided enough detail to council to make an informed decision.

“I’m against the fact that we were requesting additional information on it as far as what legalities we have to make sure that the ideas of the report get carried forward and don’t get lost. We’re going to spend $20,000, I want to make sure that we can uphold the letter of the law. We had asked for additional information, it wouldn’t have taken more than a week to get.”

Part of the additional information requested was how many homes per year would fall under the DPS guidelines. The community and development services department reports that the 10-year average for new home starts in Crystal Beach is 17 units.
DPS has been tried in a couple other of municipalities, including downtown Hamilton. Mostacci told council that system was shelved there, because there were too many requests for variances. It was also tried in the Muskoka community of Lake of Bays, but Mostacci was unsure as to how it was received there.

Plan B ?

Please. When you have an opportunity, take some time to visit the link below, explore and by all means, post your thoughts.

No doubt you’ll notice the existing eight story condo.What do you think?

http://www.grandbend.com/beach/goals.htm

Be sure to view the “Master Plan Concept” at the bottom  of the “Goals” page.

Grand Bend, Ontario is engaged in a project that many feel (including myself) is an alternative to The Town’s current “Crystal Beach Gateway” project.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Here is the Q & A section of their website.

What will the Beach Enhancement Project cost total?  And how much community support is required? What will the Beach Enhancement Project cost total?  And how much community support is required?

The entire Beach enhancement project will cost $3.5 million dollars.  At this time a number of key stakeholders have joined together to support the project.

The Rotary Club of Grand Bend has made a commitment of $100,000 to name the Performance Plaza.

The Grand Bend Optimist Club has made a commitment of $100,000 to name the Children's Playground.

The Grand Bend Community Foundation is generously donating $75,000 towards the natural garden areas.

The Municipality of Lambton Shores will be funding items such as lighting and roads and other infrastructure costs.  A recent announcement by Rural Economic Development (RED) program with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has added $500,000 in new funding towards the project.  Community fundraising (including the RED grant) is hoped to exceed $1.5 million.

Agreement? And another question

In regards to the discussion whether or not the proposed condo site is waterfront?

From Fort ErieTimes Bay Beach advertisement found at:

http://www.town.forterie.ca/WebSite/tofeweb.nsf/Doc/OpenDoc.html?OpenFrameset&ID=CC82741EBD82B3538525769B00719C67&File=bay%20beach%20ad.jpg&Title=Times%20Bay%20Beach%20Ad

Quote from article…

“The Town has entered a partnership with a major Ontario developer to build high-rise condominiums on waterfront land and create first class amenities for the adjacent public beach”.

I believe the ad clearly illustrates that the proposed construction site is, without question, waterfront land.

Switching gears, if I may?

Further on in the same ad, Jim Thibert, General Manager of the Fort Erie EDTC, makes reference to the success that The Molinaro Group has had in Burlington. Indeed they have. There is NO question in my mind, that this firm builds magnificent, quality buildings. Involving them in a project for Fort Erie is nothing to sneeze at.

With that understood I would respectfully ask Mr. Thibert this question.

How much publicly owned, waterfront park land was transferred to private ownership in any of the redevelopment  projects on Burlington’s waterfront?

I ask because frankly I don’t know the answer.

To me, when one looks at the comparative size of Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park & adjoining Beachway Park vs. Crystal Beach Town Park, it seems evident that we should be assertive when it comes to redistributing ownership of our public waterfront.

Finally. I have to say that discussion on this blog, especially with the supporters of the current Bay Beach proposal has been, in my mind, truly a PLEASURE !

I sincerely look forward to more of the same in the future and to you, our Canadian Friends…

THANK YOU for the being such gracious hosts!

I can only hope you understand how much we appreciate the privilege of being part of this wonderful community.

John

In their own words

From: Report No. CDS-41-08:

Bay Beach Development/Seeking A Private/Public Partnership Opportunity

See: Appendix 1 To Administrative Report CDS-079-08 October 20, 2008 File No. 120902 (page 10)

"Development attitudes are changing to public beach land: i.e. developers value the fact that waterfront lands are kept in PUBLIC ownership. It brings more people to their site, in which in turn creates a higher profile for the site and allows for potentially lucrative interaction between public and private portions of the development"