The Columbus Report ED-23- 117 is now on the City's website. It contains the "Columbus Part II Plan" which staff want added to the City's Official Plan for the redevelopment of the Columbus area.
Anyone wishing to speak or write their comments/objections to the Committee before the Monday meeting must email [email protected] by Friday June 2, 2023 BEFORE NOON.
Since the last public meeting there are many changes. The unfortunate key differences between the proposed Columbus Part II Plan presented a few short weeks ago at the March 6, 2023 Planning Act public meeting and the one this month involves a significant REDUCTION IN PARKLAND!
• The Community Park has been reduced in size from 12.0 hectares (29.6 ac.) to 8.5 hectares (21.0 ac.);
• All Neighbourhood Parks have been reduced from either 4.1 hectares (10.1 ac.) or 2.1 hectares (5.2 ac.) to 2.0 hectares (4.9 ac.) in size; and,
•There is no longer a Neighbourhood Park I and Neighbourhood Park II designation. There is now only one standard Neighbourhood Park designation.
•One public elementary school and one public secondary school have been deleted and replaced with appropriate residential designations.
The pictures (below) show the revisions. Comparing them does not install much confidence.
In the City's Official Plan, the Columbus Part II Plan will follow the other Part II Plans, starting back in the late 1990s when the Taunton Part II Plan was added, then in the early 2010s the Windfields Part II Plan, and in 2022 the Kedron Part II Plan, and now, more rushed, with more densification and regrettably now with 2 school sites removed and PARKS that are SMALLER AND FEWER.
The Report is 212 pages and on the Economic Development Services Committee meeting Agenda for Monday, June 5, 2023 at 1:30 pm
If you have any questions the City is directing you to ask planner Laura Moebs 905 436-3311 Ext 2818
Again, anyyone wishing to speak or write their comments/objections to the Committee before the Monday meeting must email [email protected] by Friday June 2, 2023 BEFORE NOON.
Anyone wishing to speak or write their comments/objections to the Committee before the Monday meeting must email [email protected] by Friday June 2, 2023 BEFORE NOON.
Since the last public meeting there are many changes. The unfortunate key differences between the proposed Columbus Part II Plan presented a few short weeks ago at the March 6, 2023 Planning Act public meeting and the one this month involves a significant REDUCTION IN PARKLAND!
• The Community Park has been reduced in size from 12.0 hectares (29.6 ac.) to 8.5 hectares (21.0 ac.);
• All Neighbourhood Parks have been reduced from either 4.1 hectares (10.1 ac.) or 2.1 hectares (5.2 ac.) to 2.0 hectares (4.9 ac.) in size; and,
•There is no longer a Neighbourhood Park I and Neighbourhood Park II designation. There is now only one standard Neighbourhood Park designation.
•One public elementary school and one public secondary school have been deleted and replaced with appropriate residential designations.
The pictures (below) show the revisions. Comparing them does not install much confidence.
In the City's Official Plan, the Columbus Part II Plan will follow the other Part II Plans, starting back in the late 1990s when the Taunton Part II Plan was added, then in the early 2010s the Windfields Part II Plan, and in 2022 the Kedron Part II Plan, and now, more rushed, with more densification and regrettably now with 2 school sites removed and PARKS that are SMALLER AND FEWER.
The Report is 212 pages and on the Economic Development Services Committee meeting Agenda for Monday, June 5, 2023 at 1:30 pm
If you have any questions the City is directing you to ask planner Laura Moebs 905 436-3311 Ext 2818
Again, anyyone wishing to speak or write their comments/objections to the Committee before the Monday meeting must email [email protected] by Friday June 2, 2023 BEFORE NOON.
When one area resident wrote me that although she has objections and contacted planning, her "objections seem irrelevant as are all these meeting." I wrote back to please keep trying and that it would be helpful if the Council Chamber was full with residents saying it doesn't really seem public interest is being best advanced here.
I added that in my opinion this Part II plan should be done in a very improved way from all the other Oshawa Part II Plans. but unfortunately they involve the same players, who are comfortable continuing on their same path.
Besides, why rush with the lands north of the 407, given the MEGA NUMBER of new projects percolating in the background, and planned in the downtown with the large number of high rise residentials, in south Oshawa with 2 MAJOR PROJECT APPROVALS, and with all kinds of infill sites else-where in the City, plus the 11 KEDRON PLANS OF SUBDIVISION, and the Windfields projects underway where you can see 5 cranes on Simcoe St. N. just south of Costco.
What seems very telling recently across Durham Region was the number of developer contributions to election candidates in 2022. They more than doubled from the 2018 election. Who wonders why that occurred...maybe because this 1st half of 2023 has been when the Region was approving its new Official Plan 'Envision Durham' and various tracts of lands instantly became more valuable with approval by the elected.
This, imo, is not as simple as saying the government and developers are 'planning for future growth needs' and anyone questioning is a nimby or has their head in the sand. Those may be handy marketing phrases that set up a dichotomy but ignore the old adage 'follow the money'.
I added that in my opinion this Part II plan should be done in a very improved way from all the other Oshawa Part II Plans. but unfortunately they involve the same players, who are comfortable continuing on their same path.
Besides, why rush with the lands north of the 407, given the MEGA NUMBER of new projects percolating in the background, and planned in the downtown with the large number of high rise residentials, in south Oshawa with 2 MAJOR PROJECT APPROVALS, and with all kinds of infill sites else-where in the City, plus the 11 KEDRON PLANS OF SUBDIVISION, and the Windfields projects underway where you can see 5 cranes on Simcoe St. N. just south of Costco.
What seems very telling recently across Durham Region was the number of developer contributions to election candidates in 2022. They more than doubled from the 2018 election. Who wonders why that occurred...maybe because this 1st half of 2023 has been when the Region was approving its new Official Plan 'Envision Durham' and various tracts of lands instantly became more valuable with approval by the elected.
This, imo, is not as simple as saying the government and developers are 'planning for future growth needs' and anyone questioning is a nimby or has their head in the sand. Those may be handy marketing phrases that set up a dichotomy but ignore the old adage 'follow the money'.