No More Sobeys

Well for now.

This decision boggles my mind actually. With all the new development currently underway in the western side of town, the need for a grocery outlet is desperately needed. Proponents against the development said that it would cause traffic chaos along Derry Road. Maybe right now but when those homes south of Derry and Tremaine Road are built, there will be traffic chaos and congestion.

When homeowners who live in this new development have to go grocery shopping, their choices are rather limited. They can go to the old A&P (reopening soon I believe under Food Basics), the soon to be old Loblaws (reopening as a Price Chopper I believe), the new superstore at Thompson and Main, Food Port at Derry and 25 or the new A&P south of Derry on Thompson.

Notice where all of these stores are located…in the eastern part of town. How will these people get to the stores on the traditional days of shopping on the weekend? Derry Road. They will have to travel east on Derry, past the hospital towards the centre and eastern part of town.

Consider the number of homes being built in that new area. Thousands really. And all of them with no place to shop for groceries other than the central and eastern section of town. Granted Derry Road has now been widened to accommodate the increased amount of traffic, but by not having something at the west end, you will be forcing Milton residents to have to drive out there for food.

The same arguments were made when the new A&P was being proposed a few years ago. More traffic, congestion around the area, cars idling and commuter chaos. None of that has happened. The way it was designed cars can easily enter and leave the mall where all these stores are located. If designed properly it wont be much of a problem.

The argument that it will negatively affect the downtown core doesn’t hold much weight as far as I’m concerned. If anything, not having a grocery centre near the west side might force residents to go up Bronte Street and turn down Main Street to get to the other shopping centres to avoid possible traffic along Derry Road. This is much worse as it will increase the amount of traffic in the downtown core, of which its NOT designed for heavy traffic. People will barely notice the stores along the Main Street corridor like Mikes Barber Shop, Jay’s Ice Cream, the Post Office, the art gallery, and other stores like Main Street Yarns. Many people go to the downtown core because of its ease of being able to walk. With more vehicles driving through, it will make things like crossing the street more of a chore. What happens after that? They simply will not continue to go.

This isn’t taking into consideration the Farmers Market, which is one of Milton’s cherished jewels. If someone has to commute across town using Main Street to get to where the Milton Mall is, the Farmers Market (albeit only during the morning hours) will cause even more commuting problems.

The decision by council to stop this development is very short sighted in my opinion. The town is growing by leaps and bounds, and it seems theres no end in sight. Hundreds of homes are breaking ground as we speak with many more to come in the next few years. We as a town have to be able to accommodate them, to be able to design this town where people DON’T have to cross it to get groceries.

This decision by council will be opposed by the developers and the Town of Milton will end up at the OMB defending this decision under appeal. We shouldn’t be afraid of the OMB by any means, but we need to be able to see past the next 3 years and look 30 years into where we are going to be.

I don’t think its a done deal by any means.

http://www.miltoncanadianchampion.com/news/article/88667

Shopping centre bid gets rejected
Council’s decision met favourably
By Melanie Hennessey
Apr 27, 2007


Town council received a round of applause Monday evening after turning down a shopping centre proposed for the northwest corner of Bronte Street and Derry Road.

In a 6-3 vote, council said no to making an Official Plan amendment for First Capital’s development that would’ve contained a Sobeys store and commercial, retail and restaurant uses on the west-end property.

A group of residents and local developers have long been opposing the plans. Council heard from them, along with people who favour the project, at its session this week before voting the proposal down.

Maggie Lizzi of La Rose Bakery on Bronte Street said she thinks the development wouldn’t give people who are new to town a fair chance to come and explore her family business.

“I’m not in favour of this project,” she said. “I also think it would impact the (business) people on Main Street.”

DEVELOPER DEFENDS PLANS

But First Capital’s representative Patrick Devine pointed to a market impact study that said the development won’t have a negative impact on the planned function of the central business district.

He urged council to adopt the Official Plan amendment for the First Capital site.
Marla Marnoch of the Bronte Meadows Neighbourhood Group also spoke to council to once again ask for them to turn down the development.

“The First Capital location is inappropriate,” she said, noting that Milton District Hospital and a fire station are both nearby. “Obviously the need for quick access of emergency vehicles has to be considered.”

In addition, she argued the shopping centre would cause “congestion and traffic chaos” along Derry Road.

Also speaking against the proposal was lawyer Gerald Swinkin on behalf of Manaman Inc., which owns nearby property at the corner of First Line and Louis St. Laurent and intends to build a commercial development there.

Like last time he appeared before council, he suggested First Capital change its name to ‘First Cannonball’, since he thinks the proposal will blow a hole in the commercial plans already made for the town.

Wrapping up the delegations was local resident Bill Walker from the Bronte Meadows area, speaking on behalf of himself and his neighbours.

He said they’re in favour of the development, noting the southwest quadrant of town needs a full-serve grocery store. Walker also pointed out that with the housing development planned for the west end, it makes sense to eliminate traffic traveling across town to shop.

Council members then went on to express their thoughts on the proposal.

Wards 2 and 4 Councillor Colin Best expressed concern about the fact the town is rapidly running out of serviced employment land, which is what the First Capital site is designated for.
“People who live here have to work outside the community,” he noted. “I think we’re selling ourselves short.”

But Ward 3 Councillor Jan Mowbray argued the preferred place for employment uses is around the 400-series highways. She said she supports the Official Plan amendment because she has heard people say they want a grocery store on the west side of town.

Ward 4 Councillor Paul Scherer said he thinks the development would affect downtown businesses and create traffic congestion in the Derry Road/Bronte Street area.

Fellow Ward 4 Councillor Wendy Schau concurred that the retail centre would have a detrimental affect on the central business area.

On the flip side, Ward 3 Councillor Cindy Lunau said she feels the development could actually help anchor the town’s core, since the downtown area doesn’t offer a food store but First Capital would. “I believe this is actually something that will serve the
downtown. We can’t afford to have the population drive out of town for one more day than necessary (to shop).”

Wards 1 and 3 Councillor Barry Lee shared similar sentiments, noting a shopping centre in the west end could get more of the rural community into town to shop, in turn helping the downtown stores.

When the vote was called, Lee, Lunau and Mowbray favoured the development while Scherer, Ward 1 Councillor Brian Penman, Ward 2 Councillor Mike Boughton, Schau, Best and Mayor Gord Krantz voted against it.

Council went on to approve an Official Plan amendment regarding the Town’s retail commercial demand study, which recommends where new shopping space should and shouldn’t be located in Milton.

The study — along with Town staff — recommended against accommodating First Capital’s proposal, but it was pursued further and reached Monday night’s meeting based on the direction of the previous council.

The amendment makes way for several developments, including an expansion of the Crossroads Shopping Centre and a commercial development in Milton Heights near the corner of Third
Sideroad and the realigned Tremaine Road.

Melanie Hennessey can be reached at mhennessey@miltoncanadianchampion.com.