** I am strongly opposed to…

**

I am strongly opposed to expanding the Minister's authority for zoning orders.

It is not good planning to override carefully considered local decisions.

Municipalities which have opted to use site control do not do so capriciously or lightly: they know that the future of their municipality depends on its good reputation, which depends in turn on cooperation and fairness with developers.

Site control ensures that the purchasers of the developed land will be satisfied, that there won't be overflowing or blowing garbage, that delivery vehicles will be have room to park long enough to deliver items people have ordered, that the site won't drain into their dwellings, etc. Site control is, and should be, painstaking. It should be undertaken by people thoroughly familiar with local conditions, not people parachuted in by the Minister's office.

Site control is especially important to citizens who care about the long term future of their municipality, and their province. Site control is where and how most citizen concerns raised in the early review of a development proposal are dealt with. Those small details, things like where will shovelled snow be piled, will taxis dropping off residents block other cars or buses, are things long-term residents have learned to watch for. Allowing a non-resident Ministry official to eliminate what may seem to them petty concerns is unwise. It can undo good planning.

Important as transit-oriented development, inclusionary zoning, affordable housing are, there are already many legislative and planning tools available to accomplish them.

Their long-term success depends on enthusiastic acceptance by the community.

Overriding community will -- as expressed through site plan control -- to push such projects through will do more harm than good.