Every so often, there’s a slew of news illustrating why it’s important to do a lot of research before buying property or renting a townhouse.
Neighbourly love only goes so far these days and those forested green spaces are only a chainsaw away from becoming beehives of activity and parking lots.
And the devil really is in the fine print.
Ski Club Road residents were bristling this week at the proposal for a 50-unit condo development in their neighbourhood.
If it’s not going to be very rich people moving into very expensive dwellings, they don’t want the heartache of more traffic and potential property devaluation that might bring.
The site is already zoned to allow 20-odd units, but the market can bear more, and more means more money. And we all know coin makes the world go around.
People who recently invested in the area or lived there for decades were probably just getting used to the quiet dead-end atmosphere. The south portal of the Norad underground installation closed only a few years ago.
Here’s a big hint for anybody with money and foresight: No matter where you live, there will be something built uncomfortably close to your space unless you buy the land yourself.
Bonfield residents on Development Road are figuring this out as a proposal for a dragstrip in the middle of an old farm pasture picks up speed.
The town council tried to deflate the plan by declining the application to amend the industrial zoning, citing incomplete studies and a preference for quiet, country living.
They want to be a bedroom community serving people who want to move out of North Bay and Mattawa seeking peace and tranquility.
And people who live in the town don’t want to listen to engines roar all summer long.
Proponents, however, appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board and won a tentative victory when they were granted permission as long as the sound pollution is studied and mitigated.
The township is trying to appeal the decision to divisional court by taking issue with how the OMB member conducted the hearing.
Meanwhile, people who live near the proposed dragstrip are not giving up.
They are dead set against the intrusion, and anybody who lives on a lot near a quiet farm area can relate to their fears.
Unfortunately, there’s not much economy in Bonfield these days and the people who own the land have a right to develop it as long as they jump through the hoops.
I guess the key is making sure they can keep the dragstrip activity down to a dull roar.
And if it does get developed, I can only suggest to the people who live there they should create some kind of road-side business to capitalize on traffic. And then save up the coin to buy a big chunk of their own land and build a castle with high walls in the middle.
Last, but not least, is poor Roger Emond of Lake Heights Road who created a mini-petting zoo for furry and feathered rodents.
He saw a bunch of bush behind his townhouse and carved out a sanctuary for feeding birds and chipmunks, complete with a shack to store feed.
But not everybody enjoys the commotion and droppings that come with such a hobby.
The axe fell this week with the townhouse managers deciding to enforce its rules to please the majority rather than the individual.
I feel a bit sorry for Mr. Emond, because the world is shrinking to the point nobody can do anything without stepping on somebody’s toes.
NOTE: This blog was first published as a Soapboxing column June 20.
Good column Dave. The NIMBYs will always be about and in some cases, you can’t blame them for fighting change. Unfortunately, you’re right. If you want things to stay the same, buy the property. Or organize people to buy the property. As for Mr. Emond, Ifeel bad for him but I thought the photo made it look to be a bit of an eyesore, unless the photo misrepresented what was there. But hell, if it made the guy happy, he would have been a good neighbour instead of being forced by those around him. I hate rules and rules hate me.
dave, this roger guy reminds me of the infamous ’sweetman’s garden’. both were put on land they didn’t own! but since everybody loves flowers, there’s a big support group fighting to save sweetman’s squatter’s rights, while roger’s bird poopapalooza isn’t quite the ‘feel good’ equivalent.in contrast, people on ski club road had no reasonable right to expect that the land would never be used, and people in bonfield don’t exactly have the expectation to pick and choose their developmental opportunities. in both cases, in a small way both will benefit from the increased tax revenue in their municipality.
You know the difference between healthy progress and a step backwards? You do not need to push progress just guide it on the right path. Progress is one of the beautiful things of society, and it will come, just ask Barrie and Kanata. The only thing we can do is ensure that development is healthy progress and in the future is in an environmentally sound direction. If you were not sure, yes society has the right to pick and choose.
This is the year 2009 and Ontario, Canada and the world have some tough environmental decisions to make. You have and will see changes, and so will your children and your children’s children. We must pick and choose the right paths of our future development and yes we have the right to pick and choose as a democracy.
I find it hard to equate a condominium development in the central core to a drag strip, beer gardens in the growth belt on so many levels. If you had to pick, which one to be built beside you, which one would you pick? If you would not want it beside your home have a bit of compassion …. or say nothing.
God help the polar bear!