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PAGE 22, WH1ITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 4,1390 Region OP process cri tici*zed FROM PAGE 1 is adverse te, intensification, but that there 18 some question about the acceptance and practicality of this statistic and thereby the land resources being provided for residential development.» After reading bis seven-page brief, Batten again anked the committee te, allow for more input fromn the public and meni- ber municipalities. urm not asking you te stop or slow down what youre doing, but take inte, account what we're doing.» In response, Durham regional chairman GrvHerrema wan both msurrxse and disappoin- ted" to, hear Battens rem arks.- «We can study and delay and rocrastinate but thats not going get the job done,» said Her- renia. The chairman shared some of Battens concerne about specific proposais, but t1isagreed with others. «How can you look at 407 and not have an opinon?" anked Her- renia. "Ifs fine te say we should study and study and study, but we have te know where you want it.7 (The draft suugests a specific route for the highwvay.) Herrema also took umbrae witft Batten's assessment of the planning process. "Your commente almost say we're not working together. If two municipal goyernments should be together it, should be us » iaid Herrema. ZSomething is definitely wrong in municipal government when you're this close in proximity but that far apart in planig philo- sophy." Hlerrema added that the offi- ciai plIan, review was far from complete and that Miput from both citizens and local councils will be reflected in the final document. Newcastle Mayor Marie Hub- bard, committee chairman, endorsed Herremas commenta. "Dont go away thinking were obstructionist, were here to work in conjunction with the Town,» said Hubbard. Peter Smith of M.M. Dillon Ltd., the planning consultants hired te conduct Wihitby's officiai plan reviewv, informed the com- mittee of lus firma progress te date. Smith said that even though his copany began work six weeks ao, it has not yet had direct contact with Region plan- ners. According te Smith, the most pressing concern facing Whitby is future growth. MIN 9Q CQ - f FREE INSTALLATION AND WHEEL BALANCE ELECTRA TURBO HP OWL 175 x 7OSR1 3 ....$69.00 185 x 70SR1 3....$72.0 195 x 70SR13 ....$78.00 205 x 70SR1 4....$80.00 215 x 6SR1 4....$83.00 235 x 6OSR1 4 ....$87.00 215 x 65SR1 5....$90.00 225 x 70SR1 5 ....$92.00 235 x 60SR15 ...$1 00.00 275 x 6OSR1 5...$1 12.00 235 x 70SR15 ...$10000 USED TIRES $20oe and up STEEL TRAC ALLSEASON.SPECIAL 155 x8OR1 3.......................................... $5900 BF GOODRICH TOURINO T A 195 X70SR1 4........................................$7.0 215 X 65SR15 ........................... $97.000 VAN HMMENIRSA "Whitby han 50,000 peple. From what's been said tenight were talking about a tripling of the popplation,» said Smith. "Oe oft e questions well have te look at during the next 12 months la whether Wbhitby still wa.nts te, stay a tewn." Batten denied thatVWbitby was tryng tebe confrontational. «éwant te have the oppor- tunity te, go through our review and have that part of your review. We want to, make sure that we c4n do our thing and not get locked inte what you want te do»said Batten. aoe repeated those concerna te The Free Press following the meeting.. "We will be receiving public input and holding meetings. We want te niake sure our review is not after the fact,» said Batten. «We have a lot of concerne and we want te be sure our input han effect.» Batten said Wbhitby was pe pared te, work with the Régon, but added, «I think it han teb e a two-way street.» QUESTION:. We are retiring in a few years. I hear rumors * thaï house prices wiil fail lower. Sol eoi o n et We hope te move te Florida. 1ANSWER.' Selling now would only compound your problenis. If you don't have teo eil, dont. Few people are buying, se you woldbave te price very competitively, then probably buy down the mortgage interest rate, both which wii deplete your eqity. When people talk about house prios failing further, they might be referring to Speculaters who bought expensive homes at the height of the boom te flip and may have te reduce them more to move them. Solid iddle clasm homes are not gming to go down in price significantly. Rates wiil go lower and prices Wii rise again. Homes buit but market in s lump FROM PAGE 5 term investment rather than long-terni. This gave rise te spe- culative action by a lotof peope. "That drove up prices. Now, with an oversupply of housing, conies a drop in prices and a lot of speculaters are stuck wîth property they're trying te seli.» To illustrate how attractive the real estate market was, there were 660 members of the Osh- awa and District Real Estate Board in 1983. Today, there are 1,500 meni- bers. "A lot of people Igot into the business during the boom times froni 85-891, they felt it was a ticket to easy street," says Buchanan. "Since the slowdown they're st aying away in droves.» HIe predicts the number of real estate agents locally will drop to about 1,300 by next January. As for lus solution te returning the real estate market te «nor- mal" levels, Buchanan offers two suggestions. "The key is to get the first- time buyer back in the market. We can do it by builders making smaller, more affordable houses. "The'second is a reduction ina interest rates.", Draft proposais cati forvrta trOPiing of Whitby's population By Mike Kowaloki Proposed changeste Durham Region's o fficial plan provide for Whitby's population te, reach 140,000 withîn 30 years. Included in that figure will be a population of 25,000 lu Brook- lin, one of three locations in Durham targeted for special study as the site of future deve- lopment. The population projections and other proposaIs were outlined te Wbitby residents sud Town offi- ciais last week duning a public meeting cf Durham Regions planning committee. The committee is holding meetings lu every Durham muni- cipality te, receive commenta about draft changes te, the ReeofficialpIi a document which establisixes land use poli- cies lu a municipality. Durham's current plan wan adopted lu 1976. Durham planning commis- sioner Dr. M£ofed Michael teld the meeting that population growth was the primary issue te be considered during preparation of the revised plan. Michael said the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) la expected te grow by 2.2 million peple b? the year 2021, with Durham s share te ho 468,000. The population growth meana that 1.4 -million new jobs will ho needed lu the GTA, Durham's share being 172,000 jobs, sa.id Michael. \%2t ~ I The Whitby Free Press would like to wish Happy Birthday toi ail its carriers with JULY birthdays! Steven Berry Chris Broad Evan Cardwell Andrew Fountain Karmyn Giesbrecht Katie Hili Michael Clark Mark Hugel Michael Delvecchio Greg Ival Gary Espien Nicole Lalonde Tim Loveless Joshua McVeity Kelly Mount Antony Pentarakis Kari Soetens In order to effectively handie this growth Michael said four key "challenges" muet be addressed. These include, structuring development, where la the best place for new growth; its impact on the environnient; providg afforable housing and job crea- tion. Michael said the draft changes will acconinodate a future popu- lation of 950,000 ln Durham. "We're not saying it will hap- pen but if it does we're prepared for it" said Michael. Ne'wcastle Mayor Marie Hub- bard, Region planning committee chairnian, said the current plan han serve Durham weil for 16 years but la lu need of refine- ,ment. She wan hopeful the review wilI ho completed by the end of this rea "ut that may ho to soon. Included in the proposed changes are the following. - setting aside 5,000 acres for housing sud 4,000 acres for empîcyment purposes te handie new growth; - mncreasng the amount of floor spaoe for office and commier- cial use lu urban arean9 from il million sq. ft te 19 million sq. ft.; - esabisment of a university, location and type of facility te ho determined by the Ontario governmient; - specfiai study statua given te Brooklin, Columbus (Oshawa) and Courtice ( Newcastle) an sites for future development; - develop the Oshawa airport for housing should another federal airport ho built in Dur- ham; - designating 1,000 acres f land souîth cf -Brooklin, eant cf Brooklin and the Oshawa- Whitby border, north of Taunton Rd. for empîcynient areas; - desi pnating 1,300 acres for residentiai development lu an area bounded by Taunton Rd., H#çway 12 and Lynde Creek Thickson ]Rd. and theproposed I.------------~, '1 ~ a