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'Agencies 'ail over *the board' on development bid: Krantz By IRENE GENTLE The Champion The battie lines are drawn in preparation for a joint board hearing over protect- ed Milton lands at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment. But a lack of consensus among Halton Region, the Town of Milton and the *Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) will compli- cate the issue, predicted Mayor Gord Krantz. 'Tlhe odd part of it is these agen- dies are ail over the board on it," he noted. Each group is free to act as a commenting agency at the hearing, set for November. It will determine if four parcels of land adding up to 179 hectares should be deleted from the protec- tive Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP). Applications to exit the NEP have been submitted by Jannock Properties, John Grant and the numbered company 825927 Ontario bIc. Their combined lands are bor- dered by Bronte Road to the east, Tremaine Road to the West, and Main street to the south. They then veer north towards Milton Heights on the CPR line. Milton counicil was firat to weigh in about one year ago in a vote that few seem to clearly recaîl. What is known is the result: Council decided that the lands would automatically roll into the Milton Official Plan if the board releases them from the NEP. That would allow them to be built on. It is also known that tie discus- sion was not controversial enougis to require a recorded vote. But it is heating up now. Last Thursday, the NEC voted in favor of keeping aIl four properties under the NEP. And regional counicil voted the week before to allow -most of one property to exit the plan, while keeping the others under protec- tion. The public has also waded in, sending meains of letters and peti- tions to councillors and the NEC. As a voting member of Town and regional councils as well as the NEC, Mr. Krantz has consistently corne out in support of the Milton position. At the Region, he was the only one of Milton's three elected repire- sentatives to do so. But he insisted that his vote should not be taken to mean he is against escarprnent preservation. "I think the escarpiment, and even the lead-up, should be protected," he said. "But where is that?" And the Milton decision has to be looked at in context, said Mr. Krantz. The vote was cast before an offi- ciaI plan had been drawn up. The decision to start the first phase of development in Milton's southeast quadrant had not yet been made. 'Me Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Improvement Association were lobbying council to extend the downtown core by developing in the west. "The majority of us were looking at options," said Mr. Krantz. "We were looking at anythîng and or everything." His vote to free ail four proper- ties froro thse NEP is a vote against fragmentary planning, hie said. "Is piecemeal planning good planning?" he asked. "I think not." But Mr. Krantz said hie will accept the joint board's rulîng. 'Whatever decision is made, I can live with it," lie said. "It won't have me goîng to thse top of the escarpment and jumping over." Milton and regional Councillor Rick Malboeuf also has trouble oecalling the specifics of thse local vote. But times have changed since it was cast, and so have some minda, aid Mr. Malboeuf. He lias publîcly stated that he is arnong tise converted. So has e. DEVELOPMENT page 23 The Canadian Chammon, Tuesdav. SeptembOr 28. AuCr Sunmmt4'nous lai Sut pmUPER TrOOL SAI Public Welcome Two Days OnIy Sept. 30. - Oct. Y 8:00 a.m. to 7:OOp.m. Mn't miss your chance to buy prof ssionol qualily hand tc power tools and much, much more at factory direct pricE SUPER SAVUNGS Of ,RAYTOOLS DORMER TOOUS MITUTOTO ANDVIK J. WALTER UIXIE SOWA TOOL BONDHUS Take a tour of our newly expanded offlices, waru and showroom and meet our customer service DOOR PRIZE DRAW - COMPUIMENTARY REFRESHM 8 ir take H4ave your cake anèd Our c4wamy soft S~rv t90 with a £LQ' Layeffed Cakem. 'ei~d amn Ve soft W-* w icm*«» umnw Sm~ il