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OPINION NOT MUCH TO ENVY THESE DAYS ABOUT BEING A CITY COUNCILLOR i MIKE FARWELL Column sary material to be pre- pared for those meetings. And then there are the events, not one of which slips by without council- lors receiving an invita- tion. Suddenly, weekday evenings and weekend af- ternoons are filled with ii grand open- I've never really envied the job of a city councillor. Since I started covering municipal politics more than ars ago, I've come to realize | that there's abso- ton ofa municipal council- sure, they meet at coun- cil once per week, but many more hours are spent reading the neces- 4 ings and community cele- brations. Beyond that — and even before the advent of social media — advanced tech- nologies made our elected Tepresentatives accessible 24hours a day, daysa week. It's not st ‘all uncom- mon to be stopped in the grocery store or coffee shop to engage in a discus- sion about a neighbour- hood issue. Dare I say, though, that I Toronto 2886 Dundas § StW, Toronto, ON MéP 1v8 f @cornerstonehome envy the job of a city coun- cillor even less today than ever before. Today, on top of round- the-clock access and de- it well exceed part-time hours, council- lors are stuck firmly be- tween the people they re- housing development proposal, anywhere. If the neighbourhood where the housing is being built doesn't like what's be- ing proposed, they will pas- sionately advocate their council to reject the devel- opment. And certainly, the coun- cil, in the interests of lis- tening to the people who elected them, can heed that eae and vote down the Pro} But that! 's not the end of the issue. The developer, dis- has the option of appealing that decision at a pro" cial board (the Ontario Land Tribunal, or OLT). Visit usioit a-kind Now, the city must pees money fighting that peal. history tells us the developer is almost al- ways successful, at a rate greater than 90 per cent. Further, when the OLT rules in favour of the devel- yper, the developer can build its project absent any concessions earned by the city council when the pro- posal was originally before Z ‘Kitchener Coun. Scott Davey views the situation this way. Cambridge ec “eee " Metroland file photo "Dare | say, though, that | envy the job of a city councillor even less today than ever before," writes Mike Farwel “We were once seen as a yield sign, or a stop sign, when it comes to develop- ment. City council is not that anymore. City council is a speed bump to develop- mentat best,” “Davey said at a council meeting earlier this summer. “The best we can do is and make it the best possible development This was laid bare after Kitchener council recently decided to reject a develop- ment proposal and try its Paris “And guess what's hap- pened Davey asked rhe- 9 ically. “The exact same : fovelonaent' is happening, 5 minus $1.25 million that ° was supposed to go to af- 3 fordable housing. People FA will be homeless because og yj that decision." This is not meant to let = < city council off the hook for 8 the decisions it makes. Council is still accountable © to the public. However, this clearly demonstrates how little control a municipal ~ slim chances at the OLT. : 3 8 council c1 outcomes, when it con comes to housing develop! Does tm mean the situa- tion is hopeless or irrevers- ible? Ne jo. But the situation sureas heck isn't enviable. Columnist Mike Far- well is a broadcaster, MC and advocate. Follow him on Twitter at @far- well_WR, or connect with him via Mike.Far- well@rci.rogers.com. Lil faa Ye ] 300 Grand River St N, Paris, ON N3L 3R7 @cornerstonefurniture_ eo'@]a|UOIyDOOHe}2M