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f stoujinesuntrunmemyedriesdecember26r2007 13 mmmmmem some municipalities are running out of business space and that can mean more traffic headaches for you by patrick mangion staff writer with businesses beating a path to york regions doors things have been pretty rosy north of steeles avenue the past few years but that may change if demand exceeds supply residential growth often outstrips commercial by a twotoone margin that means many of yorks municipalities need to tread lightly in the coming years if they are to strike a balance and have enough jobs to keep you off already clogged high ways the last decade has shown torontos loss has been yorks gain in many cases as com panys in search of lower taxes and a larger footprint put down roots in vaughan markham richmond hill newmarket and aurora state farm insurance opened its canadian head quarters in aurora this year and honda plans to do the same in markham with developers pining for apieceofthelucrativeresiden- tial housing boom munici palities have been forced to become protective of what lit tle employment lands remain said ana bassios richmond hills commissioner of plan ning and development the bedroom communi ty could be in danger without a sustainable fiscal base ms bassios said the town is embroiled in a dispute with developers over 270 acres between leslie street and hwy 404 north of elgin mills road the bedroom community could be in danger without a sustainable fiscal base while richmond hill envi sions asprawlingcommercial industrial campus that would rival west beaver creek some developers would rather build homes however richmond hill is one of several southern municipalities earmarked for growth by the province the land use issue went to the ontario municipal board earlier this year where a more diplomatic decision was handed down some of the land is reserved for businesses and other portions zoned for retail and residential but that decision is being reviewed and could change ms bassios said absorption of the towns employment lands has been much quicker than we antici pated the leslie lands are the last employment lands left this is absolutely one of the highest priorities she said e can create two times as many jobs by going up it means we dont have to build more roads or plow more side walks its optimum efficiency that is particularly true in newmarket where the regions smallest town geo graphically is nearly built out less than 100 acres are left for business economic develop ment officer chris kallio said it means the town finds itself in a unique situation while neighbouring towns such as east gwillimbury and aurora are undergoing unprecedented commercial growth newmarket is forced to turn business away mr kallio said we cant promote our selves as a manufacturing centre in the future because of land constraints he said plans are expected to take shape next year for an eight- acre office and commercial development it will be a harbinger of things to come newmarket mayor tony van bynensaid the focus will be on cre ating the types of jobs that can be multistorey the mayor said that includes adding highdensity office build ings in the towns existing corridors such as yonge and davis drive a large por tion of which can be centred around southlake hospital mr van bynen said were out of employment land that takes the metal- stamping factory out of the equation if we can create two times as many jobs by going up it means we dont have to build more roads or plow more sidewalks ifs optimum effi ciency he said hours 99 mon fri 96 sat 115 sun iflark y ujork wear house 1090 hoover park dr stouffvilie 9056424622 zzz