Mayor Rob Ford is facing revolt over his Port Lands plan, with two more prominent allies joining Councillor Jaye Robinson in saying they will not vote to grab control from Waterfront Toronto.Michelle Berardinetti, like Robinson a member of Ford’s executive, and TTC Chair Karen Stintz both said Thursday they want the intergovernmental agency to hasten development, but reject Ford’s vision of denser development, attractions and a shopping centre on the eastern waterfront.
Berardinetti, who voted with Ford at executive last week to start negotiations with the province and Ottawa to regain control of the city land, said in an interview she would vote against the same motion at council next week.
The rookie councillor said, after talking to the city’s Toronto Port Lands Co., which recently surprised councillors by unveiling a glitzier rival “vision” to Waterfront’s neighbourhood-based mix of condos, shops and offices, she’d like to see co-operation between the agencies, with Waterfront in control.
“The issue for me is optimizing the land and the land value, but you have to protect the floodplain,” said Berardinetti (Ward 35, Scarborough Southwest). “We don’t want to have to go back through the whole costly environmental assessment again. I have told my residents I support TPLC, but I don’t support the vision” that also includes a shopping centre and monorail.
Stintz, who previously crossed Ford and his councillor brother Doug by publicly opposing closing library branches, is sending constituents who inquire an email. It says she made her decision after meeting with staff from both agencies.
“I am convinced that Waterfront Toronto has done a complete and comprehensive plan for the Port Lands and has done so consistent with the city’s vision and the requirements of Ministry of Environment,” she wrote, adding that the Port Lands Co. vision deviates from the council-endorsed plan for a “neighbourhood community with mixed uses.”
“I will be working with my colleagues on amendments that will continue to advance the work of Waterfront Toronto while also attempting to achieve some underlying goals of the proposal by the Toronto Port Lands such as realizing the vision for this land more quickly.”
Most council centrists are balking at Ford’s plan. With the Ford allies joining Robinson (Ward 25, Don Valley West), who broke ranks Wednesday citing the new vision’s lack of a business plan or public consultation, the mayor faces what could become the biggest council defeat of his 10-month mayoralty.
The waterfront fight is being waged on city hall’s second floor, with staff from the two agencies visiting councillors’ offices, crossing paths with each other and Doug Ford, who is personally lobbying colleagues to back the new vision.
With many politicians talking compromise, there were strong indications Thursday that Ford’s office is crafting an amendment that retreats from seizing control of the land but encourages the agencies to work together to jump-start waterfront development.
Paul Bedford, a former City of Toronto chief planner who is among 147 signatories to a letter opposing the Fords’ waterfront plan, told a news conference he is urging councillors to stick to Waterfront Toronto’s plan.
“My advice is stay the course,” he said. “No compromise.”
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Source: Toronto Star
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