Mayor says BIA can't win

Clarington's mayor Mutton doesn't think Bowmanville's BIA should appeal the council's approval of applications by developers to build big box stores at the west end of town. Bowmanville BIA and Zellers have teamed up to launch an appeal against the 700,000 square feet of new retail space that was approved all at once in an area that they feel can't really support it, without severely affecting the downtown area. It's not that they want to stop all commercial retail development. It's just that it's too much too quickly.

Under Clarington's official plan, population increases would trigger expansion in how much retail floor space can be opened. That is/was a safeguard to maintain downtowns as strong commercial areas.

Downtown Bowmanville merchants are "in support of a number of the proposals in the King Street-Hwy. 2 corridor when population thresholds are met," said Ron Hooper of the Bowmanville BIA. But the group is "opposed to any commercial development that is not within this corridor ... The history of the impact of malls on the peripheral (area of a municipality) is well documented - one succeeds at the expense of another."

Mr. Hooper (the Chairman of the Board of Management for Historical Downtown Bowmanville) noted that there will be historic consequences for the downtown core should these applications be allowed to proceed. He noted that when the population is large enough to support all the businesses then he would welcome the introduction of the applications. He stated that people who work outside the area will continue to shop outside the area and that downtown Bowmanville will not be able to survive the incline in sales.

But our Mayor doesn't want the Bowmanville business group and Zellers to appeal, because the BIA will lose $400,000.00 that the municipality "negotiated" for them from the developers. But that money is contingent on there being no appeal of the approval to the OMB. Hmmm. Sure, it's nice to have some money "donated" toward promotions, events, infrastructure, etc. for the BIA, but come on! To make it contingent on there not being an appeal? Obviously it's not illegal, but it sure does look funny.

And where does the Mayor get off telling everyone that the BIA/Zellers appeal doesn't have a hope in hell of succeeding? Stan Stein (Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt) appeared before Council on behalf of his client, Zellers Inc. Mr. Stein advised Council of the history of the planning process involving the Ontario Municipal Board and noted that the decisions of the OMB hearing are being abandoned. According to the notice of appeal, the basis for concern is that a 1990s Ontario Municipal Board decision tied new retail growth to population growth, but that the new approvals don't follow that principle. Whether they win or not, that doesn't sound like an appeal without merit.

Now I like to shop as much as the next person, and yes I sometimes shop at Wal-Mart or Home Depot in Oshawa. I am not automatically against all big box stores. But it depends on location and timing. And fairness to other business owners as well as residents. The location of this proposed development is a concern for many. Even the planning department was not in favor of approval of the Home Depot in that location but eventually it got approved along with the Wal-Mart and Loblaws. There are traffic and other concerns due to location (residential and schools) that people feel have not been adequately addressed.

What is important is that commercial policy must strike a balance. There's room for both, for the specialty shops downtown and the big box stores on the edges of town. And that is what the Bowmanville BIA has been saying all along. That makes sense. Of course it can be hard for downtown areas to compete as parking is harder to find, it's not as convenient, and it's hard for small, family business to remain competitive in a small town with large, multinational corporations nipping at your heels. But if there are no big box stores for residents, it can be argued that they leave town to shop and the downtown businesses miss out on that group too. So having both in a community can be a good thing. But approving too much new retail space all at once can become a problem. We do know that council loves growth. Growth is good, and the more the better. That means more tax dollars for them to spend. But they don't always look at the other costs of that growth, both in dollars and cents, and in community problems, traffic, crime, need for more soft services, etc.

So, whether you're for or against the big box stores, there is still the question of whether the mayor should be predicting the outcome of an OMB hearing in advance. Or slagging Zellers, who have been a good corporate customer for the municipality. Or trying to use hush money to stop the Bowmanville BIA from proceeding with an appeal they feel they have every right to proceed with. Or ignoring Clarington's official plan, where population increases would trigger expansion in how much retail floor space can be opened. Or ignoring a 1990s Ontario Municipal Board decision that tied new retail growth to population growth. I would say NO.

Developers have long had tremendous power to get their way in Clarington, from residential developments in sensitive areas to this type of pressure for commercial development. Yes we need commercial development in Clarington. But we have to be careful of where and when and do what is truly best for the community, not just for the municipal pocketbook.