At 7:30 this morning, the heavy equipment rolled up and started to bash down the house at 2 Twenty Seventh, across the street and a little south of our place. This house has been empty for quite some time. The property was bought by someone who decided it was a good idea to sever the lot into two long narrow lots and crowd in two tall, long, narrow homes. This developer was able to get the severance passed at Committee of Adjustment and OMB even though it represents intensification in this neighbourhood and a striking character shift. This has led to other properties in the immediate area being sold to others looking to mine for Long Branch gold.

The big problem as I see it is there is no planning process to guide changes in Long Branch at this critical time. We’re seeing a lot of older folks selling and the developers are snapping up all the 50 foot lots, eager to slice and dice. Each application is treated on it’s own at Committee of Adjustment and the OMB. We need a process that looks at the changing community, that has representation from the community as well as politicos and developers and so on. Instead, the developers make their applications, hire their lawyers and agents and architects and so on, and those of us who are directly affected do our best to band together and make our arguments as strongly as possible.

The current process simply does not serve the City well. We need a fresh look at development in Toronto so we can finally stop making the same mistakes over and over and over and over. I think it’s time for the City to manage this, time to cut the OMB out of the deal. I challenge our new Mayor and our City Councillors to show some leadership and imagination and make some positive change happen. .