Special Planning Program

By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

On September 18 a special council meeting was held in Westmount to announce that council had unanimously adopted the plan to redevelop the south sector of the town.

The Special Planning Program (PPU) referred to as Imagine Westmount has drawn a lot of ire from those who believe the town’s character is at stake, but also support from the many who believe, as Smith does, that the area is in dire need of the kind of change inherent in the plan.

Opening the meeting, Mayor Christina Smith said she knew that she was “not changing any minds here in this room tonight.” She said that council knew any decision made regarding the redevelopment of the area would be divisive. She acknowledged that there were many who had hoped for more time, who had hoped the issue would be deferred to the next council to be elected on November 2.

Delay, she said, has led to nothing being done for nearly a decade, “with further decline, more vacancies, and no investment.” Crime and homelessness have become big problems in the area, she said. “Delay has not solved these problems. Delay has made them worse.”

At one point Smith made an error, referring to the south side of the Dorchester instead of the north side, before she was corrected. She assured those present that she was not pulling a sneaky move and changing the plan, “even though I think that majority of you in the room think I would.”

In the end council voted to implement that plan that Smith said was “years in the making,” adding that it cannot be delayed again.

The councillors present each took a few minutes to speak, taking the opportunity to reiterate their arguments either for or against implementation or further delay. Matthew Aronsons went over some of the changes made to the plan prior to the vote, including what he referred to as “incentive zoning” to give the city more bargaining power with developers moving forward, and even reducing the proposed height of the some of the buildings in the plan. After suggesting that the plan is the best possible plan for the community and can’t be improved, councillor Kathleen Kez spoke, saying “the current plan is not ready, and needs more time to mature.” She listed several elements that she felt were missing from the plan, and called for it to be carried over to the next newly elected council.

“The Special Planning program should be a source of pride, and not a division for Westmounters,” she said. “I am not prepared to take a leap of faith and adopt the current plan as it stands. It needs to mature before we commit.” She was applauded after saying that if council chose, rather, to move forward, she would have no choice but to vote against it.

Mary Gallery, who is running for mayor in the upcoming elections, saying “This is not rushed; this was clearly designed from the start.”

“Let me be clear,” she added, “this is not a blank check for developers, this is a framework to attract serious, responsible investment.” By moving the plan forward, Gallery said, the next council will have something to work with, even if they make changes. “Adopt and adapt,” added councilor Conrad Peart.

Residents had their time to question or comment on the plan, with one, Dr. Caroline Reinhold, present a petition with more than 10,000 signatures, “ten times the number who attended each of the public consultations,” Reinhold said, “and three times the number who responded to the city’s online survey,” calling for a delay.

The adopted plan will now be in the hands of a new council to be elected on November 2. Smith announced some time ago that she is not seeking re-election. n