Burlington development will be ‘complex and controversial’ in the future

One of the biggest challenges facing Burlington over the next few years will be how to handle development.

Ward 1 councillor Kelvin Galbraith knows he and his colleagues will have to maintain the delicate balance between addressing concerns of residents vs. the provincial mandate to grow.

“People want to live in Burlington, but there are basically no new greens spaces left, we’re landlocked,” he said during an exclusive interview.

“So most of the development will be infill, fitting projects into existing communities and neighbourhoods.”

And that will cause issues as not many people want to live next door to a construction site for several years as high-rises start to pop up around the downtown core.

In addition to neighbour issues of impacted views, new wind and traffic patterns and more shade in back yards.

Right now, Burlington is steering infill development around the three GO stations in the city. But Galbraith realizes not everyone wants to live there.

“Why would seniors want to live near a GO station, for example. They’re not making daily commutes. People want to live in a fully-formed community, not just whatever is closest to a GO station.”

That’s why areas like Plains Rd./Aldershot, Fairview and Brant streets have also been identified as growth areas.

“There are between 50 and 75 applications for projects in our system right now,” said Galbraith.

“It might be four or five years before there are shovels in the ground, but this issue will be complex and controversial going forward.”