Flurry of public consultations
November 20, 2005

The city has announced six major public input opportunities in the eight day period from November 28 to December 5. Four of the six meetings fall on two of those days.

On November 28, November 30 and December 5 there are public information sessions on the city's Growth Related Integrated Development Strategy (GRIDS) - the plan for how the city will change over the next 30 years.

The meetings will unveil three major infrastructure documents - a Stormwater Master Plan, a Water and Wastewater Master Plan and a Transportation Master Plan - that will direct installations of these services. The sessions will also be the last in the GRIDS consulation before council chooses a preferred growth option.

The choices are summarized in the city's advertising as: "a mix of different types and locations for growth including adding more people to the existing urban areas by planning for more townhouses and apartments in established areas, completion of the new subdivisions that are already planned for in the currently vacant lands within the City of Hamilton urban boundary, and expanding our City boundary to accommodate new residential areas."

Also on November 30 and again on December 5 there are pre-budget consultation sessions where an overview of the 2006 city financial options will be presented and public comments sought. Each open house session will run from 2 - 8 p.m with Mayor Larry Di Ianni and city manager Glen Peace making presentations at 3 and 7 p.m. on each date.

In between these meetings, the public is being asked to comment on plans to raise the water and sewer rates by 7.5%. These budget details won't be released until November 25, but citizens are invited to make presentations to councillors of up to 5 minutes on the morning of December 2. Provincial law requires that water/sewer budget be finalized before the beginning of January.

For info about the GRIDS meetings visit http://www.gridsmasterplans.com/English/page-2-1181-1.html.

For the pre-budget sessions see http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/
HotTopics/05-11-16tt.htm.

To register to speak on the water and sewer rates, email mgallagh@hamilton.ca.