[All] SMART Growth and the Waterloo Official Plan OMB Appeal

[Alisa McClurg]

Hey Kevin et al,

Excellent initiative. I will certainly keep these action items in mind. I also had a thought last night that I thought worthwhile to share. 

I think it would help to describe the OMB decision in terms if WHAT WE COULD HAVE if it was was reversed. So often environmentalists talk about the need to cut back, and have less, in order to protect the environment. But there is almost ano infinite number of ways we can HAVE MORE by protecting it. Francis Moore Lappe talks anout this in her book, EcoMind.

Just a thought I wanted to share.

Cheers,

Alisa

Sent from my BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2013 14:10:57 
To: <all at gren.ca>
Subject: [All] SMART Growth and the Waterloo Official Plan OMB Appeal


Good morning!

There are many people across Waterloo Region (including a number of GREN folks) who are working to raise concern and see what can be done regarding the recent ruling by the OMB against the Waterloo Regional Official Plan.  This ruling goes against all SMART Growth principles and will force the Region to develop thousands of acres of farmland and natural green space into old-fashioned, urban sprawl development.

We have been putting together a website that will serve as an information source and call to action on this Ontario Municipal Board ruling.  Given the importance of the Regional Official Plan as the sustainable blueprint and progressive plan for the future of Waterloo Region, we hope that you will share this information within your network of friends and contacts.

We are writing to ask you to do as many as possible of the following things:

1) Visit the site: http://smartgrowthwaterloo.ca/

2) Like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SmartGrowthWaterloo

3) Follow and retweet us on Twitter: @SmartGrowthWR or http://twitter.com/SmartGrowthWR

4) Use the website to send a couple of quick emails to politicians who need to hear from you against the OMB ruling:http://smartgrowthwaterloo.ca/what-can-i-do/

5) Forward this information to anyone and everyone you think might be interested.  

We're trying to get the word out and ensure that our progressive ROP and SMART Growth plan created by our community in collaboration with our elected officials over the past decade is what succeeds and not the ruling forced by developers that will see so much urban sprawl, inefficient infrastructure, and loss of green space - not to mention the dangerous precedent being set here against SMART Growth targets and timelines for all of Ontario.

Let us know any questions or ideas and thank you!

Kevin.

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Kevin Thomason

1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone: (519) 240-1648
Twitter: @kthomason
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com

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