My letter to the MiltonCanadianChampion, published on Jun 12, 2009:

DEAR EDITOR:

I work from home and therefore have the full flexibility of living anywhere.

I picked Milton as my home, largely due to its small-town character. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that the town is losing that charm very quickly because of taller buildings popping up all over the place.

Currently there are more than a dozen four-to-10-storey condominium apartments being planned or under construction in Milton. Heck, two 10-storey buildings are planned all the way out on Costigan Road, an otherwise low-rise area with an almost rural feel to it.

One only has to drive through Mississauga or Brampton to see what taller buildings in low-rise neighbourhoods do to the make-up of the area.

I have lived in several cities that handled high population density gracefully, without impacting the area’s appeal. While each city took a different approach, what was common in each case was each city planned its character up front and then implemented its vision well. I hope Milton will do the same.

I would like the Town to immediately pass a bylaw restricting building heights to only four stories in certain areas. The condominiums at the north-west corner of James Snow Parkway and Main Street show how condos can achieve good density while fitting well in the neighbourhood.

Thereafter, the Town should conduct proper planning to determine where taller buildings should go. These buildings should be concentrated in a small urban core and placed in a way that’s not only environmentally friendly, but is also aesthetically pleasing.

I feel that the Town has a good financial incentive to enhancing its charm. A more appealing town will attract more future residents, which is good for property values in the area and therefore good for the town’s tax-base.

I would like to see the town transform itself into a community that people pay a premium to move to, rather than a sprawl people pick temporarily because they can’t afford to live any other place in the GTA.

Milton is on the verge of transformation due to its explosive growth. We can handle it gracefully, turning Milton into a vibrant town that further enhances its current charm, or we can let the builders call all the shots, essentially making Milton indistinguishable from other communities in the GTA region.

I hope we choose the former, as the latter would destroy the town’s character forever.

ZEESHAN HAMID, MILTON