Ward 3 Candidates Respond To Pearl Company Situation

Municipal Election 2010

Ward 3 Candidates Respond To Pearl Company Situation

All of the candidates running against Bernie Morelli in Ward 3 who responded to Raise the Hammer say they would actively work to keep the Pearl Company open.

By Adrian Duyzer
Published September 23, 2010

When news broke that the Pearl Company is closing due to ongoing struggles with City of Hamilton bylaws, the Hamilton Spectator quoted Bernie Morelli, Ward 3 Councillor, as saying that "there is a process that you have to go through" that "works in most cases".

I wrote Councillor Morelli not long after hearing the news, and asked him, "how are you going to fix this problem, and how quickly are you going to get it done?"

Morelli has not replied. At the same time, however, I also wrote every candidate running in Ward 3 and asked them three questions:

What's your response to Mr. Morelli's position on the issue?
What specific actions would you take to fix the problems with bylaw and zoning that the Pearl Company has faced?
If elected, how quickly would you resolve this issue?

I received responses from Paul Tetley, Mark DiMillo, and Bob Black.

Paul Tetley

Tetley agrees that losing the Pearl Company would be "a travesty to not only Ward 3, but the entire City of Hamilton" and says that "The Pearl Company and other entrepreneurs who are working to remediate and re-use our numerous vacant buildings and properties will be one of my priorities" and that he'll put this priority on the "fast track".

Tetley criticizes what he perceives as a lack of leadership by Morelli:

He has not provided the leadership in promoting to city staff and council the programs and zoning changes necessary to attract and sustain new businesses in Ward 3. From his quote in the September 21st Spectator he clearly prefers to rely on the same old process that has failed us in the past, fails us today, and will continue to fail us in the future. In 2010 that is not acceptable.

It is well established that council can make exemptions and amendments when it comes to zoning. An example close to The Pearl Company was the support council provided in April of this year, for a zoning exemption to Northbrook Development Group. Northbrook's proposed plan is to establish a sports hub in the former Studebaker plant on Victoria Street. As part of that exemption Councillor Lloyd Ferguson was also able to gain council support for an amendment to allow gymnastic clubs to legally be built in the Ancaster Business Park.

Tetley believes that the Pearl Company is "only one instance of a much larger issue", namely that Hamilton, and particularly Ward 3, has "one of the greatest opportunities for industrial heritage building re-use in Canada [but] under the current bylaw, zoning policies and leadership the adaptive re-use of our heritage industrial buildings isn't only difficult, it is actively discouraged."

My vision includes, creating and implementing a Community Improvement Plan for Ward 3. This Plan is designed to allow the building of sustainable communities through the planning and financing of use, adaptive re-use, the restoration of lands, buildings, and the infrastructure supporting them.

We are faced with an ever increasing number of vacant heritage and industrial buildings in Hamilton and restrictive zoning and fees for redevelopment no longer make sense, and need to be changed. We need 21st Century plans and leadership to address the 21st Century issue that many of our old and vacant factories will never again be used for heavy industry. We need change to happen quickly in order to create an open and inviting system for investors and entrepreneurs to renew these building, preserve our industrial heritage and improve our industrial and commercial tax revenues.

Mark DiMillo

DiMillo believes that "we do have to enforce, and support the by-laws". "[If] I had to make an educated guess, as a recognized activist, [Gary Santucci, one of the Pearl Company's owners] probably went ahead and opened up without going through the rezoning process." In spite of this, he says he supports Gary and the Pearl Company.

Truthfully, Gary got caught in a timing issue. The City of Hamilton has already revamped the zoning by-laws which have been approved by Council, and are awaiting Provincial approvals (any day now). These new zoning by-laws were created to provide opportunities to investors to reinvest in the lower city, without the red tape, and without the expensive re-zoning. Infact, Stage 1 which is the only one approved right now covers 80% of our ward. Planning department tells me that the concept is: if somebody has a good idea for a building, but it doesn't conform to the zoning or otherwise, the new by-laws will allow for it, providing it makes sense for the neighbourhood.

In reality, Gary should hang on to the building, and very very shortly the opportunities to do what he wants to do will be supported by the newly adopted zoning by-laws. Frankly, Morelli should know this, and should of told Gary about the City's new zoning and planning initiatives.

If elected, DiMillo promises to to help the Pearl Company "navigate the new zoning by-law" and "help mitigate a workable solution that will keep the Pearl Company operating".

Bob Black

Black believes the situation with the Pearl Company needs to be dealt with quickly. He offered numbered responses to each of my three questions:

I don't believe the "process" is working for the people who are attempting to not only enlighten our neighbourhoods but to build on culture and education as well.
I think I would start by aproaching the people who live in the immediate neighbourhood to see how they feel about keeping Pearl Company because who knows better if there is a future than the people who are going to be affected. next I think I would put together a plan that I could take to my fellow Councilors to garner support in an effort to get the Zoning changed as soon as possible. I believe I would also start to make an effort have the charges against Mr Satucci and Ms Milne dropped and if warrented an apology made [sic].
I can only say that this is an issue that would have to be dealt with quickly in order that people may become aware of the direction the new council is going in, as for a time frame I would hope that it would all be dealt with in short order so that they don't haave to sell the property and can get on with running a small business and improving the culture of this fair city.

As well as Morelli, Wilamina McGrimmond and Sean Gibson did not respond to questions.

Adrian Duyzer is an entrepreneur, business owner, and Associate Editor of Raise the Hammer. He lives in downtown Hamilton with his family. On Twitter: adriandz

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By Kiely (registered) | Posted September 24, 2010 at 09:06:00

I think Paul and Mark are both working very hard in this election. I have seen both of them out pounding the pavement in Ward 3. I had a chance to speak with Mark for about half an hour, I believe he is very sincere in wanting to help his community. Unfortunately I have not had the chance to speak with Paul.

I just hope these two don't split the vote, allowing Bernie's army of old biddies to once again send Bernie to city hall.

Raise the Hammer

Municipal Election 2010