Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Town supports disabled teen despite denied request


Carroll Publicover
The Town of Bridgewater says it backs the efforts of a disabled teen who is trying to add an accessible suite onto his mothers home. Dylan Robar and Bonnie Meisner are hoping to access funds through a $50,000 provincial grant but a town bylaw requires her to apply to rezone her property in order to meet the grants requirements. Council turned down a request to waive an $800 fee attached with rezoning their property earlier this month. However, Mayor Carroll Publicover says that doesn't mean the town's planning department didn't try and help.
"They've sought information on their behalf, went to other levels of government to understand what sort of funding arrangements were in place for them and how our Land Use by-law dovetailed or didn't dovetail with them, what changes we might need to make to accommodate their needs to other levels of government for grants and so on. It was eminently fair and above and beyond the call of duty."
Meisner now has to apply to either have her property rezoned at her own cost or have the province revise wording in the grant. Publicover hopes she will take the necessary action soon and resolve the matter.