"I'd like to see our Town driving how our town should look like, not someone from across the lake," said Audrey Shaver, a Winston Road resident. "I hope we can have your support as residents," she told aldermen.

They spoke out at an open house, held Tuesday evening at Town Hall, regarding On the Lake Estates, a proposed development on land just north of the QEW at the Grimsby-Hamilton border.

John Ariens, a planner with IBI Group, was on hand to discuss a draft plan of subdivision for the land between the North Service Road and Winston Road, owned by On the Lake Estates.

Currently the land is not zoned. It was brought into the urban boundary three years ago, and the Town is currently preparing a secondary plan to determine how the land should be developed.

"Grimsby is facing a fairly critical housing shortage," said Ariens, citing reasons such as Greenbelt legislation as factors.

To be cautious, Ariens brought forward a developer-initiated secondary plan, as his client is anxious to have the plan in place so work can begin.

The design Ariens brought forward included low-density housing and some commercial development fronting along the North Service Road.

Planning chair Nick DiFlavio said Ariens was jumping ahead of things, saying the submission was "premature."

Ald. Wayne Fertich told Ariens he realized that the developer would like to speed up the process, but with the "process and red tape involved in these projects, it doesn't happen overnight."

He countered that by saying that the initial application submitted by Ariens was a "gem."

Carol Mazur, a Livingston Avenue resident, asked aldermen to remember that the proposed area is a key for Grimsby.

"It's such a large property," she said. "We have to plan it right."