RICHMOND HILL RESIDENTS, town staff and local residents met on Oct. 20 to discuss how the David Dunlap Observatory can be protected should an application to develop the site be submitted.

The meeting came after the town passed a bylaw that designates parts of the historic property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

But some local activists worry the language in the bylaw isn’t strong enough to protect the telescope and surrounding lands.

“What is it that they are going to tell us tonight that’s going to make us feel any more confident?” said Karen Cilevitz of the DDO Defenders.

“We haven’t been listened to before, and we feel absolutely impotent.” Cilevitz’s group made revisions to the original bylaw submitted by town staff in September, but few of their revisions were taken.

“If we don’t agree with them, it doesn’t mean we didn’t listen,” said Joanne Leung, of the planning and development department. “The town has actually made a lot of effort in working in the community.” Leung said it won’t be long before Metrus, the site’s owner, applies to develop it.

“Time is running out.We have to put some protection guidance in place.”