Burlington City Council was scolded this week for, once again, failing to make a decision on a redevelopment application within the legally required 120 days.
Speaking during a statutory public meeting, resident Kimberly Staples said, “This is obviously a concern. I feel that the city did us a disservice.”
Staples was referring to the news that Coletara Developments has filed an appeal with the Ontario Land Tribunal, effectively removing its redevelopment application from further public discussion. The city received the application in mid-July and according to the province, should have made a decision by mid-November, but did not.
The application involves property on both sides of Downsview Drive at the intersection with Plains Road. The developer wants to construct an eight-storey, primarily residential building on the west side and two mainly residential buildings of nine and eleven storeys on the east side. Only six storeys are allowed. North of the proposed new buildings would be 96 stacked townhouses facing Dowland Crescent.
The property currently contains two commercial strip plazas.
This week’s statutory public meeting was aimed at obtaining public input on the application prior to the city making a decision, but news of the appeal altered the tone of the discussion.
Both Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Councillor Kelvin Galbraith asked staff to comment on whether the appeal compromised the city’s position.
“Delegates that are here tonight have had their appeal rights preserved by virtue of their attendance,” assured one planning staff member.
“The city is not disadvantaged or penalized in any way by virtue of this path. Those that participated today can be in correspondence with the Ontario Land Tribunal staff to become party or participants at the hearing and be invited to case management conferences. Those that want to participate in the hearing will have a free opportunity,” said another staff member.
The reality is, however, that most citizens do not carry their concerns about a redevelopment proposal forward to the appeal level. Usually, in cases like this, the developer and the city meet behind closed doors and try to settle the matter before the actual hearing date, thereby leaving the public out. That is what happened earlier this year when the Solid Gold application was appealed and the city settled with the developer without further public input. The same thing is happening right now with regard to the proposal to construct a four-storey retirement home in Tyandaga.
Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith commented that the timing of the application, the statutory public meeting, and the appeal were unfortunate.
“This is a tough position to be in. This [Downsview] application came in during mid-summer when we didn’t meet and then, during the election period we also didn’t meet, and an appeal came forward. It’s not unusual. We are seeing almost every application appealed, it seems, right after the date for non-decision.”
Four delegations spoke at the meeting in general opposition to the proposed new buildings. Complaints included the height, possible shadowing, the fear of on-street parking, the loss of existing retail space and traffic concerns, all similar to complaints heard at a neighbourhood meeting in January.
“I don’t think anyone in our neighbourhood wants this to happen. …Everyone in the neighbourhood wants it to be smaller, to be lower in height with less people, anything that is going to make this project less impactful to our neighbourhood,” said Staples.
A lot of worry was also expressed about the reduction in retail space on the site, despite the developer’s plan to supply 628 square metres of commercial space facing Plains Road.
“The area needs large retail. We’re missing a grocery store. Over the years, we’ve lost an LCBO. We lost a beer store. We lost the A&P that was there. We’ve now lost the Dollar Tree. We need big retail. These smaller spaces have their place, but we have more than enough in Aldershot right now,” said Devon Staples.
Galbraith agreed. “We don’t need any more small retail units. We seem to get dental offices and nail salons and we have plenty of these along the Plains Road strip. Hopefully we can work with the applicant on these issues.”
The members of council also received five letters.
One person wrote that “It will block off all the view that I have from my windows and it will take all the charm off this neighborhood, it will be so depressing looking in to another building across from my balcony, no views and it will take all the sun exposure that I possibly can get.”
Another wrote that “it will begin to change the aesthetic from that of a ‘village’ to that of a high-rise cityscape. This is Aldershot Village, and the charm is that it is village-like! It ought to be important to maintain this village atmosphere for those who have already chosen to live in this ‘village community.’”
But one man wrote to say he was okay with the proposal.
“I think the new development looks totally fine, we need more missing-middle style places for people to live, that aren’t just single-family homes on huge lots, or skyscrapers. The third building is a bit on the tall side I guess, but the project overall looks like it would be a great addition to Aldershot.”
