One development moves forward – another delayed
The proposal by Dana Johnston to build nine units in a multi-residential complex was given more time by Cramahe Council on December 15. Mr. Johnston wants to build two buildings, one with five attached bungalow-type units and the other with four in the interior of a subdivision his family started in 1988. It lies between Victoria St. and Elgin St S.
The original plan included 32 lots for single residential use, one block for multi-residential and a new street to be named Keeler Court. To date, many of the lots have been developed that fronted on existing roads. The 14 interior lots which were to have been created on Keeler Court remain undeveloped, along with the multiresidential block.
The property being considered by council is part of the section approved for one multi-residential block and 14 detached homes.
Earlier this year the township gave Mr. Johnston until the end of 2009 to get the paperwork together for the proposed change to his subdivision agreement. He came before council on December 1 with some of the necessary work done. He needed an extension to complete the rest.
His Application for Rezoning will be forthcoming within the next week.
It is expected that Mr. Johnston’s application for rezoning will go before council at a public meeting on February 2. Council is expected to consider the request at its February 16, 2010 meeting.
With council recognizing that the project is moving forward, his request for an extension to the end of 2010 was granted.
Devlopment delayed...
On the other hand, the McDonald Homes multi-unit apartment at the corner of Earl and Victoria Streets has stalled as council waits for more information. In a December 10 letter to Bob Clark, the consultant for the project, the township’s planning consultant, Peter Josephs stated the need for more details about the form and design of the building.
The builder wants to erect a 14-unit multi-level apartment building with seniors as the target occupiers. In the initial public meeting to discuss the project the neighbours expressed numerous concerns.
McDonald Homes is requesting permission to build the unit on about .86 acres at the northwest corner of Victoria and Arthur Streets in the former village. With rents of $1,000 or more, the apartments will be aimed at seniors and people who do not want the burden of home ownership.
To achieve their goals the group building the proposed apartment require that a portion of the land be rezoned from Community Facility to R3. Much of the rest would remain environmentally protected. R3 allows a range of residential dwellings.
The consulting planner for the project, Bob Clark, outlined in October how the proposal appears to meet the current provincial guidelines for urban growth.
Mixing the residential land use is good planning, he said. It would be a transition between the single-family dwellings to the south and the downtown area to the north.
The project fits all the provincial and municipal guidelines, and related regulations for buildings of this size. Provincial policies now stress increasing the housing density in urban areas. This is considered a medium-density project.
At the October meeting the consultant asked council for permission to allow him to consider all suggestions made by critics of the project and bring forward a detailed plan.
If the more detailed plan is accepted the Official Plan must be amended. Any amendment can be appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
The zoning bylaw, which is a township document, must also be amended. Changes to it can be appealed to the OMB as well.
In order to have the right to appeal, people must speak at one of the township-run public meetings or submit a written comment before any decision is made.
The final requirement is a site plan which defines everything which will be done on the property. Use of the property can be frozen until all the terms of the site plan are met.
