By Pepper Parr
October 19th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a whopper of a development. Eight high rise, some going up to 30 storeys.
Despite the height the development is designed as a place where all the amenities are provided; lots of room for people to move around, lots of retail space and a short walk to the GO station.
Several of the towers will be 30storeys high
Yards away from the Appleby GO station, the development settled the case that was before the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).
The development application was before the OLT ; a settlement offer was made and accepted by the City at its meeting on October 17, 2023
As part of this approval, Council approved the recommendation that the planning analysis be released publicly and posted on the City’s webpage while retaining solicitor/client privilege over the balance of this matter in its entirety.
When the province says squeeze then in – you make home a high rise.
The settlement between the City and Branthaven resolves the issues in dispute between the City and Branthaven on the basis these parties will seek OLT approval of a revised development proposal and related Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment for the site. The revised development proposes the following:
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- Remove the extension of Oval Court to the north;
- Removed the Oval Court Plaza from within limits of Sherwood Forest Park;
- Increased the setback from below grade parking structures to the east lot line to ensure the protection of the cedar hedge located in Sherwood Forest Park;
- Increased the stepback above the 3rd storey to 3 metres for buildings fronting on to Fairview Street;
- Establishes a pedestrian promenade linking Sherwood Forest Park to the proposed development; and
- Provide design flexibility of the proposed towers while limiting height and location of towers abutting Sherwood Forest Park
- Establishes Urban Design Guidelines for the site.
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No firm dates on when each phase will begin.
No vehicular traffic – but provision for fire trucks.
A copy of the planning analysis of the revised proposal is available on the development application webpage, along with a copy of the conceptual site plan for the revised development.
How does this impact the hearing scheduled to commence on November 20, 2023?
The Parties to the hearing will be requesting that the OLT convert the hearing that is scheduled to commence on November 20, 2023 to a settlement hearing should all parties reach a settlement with Branthaven.
If the hearing is converted to a settlement hearing, the Parties will be requesting that that the OLT approve the revised Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments to permit the revised development plan.
The internal walking traffic areas are large – meant for people – not cars.
The development will be home – a place that includes space for people to congregate.
“No firm dates on when each phase will begin”. Let me take a stab at it, post approval by COB then OLT, at 4 years per phase = 24 years before it is finished.
On several levels this is an absolutely ridiculous development:
1) it will impose significantly more traffic congestion on Appleby Line, a road that already is bottlenecked thanks to the ongoing inability of our City to address transportation gridlock.
2) there is only one road in and out of this development. The City has repeatedly stated they will not extend Fairview across Sherwood Park to Burloak. In cases of emergencies it can result in significant delays.
3) the height and density are too severe. Shadowing will be a major issue.
4) the so-called “amenities” the developer has touted are nothing more than fluff. Pretty “Photo Shopped” pictures of musicians performing is no guarantor of benefits.
5) most of the units in the high rise are single units. That won’t be appealing to families.
6) the extensive time delay in building this development will present enormous disruption to residents on the south side of Fairview east of Appleby.
7) the area to the south of this site was the scene of horrendous flooding in August 2014. No substantive details on how the developer will mitigate downstream flooding.
The City and the developer heard these concerns from me and many other residents. The amendments demonstrate little evidence that we were heard let alone seriously considered.
And the City wonders why residents are disengaged, angry and increasingly apathetic. Go figure!
Well said Stephen! The artist renderings – with trees and grass and space no less – are, as usual, ridiculously inaccurate. The ones from the buildings downtown always show trees and space, none of which materialize and they forget to show all the other buildings around them. Some of them down here have huge pictures on the big walled wooden fences making it look like owners will have a view of the Caribbean Sea from their balconies, while lapping up the Mediterranean sun.
And I’d like to ask yet again why is it ok that in Burlington such developments can close a lane of the public street and sidewalk for years? Other cities don’t allow this – Toronto requires the builder to have very good reasons for why they’d need to take over our space and if approved, they pay money for the privilege. And if they go over their initial time limit, more money. We just let them have our roads and cause more gridlock and danger for pedestrians and cyclists. See Martha Street and Lakeshore, James Street, Martha again, Brant Street, Brock Avenue as examples.
Our council sure is far removed from their 2018 campaign promises, aren’t they?
Correct comments from both Stephen and Lynn. And as per usual I’m sure the so called “Traffic Study” by experts will again say there will be no problems with traffic, just like every other high rise development that has been and will be added in Burlington from now to 2031. Hogwash! Each resident will start his/her intention to drive somewhere waiting for an elevator to take him/her down to the parking garage, followed by the wait to get out of the garage to ground level and sit in a line-up of vehicles trying to get to the Fairview Street intersection (obviously signalized) to “join the flow” as they say. How fast they get anywhere after that is anyone’s guess.
I know the plan is for commuters to take the GO Train to/from work after walking to the station, but not every trip out of the building is for work. Some are for groceries, recreation, chores, visiting friends etc. where a vehicle is needed. Residents can’t take transit everywhere, but they’ll certainly wish they could.
Our Council just gave in again to a settlement in the same week they got bribed by the Feds (Province to follow I’m sure) with $40 million to intensify every neighbourhood in Burlington with 4 units per property going forward. And they said they were all for preserving the character and charm of neighbourhoods. Both these decisions made without debate or vote by citizens who live here.