By Pepper Parr
October 15th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Did the members of city council get hornswoggled by a couple of small time developers who seem to have succeeded in pulling a fast one?
The ranch style home reported to have been built in the 50’s
There was a piece of property with a large ranch style house that was apparently built for the Newbold family back in the 50’s – specifics on just when the house was built aren’t clear. It fell into dis-repair and was bought by a developer who had plans to put five structures on the site.
Neighbouring property owners had issues with the flow of water in small creeks and the number of units the developer wanted to cram into the space; city council listened dutifully and eventually went along with a three unit development. The people who brought the development to council grumped and complained about how hard it was to make a decent living in the development business and muttered about this being their last attempt to build in this city.
First application was for five homes on the site.
Following application was for just four homes on the site. The developer settled for just three – then put the land up for sale.
The ranch style house was torn down and then the property was put up for sale at an eye popping $2,788,000.
The real estate notice described the property as site plan ready, zoned for three single family homes in the 4000 sq. ft. range. Engineering drawings ready with full survey, soil and noise tests completed.
Home torn down – property put up for sale to a builder. Will this one come back to city council for some tweeking and maybe a run to the Ontario Municipal Board for an upgrade?
The value added to the property by those who made the applications was getting it through council and then marketing it to a builder with a reputation for quality work.
That wasn’t what council thought as going to happen when they debated the issue.
Look for some pretty fancy prices for whatever gets build on the land.
The developers are making this city overcrowded.
What a joke, I love that someone that knows nothing about the cost to get this development pasted, carry the cost of financing it for over 3 yrs, engineering bills, planing bills,region bills, surveyor bills, noise reports, soil testing bills, lawyer bills, maintenance bills, traffic report bills, maybe you should sit down and talk with builders and developers that help make this city, the improved city that it has been voted #1 before start talking bad about city staff and developers.
You may want to think about what developers bring to this city like jobs,taxes, fees, Improvment and we help create new house for young family that don’t want to live in a mouldy, damp inefficient , 1950 home, do a survey and ask families what they want.
As Steve has noticed families are indeed getting smaller … so why all the additional floor space?
The number of mansions being built on Lakeshore Road in excess of 4,000 sq. ft. is ridiculous. I would love to know how many are actually occupied, or whether they were purchased as an investment by offshore money.
I don’t see the issue here at all? Some of us welcome and want new larger designed houses and it is because of this new development that you have enjoyed your home prices rocketing in valuation. You cannot stop progress so if you do not like the new development that is happening just move!
Families are getting smaller so what’s the point of a 4000 square foot home on a postage stamp lot? So when you open your back door it almost hits the neighbor’s house. Give me a home half the size on a 60 x 130 ft lot any day.