By Pepper Parr
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It will be as noisy as a virtual meeting can be.
The event takes place on September 8th, from from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
It is billed as a virtual pre-application community meeting hosted by Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. for its proposed mixed-use redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel.
An architectural rendering of what the owners of the Waterfront Hotel want to build on the site once the existing building is demolished.
Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. (the “Owner”) is hosting a virtual pre-application community meeting to discuss a proposal to demolish the existing Waterfront Hotel Burlington building and replace it with a sleek and modern mixed-use development that will accommodate retail and service commercial uses at-grade that will frame the public realm, offices, a banquet facility and restaurants, hotel, and residential apartments.
In total, the proposed redevelopment will provide 557 apartments, a 130-room hotel, as well as commercial, office and other accessory uses all within two towers (35- and 30-storeys) inclusive of a 5-storey podium.
The city has not received an application and no decision has been made by the City.
This eight storey structure will be demolished if the developer can get his proposal for two buildings: a 30 and a 35 story structure can get past the Planning department and the Ontario Land Tribunal.
What the public will see is what the owners of the property would like to build on the land.
Public comments may be directed to the applicant on September 8th,
Once a complete application has been submitted the public will be notified, and comments will be received by city staff. This Consultation meeting is the first step in a comprehensive review of the draft proposal. The purpose of the consultation meeting is for the Owner to address key questions and obtain community feedback prior to the submission of any development applications.
During the meeting, the Owner will provide an overview of the proposal and City Staff will provide an overview of the development application review process and how the public can be involved.
There will also be a question and answer component about the various aspects of the proposal and the planning process. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns will be in attendance to listen to the discussion.
Meeting Agenda:
Introductory comments by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns;
City Planning Staff Presentation on the Planning Process.
Review of Waterfront Hotel Study;
Owner Presentation on the Development Proposal
Comments and Questions & Answers with the public.
After the event, additional comments, questions, and feedback for the Owner can be directed to the planning consultant, Bousfields Inc., at esugden@bousfields.ca or 905-549-3005, ext. 259.
This development pre-application is separate from and not related to the City’s Waterfront Hotel Study which has established key policy directions for development on this site and is planned to continue later this year.
How to Join the Meeting
Participate On-Line via Zoom:
www.burlington.ca/2020lakeshore OR https://zoom.us/j/93677332408
Webinar ID: 936 7733 2408
Participate by Telephone:
1-647-374-4685 (audio only)
The Gazette will publish background material and just how things got to where they are today.
Mr Hatch.
Sir. the Provincial Government is reponsible for all Housing and Planning matters. They are the ones who ultimately decide what goes where and when. The chaos created by the Mayor and councilor Kearns downtown is because instead of following the Provincial guidlines as is their mandated duty to follow. They decided to breach their responsibilty. Neither one had any background or experience in planning matters of this magnitude, yet promised people they would stop it. Sir may I suggest you think long and hard next Provincial election if you think this is too much development tell them so and vote for whoever puts a smile on your face.
David.
How would a Ministers order help? Please give an example of how this was used.
Well, it almost happened in Oakville in regards to the proposal to build over the Glen Abbey Golf Course. The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing was set to step in to block the development plans. But in the end the developer took the gracious way out by withdrawing the application.
If the OLT comes down against the City expect to see heavy and successful lobbying of thevministet by both the Mayor and our MPP for the Minister to exercise his power and uphold the OP via a minister’s order.
The recent position of an OLT Vice Chair, which our audit of the facts supports is a City of Burlington affidavit misrepresents at best. Honesty vs. Dishonesty no matter which side you are on must be the no. 1 criteria and presenty the evidence is the city and region fall short on both which is not a good thing.
Well, for those who believed that the current Mayor and Council could stop the overdevelopment of Burlington’s downtown, the monstrosity that the Waterfront Hotel will become is proof that the election promises were empty. So too were all the expensive and time-consuming studies and precinct plans and all the meaningless public engagement. What use is the redefinition and move of the Urban Growth Centre? What benefit is the removal of the MTSA designation for the lowly downtown bus terminal? The biggest issue now is deciding how much of the ‘process’ was simply stage play in the face of an inevitable outcome. What did Council know and when?
Mr. Hatch. Please how do you justify your comments. You write as if this PROPOSAL and all the developer application appeals before the OLT have all gone through all the machinations and have been decided in favour of the developers against the City, it’s approved and Provincially compliant OP, and its zoning bylaws.
This specific item is a proposal. It is not even an application at this point in time. So please stop the knocking of the Mayor and the entire Council. Both have carried out their election promises and placed the City in the best possible position to fight the overdevelopment being pushed by greedy, uncaring developers. The hope is the OLT will acknowledge and respect the position
of the City and its residents and deny the appeals. Should OLT decisions go against the City and its residents the hope is to get them overruled by the Minister. If that does not happen then turn your anger and blame towards Goldring and the previous council members who supported his ill-conceived plan.
In place of throwing out blame, why do you not put forward a viable alternatively plan to combat this type of unwanted proposed development? Yeah, thought so. You have nothing to offer.
Mr. Barker:
If we are both of this earth five years from now I think that we should assess the state of Burlington’s downtown and determine which of our ‘visions’ was correct. The winner gets dinner at the expense of the loser. Indeed, I offer no viable alternatives because I do not believe that any exist. The downtown is lost and this Council as well as the three previous Councils are culpable. In fairness, all mechanisms of the development lifecycle favour the developer. However, I do hold this Council accountable for a deliberate lack of openness and, in several cases, competence.
Jeff, it is more than lack of openness and incompetence get in touch anneandave@gmail.com and we will send you the sworn evidenced facts that the OLT,the Minister, his representatives, et al are ignoring at this time that should make your blood boil.
Looks like the big developers are circling the Mayor and councilor Kearns. Like wolves chasing sheep. All those broken promises they made to their constituencey about stopping development downtown. At least it worked it got them elected. It appears that the downtown folks are going to have to share their sandbox.
Alfred, I think that assessment is off base. But only time will tell.
Looks like an O V E R development …!!!!
This developer once again clearly has no respect for the views of citizens of Burlington. He has completely ignored the citizen consultation process in the past (including the Burlington citizens’ Plan B concept) and refuses to acknowledge the city’s and its citizens expectations for this very important site. This meeting should be postponed until all involved can attend in person. As has happened in the past citizens views will be ignored by this developer and his consultants. This important process should not be held as a virtual meeting.
Who is the developer?
Certainly an in person meeting would be more satisfying for residents who wish to express their views. Regrettably time waits for no man. As I understand it there are statutory time constraints that must be met, which make an in person meeting unlikely to be possible.
Keep ahouting “NO”