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Appeal for denied Eastview Road development to be heard in May

City council rejected proposed cluster townhouses and five-storey apartment last July
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File photo of 78 and 82 Eastview Rd.

Should cluster townhouses and a five-storey apartment building go up in the east end?

Last year city council said ‘no.’ Later this spring, proponents hope the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) disagrees.

An appeal filed by two numbered companies looking to redevelop 78 and 82 Eastview Road will be heard on May 10.

The properties currently have two detached homes on a combined 3.25 hectares of land that sits roughly halfway between Victoria Road and Watson Parkway.

If council’s decision is overturned, 2589618 Ontario Inc. and 2613598 Ontario Inc. plan to construct a 40-unit, five-storey apartment building and 30 cluster townhouse units.

In their appeal notice, filed last fall, the proponents were critical of city staff.

"The city has chosen to ignore the tangible solutions that have been provided that demonstrate that the development addresses all issues raised, and the recommendation of refusal amounts to the City being unwilling to consider the solutions, and that it lacks the expertise to do so," says the letter from Toronto-based lawyers Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP.

"It should be noted that the city has not said that the development will impact the wetland. The only apparent outstanding issue is that they have questions that they want the consultants to answer before they will make the determination," added the lawyers' letter.

They argue city council’s decision is not consistent with provincial policy, does not conform to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, does not conform to the general intent of the City of Guelph Official Plan and fails to recognize that the proposed development is compatible with the existing neighbourhood.

In July, local residents expressed concern about the increased traffic, as well as the effect the development would have on wildlife.

City staff also opposed the plan, citing the proponent’s inability to show the development won’t negatively impact natural features and nearby provincially significant wetlands.

There were also concerns about stormwater management.

The development was initially brought forward in 2019. At that time it was 57 cluster townhouses. The plan was revised in 2020 to include 30 cluster townhouse units as well as a five-storey, 40-unit apartment building.


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