The city is growing too much, too fast.
So say residents who live near a proposal to build two 12-storey apartment buildings along Gordon Street — a plan which requires 17 zoning bylaw amendments in order to move ahead as-is.
In addressing city council during a planning meeting Monday evening, numerous delegates raised concerns about traffic congestion, parking, environmental impact, the cumulative impacts of residential intensification in the area and more related to a Tricar Properties proposal for 1242-1260 Gordon St., as well as 9 Valley Rd. in Ward 6.
“This is long-term stuff,” said Bruce Wilson of Valley Road. “Let’s slow this down and make the best decision for the residents of Guelph.”
Currently, there are four single-family dwellings on the properties proposed to hold a collective 377 units on 7.7 acres of land. In addition to the apartment buildings, the plan calls for the creation of a park and includes open space.
Among the 17 zoning bylaw amendments being requested are to allow 57 surface visitor parking spaces instead of 96, a side yard setback of 2.4 metres rather than 20.74 metres, in addition to higher than permitted density ( 271 units per hectare rather than 150 units) and 12-storey tall buildings (currently capped at 10 storeys).
Specific to parking, the developer proposes 586 total spaces — most below ground — when zoning currently calls for 477.
“There’s far more involved here than just the one (proposal),” said Valley Road resident Tony Campagnolo referring to numerous developments in various stages of approval or construction in the neighbourhood. “Do we want Guelph to look like Mississauga?”
The area is already home to several developments which have exacerbated traffic and parking concerns in particular, noted Gordon Street resident Claudia Espidola.
“There is a lot of pressure in this area,” she said, adding there’s 11 development projects within three kilometres of this proposal. “We are really maxed out.”
Several council members echoed the many of the concerns residents raised.
“I’m really struggling with this. This is not NIMBYism,” commented Ward 6’s Coun. Dominique O’Rourke, noting many of the delegates had done their homework with regard to the city’s intensification corridor, bylaws and more. “They’re saying stick to those principles.
“There’s a lot wrong with this application,” she added.
No decisions have been made in relation to the proposal. Monday’s public meeting was part of the planning process designed to hear from city residents. City staff will deliver a report, including recommendation, to council regarding the Tricar plan at a later date.
A second development proposal presented Monday for a public meeting received a much different response from neighbourhood residents - the addition of a fifth storey to the 100-year-old former Northern Rubber Company building at 120 Huron St. S. in Ward 1.
The site was previously rezoned to allow the four-storey structure to be converted into an 87-unit residential apartment building, with the remainder of the previous industrial site (122 Huron St.) developed into 59 townhouse units.
If the additional storey is approved, that would bring the total number of apartment units to 133. The 30 units proposed for the fifth floor would be affordable units.
“I find this to be a positive potential for our neighbourhood,” commented Alice Street resident Nicholas Carney “I think that’s splendid.”
The developer, Alice Block Inc. — a subsidiary of Kitchener-based Momentum Developments, has applied for but not yet received funding from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.