The Committee considered Development Services Department report DSD-2023-193, dated April 20, 2023, recommending adoption of Official Plan Amendment Application OPA21/010/L/AP and Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA21/015/L/AP, for the property municipally addressed as 528 and 550 Lancaster Street West; and, adoption of Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA22/023/B/AP, for the property municipally addressed as 26 Bridge Street West. The Committee was also in receipt of written submissions from M. Mains, R. Howe, Goodmans LLP, E. Menage, and S. Campbell.
A. Pinnell, Senior Planner presented an overview of the staff report. G. Stevenson, Interim Director of Planning and T. Malone, Interim Manager of Development Review & Management were also in attendance to respond to questions from the Committee.
P. Chauvin, MHBC Planning and S. Litt, Vive Developments addressed the Committee in support of the staff recommendation.
In response to questions from the Committee, S. Litt noted the proposed development includes approximately three hundred, three-bedroom units with dens, twelve hundred units in total and one thousand bike spaces. In response to further questions, S. Litt stated the incremental cost of moving the existing dwellings with heritage interest would cost $650 000 for both houses in total. S. Litt explained the process of relocating the existing dwellings, noting the interior would not be preserved.
In response to Committee concerns regarding the displacement of existing residents, S. Litt stated five apartments units and one house would be removed as a result of the proposed development. S. Litt noted conversations with the tenants are in progress, and existing residents have been offered alternative living arrangements in the adjacent building municipally addressed as 520 Lancaster Street at the same rate as their current rent.
J. Adams addressed the Committee in support of the proposed development.
T. Balork, A. Brillinger, and G. Harvey addressed the Committee in opposition to the proposed development due to the displacement of the existing residents. .
Mayor B. Vrbanovic left the meeting at this time.
D. Boisvert, R. Garibaldi, A. Knox, W. Marzinko, and C. Brown also attended in opposition to the proposed development noting concerns with adverse impacts to traffic in the area, potential increase in road-side parking, and pedestrian safety.
Councillor D. Chapman entered the meeting at this time.
Mayor B. Vrbanovic returned to the meeting at this time.
Councillor P. Singh left the meeting. Councillor B. Ioannidis assumed the chair at this time.
M. Bowman addressed the Committee, noting traffic concerns surrounding the proposed development, and requested the development further consider their tree replacement plan, and additional bike storage.
Councillor P. Singh resumed Chair at this time.
A. Bast addressed the Committee in opposition to the application, noting the property's heritage interest and value to the neighborhood as a whole.
In response to questions from the Committee, A. Pinnell provided additional details regarding the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) appeal process, should the applicant or member of the community be unsatisfied with the decision of the Committee.
In response to Committee's transportation concerns, P. Sawicki, Region of Waterloo Manager, Transportation Planning provided information regarding the proposed traffic study that is to be conducted along Bridgeport Road, and the possibility of implementing a multi-use trail on one side of Lancaster Street West. A. Pinnell also confirmed the proposed development is located in close proximity to two bus stops, connecting to Uptown Waterloo and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system.
A. Pinnell stated in response to further questions, a tree preservation plan has been conducted, and noted an Environmental Impact Study was not a requirement of this development application. G. Stevenson also noted in response to the Committee, that consultation with the Indigenous Community was not completed for the proposed development. G. Stevenson addressed the duty to consult the indigenous communities, noting staff are currently in the process of developing criteria related to that engagement process that is not yet available for use with the subject applications.
In response to safety concerns raised by the Committee, B. Cronkite noted there are no significant reports of collisions in the area of the proposed development. B. Cronkite further advised staff can consult with the Waterloo Region District School Board to confirm whether additional measures, may be required, citing crossing guards as an example to address pedestrian safety.
A motion was brought forward by Councillor S. Davey to defer the recommendation outlined in Report DSD-2023-193 to the May 29, 2023 Council meeting to allow an opportunity for staff to report back further regarding transportation concerns, alternative community benefit funding possibilities in lieu of preserving two existing dwellings with heritage interest (544 & 546 Lancaster St W), and for further discussions with existing residents related to alternative housing options.