North York a hot spot for development
More development is headed to North York. Here is a rundown of some of the new townhomes, apartment and condo complexes in the final stages of the approval process.
The property owner, Nasrin Davar, wants to sever the lot at 105 Kingsdale Ave. into two residential properties. If the site were severed, each property would have a frontage of 9.91 metres each.
The committee of adjustment (north district) turned down this application. The owner has appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). So far, no date has been set for the hearing, but North York community council has recommended that the city go to the OMB. Willowdale Councillor John Filion (Ward 23) also recommends that the city send a solicitor to the hearing to defend the committee of adjustment’s refusal decision.
North York community council and planning staff recommend approval of two, 23-storey residential buildings and six, three-storey townhomes. The development would be at 27-49 Bales Ave., 30-34 and 42 Glendora Ave. The application is for a total of 578 units, 580 underground parking spaces and six above ground.
Currently this site, located near Anndale Dr., south of Sheppard Ave., and is vacant.
While local councillor John Filion also recommends approval of this application, he wants further development in the vicinity halted until the city deals with completion of the service road. Filion recently mentioned to the Town Crier that many local residents have told him they don’t want anymore development until the service road is completed. There is a long history to this proposal, which residents may remember reading in previous Town Crier editions.
Filion held community meetings regarding this development on July 19 and Dec. 11. Area residents expressed concern regarding a number of issues including the completion of the nearby service road, construction access, traffic and school capacity. The developer also cut down street trees without authorization.
Back in 1986, the former owner was seeking an Official Plan and zoning by law amendment to allow density of 4.5 times the area of the lot. The former North York council (pre-amalgamation) deferred that request and the owner appealed to the OMB. In 1988, the owner requested that the site be included in the secondary plan with a density of 4.5. That was denied.
In 1996, North York council gave 35-49 Bales Ave. a density of 3.5. The previous owner then applied to build 21 and 24 storey residential buildings. This application was not supported by city council or the OMB. The previous owner also appealed sections of the North York secondary plan on matters related to density, height, urban design and transportation. This appeal has not been dealt with.
A new proposal was submitted last May, which initially included 35-49 Bales Ave. only. It was for two buildings (20 and 22 storeys). Then in late-December the current revised application was submitted.
Before anything can go forward, the current owner must confirm that any outstanding appeals related to this site have been dismissed or withdrawn.
This proposal started off as a five-storey, 70-unit residential building. However, that met a brick wall with extensive public opposition at a community meeting last November. The applicant submitted a new proposal for 56 townhomes that was later updated to the present application of 61 three-storey townhouses to be erected at 45, 47, 49 and 51 Farrell Ave. and 500 Ellerslie Ave. and 4691 Bathurst St.
"Generally, townhomes are more acceptable than high-rises, but it depends on how they are laid out. We will have a community meeting and residents can respond to that," Councillor Filion told the Town Crier prior to a community meeting that was held in March. Residents who attended the second meeting were mostly concerned with traffic and parking. They wanted traffic from the development to access Bathurst St. rather than Ellerslie Ave.
The way it stands now, full vehicular traffic will be from Ellerslie with right-in/right out access only from Bathurst.
The site is .91 hectares and is comprised of a number of lots. There are single detached homes on the site at Farrell and Ellerslie, which is in keeping with the zoning bylaw. There is a car wash at the property on Bathurst St.
The new Official Plan designates the entire site as neighbourhoods allowing for various types of housing as long as development is compatible with the existing neighbourhood.
