Last night at the public planning meeting, we reviewed the application for 14070 Yonge Street by P.A.R.C.E.L Inc. This development proposed two five-story buildings, totaling 300 units, on about 10 acres. This proposal does not align with the growth vision outlined in our Official Plan (OP) for this area.
In the south end of town, this location is guided by our secondary plan, OPA 34, which allows for only two units per acre. Recently, with the update to our OP, we made changes to Yonge Street’s frontage, designating it as a Regional Corridor. This designation allows for buildings up to five stories, though it does not specify density requirements. In this case, only part of the property falls within the Regional Corridor; the other part is governed by OPA 34. When asked about this, the applicant argued that because the property is continuous, the entire property should be considered part of the corridor. However, I pointed out that this view does not align with the vision set by our OP, as the boundaries of the Regional Corridor are clearly defined. Owning a continuous property from Yonge to Bathurst, for example, does not mean five-story buildings can be built along the entire stretch, disregarding OPA 34.
While we need more housing, it must be built in a way that respects our OP. Although this area is marked as a Regional Corridor, it is not intended for major intensification. High-density growth is expected in areas like our MTSA near the GO station and in our promenade, which this area is not part of. This area is envisioned for gentle density, and this application does not reflect that. As I often say, growth is positive, but it must align with our OP. We can be flexible, but only when it offers clear benefits to our community, and this application in its current form does not achieve that …….
I’m pleased that our Council voted unanimously to bring this proposal back to another public planning meeting. My hope is that the applicant has heard the concerns of both the residents and our Council and will adjust the plan to better align with our Regional Corridor guidelines and OPA 34. More to come on this.
3 Responses
I have been a resident of this beautiful town for over 30yrs and
I also believe in new housing, but at what cost, high density, no thank you.
If the official plan does not allow for that sort of density, enforce that rule and let them adhere to the OP.
Either your for the expansion of housing into the Greenbelt, with all of the problems that entails, or you are for density. The reality is that higher density housing creates an economic model that better supports the expansion of public transit and other public and private services while sprawl is conducive to the opposite. Isolated communities without access to services completely dependent on the automobile. We should be going much further than the occasional high rise. Aurora, and other GTA communities should be allowing higher towers, especially near GO Stations, Laneway Homes and lot splitting. That being said Mr. Cristillo this is an open forum and I would like to hear how your stance on this issue would address sprawl, congestion, and the lack of affordable housing for our children?
Does this development utilize two lots, one on Glensteeple Trail and the other 14086 on Yonge Street? To what extent will the houses on Glensteeple Trail be infringed? Those residents are unlikely to be pleased.