Thank you Westboro!
Comments to the City for the Byron, Roosevelt and Ravenhill project, where the developer has applied for a zoning by-law amendment (from R3R to R4G) to add another residential unit to the triplexes he has built, were due November 27 . . . and you rallied to the cause! Some 30 residents took the time to contact Councillor Leiper, the City and the community association, outlining their opposition to this unnecessary and dangerous change in zoning in a residential area of our community.
Your Board of Directors also filed a thoughtful, detailed rationale opposing the amendment and the earlier email post below is an excellent summary prepared by savewestboro@icloud.com group.
Why are we opposed? Well, it’s pretty simple: we’ll be polite and say the developer “misrepresented” what he was intending to build. Triplexes were permitted at this location; the developer received the go-ahead from the City’s Committee of Ajustment to knock down 8 residences and put up 14 triplexes and 4 semidetached equaling 50 residences. He has just about finished 6 of the triplexes. Now, call us crazy, but attached is a picture of the so called triplexes . . . amazingly, they include a fourth mail box, air conditioner and hydro meter. Doesn’t look like a triplex to us.
triplexes
So yes, the developer actually built fourplexes, adding a residential space in the basement of each, which means 14 more residential spaces. Now he has to ask the City to change the zoning, which would support the increased intensity. The new zoning opens the door to other changes later down the road.
It is clear he went ahead and built what he wanted and now expects the City to grant him his zoning change and additional intensity.
We say no. This is not good planning – it is policy by stealth. We deserve better. The matter will be heard by City Planning Council in the New Year – we will keep you posted. Join us in continuing to protest this project.
