Title
APPLICATIONS FOR OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT, ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT AND DRAFT PLAN OF SUBDIVISION - 175 AND 199 ESSA ROAD, AND 50 WOOD STREET (WARD 8)
Councillor, A. Kungl declared a potential pecuniary interest on the foregoing matter as she is a member of the Barrie Curling Club. She did not participate or vote on the matter. She remained in the Council Chamber and rolled her chair back from the Council table.
James Hunter of Innovative Planning Solutions advised that the purpose of the public meeting is to review revised applications for Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision submitted by Innovative Planning Solutions on behalf of Greenworld Construction Inc./Digram Developments Inc., for the lands located at 175 and 199 Essa Road and 50 Wood Street.
Mr. Hunter discussed slides concerning the following topics:
• An aerial view of the subject lands, including site area, access points, and current uses;
• A map illustrating the locational context of the site, including surrounding land uses and amenities;
• The subject land’s current Official Plan and Zoning By-law designations;
• A conceptual Site Plan for the proposed development;
• A rendering and summary of the development’s High Rise Design, including the number and use of towers, building heights, townhouse units, and podium parking;
• A conceptual Site Plan and overview of the townhouse design, including the total number of units and proposed types;
• An overview of site amenities, including green roof terrace, public pedestrian trail, private balconies, and commercial retail units;
• Site circulation and transit servicing of the proposed development, including site access points, signalized intersections, and active transportation infrastructure;
• The Draft Plan of Subdivision illustrating various blocks and intended uses;
• An overview of the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments;
• The technical reports and studies submitted for the application; and
• The proposed development’s conformity with City of Barrie and provincial plans.
Celeste Kitsemetry, Senior Planner provided an update concerning the status of the application. She advised that the primary planning and land use matters are currently being reviewed by the Technical Review Team. Ms. Kitsemetry discussed the anticipated timelines for the staff report regarding the proposed application.
VERBAL COMMENTS
1. Arnie Invsin, 43 Alfred Street, commented that the proposed development is located on a historical piece of property and that there has been a lot of speculation and debate regarding the future of the property. He noted that he purchased his first home in this neighborhood which has experienced an influx of young families. Mr. Invsin commented that he runs the risk of being labelled a NIMBY in opposing the proposal and that he had hoped the City would purchase the lands to create an intercity park or university campus. He stated that any development should also benefit neighborhood residents.
Mr. Invsin expressed his opinion that the 2020 development proposal had merit as it contained a percentage of affordable housing units and he noted that the current development proposal does not contain affordable housing. He stated that traffic and noise mitigation issues were discussed at the Public Meeting in 2020 but now that the property was sold, the current proposal has doubled the size of the development.
Mr. Invsin requested that Council not yield to development pressure resulting from growth targets sanctioned under Bill 23. He noted that he is not anti-development but is for smart development. Mr. Invsin expressed concern that the population of a small city is being inserted into the footprint of the subject lands. He cited a development on Tiffin Street which proposes 16 high rise structures on land less than one kilometre in size.
Mr. Invsin commented that there is no dedicated green space in the proposal and expressed concern regarding safety issues resulting from the potential strain on existing infrastructure, carbon footprint, school capacity, and vehicle and pedestrian traffic. He expressed his opinion that the Highway 400/Essa Street gateway is currently congested and that an influx of residents will have further negative impacts. He expressed concerns regarding access points to the site and noted that there is currently only one sidewalk on many streets in the neighbourhood.
Mr. Invsin expressed further concerns with respect to speeding through the neighbourhood, and contaminated land and plume on the development site. He suggested that high rise towers be built near the Barrie South Go Station. He requested that Council give the proposed development serious consideration as it will have significant impacts on the surrounding neighborhood. Mr. Invsin concluded by stating that he supports the development of more housing but that it needs to be done with common sense and not with high rise towers. Mr. Invsin submitted a petition of 70 area residents against high rise development.
2. Norman Speak, Representative of the Barrie Curling Club, stated that he is a Board Member of the Barrie Curling Club which has been located on the site of the proposed development since 1952. He stated that the Barrie Curling Club is the only curling club in Barrie and that it is a not for profit, volunteer driven organization that is supported by membership dues and fundraising activities. He stated that the membership of the Club is typically 700 members. Mr. Speak stated that the Barrie Curling Club is not opposed to development and that it is a good corporate citizen. He commented that he trusts that staff and Council will do their homework before the development applications are approved to ensure that the development is good for the City of Barrie.
Mr. Speak stated that the Barrie Curling Club will be adversely impacted by the proposed development or any development at the site. He expressed concern that the Club’s Essa Road entrance will be eliminated and that it will lose a significant number of parking spaces that are conveniently located near the front of the building. Mr. Speak also noted that the Club will be surrounded by massive development and will be impacted by the influx of residents.
Mr. Speak expressed concern that the Traffic Study of the Curling Club was conducted during the summer month of July and that the Club will incur snow removal and landscaping expenses as snow storage for the Club on site will be eliminated. He expressed concern regarding where the funding to cover these costs will come from.
Mr. Speak noted that the Club has been dealing with the proposed development of the property for the last four years and that the City of Barrie and the applicant/developer are aware of the needs of the Club. He expressed that the needs of the Club are not reflected in the development plan presented. Mr. Speak commented that the development cannot proceed without Council approval of the development applications and noted that very little was said regarding the Barrie Curling Club in the development application presentation. Mr. Speak expressed that the applications are a community issue and that the Club offers recreation, exercise, and mental health benefits to a broad demographic, including seniors who make up approximately 40 percent of the Club’s members.
Mr. Speak noted that the City of Barrie does not currently operate a curling facility and that the Club is currently the only curling opportunity in Barrie. He requested that all parties to the development application, the City of Barrie, the developer, and the Barrie Curling Club, recognize its civic and community responsibilities with respect to community curling and that they work together to create an amicable solution.
Mr. Speak noted that the Club anticipates $70,000 per year in expenditures to upgrade its facility and thanked the City for its grant which was used to replace the roof of the facility. Mr. Speak noted that the Club is currently running an annual deficit of $20,000. He stated that this deficit can be eliminated by increasing the Club’s membership to 700 members but that this will take some time and a proper facility and location to draw members to the Club.
Mr. Speak commented that the Club also contributes to the community by hosting bonspiels that bring economic activity into the City. He stated that the Club is at a critical junction in its life and expressed that it would be a rarity and a travesty for a city in Canada that is the size of Barrie to not have a curling club. He requested that the developer recognize its civic and community responsibilities and the importance of getting this one opportunity right.
Mr. Speak concluded by requesting that Council and staff delay its decision on the planning applications until such time that all parties can agree to a site that is designed to provide a functional, safe, and satisfactory environment for the Barrie Curling Club in order to protect its long-term viability.
3. Craig Busch, 16 Bingham Court, stated that he is speaking on behalf of Vision Barrie and provided a presentation concerning its vision for the site. He commented that the organization likes the proposed development’s attractive and modern design, its density and creation of a population centre, its viability, the greening of the site, and the individual towers on parking platforms. He noted that the organization does not like the proposed development’s absence of an Urban Village, the modern only architecture, and the sudden descent from high rise to 3 storey townhomes. Mr. Busch stated that affordable housing is not just about the cost of housing, but that it also includes not requiring a car and housing that is located in a walkable community and connected by transit.
Mr. Busch commented that the site has the potential to create an Urban Village with connectivity to grocery stores, restaurants, community services, and retail shops. He expressed his opinion that retail stores should not face up onto Essa Road and presented a development concept consisting of five storey townhomes around a public town square. Mr. Busch displayed slides showing examples of urban villages around the world. He summarized the required elements of an Urban Village, including pedestrian only areas, retail patio space, green space on the ground, and Uber/Lyft zones.
Mr. Busch summarized the benefits of a five storey Urban Village development, including the creation of jobs, a community centre, a healthier lifestyle, a reduction of cars on the roads, lower carbon emissions, and the reputation of Barrie as a livable/leadership community. He noted that an additional community benefit opportunity could be to include a seniors’ facility. Mr. Busch summarized the actions needed by the City of Barrie with respect to urban village developments, including exemption from having to face up retail on the arterial roads, and accommodation for a future sky train station and passage that would provide elevated rail to run along the Highway 400 corridor.
Mr. Busch highlighted the Affordability Committee’s mandate and strategic vision to facilitate a range of housing options and encourage, develop and attract talent to support the City’s employers. He concluded by classifying the proposed development as City Centre Revitalization as the subject lands are less than a mile from the downtown and requested that the area be viewed as a future extension of the downtown.
4. Steven Dearlove, 15 Parkside Drive, stated that he has been a resident of Barrie for 13 years and is a retired architect. He provided a presentation concerning alternative proposals for the development and displayed slides illustrating examples of the projects he completed in his 37-year career, including the Holland Cross Project in Ottawa, Cour St. Patrick in Quebec City, the Royal Victoria Hospital redevelopment, and the Bradford West Gwillimbury Recreation Centre.
Mr. Dearlove expressed concern about the proposed development and that he believes there can be another solution for the site. He encouraged Council to demand better for the residents of Barrie and the residents of the future development. He commented that many things have been overlooked in the proposal, including sustainability and sound mitigation concerns. He cited an article entitled “The Missing Middle in Ontario” in which there are high rise condominiums or single detached dwellings in the housing stock with few options in between.
Mr. Dearlove expressed concern regarding the proposed townhomes being located next to high-rise towers and questioned why courtesy for future inhabitants is not being considered. He displayed slides comparing the proposed development to developments in Toronto and expressed his opinion that these locations are not where people want to live. Mr. Dearlove displayed slides summarizing the proposed development’s statistics, including the number of units, residents, commercial retail space, parking, and vehicles. He also summarized the average size of popular retail stores and compared it to the available retail space of the proposed development.
Mr. Dearlove displayed maps illustrating travel distances to and from the site of the proposed development and provided calculations for C02 emissions over a 20-year timeframe based on the average number of vehicles, kilometres travelled, and fuel and oil used for driving. He compared historical examples of positive city buildings in locations such as Paris, Instanbul, New York, Stockholm, Toronto, and Barrie with modern examples in various locations in Toronto and Atlanta.
Mr. Dearlove presented two alternative solutions for the site and displayed slides illustrating conceptual site sections for each solution. He requested that Council demand better for the site and commented that we should be city building and not suburb building with car-based developments. Mr. Dearlove concluded by requesting better solutions for developments and noted that historical models for these types of developments already exist for reference.
5. Cynthia Clemmons, 67 Campbell Avenue, commented that she was born and raised in the city of Barrie and has lived on Campbell Avenue for 50 years. She stated that she has grave concerns regarding the proposed development. She noted that she loves living in Barrie as it has a small town feel with a strong community, but that she does not like the direction the city is currently going to accommodate growth.
Ms. Clemmons expressed concerns regarding existing infrastructure in the neighbourhood and noted that there are no storm drains on Campbell Avenue. She commented that the lack of storm drains results in water accumulation on the street when it rains and ice accumulation in the winter. She expressed concerns regarding the capacity of the streets to accommodate increased traffic from the proposed development and other developments occurring nearby and noted that traffic is already gridlocked in the area. She expressed concerns that residents are already struggling with accessing health care and many do not have a family doctor. Ms. Clemmons noted that the plans to renew the infrastructure in the neighbourhood are years away.
Ms. Clemmons expressed concern regarding the contamination of the land and that construction activity will disturb the contaminants. She expressed concern that the plume will extend into Lake Simcoe and questioned whether there is a plan to mitigate the land contamination. Ms. Clemmons expressed concern regarding the capacity of the police, fire, and school services to accommodate the influx of residents residing in the neighborhood. She questioned whether tax increases will occur to pay for the growth while they are not currently receiving the basic services residents need.
Ms. Clemmons commented that the site of the proposed development is historic as it was once a racetrack and noted that the City should have considered creating a park or community centre on the site. She expressed concern regarding the impacts of the 15 Minute City concept on future residents of the City. Ms. Clemmons concluded by expressing concern that the city of Barrie is turning into Toronto and is losing its identity.
6. Gisele Burt, 63 Campbell Avenue, commented that she has lived adjacent to the proposed development for 40 years and that the pedestrian trail will run next to her property. She questioned whether there would be access to her property from the pedestrian trail and asked whether fencing would be installed along the trail as she is concerned about the potential for increased crime in the neighbourhood from those accessing the trail. Ms. Burt stated that 15-minute cities are real and questioned whether a Traffic Study has been completed. She noted that previous speakers have stated some of her additional concerns and questioned what mitigation measures are planned to address land contamination. Ms. Burt concluded by expressing concern regarding the future direction of the City.
7. Cathy Colebatch, 97 Cumberland Street, questioned what the current occupancy of the site is and requested that a different site design be considered to address the missing middle of housing, including triplexes, duplexes, and smaller bungalow type homes. She expressed concern regarding the inclusivity of the site design, noting that it is not suitable for seniors and those with mobility issues. Ms. Colebatch commented that a Neighbourhood Meeting for the second development applications was not held to discuss some of the comments made so far.
Ms. Colebatch questioned where the parking overflow will be located as many still use a vehicle to travel. She suggested that Wood Street be extended to create a through street and that permanent speed bumps and all-way stops be installed. Ms. Colebatch expressed that the proposed development will significantly impact the quality of life of the existing neighbourhood and that Essa Road is currently a nightmare. She commented that adequate parking for the Barrie Curling Club is important. Ms. Colebatch expressed concern regarding the numbers and assumptions used in the Traffic Study calculations as they appear to be on the low end. She expressed concern regarding how much traffic would overflow to surrounding streets in the neighbourhood.
Ms. Colebatch commented that she does not see affordable housing in the proposed development and noted that Barrie’s new Official Plan set an increased target for affordable housing. She stated that if developments are not built to be affordable then the City could consider increased funding to the County of Simcoe or building social housing. Ms. Colebatch commented that green space and a playground for children are important and requested clarification regarding new legislation concerning the creation of third dwelling units on properties.
Ms. Colebatch requested information on a Greenworld Construction Inc. and stated that she hopes the City will do its due diligence as the site is a gateway project. She noted the developer must have the necessary finances to develop the site and the importance of noise mitigation and keeping construction vehicles off of the streets during construction. Ms. Colebatch concluded by expressing that the height and density being proposed is overkill for the property.
8. Steve Miller, 1 Campbell Avenue, commented that he has a unique outlook on the proposed development and surrounding neighbourhood as he grew up in the area and has owned his home there for the last 50 years. He expressed concerns regarding urban sprawl, the lack of green space in the area, the number of access points to the proposed development, and the capacity of the roads to accommodate increased traffic.
Mr. Miller commented that green space areas entice residents to be out and encourage a sense of community. He noted that he is not opposed to the development itself but that he does not see a sense of community being created in the development proposal. Mr. Miller requested that the proposed development be scaled down and commented that a 35 storey tower is not suitable for the area. He concluded by stating that his property will be among those most impacted by the proposed development as it is located at the second intersection of Anne Street.
9. Bryan Wood, 250 Codrington Street, questioned whether surface water treatment class four is being planned for the north end of Barrie. He commented that during the construction of the development occurring on Johnson Street digging resulted in the diversion of the aquifer resulting in the pumping of water at 1000 gallons an hour. Mr. Wood questioned the depth of the tallest tower will be and asked whether a Groundwater Study will be completed prior to construction. He expressed concern that if the digging goes down too far it will result in water being diverted away from a community well in the area. Mr. Wood concluded by commenting that consideration be given to mitigating potential areas of risk and questioned whether a Hydrological Study will be completed.
WRITTEN COMMENTS
1. Correspondence from Meaghan Saunders dated March 26, 2023.
2. Correspondence from Joan Harrington dated March 27, 2023.
3. Correspondence from Paul and Pauline Parker dated March 27, 2023.
4. Correspondence from Murray Welch dated March 26, 2023.
5. Correspondence from John Proctor dated March 28, 2023.
6. Correspondence from the Barrie Curling Club dated March 27, 2023.
7. Correspondence from Steve Dearlove.
8. Correspondence from Vision Barrie.
9. Correspondence from Arnie Ivsin.
Ward 8 Councillor, J. Harris asked questions of Mr. Hunter and staff and received responses.