Building height bogs down proposed development in Hyde Park: it’s too short
Despite the building boom in Hyde Park, one high profile development remains a bust with city staff.
The planning department is once again recommending refusal of a rezoning application by York Developments to build 72 townhouses and a shopping plaza at 1407-1427 Hyde Park Rd at the southeast corner with South Carriage Road.
According to the planning report, the single-storey commercial plaza is inconsistent with long-term planning policies along that stretch of Hyde Park Road that require a minimum of two-storeys.
Specifically, the report states the proposed commercial plaza’s height does not conform with:
- The 2020 Provincial Policy Statement
- The Main Street policies in The London Plan
- The Hyde Park Community Plan - Community and Urban Design Guidelines.
The proposal by York Developments for 1407-1427 Hyde Park Rd. (Source: City of London)
“Hyde Park is an up-and-coming important commercial node,” said Councillor Steve Lehman, who chairs the Planning and Environment Committee.
Lehman said he’ll have lots of questions about the report during next week’s meeting.
“What does staff envision to be above those commercial stores? Do they envision it to be officers? Well frankly, the person who is developing (the property) might not see a market for offices out there,” he added.
A rezoning application for the property was last in front of the planning committee in September, 2022.
At the time, some neighbours expressed concern about a McDonald’s drive-thru being located directly across the road from the Our London Family Memorial to the Afzaal family.
York Developments has subsequently removed the McDonald’s from its proposal.
The proposal by York Developments for 1407-1427 Hyde Park Rd. (Source: City of London)
If council turns down the revised application because the plaza is too short, that decision would also block construction of the townhouse component.
In the midst of a housing crisis, nearby property owner Joe Pacitto questions the value of even more businesses along Hyde Park Road.
“I don’t think we need any stores here, really. They can just build houses. We need houses,” he told CTV News.
The Planning and Environment Committee will consider the application at its meeting on March 27.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.