Council sends highrise proposal back to the drawing board
A developer’s last minute pledge to keep working with city planners wasn’t enough to salvage a high rise proposal across from Fanshawe College.
Council refused an application by Red Maple Properties to build a 24-storey (259 unit) student-oriented building at the corner of Oxford Street and Ayreswood Avenue overlooking Fanshawe College.
At the November 22 meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee, councillors backed a staff report stating the proposed building would be double the permitted height on the property according to The London Plan, and would exceed the capacity of the sewer connection along Second Street.
Subsequently, in a letter sent November 30 a planning consultant for the developer asked that the rezoning request be sent back to municipal staff for revision because, “All matters relating to this proposal are open for further meaningful review.”
Several councillors, however, took exception to the last minute offer to adjust the proposal, noting the application to develop the site has been under review with the planning department since September 2020 with little movement to meet existing zoning restrictions.
Councillor Helmer told colleagues the letter expressing a desire to change the proposal was, in his opinion, an attempt to salvage substantial application fees already paid to city hall.
A motion to refer the application back to staff lost 7-8, subsequently Council rejected the application 13-2.
Council’s decision to refuse the application means redevelopment of the property goes back to square one.
Afterwards, Mayor Ed Holder said Council sent a message to the developer, “Give it a try based on what the rules are around the city in terms of what we can and can’t accept. We’ve shown flexibility often, but this is one where it was well beyond the range of flexibility from my standpoint.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.