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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.