Townhouse project forging ahead despite neighbourhood concerns

Hoping that increasing the housing stock will also increase affordability, city council this week voted against the concerns of neighbours to approve an eight-unit multifamily development at 210 Scott Ave.

The project will go up on a lot on which just one single-family home is currently located, drawing objections from neighbours about problems they fear will materialize with the densification of their neighbourhood.

“In order to keep a good quality of life, we believe that overcrowding an area not made for that purpose will only create problems such as difficult car circulations, unsafe area for kids playing around and an increase of the level of noise,” neighbours Jean Motard and Marie Lorrain wrote in a letter submitted to the city ahead of the public hearing.

“This will affect the quality of life of all the citizens of this neighbourhood.”

Plans sent to council call for two four-unit townhouses on the site, which is bordered by a single-family home on one side and a multi-family development across a lane on the other.

Each unit will feature three bedrooms, a garage and deck over three storeys.

“I think it’s going to fit into the neighbourhood nicely because (the area) is a mix of apartments and duplexes already,” architect Tony Giroux told council. “The neighbourhood is on the upswing.” Following the public hearing, council gave unanimous approval to the project.

“The reality is that (home ownership) is becoming more and more unaffordable. Land is being eaten up by the amount of people that we have a need to support in this world and this country and this town,” said Coun. Max Picton.

“And that is going to require densification in order to meet the needs of people today, and that’s just the reality of the world that we live in.

“So when we look at these developments, we have to balance the needs of the entire community.”