Committee to weigh bid for new medical centre
After rejecting a proposed “stateof-the-art” medical centre along a residential stretch of Dougall Avenue last June, a city planning committee will consider a revised and scaled-down version at its next meeting on March 19.
The Dougall Medical Health Centre application, which would transform five residential lots — between 3169 and 3199 Dougall Ave. off Norfolk Street — into a commercial development, now includes a two-storey main building, down from the last threestorey plan, and city planners are now recommending approval of a restaurant and/or takeout food outlet.
The space devoted to that restaurant or takeout space, however, is limited to 15 per cent of the ground-floor area. Administration is also recommending closure of a rear alley, which would settle an earlier issue of insufficient rear parking separation to abutting residential lots.
The applicant’s original request for amendments to the city’s zoning bylaw was submitted in May 2017, but the current zoning of the subject South Windsor lands was set nearly a decade ago after what a planning department report described as “considerable public consultation and involvement of the residents.”
Some of the concerns expressed previously by neighbours include increased traffic and noise and the proximity to residential properties.
Last June, the city’s planning, heritage and economic development standing committee determined the original proposal for a $5-million to $6-million, 14,000-square-foot building was too large for the available space. At the time, the disappointed applicant said permitting the extra height and the restaurant and takeout food outlet were essential to the centre’s financial viability. The revised submission, which includes medical offices, an urgent care facility and a pharmacy, would total just over 8,600 square feet. Even if approved at the rezoning stage, the proposed development would be subject to a site plan approval application, at which time a parking study and a transportation impact study “most likely will be required,” city administrators say.