Residents raise concerns about 120-townhouse plan for Kitchener
Concerns raised by area residents prompted Kitchener councillors to postpone a vote on a proposed townhouse development.
At issue is a plan to tear down six single-detached homes on Jackson and Brentwood avenues and replace them with 120 condominium townhomes in the neighbourhood behind Eastwood Collegiate Institute.
“This would facilitate a compact, compatible missing middle lowrise development within an established neighbourhood,” senior city planner Brian Bateman told a planning committee meeting on Monday night.
Councillors heard from several area residents with concerns about the proposal, including height, traffic and parking, impact on privacy, and tree loss.
The Eastwood community is “a rare gem that enriches the lives of all fortunate enough to reside within its boundaries,” said Stephanie Patten.
The proposed development “threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of our community.”
Others acknowledged that change was likely to occur within their neighbourhood, but asked that the proposal abide by existing zoning regulations.
“If this development does not happen, there will be another one, we understand that,” said Jim Laturney.
“There is a need for more housing, and we know it’s going to be in there. We just want it to be within the bylaws.”
Property owner Sanjiv Shukla is seeking Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments for such things as increased height and density, and reduced setbacks and parking.
Grade changes on the site mean the stacked townhomes will vary in height from 3.5 to four storeys, a planning report says. The proposal includes 121 surface parking spots.
Surrounding properties include singles, semis and three-storey multi-residential buildings.
The plans have changed since they were first presented to people at an online information meeting earlier this year.
Those changes include repositioning one of the five blocks of stacked townhouses, adding upperstorey stepbacks, enlarging one outdoor amenity space that preserves more trees, and changing the appearance of the townhomes.
A second, smaller outdoor space that had been proposed along Jackson Avenue has been scrapped in lieu of the larger space.
Five of the existing homes that would be demolished are on Jackson Avenue, while one, at 136 Brentwood Ave., would come down to provide a second driveway for the complex and access for water and sewer services.
All of the homes are currently rented; concerns were raised in particular about the Brentwood home, where as many as eight students are said to live.
Residents also said putting a driveway in between existing single-family homes on Brentwood is a safety risk.
Councillors put off a vote Monday, asking for several outstanding questions to be resolved before the matter returns to council next week.
“I believe there’s a little bit more wiggle room that actually can work,” said Coun. Jason Deneault.
Some of those issues include: whether the Brentwood driveway could be reserved for fire access only, whether the owner will assist displaced tenants, whether an existing brick wall on the property can be retained, and whether a decreased ceiling height would be considered in order to lower the buildings’ overall height.
“The residents here aren’t against having a development there, they know that’s going to happen,” said Coun. Christine Michaud.
Council can still encourage intensification and developments while ensuring they're appropriate, she said. “It doesn’t mean we have to jam them in like sardines in a tin can.”