Link to the JBNA correspondence archive
Re: Kingston/Montreal/Quebec Development Proposal—Community Consultation and Development Decisions
Dear Mayor Alto and Members of City Council:
The James Bay Neighbourhood Association (JBNA) is concerned over recent decisions and directions being taken by City Council relating to public consultation in the development process.
Our focus in this letter is the proposal of Geric Construction for redevelopment of the properties bounded by Kingston, Montreal, and Quebec Streets that was discussed at the Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting held July 27.
This site is already zoned R–K and would accommodate approximately 80 housing units under Schedule P of the Missing Middle Bylaw that Council ratified earlier this year. Had development proceeded on this site in accordance with this bylaw and the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) 80 much needed residences would be headed towards completion with much public support.
Instead, the project has been tied up in a controversial rezoning application that is highly stressful for the community. This application proposes an additional increased density of 40 housing units to be allocated to upper floors of a high-rise tower. JBNA believes that these units will be neither conducive to family use nor affordable for most working families and represents a clear move away from the much-needed Missing Middle housing policy.
In addition, the proposal is contrary to City staff recommendations. Staff stated in their report to COTW that this proposal is not supportable. The following statements were extracted from it:
- The height and massing are inconsistent with the overall intent of the Urban Place Designations and do not meet the broad objectives and policies of the OCP
- The proposal does not meet this objective as the proposed building is not suitable for this location.
- The proposal is inappropriate for the current and future site context.: and,
- The proposed 17-storey mixed-use building, with a 2.94:1 floor space ratio, is not consistent with the OCP policy for density increases.
Local residents have written dozens of letters to Council indicating strong opposition to this proposal citing its negative environmental and quality of life impacts. The City’s Pre-Application Feedback showed only 13.6% of respondents indicated support for this proposal, and a review of these comments reveals that where there was support it was conditional on reductions in density, height, shading, conformance with the OCP and opportunity for meaningful public input.
JBNA struggles to understand why Council would approve rezoning a property where the Missing Middle policy could be applied to a density far beyond what is contemplated in the OCP, against the recommendations of City planning staff, and ignores the overwhelmingly negative responses received from the most affected neighbours and residents of the community.
We note that the COTW decision of July 27 instructed the developer to return with an alternate proposal that retains the same density at lower height, with no requirement for further review by the Advisory Design Panel or the JBNA CALUC. Yes, height is an issue, but staff and the community were clear that density and non-compliance with the OCP were and remain the primary concerns.
As Directors of the JBNA, we wish to advise Mayor and Council that tensions within the neighbourhood are very strained with respect to proposed developments in our community. James Bay residents acknowledge the most worrisome challenge of the availability of affordable housing in our City. We remind Council that James Bay has historically stepped up to this challenge. Our community is already one of the most densely populated areas of the city. Furthermore, there are currently over 400 additional housing units proposed in James, Bay in addition to the approximately 200 already approved or under construction. James Bay is doing more than its share and we suggest that it is time for the City to shift the focus of housing development to other neighbourhoods.
With respect to the development proposal bounded by Quebec, Montreal and Kingston Streets we ask that COTW not approve any alternative designs that do not conform with existing zoning and OCP guidelines that support Missing Middle housing objectives. We also request that long established principles of public consultation be maintained.
Thank you for your attention to this letter. Representatives of the James Bay Neighbourhood Association are ready to discuss any of the points made in it.
Sincerely,
Timothy VanAlstine, President JBNA Trevor Moat, Vice President, JBNA Wayne Shillington, Treasurer, JBNA Linda Carlson, Director, JBNA Bob Vander Steen, Director, JBNA Lorne Brownsey, Director, JBNA