City Council said the definitive yes Monday night to a 20-storey condo at Barrie's Five Points.
In a recorded vote, council approved 10-0 the amended zoning to allow the condo to be built twice as high by-laws state.
The endorsement didn't come without a lone voice of opposition.
Long-time Barrie resident Cathy Colebatch appeared before council to make a passionate plea for the decision to be deferred and council to consider an alternative solution.
"The project itself is too large in scale," she said. "Height, mass and density are not respectful of our current surroundings in the downtown core."
Colebatch told council the rezoning would be changing the face of Dunlop Street's historic downtown feel that draws tourism.
She asked that building height, number of units and number of parking spaces be reduced and the landscape buffers retained.
"It certainly appears that we are being asked to compromise or negotiate too many details in order to make this building fit," she said.
After the vote of approval, Colebatch said she was 'disappointed' with the decision but also in the fact that she was the only citizen to come to council and express a concern.
She also lamented that at last week's Consent Agenda, not one Council Member put a hold on the Report and she said no questions were asked last week or this week directly of her.
Mayor Lehman noted that several public meetings have been held about the development and it has been discussed at previous council meetings.
Councillor Sergio Morales called council's decision a 'watershed moment' in how development starts to shape our city.'
"It is a critical development at the Five Point," he said. "Arguably that is the heart of our city."
The development’s site plan must be approved by council before the property is rezoned, so councillors will have a say in plans moving forward.
