Georgian Dr. project could take pressure off college area

Nineteen storeys and 375 rental apartments is a fit along Barrie’s Georgian Drive.

Sitting as planning committee Tuesday evening, city councillors approved Official Plan and zoning amendments to allow this development at 290, 294, 298 and 302 Georgian Dr. Council will consider final approval at its June 6 meeting.

“In this case, the density is appropriate because it will serve both the hospital (Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre) and Georgian College and it is located on a major road with transit service,” said Coun. Clare Riepma, who represents this part of Barrie.

“It will provide more places for students to live, which will take some of the pressure off the residential areas around the college,” he added. “Located beside the Foundry, which is a medium-density project, I don't expect any negative impacts on the surrounding community, and it will provide housing which we very much need in the city.”

The project would include five walk-up townhouse units (included in the 375 units), ground-floor commercial use and a total of 462 parking spaces, with 18 of them being barrier-free.

Parking would be provided through a combination of an underground level, using the grade changes in the site, and four above-ground levels. Also, 75 visitor parking spaces have been included, 12 of which are to be shared with the proposed commercial uses.

The lobby, management office and business centre, as well as the commercial space, would be located on the second level in addition to parking.

The three-storey townhouse units would be provided at levels two to four, in addition to parking, while levels five to 19 will comprise residential apartment units — one-bedroom, one-bedroom with den, two-bedroom, two-bedroom with den, and three-bedroom units.

Developer TDM Atria would provide amenity use through a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces. Indoor amenity space would include a gym, gathering room, library/shared workspace, while the outdoor amenity space would include a roof terrace on level five at the front and rear of the building. Individual apartment units would also include private balconies.

The property is located on the north side of Georgian Drive between Gallie Court and Johnson Street. It is 1.8 acres, excluding the environmental protection (EP) area and road widening.

TDM Atria would be required to submit a site-plan application prior to development of the site, to provide the city with a comprehensive understanding of the proposed development and its architectural, landscape and engineering details.

An application for site-plan approval was submitted in April 2019, but has been put on hold until the proposed Official Plan and zoning-bylaw amendment applications have been considered by council.

Should council approve these applications, planning staff, through delegated authority, may review, approve and/or deny the site-plan application.