Residents to have their say on controversial townhouse project

Ten people are scheduled to address Barrie city council Monday about a proposed, controversial Mapleview Drive West townhouse project.

Council will be considering a motion referring the rezoning of 407, 409, 413, 417 and 419 Mapleview Dr. W. to multiple residential use with variances, from single residential, back to staff for a report with less height and fewer units.

“This is still not an acceptable development for our community,” said Anna Del Col, who will be making a deputation to council. “The neighbourhood is still really upset about the exemptions being asked for, particularly around density.”

Janet Foster, Andrew Zvanitajs, Kapil Uppal, Doug and Maria Rolling, Sarah Davis, Andrew Barnett, Kent Burtenshaw and Darren Vella of Innovative Planning Solutions, on behalf of project developer Encore Group, are also scheduled to speak. More speakers could be added Monday, with council approval.

Encore wants to build 46 condominium townhouses on Mapleview Drive West in five blocks, with two blocks being 4.5 storeys high and the other three blocks at three storeys.

If council approves the referral as is, planning staff would produce a report with a maximum 34 townhouses in buildings no more than three storeys high.

Vella, who is Encore’s planning consultant, has made the developer’s position clear. This project was already gone from 88 to 46 units, so Encore is no longer able to reduce the number of units within the project, he said. Vella said a balance between neighbourhood concerns and planning policy has been achieved.

Coun. Gary Harvey, who represents this part of Barrie, said Friday afternoon there was no update to the situation.

The Ward 7 councillor has recommended a number of measures beside less density, height and units - including no rooftop terraces, saving as many trees as possible on the 1.57-acre site, minimum landscaping of 35 per cent, rear-yard setbacks of 10 metres and perimeter fencing.

City planner Logan Juffermans has noted, in a memo to council, that Encore has made changes to its concept plan to address comments made by Harvey through discussion with the neighbourhood residents’ group.

“The proposed changes are intended to address issues relating to the protection of existing on-site trees and separation to neighbouring dwellings,” Juffermans said in the memo.

Harvey has said that when this matter was delayed in December, he had hoped there would be talks between Encore and area residents, and their planning consultant, that could lead to a compromise on density and height. That didn’t happen, nor did it happen with the Ward 7 councillor’s talks with Encore.

This land is located on the south side of Mapleview Drive West, west of the intersection of Essa Road and east of Redfern Avenue.

Ontario’s Planning Act and city regulations require Encore to submit a site plan application before this property is developed. Encore is required to provide the city with a comprehensive understanding of the proposed development and its architectural, landscape and engineering details.