Neighbourhood Characteristics:

The surrounding land uses consist of a mix of residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation uses. To the north are low-density residential uses along both sides of Crawford Avenue, a vacant parcel on the west side of Crawford fronting on University Avenue West (former Grace Hospital site), and a vacant parcel owned by others fronting on Salter Street. CP Railway operates a railyard approximately 280 m to the southeast and a rail corridor adjacent to the subject parcel.

North east of the rail corridor is a low density residential neighbourhood. This residential neighbourhood continues south of Wyandotte Street West, east of the rail corridor.

Commercial uses are located along Wyandotte Street West, a major east-west arterial road that connects the west end of the City, the downtown, and the east end of the city. To the south, on the east side of Crawford, is a major industrial use, BASF Canada. BASF also has parking lots east of the CP rail corridor, just south of Wyandotte Street on both sides of Caron Avenue. Further south is a Hydro One transformer facility. On the west side of Crawford are commercial uses including a restaurant with drivethrough, a bingo facility and a grocery store. The commercial corridor of Wyandotte Street West extends westerly, interspersed with some residential uses and vacant lots. To the northwest is a low-density residential neighbourhood.

Wyandotte Street West is a Class II Arterial Road and Crawford Avenue is a Class I Collector Road . Public transit is available via the Crosstown 2, Central 3, and Central 3W buses on Wyandotte Street and Crawford Avenue, immediately adjacent to the subject lands, the Transway 1C bus on University Avenue West, is approximately 500 m to the north, and the Dougall 6 bus on Janette Avenue and Bruce Avenue, is 400 m to the east.

Discussion:

Planning Analysis:

Statutory Regulations:

Under Section 9 of The Condominium Act, an owner may request approval of a plan of condominium subject to Section 51 of The Planning Act (subdivisions). As such, the usual approval process for plans of subdivision is invoked, i.e. review by municipal and provincial agencies, public notification, draft plan approval, a condominium agreement and final registration.

The Condominium Act also provides that owners can be exempted from the above mentioned Planning Act provision if the approval authority (i.e. the City of Windsor) is of the opinion that "such exemption is appropriate in the circumstances". The reasons for exemptions are not specified, but usually applicants can be exempted if the following conditions are satisfied: