PL050845

The application for rezoning was refused by City Council, and the Applicant appealed to the Board.

SUBSEQUENT MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROPOSAL

Part-way through the hearing, the Applicant scaled back its proposal in several key respects:

• The proposed commercial area would be reduced. Instead of the eastern side of the property being commercial, it would remain residential, with a proposed housing configuration similar to the opposite side of Pioneer Drive.

• The reduction in the commercial area would lead to a corresponding reduction in parking area, and in expected commercial traffic.

• Vehicle access would be exclusively via North Talbot Road.

• To pre-empt the possibility of becoming a cluster of restaurants, there would be a maximum of two restaurants, limited in size.

• Some provisions which were expected to be in the site plan, like a six-metre landscaped buffer on the north side, would now be entrenched in the Zoning By-law; but there would still be a site plan as well.

OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS

Pursuant to this turn of events, the Board heard from no further witnesses or neighbours who would challenge the proposal, as now modified.

The Applicant’s planner, Mr. Tanner, outlined how the amendments to the Zoning By-law advanced the stated objectives of the Provincial Policy Statement on this topic, as well as the “neighbourhood commercial” provisions of the Official Plan. Finally, he testified, the whole was consistent with the principles of sound planning. The Board then heard from the City’s consulting planner, Ms Monteith, who disputed none of those observations.