PL050845

Sixth Concession Road. It is served by transit, in a large residential area, northwest of an industrial park in the Oldcastle area. Across North Talbot Road, to the south, is a park; on the east and west, the site is bounded by Sixth Concession Road and Pioneer Drive respectively (the latter being a local street), with single-family homes across each of those streets. To the north, the site directly abuts single-family properties.

The area is designated “Residential” in the City's Official Plan (OP), but that designation does not preclude pockets of commercial uses: that “Residential” designation allows “neighbourhood commercial” uses. The applicant proposed a “neighbourhood commercial” plaza.

Under its original proposal, the whole 0.93 hectare of the subject site would be rezoned for commercial use. The property is subject to site plan control, and the Applicant apparently expected the site plan to address the question of green buffer, notably between the commercial uses and the homes to the north; there was discussion of a six-metre (19.7 feet) landscaped buffer there.

The existing Zoning By-law No. 8600, as amended, provided for single-family homes on site. It also provided for an unusual nine-metre front setback along North Talbot Road; that setback had originally been intended for a storm sewer, but the latter was built elsewhere.

The City's process for inserting “neighbourhood commercial” uses into such residential neighbourhoods is outlined at OP Section 6.3.2.9. The proposal was supported by City planning staff, which argued that those OP criteria had been met. Staff also liked the idea of neighbourhood services and retail within walking distance of the residents. The only significant alternative sources are at a driving distance of at least 1.5 kilometres.

Others were more sceptical. Various neighbours advised the City of views both for and against this plaza in their neighbourhood. There were concerns about traffic, although City staff said that “there was more than sufficient road capacity”. Another concern was that the plaza could become monopolized by non-neighbourhood functions, such as a collection of fast-food outlets to serve drivers from the nearby industrial park. Neighbours also had other concerns about stores and/or restaurants near their homes.