A five-storey, 45-suite rental building proposed for the South Pandosy neighborhood will be the subject of a rare public hearing at sa国际传媒 City Hall next week.聽
The development is planned for the south-west corner of Richter Street and Wardlaw Avenue. It would have 25 parking stalls and 65 bicycle parking stalls.聽
Overall, municipal planners say the building conforms to the citysa国际传媒 official community plan aim of increasing residential density in established neighbourhoods. Per a directive from the NDP government to sa国际传媒 municipalities, a public hearing is not normally permitted in such cases.聽
However, the developer is seeking a variance to a city building regulation that normally requires upper floors to be stepped back. 鈥淭he intent of this rule is to reduce the overall massing of the building towards the pedestrian realm,鈥 a staff report states.聽
Staff say the requested variance is minor and won鈥檛 detract from the appeal of the building. But because a variance is being sought, a public hearing will be held beginning at 4 p.m. on Feb. 11 at sa国际传媒 City Hall.聽
With the elimination of most public hearings for residential projects, the Tuesday night council meetings are much shorter affairs than they have been in the past.聽
There are only two items on the agenda for the upcoming meeting, the other being a six-storey building with 160 units at 1881 Barlee Road, in the Midtown neighborhood between Harvey Avenue and Springfield Road.聽
It also needs a step-back variance approval from city council to proceed as planned.聽