Appeal: 2107 Old Lakeshore Rd, 2119 Lakeshore Rd - Lakeshore (Burlington) Inc.

Carriage Gate strikes again as the statutory deadline for Council to make a decision on a planning file for a 27 storey tower at Lakeshore Rd. & Old Lakeshore Rd. lapsed on October 1st (120 days after the application was deemed complete, plus the duration of the COVID-19 emergency declaration).

Residents have expressed significant opposition to height of 105 linear meters and a density of 750 units/ha - nearly 4 times the targeted 200 units/ha planned for. The applicant held a Neighbourhood Meeting on September 26, 2019 at Burlington Central Arena, prior to submission of the applications. Approximately 50 residents, Ward 2 Councillor Kearns, and City Planning and Transportation staff attended the meeting.

In response to public circulation staff received 23 comments from 22 individuals on the subject applications. The general themes of the written comments are summarized: 

• Concern that the proposed development, its construction, and future building maintenance will worsen existing traffic congestion on Lakeshore Road;

• Concern that amount of parking is insufficient and will cause overflow parking on public streets and neighbouring properties; 

• Concern that proposed building is much taller than existing buildings and what is currently permitted by the Official Plan and Zoning By-law; 

• Suggestions that proposed building height be lowered so that building acts as a transition to taller buildings to the west; 

• Concern about noise and privacy impact of the proposed second storey outdoor terrace and balconies, and concern about noise impact of garbage/recycling trucks on the existing apartment building to the north at 2121 Lakeshore Road;

• Suggestion that the second floor terrace be oriented to the south or designed with barriers to mitigate noise and visual impact on existing buildings to the north; 

• Concerns that proposed building and other tall buildings in the vicinity will create uncomfortable and hazardous wind conditions and shadowing at the street-level for pedestrians and cyclists; 

• Concern about loss of sunlight and views to the lake for residents to the north of subject site.

The planning file indicates that while the City awaits the LPAT process to conclude, new applications, including the subject applications, are being circulated for comment to relevant departments and agencies and statutory public meetings are being held to receive public input. No planning analysis is being undertaken and recommendation reports are not being prepared until the LPAT has issued decisions on the aforementioned ZBA 2020.418 appeals. Following the Statutory Public Meeting that occurred , the applications will be held in abeyance until the ICBL is no longer in effect.

Hear my closing comments on this file that strongly encourages Carriage Gate to listen to the community. There are virtually zero changes to this file from the pre-consultation meeting to the appeal. Hear my closing comments here. We need to bring local planning decisions to the local level.