CONSTRUCTION: 374 Martha St. ADI Nautique
Happening in your neighbourhood: construction of 374 Martha Street begins first week of June 2020.
Lakeshore Road and Martha Street will look quite different starting next week as construction begins for an approved 26 storey residential building. The first phase will be shoring and excavation that will take ~6 weeks. This means that barriers and hoardings are being erected to create the pedestrian walkway on the north side of Lakeshore Road and one lane of westbound traffic has been closed per the City issued Road Occupancy Permit.
Why is construction happening?
The developer has demonstrated to the satisfaction of City staff the following:
Draft Site Plan approval has been issued by the City Capital Works/Site Engineering Department
Road Occupancy Permit issued by the City Transportation Department
Building Permit for shoring and excavation issue by the City Building Department
On Thursday, May 14, Premier Doug Ford announced the details of Stage 1 of the province’s plan to reopen the economy. Part of the plan is to lift the essential workplace limits on construction, allowing all construction activity to resume on Tuesday, May 19. The announcement lifted essential workplace limits on construction.
Thereafter ADI Development Group Inc. resumed construction planning and execution for the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) / (OMB) decided application that allows 26 storeys at 374 and 380 Martha St. The complete file is available here.
In August 2019 the Ward Councillor hosted a Construction Management Community Information Meeting to provide an overview of the construction plan following planning approvals. The community heard from development representatives and city staff on construction and traffic plans.
What is Construction Management?
The Construction Management Plan is the technical document and tool that indicates how construction logistics are managed. The City of Burlington issues building permits for construction and renovation projects requiring permits; however, the builder or developer is responsible for the construction works.
Construction & Mobility Management Plans aim to:
Minimize the impacts to sidewalks, cycling facilities, parking and streets during the construction of new development projects;
Provide consistency in staff’s review and approval of proposed developments;
Successfully manage multiple developments, potentially in close proximity, while maintaining an active city for residents and businesses; and
Coordinate private development with planned construction by the City, Region of Halton and Utility companies in the public road allowance.
Communication is key. There are many departments and contacts that carry out the plan through construction. The plan includes:
•Project contacts for both the City and Developer
•Transportation Management Plan
•Parking and access agreements
•Environmental (noise/light) mitigation strategy
•Public safety and emergency services
•Technical site drawings
Traffic Management Plan
The Construction Management Plan establishes the site construction logistics required throughout the construction process.
This shows how road and sidewalk users will be safely and efficiently guided through a site and ensures emergency vehicle access and alternates.
The Traffic Management Plan establishes the construction vehicle travel routes to access and egress the construction site.
For this development, construction traffic will approach eastbound from the QEW to Old Lakeshore Road and back out westbound to the QEW. Staging will occur on Old Lakeshore Road.
My comments:
Understandably, residents have expressed concern about the impacts of construction at this scale. I have met with neighbouring residents and businesses over many months to hear concerns and work with both staff and ADI representatives. It is important that everyone has an opportunity to be engaged with this significant scale ofdevelopment in Burlington, that’s why I held an open public information session on the construction now underway.
ADI representatives have worked positively with my office and residents to address concerns and make revisions to the construction plans. A strong commitment to safety and professionalism has been observed since I have worked with their technical team and I believe in giving credit where credit is due.
I am well aware of the history of this file, but also recognize that success at this point is having the building completed as quickly as possible with the least impact.
Where can we do better?
Up until recently Burlington was without consistent Construction Management Guidelines, as a result, each development was considered and permissions granted on a case by case basis.
In September 2019, Council approved a Construction and Mobility Policy, which defines the requirements for a Construction and Mobility Management Plan, to regulate construction and mobility impacts on a public road allowance resulting from land development within the City of Burlington;
My previous comments from fall 2019 are here:
I support this report because it reflects exactly the expressions heard at the two hosted Construction Information Meetings held last month. Residents know that the previous approvals are past the point of return, now we must work to minimize the impacts of construction while welcoming new residents.
Current residents want greater control over downtown parking supply during construction, securities to enforce the construction plans, assurances over environmental mitigation efforts, and most importantly, respect for our commitment to active transportation and traffic flow.
Comments at July CoW meeting : " We are looking to take back our city. We have made a commitment to active transportation — this is a direct show of that commitment. We can no longer have our streets held hostage. Our taxpayers pay for those streets. They pay for those roads. They are their streets and roads. Construction and development is certainly possible without the impediments forced on the community. ”