Proposed apartment may be tight fit

The community is to be consulted before further steps are taken to build a four-storey apartment building at 6309 Kingston Rd., the Scarborough Community Council has decided on Feb. 9.

The building proposal would require changing zoning laws to allow higher density at the site just south of Kingston Road and Old Kingston Road.

“It’s in a lovely community, and we want to protect that community,” Ward 44 councillor Ron Moeser said.  “As long as it takes to gather the public’s opinion and make it work, that’s how long this will take.”

The next step is seeing how the Highland Creek community feels about the proposed building

“We’ve asked the applicant to provide us with a couple studies,” said Toronto building planner Alex Teixeira. “Then we will set up a community consultation with the Highland Creek Community Association.”

A few issues have already come up with the building.  It is located in an area where nearly all the buildings are a maximum of two-storeys high.

“The community association usually doesn’t want more than three-storeys high in this area,” Moeser said.  “Quality of the design is going to be a major issue, how the building looks and fits.”

With 38 total residential units and a floor of underground parking, the building exceeds the current density permitted by Highland Creek zoning laws.

However, Moeser said he understands that the area is a “transition area” and the city is growing at a rapid rate.

“It’s not like it’s in a total residential area,” Moeser said.  “If you look at the placement, it’s surrounded mainly by commercial (buildings).”

Currently situated on the property is a 75-year-old house, which is being used as a residence and doctor’s office.  Squeezing in a four-storey apartment building on the lot may be a tight fit.

“People like green space, they don’t always want to live packed in beside their neighbour,” Moeser said.  “We have a bit of a village look that we want to preserve.”

Teixeira said the developer, Nemara Developments, is conducting the studies requested by the city and, as soon as the city receives them, it will set a date for a community consultation.

Moeser promises he will work with the community to ensure the building fits and, if not, he will do his best to stop it.

“If I don’t like it, I’ll try and convince Community Council not to allow it,” Moeser said.

About this article

By: Josh Ungar
Posted: Feb 18 2010 8:36 am
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Filed under: News