It’s the first time staff have drawn a line in the sand over concerns that infrastructure is not keeping pace with development.
By Jennifer Pagliaro City Hall Bureau – April 3, 2018
Amid concerns the Yonge-Eglinton area could be reaching water and sewer capacity, staff say a proposed two-tower condo development should be put on hold until a review is completed.
A report from staff headed to Toronto and East York community council on Wednesday comes after city planning staff identified growing concerns development in the midtown neighbourhood was outpacing the available infrastructure, like pipes, schools and parks.
But this is the first time staff have drawn a line in the sand over those concerns about basic, hard infrastructure after council gave them direction in December to put a hold on development in the area if necessary to “ensure that growth and infrastructure needs are aligned.”
Many question whether the Ontario Municipal Board should be allowed to continue wielding its unelected power over a city crunched for resources.
The proposal, for a 25- and 34-storey condos at Yonge St. between Millwood Rd. and Davisville Ave., was appealed by the developer, Times Group, to the Ontario Municipal Board, a quasi-judicial body that deals with most land use planning disputes, after staff did not issue a final report with recommendations within the required timelines.
Staff are now requesting to fight the Yonge St. proposal at the OMB, saying it would be “overdevelopment” of the site, would “significantly reduce” afternoon sunlight on the Davisville Junior Public School and its outdoor play area, and would set a “negative precedent” for that stretch of Yonge St.
Read the full article from the Toronto Star for more details: