Next month, councillors are set to hear a proposal for a new 102-unit apartment building in the south end of Guelph.
At the public meeting set for March 19 and starting at 6:30 p.m., Reid’s Heritage Homes will be putting forward an application for a number of zoning amendments to construct a six-storey building at Gordon Street and Lowes Road West.
On the land where the proposed building would be constructed are five single detached dwellings — should the project get the go ahead, those homes will be torn down. Construction is currently slated to get underway by 2020.
Among the zoning amendments being requested are a higher maximum density (119 units per hectare, up from 100 units), a smaller minimum exterior side yard (four metres, down from six metres), a smaller minimum rear yard (9.7 metres, down from 20.2 metres), a smaller minimum common amenity area (1,630 square metres, down from 2,240), and a smaller parking lot (123 spaces, down from 133 spaces).
According to a traffic impact study prepared for the application by Paradigm Transportation Solutions, a Waterloo-based firm, no road improvements would be needed in order to accommodate such a building.
However, according to the same report, Paradigm recommends that “no more than the minimum number of required parking spaces” be built in the accompanying parking lot, with no free parking being provided for residents.
The traffic impact study recommends a number of provisions to ensure more of the building’s residents utilize public transit or other means of transportation instead, including putting a real-time transit arrival sign in the building’s lobby, providing discounted transit passes for residents during the first year and “travel planning resources for residents marketing a car-free lifestyle be provided.”
As part of its submission to the city, the developer says it would need to cut down 54 trees.
Those looking to register as a delegate for this meeting are asked to contact the city clerk’s office no later than 10 a.m. on March 16. The clerk’s office can be reached at 519-837-5603, via email at clerks@guelph.ca or in person at city hall.
Written comments can also be submitted to the city clerk’s office, and will be accepted until 10 a.m. on March 16.