As Oakville's newly elected town councillors take their seats following an election fought largely around development issues, they face a challenging planning environment.
Rapid-fire provincial changes are upending many of the rules that have underpinned how development has been done in Ontario for decades.
A number of those changes will seek to speed up the notoriously slow decision-making process that has characterized the management of development applications.
They could also be expensive for property taxpayers.
One of the new rules, which will take effect in January, will force the town to refund planning application fees if it delays decisions beyond a 90-day deadline. That could put $2.9 million in annual revenues at risk, town planners estimated last year.
At the same time, the town is dealing with incoming new applications while also facing more than a dozen appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).
Many of these appeals result from the town's failure to decide on applications within established deadlines.
Here are details on six of the most significant appeals, which will now be decided by the provincial tribunal.
New Bronte Road subdivision – 1300, 1316, 1326, 1342 and 1350 Bronte Rd.
A new 135-unit subdivision is proposed for the west side of Bronte Road, adjacent to Bronte Creek provincial park.
The 12-hectare property is owned by Argo, the same company that developed the former Saw-Whet golf course into the Glen Abbey Encore subdivision across the street.
Plans for the property include 96 townhouses arranged in a condo block, 38 detached homes and a 5.3-hectare woodlot block.
Argo, operating under the name of Bronte River Limited Partnership, is seeking a zoning amendment and draft plan of subdivision to allow the development.
Approval for development of the lands was made as part of the settlement that allowed development of the Saw-Whet property across the street.
The application has been appealed to the OLT because the town failed to rule within the required deadline.
Full details of the proposal can be found here.
SmartCentres development – 256, 260 and 294 Hays Blvd. and 271 Oak Park Blvd.
SmartCentres has applied to build two towers (29 and 28 storeys) with 585 residential units near the northwest corner of Trafalgar Road and Oak Park Boulevard.
Despite opposition from Ward 5 councillors, town planning staff have recommended approval of the application.
While deemed a mixed-use development, the application proposes to have 589.9 sq. metres of ground floor commercial space – an area less than half the size of an Olympic swimming pool.
It also proposes 493 parking spaces in four levels of above-ground parking. Access to the buildings would be from existing driveways on Taunton Road and Hays Boulevard.
A hearing on the application is scheduled for May 8.
Full details of the proposal can be found here.
9-storey building in Bronte Village – 2365 - 2377 Lakeshore Rd. W.
A developer wants to replace the strip mall on the north side of Lakeshore between Jones and Nelson Streets with a 9-storey residential building.
The proposal is for 180 residential units, as well as 673 sq. metres of retail space on the ground level.
A total of 161 parking spaces are to be provided, with 147 for the residential units and 14 shared spaces for retail and visitor parking.
Graywood Developments has applied for amendments to the town's official plan and zoning bylaws to allow it to exceed the maximum allowable height and provide less than the minimum required parking.
Full details of the proposal can be found here.
8-storey seniors residence overlooking Lions Valley Park
Delmanor West Oak wants to build a 315-unit rental highrise building for seniors on 4.6 hectares of land severed from St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre.
The 8-storey building would overlook the Sixteen Mile Creek and the popular Lions Valley Park, with an additional 24 one-and-a-half storey independent living units arranged in four blocks.
The developer appealed the application to the OLT after waiting more than 19 months for a decision by the town.
A hearing on the application is set for April 3. Full details can be found here.
https://oakvillenews.org/news/olt-decide-on-highrise-by-lions-valley-park/
New North Oakville subdivisions - 90 Burnhamthorpe Rd W, 160 Burnhamthorpe Rd W
The OLT will rule on two North Oakville subdivisions awaiting town planning decisions for more than a year.
At 90 Burnhamthorpe Rd W, near the corner of Sixth Line, Star Oak developments wants to build 69 detached homes and 141 townhouse units.
Full details can be found here.
In the nearby 160 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W subdivision, Docasa Group is proposing 114 detached homes, 24 semi-detached houses, 89 townhouses and 128 units in a mid-rise building.
Full details can be found here.
The town will also be defending its recently adopted development charges bylaw before the OLT, as well as its implementation of planning changes required by last year's provincial More Homes for Everyone legislation.