Sixty-unit townhouse development a hit with King City councillors

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 18, 2016
By Tim Kelly

Councillors came to the defense of a 60-unit Keele Street townhouse development proposal Monday night, despite a few objections from neighbours who are concerned about traffic congestion and changes to the area.

The proposal for the three-building development, made at a public meeting, was well-received since it hits virtually every item on the planning checklist, said councillors Cleve Mortelliti and Debbie Schaefer.

"I see so much positive with this. I have thought about the young adults who, if they so choose, will have a different housing form to consider for King City, a place where they can live," said Schaefer.

"Here we're going to have one-bedroom apartments, 25 per cent of the site. I think that is really, really important for us," Schaefer added.

She also said the proximity to the GO station, just 300 metres away, was also critical.

"What we have here is very much in sympathy to what we see on Keele Street," she said.

For Mortelliti, the development fits in well with the province's push for intensification in areas such as Keele Street and King Road.

He pointed out, as did Mayor Steve Pellegrini, that the province is pushing for 80 units per acre while this development is 60 units over two acres.

He also pointed out that the development is in conformance "with the King City Community Plan that was approved in 2000, 16 years ago."

Mortelliti said the three-storey height is within the guidelines of the plan as well.

He did concede that the application represents change.

"A lot of us are having a really hard time with it, but, it is not even a fraction of the change that could take place (in the future)," Mortelliti said.

Neighbour Shirley Moffatt said she was worried about parking and traffic, density, height of the buildings and commercial use in the buildings.

"They have design for 97 spots, 15 of which are visitor spots, leaving 82 spots for 60 new families and ... the area has parking problems."

She said 60 families on two acres seemed "excessive," and said the height of the buildings appeared to be "four storeys" which "doesn't blend in with the neighbourhood."

Staff took in all comments received and will return to council with a report on the development at a future date.