OMB says no — twice — to development proposed for downtown Richmond Hill
Councillors praise decision that reinforces heritage neighbourhood in village core

YorkRegion.com
Nov. 10, 2017
Kim Zarzour

The Town of Richmond Hill is celebrating this week after the Ontario Municipal Board gave the thumbs-down — for the second time — to a development application proposed for the historic downtown core.

The board released its ruling Nov. 7 that the proposal by Robert Salna Holdings Inc., for an eight-storey condo at 10217/10255 Yonge St., is not appropriate, does not represent good planning and should not be approved.

This is the second kick at the can for the contentious development proposal on the east side of Yonge between Centre and Dunlop streets.

In 2015, after the town denied the application, the developer appealed to the OMB for exemption from the official plan. When that was denied by the OMB, the landowner filed planning applications and again appealed to the board — but that, too, was denied.

8-storey Richmond Hill condo called ‘insult to community’
“The board accepts the expert planning evidence provided by the town,” said OMB vice-chair Chris Conti.

Conti said the height of the proposal substantially exceeds the maximum height in the official plan for the Village District and fails to address the town’s plans for a linked system of courtyards.

Kelvin Kwan, the town’s planning commissioner, said the rulings confirm the strength of the town’s official plan policies, created after significant consultation with residents.

Those plans call for different character areas — with highest density at Hwy 7 and Yonge, next highest density at 16th and Yonge and Bernard and Yonge, and the village core having a very different neighbourhood flavour with two- to five-storey buildings, linked courtyards and mews for walkability.

“This has reinforced that neighbourhood character is important, as is compatibility with communities,” Kwan said. “Just because a landowner has a vision of his own, it has to be balanced against the good of the many.”

Mayor Dave Barrow praised the OMB’s decision.

“What a refreshing difference.  I am looking forward to working with Mr. Salna to revitalize our downtown with a project on his property.”

When Salna’s zoning application came before councillors in 2015, Barrow called it an “insult to the community”.

Council and residents had identified a lengthy list of concerns including parking, traffic, preservation of heritage buildings and trees, incompatibility with the town’s downtown and impact on the nearby United Church steeple.

The proposal reared its head again in 2016, when Local Coun. Tom Muench, supported by Ward 1 Coun. Greg Beros, appealed to council to continue negotiating with the developer.

The final council vote to go to the OMB was unanimous.

“I am thrilled with this decision, it is exactly as it should be,” said Ward 5 Coun. Karen Cilevitz. “This time the board most definitely got it right, like their related decision regarding 9825 Yonge St.”

In May, the OMB ruled against another proposal for a 15-storey mixed use residential/commercial development on at the northeast corner of Yonge Street and Harding Boulevard.

Regional Coun. Brenda Hogg called the repeated appeals to the board “another example of why the OMB needs to be abolished. It’s abuse of the system. The idea that the squeaky wheel wins.

“Some developers want to operate as if this were a property in North York on Yonge but it’s more than Yonge. It is the village of Richmond Hill.”