Town of Aurora dragging its heels on "monster" home solution: resident

Allison Halls questions why residents, ratepayers' associations have seen no action from town in past eight months

Yorkregion.com
September 25, 2018
Teresa Latchford

Residents feel the Town of Aurora is dragging its heels when it comes to protecting established neighbourhoods against the infiltration of “monster” homes.

While there is no formal definition, residents classify these homes as builds that don’t conform to the design, height or size of the existing homes in their neighbourhoods. Numerous residents, including representatives from three local ratepayer associations, have been making delegations to council for more than a year to ask for strict rules that would prevent such developments and preserve the character of their streets.

“I don’t understand how after 11 months and three ratepayers' groups coming to council we have made no progress on this,” a frustrated Allison Halls said at the podium in council chambers. “We have been asking month after month for a freeze in development and bylaw changes and we can’t seem to get it to happen.”

She pointed council to the Town of Halton Hills where complaints from residents regarding this same type of development were received. After hearing the concerns, Mayor Rick Bonnette requested a study into the matter be conducted and a freeze on all development of homes predating 1975 be implemented for two years.

According to a town report from 2016 and 2017, the study took one year to complete and it took another year for the town to implement a number of bylaw changes restricting the height and lot coverage of homes built or enhanced in existing neighbourhoods.

“I would like to point out that their town is roughly the same size as ours, so this is a good mirror for us,” she added. “Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do that.”

Halls stood in the same place where, only one week previous, Regency Acres Ratepayers Association member Peter Smith delivered his comments on the human impact of “monster” homes and resident rights to air flow, sunlight and privacy, which he claims large homes impede.

Back in March, resident Neil Asselin shared his story of gutting and rebuilding his home, but using a design that still preserved the character of the existing neighbourhood, and in January, fellow resident Georgia Pottage called on council to implement more rules surrounding this kind of development.

The list of residents who have voiced their concerns goes on and on.

Next month marks one year since Coun. Wendy Gaertner first encouraged council to have town staff explore whether existing bylaws and regulations surrounding infill development were enough to protect existing neighbourhoods from being overshadowed.

Her latest motion proposes council bring in a consultant.

“We have been going round and round and sideways on this,” she said. “Can we please have a report by someone who has done this before? Maybe we decide not to or partially protect these neighbourhoods, but the more information we have the better.”

Prompted by questions from council members, town staff confirmed the cost would be $25,000 or $30,000 to start and the procurement process to hire a consultant could be fast-tracked.

Council approved the motion but moving forward will be left up to the new term of council following the upcoming municipal election.