Proposal for 29-storey towers up for discussion in Richmond Hill

Public meeting for condo project near Yonge Street and Bernard Avenue scheduled for Jan. 22

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 21, 2020
Shelia Wang

Four new condo towers may come to Richmond Hill.

Residents are getting a chance to speak their mind about a new high-density proposal in the disputed Yonge and Bernard key development area (KDA) on Jan. 22.

Council is scheduled to brief the public on the proposal at a statutory public meeting where concerned residents are welcome to provide their input.

Dogliola Developments Ltd. and Campo Ridge Home Corp. proposed to build four mixed-use residential/commercial buildings (one 25-storey, one 28-storey, and two 29-storey towers), at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Canyon Hill Avenue.

The proposed buildings will add a total of 1,160 dwelling units on the 2.18-hectare lot.

The two Vaughan-based businesses have requested the city amend its official plan, which currently limits the height of buildings in the area to 15 storeys.

“This is unacceptable,” resident Moira Tasker wrote to council against the proposal on Nov. 15. “The original plan for this area was for nothing be over 10-15 stories -- which is bad enough -- so I certainly hope this is rejected.”

Tasker was one of many residents who opposed the four-tower proposal in their letters to the city, and most of them were concerned about the long-standing traffic woes in the neighbourhood.

The high-density development applications came when council was working to revise the density and height restrictions in the controversial Yonge-Bernard KDA.

Last December, the city held an open forum to collect public opinions on rehashing the plan for the KDA after council repealed the original secondary plan in April and attempted to increase the height limit from 15 storeys to 37 storeys.

The maximum height has since been reversed back to 15 storeys after strong pushback from the public.

The secondary plan for the Yonge-Bernard KDA is scheduled to be heard at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) this summer.

“The residents are very angry,” resident John Li told The Liberal on Jan. 16. “I think the builders and several councillors have already gotten enough information from the residents who are strongly opposed this over-development.”

Li is one of the organizers of the Yonge and Bernard Residents Association, a non-profit group formed last summer to fight against over-intensification in the community.

The public meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers.