Golf course plan draws concerns - Fitting into Aurora

NRU
April 15, 2015
By Edward LaRusic

The redevelopment of a former golf course in Aurora is drawing concerns from residents. They say the proposed subdivision will put roads in their backyards and the proposed 10-storey building is simply too tall for the area.

Highland Gate Development planner Don Given (Malone Given Parsons Ltd.) said that the proposal for a new subdivision on the former Highland Gate Golf Club lands would fit into the existing community. The 10-storey building would help reinforce the higher density the town wants on its Yonge and Wellington streets corridors.

“We’re trying to fit in,” he told NRU.

The proposal by Highland Gate-a joint venture between owner Clublink Corporation ULC and developer Geranium Corporation-is to amend the town’s official plan to re-designate the 41 ha of private open space to a stable neighbourhood. This would comprise a subdivision of 184 single-detached dwellings and a 10-storey, mixed-use building with about 144 residential units and some small, at-grade commercial uses. The site is located at 21 Golf Links Drive in eastern Aurora.

This is not the first time the golf course has been redeveloped. It was significantly infilled in the mid-1980s. This was effectively buffered from subdivisions to the north and south by fairways, which are now the focus of further development.

Rather than push for a higher density on the site, Given said the approach has been to create a residential density that is similar to the nearby 1980 subdivision. He noted that it is a tight site.

“The fairways force you, because they’re so narrow, to have a single-loaded [road] approach to development. That’s one of the things we’ve had to deal with. In terms of the lotting fabric, we’re trying to match the fabric with what’s there today. It’s 50-ft lots, and from a density point of view, we’re at about 14 units per ha. The densities around the area are between 12 and 16,” he said.

While there is some appreciation for adding a similar housing and lot type to what exists nearby, not everybody is pleased with the proposal.

“There’s an awful lot of issues of concern within [the Highland Gate] plan,” Highland Gate Ratepayers Association president Dave Newton told NRU. The group formed to respond to applications for the golf course lands. He said residents are not a fan of the single-loaded roads.

“You have existing homeowners that have a road in front of them, and based on this plan, a road directly behind them. They’ll be living on an island, a skinny strip of green space surrounded by asphalt.”

Newton added that the community is concerned that the roads proposed behind their backyards are too small for emergency vehicles. He did think that single-detached homes similar to those found in the existing subdivision were preferable to other alternative uses, as long as they could fit on the former fairways.

Local councillor John Abel noted that these fairways result in a bit of a tight fit for new residential development and the loss of green space was “a shame.” He said that replacing existing green space with a road would be “quite intrusive.”

Aurora planning and development services director Marco Rumunno said that while it may not be common, single-fronted roads aren’t unusual in Aurora. Staff has not yet had a chance to review the application, but staff will be looking at the overall design of the development and the interface between the existing and new residential uses.

The other big concern is the proposal for a 10-storey building on the east side, closer to Yonge Street.

Given said that he doesn’t believe a building of such height would be dramatically different from what already exists and setbacks and angular planes would be used to ensure compatibility with adjacent properties.

“There’s a six and seven storey building adjacent to the site, and a four-storey seniors building to the south. It’s very close to the corridor on Yonge Street ... [It] reinforces the idea that density should be located close to the corridor,” he said.

Rumunno said that staff will have to consider whether a 10-storey building is appropriate for the area. He noted that the town decided how it would like to intensify through its 2010 Aurora Promenade Secondary Plan, which largely examines growth along Yonge and Wellington streets. That secondary plan doesn’t contemplate buildings that tall.

“The permitted [heights] within the Yonge Street corridor range from five to seven storeys up and down Yonge Street,” Rumunno said. “Anything beyond that is a policy change. In this case, the lands are outside of that secondary planning area, so they’re designated as part of the golf course open space. It’s something we’ll need to evaluate.”

Newton said that the Yonge Street and Golf Links Drive intersection to the north is already congested. Residents are concerned that adding 144 new residential units on top of the 184 units in the subdivision will cause severe congestion.

Abel doesn’t think 10 storeys is appropriate on the Highland Gate site.

“Our official plan only calls for a maximum of seven storeys in that area. I don’t know why they would apply knowing that ... I don’t see council approving that part.”

Given said that the plan is to first seek approval for the subdivision and then to proceed separately with the rezoning application and site plan approval for the 10-storey building.

Highland Gate is holding an open house March 15 to present the development proposal to the community. Rumunno said that a public meeting would likely be scheduled for sometime in June.