November has been re-named Movember by prostate cancer fighters, but for Leaside this November is OMBovember. Here are the scheduled hearings that involve Leaside properties.
The second pre-hearing for 146-150 Laird (the retirement home plus seniors’ condo on the site of the former Durant Motors office building) will be held Nov. 13. The applicant, VIVA Retirement Homes, appealed to the OMB before getting the city’s decision on their zoning application.
The Leaside Property Owners’ Association will be making a decision on its status at the hearing, depending on whether the city includes LPOA and residents’ issues and concerns in its Issues List.
There are several pre-hearings Nov. 23-24 related to appeals of Official Plan amendment and zoning by-law amendment changes brought forward by city planning (and approved by council in 2014) following completion of Eglinton Connects, the city’s land use plan for the Eglinton corridor:
1.Appeal of an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) for a Special Policy Area for the Bayvew/Eglinton Focus Area/660 Eglinton East, on the north-east corner. This appeal by the property owner, RioCan, will likely get deferred to join up with its zoning by-law application for this property.
- Appeal of an Official Plan Amendment for a Special Policy Area for the south side of Eglinton west of Hanna to the high school to allow for town houses. The LPOA has proposed changes to the city’s OPA to reduce the impact of townhouse development.
- Appeal of a Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) for (both sides of) Eglinton east from Sutherland to Laird to allow for mid-rise development as of right. Again the LPOA has proposed changes to the City’s ZBA to reduce the impact of mid-rise development, and to make a new zoning by-law application more likely, with its built-in requirement for public consultation.
These pre-hearings are important to establish the issues, who has legal status (“party”) and who’s a “participant”, and the procedures for the actual hearings to be held in early 2016.
There are a couple of hearings in November of Committee of Adjustment decisions to refuse applications for minor variances.
317 Laird – the OMB hearing is on Nov. 3, and
228 Rumsey – the OMB hearing is on Nov. 24.
Who can go to these hearings? Actually anyone can observe, but be warned, you may find it less exciting than a playoff game, and about as long. Nevertheless showing the board that there are interested residents is important to the proceedings. To be a participant you need to show that you have an interest in the issue by virtue of living nearby and being affected by the development.
The hearings are generally held at 655 Bay St., 16th floor, but the two Committee of Adjustment appeals (317 Laird and 228 Rumsey) are being held at 425 Adelaide West. They always start at 10 a.m.
