A 19-storey apartment building targeting health-care professionals and college students could be coming to Georgian Drive overlooking Highway 400.
At a special general committee on Wednesday night before councillors break for the summer, a public meeting was held to review applications for Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments for a group of properties near Georgian College — located at 290, 294, 298 and 302 Georgian Dr. — in order to build a residential complex with ground-floor commercial.
The plan calls for 376 residential units, including one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom options.
The properties are located north of Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, near the corner of Gaillie Court. The combined four-acre property would also has just over 100 metres of frontage along Georgian Drive.
The purpose of the Official Plan amendment is to create a new defined policy area on the land, which is outside of the city’s designated urban growth centre, to permit a density of 500 units per net hectare. Currently, developments in excess of 150 units per hectare are restricted to sites located within the city centre.
"One of the key considerations for this area is that we know the city of Barrie has a shortage of rental accommodations, particularly near the college," MHBC Planning's Jamie Robinson said during his presentation on behalf of TDM-Atria Corp.
Robinson added the project could help alleviate some of the housing pressures in the college district.
The property is currently zoned for apartment and potential dormitory use. There's a student housing complex located to the east of the site, but Robinson said the proposed TDM-Atria project isn't necessarily geared toward students.
"It's not earmarked as a student housing development specifically," he said. "We're not specifically identifying one segment of the population."
But with the proximity to the hospital and college, Robinson foresees the high-density rental development being used by students as well as health-care professionals.
"One the benefits with respect to the location is that it is a walkable area," he said.
The proposed residential complex would back into Highway 400, where there is a steep downhill slope toward the roadway.
During a neighbourhood meeting last week, which was attended by seven people, some of the concerns raised included preservation of boundary trees, road safety and site access, as well as height and density compatibility in the area.
On Wednesday night, a Georgian Drive resident spoke and said she will submit letters to councillors addressing some of her concerns. She did not outline any specifics.
City planner Andrew Gameiro said the application remains under review. A city staff report is expected to come back to general committee in the fall.
