A neighbourhood meeting on the latest controversial development proposed for 405 Essa Rd., located in south-end Barrie, will be held this evening.
Sean Mason Homes is proposing an eight-storey residential condominium building of 103 units, along with six three-storey townhouse units and six two-storey mixed-use units, for a total of 115 units on nearly 0.7 acres of land.
This comes after a previous proposal for 16 townhouses was appealed to, then approved by, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) last March.
“History repeats itself,” said Graeme Montgomery, who lives on nearby Cityview Circle. “This one is a lot more... invasive. A lot of people, of course, are quite surprised.
“Well, 115 units on just over half an acre kind of spell out, I guess… exactly how intense can they get?”
Sean Mason said this project has gone from 16 townhouses to 115 units for city planning reasons.
“When I initially proposed the 16 townhouses, city staff reminded me that this was an intensification corridor and that under provincial policy, that is where density should be located,” he said.
“It’s an intensification corridor and it’s here they said the density should go. I think if you look up and down other areas in the city, other areas on intensification corridors, you will see similar situations," Mason added.
Montgomery and many of his neighbours have been fighting this kind of development in their neighbourhood for about five years, but he said this type of proposal isn’t unique to their area.
“This is a city problem, not a Cityview Circle problem,” he said.
Mason is proposing 100 parking spaces on 405 Essa Rd., and 15 per cent of the units would be affordable.
“There is definitely a desire for affordable housing,” he said. “It’s a very hard situation. Who’s going to pay for it?”
Affordable housing is a range of housing types allowing families and individuals, of all income levels, to find suitable places to live without spending a disproportionate percentage of their income on housing. It can include ownership, rental or subsidized housing.
In June 2018, city council rezoned this property to multiple residential use from agricultural. This land is located on the west side of Essa Road, north of Ferndale Drive South and Veterans Drive, and is within the Essa Road secondary intensification corridor. The property is adjacent to a mature residential development, which has existed for more than 25 years.
Sean Mason Homes requires a rezoning for its proposed 115-unit development.
Once the neighbourhood meeting is held this evening, a public meeting on the rezoning application will be scheduled and city planning staff will produce a report for Barrie councillors on it.
The matter will then go to planning committee, and city council for a decision.
Tuesday’s virtual neighbourhood meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
To attend, visit the city’s website, barrie.ca, and search 405 Essa, scroll down and register.
