By Mark Schadenberg
There are more than five hurdles to
jump if you want to build a five-storey apartment building in
Woodstock.
The builder must gain approvals in
various stages, but after many years of a visible vacant chunk of
land at the corner of Nellis and Lansdowne featuring tall grass, soon
it will feature construction equipment, and later will include a
five-storey residential building with 29 apartments and 49 parking
spots.
As has been talked about often in my
columns, the City can really only expand its horizons (boundaries)
after a vast majority of property with its lines has been developed.
Therefore, there must be cooperation and collaboration with builders.
Intensification is all about proper land use, and sticking to the
Provincial Policy Statement, even if that means approving a variance
or change-of-use to the municipality's Official Plan.
In the case of 1180 Nellis Street, the
developer was required to secure a zoning change to higher density,
and conduct a 'shadow impact study' as tall buildings do (can / may)
hinder the enjoyment of neighbouring residents hidden from the sun.
Naturally, the municipality needs to approve a detailed plan dealing
also with parking spots provided, grading and other site restrictions
and recommendations.
The previous zoning would have
suggested a commercial plaza with a dominate percentage therein of
office uses.
According to the drawings submitted to
City Council for its June 18 regular meeting (Pages 81 – 100 in
the council agenda), Hunt Homes is the builder. Hunt has an extensive
resume of building detached homes and townhouses (Condos on Southwood
Way) in Woodstock (Sumac Ridge, Southwood Estates, etc), Innerkip
(Innerkip Meadows) and elsewhere.
The Nellis project is interesting in
that the lay-of-the-land includes three churches on the Nellis bend /
curve / chicane, and these chuches also back on to Lansdowne. The lot
is also across Lansdowne to the one-floor WDDS institutional
(Woodstock District Developmental Services; www.wdds.ca)
zoning facility, and across also from an expansive commercial plaza
which has uses varying from print shops to auto parts. Across from
the proposed apartment building is row townhouses (Condos), which
essentially have been across from vacant land (generally unmaintained
green space) for about 20 years.
When Woodstock publicizes its vacancy
rate, it's usually hovering in the quite low range of about 2.0 %, so
this type of construction has a built-in (pun intended) demand.
Twice this calendar year, area
residents received notification about the proposed five-storey
structure, and including a public meeting as part of the city's
mandated planning meetings, there were no objections, according to
the published council agenda.
I'm sure the neighbourhood will be
welcoming this addition as the empty land has been advertised
previously for sale for development uses for many calendars.
I like City Planner Ron Versteegen (pictured), and
his crafting of words to explain both the positive and necessary
implications of council approving the plan as he explained setbacks,
main artery roads and the builder's ability to supply all necessary
parking to be off-the-road (in other words, in a lot). Versteegen and
counterpart Gord Hough are truly both an asset to council and this
community.
LINKS:
Mark
Schadenberg, Sales
Representative
Senior
Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal
LePage Triland Realty
757
Dundas St, Woodstock
www.wesellwoodstock.com
(519)
537-1553, cell or text
Email:
mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter:
markroyallepage
Facebook:
Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland
Discussion
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