Residents who live along a ravine have expressed frustration over provisions in the new harmonized rezoning bylaw.
Coun. Cliff Jenkins said, if the new zoning bylaws were passed, residents whose houses reside within 30 feet of the natural hazard line would not be free to rebuild or add to their existing home. The hazard line exists along natural areas such as ravines to prevent development on the banks, but Jenkins said in some cases the line is drawn right through houses.
“You can’t even build your house even where your current house is,” Jenkins said. One resident who lives in a neighbourhood that abuts Wilket Creek, Beverley Salmon, said she is concerned that the new provisions will have a negative impact on the saleability of the properties in her neighbourhood.
Salmon, a former city councillor and former president of the Glenorchy Residents’ Association, said, in their neighbourhood, people usually buy the property for the ravine-front lot and tear the house down. “If you wanted to buy this house and found out you can only build on the same footprint,” she said, it could deter a potential buyer.
The Suncrest Drive resident said 25 homes in the Glenorchy area would be affected. The proposed changes are a result of harmonizing the zoning bylaws across the Greater Toronto Area. But Jenkins said the whole exercise has been done without considering the official plan, and if the city itself does not adhere to the plan, it sets a precedent for other proposed developments.
The York Mills Valley Association has expressed concern over the transparency and speed at which the new zoning bylaw is being passed. “Before we have something thrust upon us, we want to be informed,” said association president Christine Acconcia.
