Because of the potential negative impact to the Chatsworth ravine and the outcry from residents in the surrounding homes, City of Toronto, City Planning has increased the notification area for people to make comments at a meeting on a condominium project slated for 41 Chatsworth Dr.
And with her residence now part of that catchment area for the Parkset Developments project on the former Fifth Church of Christ Scientist property, Coun. Karen Stintz has been compelled to declare a conflict of interest. She will hand over her duties as the ward’s representative for a potential May 13 planning review meeting on the issue to Ward 24 Coun. David Shiner.
“I’ll still be participating as a resident, but I have had to [on the advice of the city’s ethics commissioner] recuse myself from taking my seat at the planning review [meeting of May 13],” she explained.
Initially notice of the meeting was to be circulated to residents within about 100 metres of the subject property, but that has been expanded north to Lawrence Avenue, south to Glencairn Avenue and almost to Avenue Road to the west, mostly because of the potential impact to the ravine, she said.
The condo project proposes a six-storey, approximately 10,900-square-metre building with 114 residential units. Of those 114 units, 15 are proposed to be single bedroom, 51 single bedroom with den, 43 units of two bedrooms, and four units will have two bedrooms with a den. One additional studio unit is also proposed. The application requests 120 parking spots to be housed in three storeys of underground parking with the main entrance facing Chatsworth Drive.
Resident association Develop Areas Respectfully in Toronto (DART) member Carol Brennan said the group has mobilized and is raising funds to help support retaining lawyers expert in municipal law from Aird & Berlis. She said they are also retaining the services of an urban planner to help them argue against the size of the project at the planning meeting.
Brennan explained the meeting may be delayed beyond May 13, but residents within the new catchment area should receive notification of the exact date in the next few weeks.