A developer appealed the Lawrence-Allen Secondary Plan to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) earlier this year and said his development proposal was unfairly overlooked by council.
Property owners of 50 and 52 Neptune Dr., located just north of Bathurst Street and Ranee Avenue, in the heart of the Lawrence Heights neighbourhood, originally submitted a rezoning application in 2009 to permit a 14-storey condominium and approximately 190 units. But in 2011, councillors approved amendments to the official plan to accommodate the Lawrence-Allen Secondary Plan — an initiative to revitalize and redevelop the Lawrence Heights area’s social housing community — further complicating the developer’s plans.
Coun. Josh Colle said not only did the developer have ample time to voice concerns, but its application is not suited to the area.
“There is probably not another plan in Toronto’s history that has had more consultation,” Colle said. “They’ve had dozens and dozens of opportunities to be involved, and they chose not to.… This process has been going on for three years. It really was far too little too late.”
However, David Bronskill, counsel for the developer, argued the process was unfair, as the Lawrence-Allen Secondary Plan was approved after their original rezoning application was filed.
“It is not fair or appropriate to use the Lawrence-Allen Secondary Plan process to create new site-specific policies that could frustrate our clients’ rezoning application, especially without actively consulting our clients,” he said.
Colle said he and residents think 14 storeys is too high for the area, especially on a side street off Bathurst Street, largely due in large part to a nearby synagogue, seniors’ home and school.
After working on the plan for years, Colle added that he was disappointed and said, “Once someone goes the OMB route, it’s pretty much out of my hands at that point.”