A controversial proposal to build five residential towers at 1200, 1210 and 1220 Sheppard Ave. E. has ended in a peaceful settlement at an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) mediation. Amexon Development Corporation will soon begin construction on the five towers, the highest of which will be 31 storeys.
Amexon first filed an application to construct six condominiums ranging from 27 to 43 storeys on Sheppard near Leslie Street. in December of 2011. The nearby Bayview Village Association (BVA) took issue with the height and density of the proposal, and Toronto City Council rejected the application in 2012.
Amexon then returned with a second proposal of only five towers and towers up to 39 storeys. When council subsequently rejected the revised application, Amexon appealed to the OMB.
Coun. David Shiner says that having ratepayers of one mind with the city is helpful in disputes like this.
“It’s very nice to have a ratepayers group supporting the city,” said Shiner. “The Ontario Municipal Board is usually very developer friendly.”
BVA chair Eric Bristow is pleased with the outcome, not only because of the reduced heights but an increase in green space around the site.
“Would I have liked for it to be lower and even less dense? Of course,” said Bristow. “But is it a reasonable mediated settlement that our community can live with? Yes.”
Amexon did not return requests for contact at press time.