Kippendavie Beach condos approved

City, residents and developer reach deal
Toronto council approves Kippendavie Ave project
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 14.)

These homes will be demolished to pave way for at least 60 condo units on Kippendavie Ave. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier file photo.

The city approved a settlement for the Beach development at 66-76 Kippendavie Avenue.
Developer Worsley Urban Partners first proposed the condo project in 2009 but due to council’s lack of a decision in a timely matter, the developer appealed directly to the Ontario Municipal Board.
So this new settlement was an 11th hour deal considering 1 board pre-hearing looming April 19.
The city, Kew Beach Neighbourhood Association, Toronto District School Board and the developer met with a city-funded mediator on April 6 and came away with a settlement, which was approved by council without debate on April 12.
Beach Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon said that all parties compromised to reach this agreement.
“I am happy everyone can get on with their lives and have worked really hard especially the community,” she said hours April 12 vote to approve the project. “But I am worried about the size and the (area basement) flooding.”

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No decision on Kippendavie

After months of deferrals, community council makes no ruling
Condo proposal will go to city council then OMB
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier March 23. UPDATE.)

Artist rendering of Kippendavie proposal.

Despite months of deferrals and a six hour debate, Toronto and East York Community Council still didn’t make a decision on a controversial condo proposal at 66 to 76 Kippendavie Avenue. It voted instead to refer the issue to city council without recommendation.
Leading up to the vote, it was unclear what would happen as council members had differing views on the project. Chair Gord Perks wanted to take city staff’s advice and approve the 65 unit project while Beach rep Mary-Margaret McMahon recommended rejecting it.
In the end, the body followed Councillor Janet Davis’s advice to punt the ball to April 12 city council meeting. But time is not on the city’s side as an Ontario Municipal Board hearing on the project has been scheduled for April 19.
Following the advice of councillors Pam McConnell and Paula Fletcher the city will hire a third party mediator to work on reaching a settlement on the outstanding issues between the residents and the developer, including reducing the unit count to 54 and requiring $10 million in insurance to cover any impacts on adjacent homes during construction, before council meets.

Kippendavie development compromise

City, resident and developer seeks resolution
Trying to work out deal before OMB hearing
But some want area’s flooding problems fixed first
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier March 4.)

A redevelopment on Kippendavie is heading to the OMB. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Beach residents, the city and Longo Development are frantically trying to work out a compromise on a Beach apartment proposal in advance of a scheduled Ontario Municipal Board hearing.
Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon asked for a deferral when the controversial development proposal at 66 to 76 Kippendavie Ave. came before Toronto and East York Community Council on Feb. 16.
“We will work our tails off in the next few weeks to see what we can come up with,” McMahon said.
She would not take a position on what a suitable compromise would entail for a current proposal that would see six homes demolished to construct a four-storey, 65-unit apartment building.
The city has yet to rule on the proposal one way or another as it has been deferred on more than one occasion since last summer. The city’s planning department recommends approval of the application, which is heading to the Ontario Municipal Board for a June 13 hearing.

Kippendavie development heads to OMB

Council’s made no decision, developer will try reach deal
But has appealed condo plan to Ontario Municipal Board just in case
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Nov. 11.)

Residents protest outside Kippendavie pre-sales office for condos that have yet to be approved for development. Photo courtesy of Joanne Dicaire.

Beach residents are trying to halt a condo project until the city has a plan in place to fix residential water and sewage basement flooding.
Longo Development plans to tear down six existing homes and build a 65-unit, four-storey condo on Kippendavie Avenue.
The Beach has been prone to storm water and sewage basement flooding and some residents are concerned development intensification on their street will only exacerbate the problem.
The Kew Beach Neighbourhood Association organized a protest Nov. 6 and 7 when the developer started pre-sales of the yet to be approved condo project.
“We need more studies,” said Joanne Dicaire, chair of the group’s sewage and flooding committee.

Bayview Broadway site headed to OMB

Former car dealership lot at 1860 Bayview could become retail complex
City’s Committee of Adjustment rejected plan, developer to appeal to OMB
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier July 21.)

Residents (L-R) Burt Rairamo, Gordon Deeks, Linda Deeks and Jesper Thoft among those opposed to current retail development plans at 1860 Bayview. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Community celebration over the rejection of an application to build a two-storey retail complex at Bayview and Broadway has been short-lived.
The developer, MJB Corporation, is now set to appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board after the city’s committee of adjustment refused an application to redevelop the former Brennan’s Pontiac site at 1860 Bayview Ave.
On July 6, the committee ruled the proposal was not desirable for the area and didn’t meet the city’s official plan or zoning bylaws.
“We are disappointed with their decision (to appeal). The city and community’s concerns have been clearly articulated, and the committee of adjustment agrees that the development is not minor in nature,” wrote Wayne Sliberman in an email.  Sliberman, a local resident, is part of a working group dealing with the proposal.
MJB Corp applied to build a two-floor retail store covering almost 90 percent of the site, along with 220 parking spaces. Currently the site is zoned to allow a structure that would cover one third of the spot and have a minimum of 242 parking spaces.
The developer’s lawyer Robert Kligerman said now that he’s received the committee’s refusal in writing, he can proceed with an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Talbot apartments headed to court

City and residents win at OMB, but developer appeals
Redevelopment of heritage apartments could end up in court
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 28.)

Leasiders are celebrating the Ontario Municipal Board’s rejection of a
developer’s plan to tear down the heritage Talbot apartment complex on
Bayview.
However, their victory cries are muted because the site’s owner is seeking
leave to appeal the board’s decision to the Ontario Divisional Court.
Local councillor John Parker is pleased with the board’s rejection of a
redevelopment plan to demolish the apartments and construct an eight-storey
building and 54 townhouses.
“I was pleased with the Ontario Municipal Board result,” he said. “I saw it
as a long shot they’d see latitude for an appeal.”
Before the court rules on anything, a judge or a panel of judges must decide
if there are legal reasons for this appeal, and if so, determine if those
issues are significant enough to warrant an examination of the board ruling,
said Parker, a lawyer by trade.

Leasiders celebrate saving Talbot Apartments

OMB decides in favour of protecting 1930s complex
Bayview Ave garden court apartments built by former Leaside mayor
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 8  UPDATE HERE.)

Leasiders stand in front of one of three protected Bayview apartment complexes. Town Crier file photo by Francis Crescia.

Many Leasiders are breathing a collective sigh of relief this morning.
A multi-year battle mounted by residents and the city to stop the demolition and redevelopment of the heritage Talbot apartments has been successful.
In a 26-page decision, the Ontario Municipal Board denied ADMNS Kelvingrove Investment Corp its plan to demolish 21 low-rise apartments at 1325, 1351 and 1365 Bayview Avenue.
The developer planned to bulldoze the Talbot Apartments — built by former Leaside mayor Henry Howard Talbot — and replace them with an eight-storey rental building and 54 townhomes.
Carol Burtin Fripp with the Leaside Property Owners Association could not contain her excitement after hearing the news.
“We are thrilled, relieved and gratified that this community effort was a success,” she said. “We have a lot of power when we work together.”
What this means is the current tenants who reside in the 1930s-built buildings can stay.

Bayview Broadway retail complex

Developer plans shopping centre at former Pontiac dealership
Residents state project too dense for site
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier March 25)

Residents Burt Rairamo, Gordon and Linda Deeks, Jesper Thoft vow to fight the development at this Bayview site. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Starbank Development Corp is planning to build a new retail complex at Bayview and Broadway Avenues and is raising the ante by taking the proposal directly to the Ontario Municipal Board.
The project would require demolishing the old Brennan Pontiac Buick GMC dealership at 1860 Bayview Ave. and constructing a two-storey retail building instead.
According to a city staff report the proposal includes:
• 9,863 square metres of retail where only 5,110 square metres are permitted.
• A total of 223 parking spots are proposed but 275 spots are required for a project this size.
This application went to the North York Committee of Adjustment Feb. 17 with strong objection from residents stating it is too dense for the site.
“The residents feel this property is in a significant area of the city,” said Keith D’Souza, who is a residential representative on a working group for this project.

Bloor West condo heads to court

Tower too tall for 1540 Bloor W according to new city study
Application for 27-storey condo heading to OMB
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Nov. 17 for Town Crier.) 

A developer trying to build a 27-storey condominium at Bloor and Dundas area is being sidelined by the city officials, who say nothing taller than 15 storeys should be allowed. 
A&G Mercouris has appealed its proposal to build a 250-condo unit building to the Ontario Municipal Board after city staff rejected the plan. 
The proposed 27-storey highrise tower is too tall and may create traffic problems, say both city staff and residents.

OMB says no to highrise in North Toronto

Area residents celebrate after appeal of Montgomery Ave. development turned down
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Sept. 18 for Town Crier.)

Residents Jordan Applebaum, Naomi St. John and Helen Oakes tear at signs informing public of application to build a 25-storey highrise. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

The Ontario Municipal Board rejected an application for a 25-storey highrise on a residential street in North Toronto much to the joy of the residents who fought against it.
“I’m delighted,” said 83-year-old Helen Oakes, who lives on Helendale Ave. one block from the proposed highrise. “We are delighted. We defeated the developer.”
Top of the Tree Developments Inc. had planned to build the highrise at 34–70 Montgomery Ave. It also applied to redesignate sections of Roselawn, Duplex, Montgomery and Helendale Aves. as apartment neighbourhoods paving the way for future intensification over several blocks.