Blog Posts - OSHAWA ROSEMARY

OSHAWA ROSEMARY

Sept 13 Planning Act Public Meeting 3 Applications - Simcoe St N/Simcoe St S/Ritson Rd S

9/13/2021

Here is a link to the webstream of the public meeting where you can hear all 3 presentations by the developers' consultants and the Councillor's questions (the Mayor tends to rarely ask questions at these Planning Act Public Meetings, yet reads the recommendations at the conclusion.) http://video.isilive.ca/oshawa/Planning%20Act_2021-09-13.mp4.html
First is Mr. Santos presenting the application for Ritson Rd S;
then at the 43 minute mark is Mr. Fry presenting the application for Simcoe St. N;
and at the 135 minute mark is Mr. Bennet's presentation for 47 Simcoe St. S

For links to the Reports and summaries of these 3 applications specs, please refer back to my Sept 11, 2021 blog post.
Below are the 3 PowerPoint presentations:

First 480 - 506 Ritson Rd. S for a 40 unit 2-20 stacked townhouse buildings:

The second Application concerning 1413 - 1429 Simcoe St N., for 2 proposed 6 storey buildings with 40 units each, total 80 apartments, just north of Taunton Rd, south of Glovers Rd on the east side of Simcoe St. presented the 23 slide PowerPoint below:

The 3rd Applicant for the redevelopment of the former federal post office building at 47 Simcoe St. S. presented with 20 PowerPoint slides. The proposed plan is for an 8 storey (31m in height), 143 total units, 2 and 3 bedrooms, with abundant amenity space. Note parking is intended to be off sight at the municipal parking lot on the block immediately to the east, along Athol St between Celina and Albert Streets, which the Presenter said "is currently being negotiated with the City"

Proposed Columbus Part II Planning Study

9/12/2021

The proposed Columbus Part II Planning Act and Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Act Study (79 page Report DS-21-155 is on the Agenda for the Monday, Sept 13th 1:30 pm. Development Services Committee meeting.

Among the many figures and calculations on on page 34 for density projections (# of people and jobs per hectare), there are numbers for developable land and non-developable land.

So it seems that the 1,248 acres given as the Columbus Study Area Developable Area at the bottom of page 34, is the number of prime agricultural acres lost to urban sprawl.

The population estimates are: a maximum of 11,345 residential dwelling units and an estimated maximum population of approximately 29,243!

Here's a link to the 79 page Report: app.oshawa.ca/agendas/development_services/2021/09-13/report_ds-21-155.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1czUjzw6uf_Fb9uwXlfxH34WuteCLYc6zteYDIXaOb8ZBOxyNZ_zUxNN0

Below is a copy of Page 30, Attachment 4 to the Report, which is the Draft Land Use and Road Plan

The Columbus area residents have not had a meeting on the Columbus Study since 2019. Some have written the City to say a virtual meeting is not fair considering many Columbus residents have poor internet connections. They say that it is unfortunate the developer land owners seem in a hurry to push their development plans through.

The long time Columbus residents and area farmers are asking for more respect considering the impact on their community by the planned urban sprawl tidal wave.

Farmers are asking why has there not been an agricultural impact study?

One resident asked for a map showing the Draft Preferred Land Use & Road plan with property lines. Here it is:

Planning Act Public Meeting - 5 proposed new Apartment Buildings - Total 263 units

9/11/2021

This Monday night’s Planning Act Public Meeting has 3 project applications for review:
1) Ritson Rd S by Dean Ave 2) Simcoe St N by Glovers Rd 3) Simcoe St S at Athol St (former Post Office)

1. RITSON Rd South DS-21-148 proposed two-3 storey apartment buildings with a total of 40 stacked back to back townhouse units on Ritson Rd. S. (west side) by McNaughton/Dean Ave on 4 assembled lots 480, 484, 490 & 506 Ritson Rd. S

40 units ►10 one bedroom; 28 two bedroom; 2 three bedroom
Land Size: 1/2 acre ( .20 ha) (net after road widening dedication)
Land size permits net residential density 17 units

Applicant 2676916 Ontario Inc, requests:
1) increased residential density
2) increased lot coverage
3) reduced front, read and side yard depths
4) reduced parking
5) reduced parking aisle width

Four area residents submitted letters stating their concerns.

2. SIMCOE St. North DS-21-149 proposed two-6 storey apartment buildings each with 40 units on Simcoe St N (east side) south of Glovers Rd on 4 assembled lots 1413, 1417, 1419 & 1429 Simcoe St

80 units total ►60 one bedroom; 20 two bedroom
Land Size: 1 acre ( .46ha) (net after road widening dedication)
Land size permits net residential density of 35 units

Applicant HOLLAND HOMES & 2439967 Ontario Inc. requests:
1) zoning change to higher density R6 and
2) special site conditions to permit shared driveway access
3) reduced front and interior yard depths
4) reduced parking

3. SIMCOE ST South DS-21-150 proposed new 8 storey 143 unit apartments with existing building incorporated as the 2 storey base + propose developing the existing 106 space City owned paid public parking Lot16 @ Athol/Celina/Albert to provide parking for the Simcoe St. project
.
Applicant POST OFFICE LP (ATRIA DEVELOPMENT) requests
1) site specific conditions to permit increased building height
2) reduced (zero) on-site parking*
3) reduced building setbacks to streetlights above 12m height
4) permit residential units on main floor

*the required parking for the 143 unit apartment building is 143 spaces (one per unit for the CBC-B zone is all that is required) For some reason Oshawa Parking By-law does not require more, like the Town of Whitby does 1.5 per unit, to provide for visitor parking) However Oshawa Council is expected to have a Special Council Meeting of the Whole to implement changes to the City Parking By-law.

I have no idea why this Special (follow-up) Council meeting has been delayed. After the IBI Consultant made his final presentation of the Parking Study to Council in February. (Study cost $190K) I believed it would have been called shortly after, in April or May at the latest. But here it is 7 months later and many building plans have been and are being approved. You ask, why am I bugged by this?

Here's an example. Any planning application received prior to the new By-law in effect is grandfathered. They get in under the wire as the City recently learned at the Tribunal when it lost its Phase I appeal regarding the South Oshawa Development project west of Park Rd. south of Renaissance Dr.
www.canlii.org/en/on/onlt/doc/2021/2021canlii74802/2021canlii74802.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQAGb3NoYXdhAAAAAAE&resultIndex=9

The City argued that its current more stringent environmental policies should be followed to protect the monarch butterfly habitat. But the Tribunal denied the City of Oshawa's argument and pointed to the Clergy Principle: "In land use planning cases, there is a principle called the Clergy principle, wherein the planning policies applicable to an application under the Planning Act are judged as they were at the time that the application was made".

Staff Report Concerning Committee of Adjustment Decision on Greenhill Ave Corner Lot

9/9/2021

Here is a link to the 34 page Development Services staff Report DS-21-151 that is on the Agenda for Monday's 1:30 p.m. Development Services Committee meeting: http://app.oshawa.ca/agendas/development_services/2021/09-13/report_ds-21-151.pdf The Report is concerning the Committee of Adjustment Decision on the Greenhill Ave Corner Lot Site Plan Minor Variances, and the positions the City can take, if any, on the Appeal of that Decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

On page 2 of the Report is the Staff recommendation to City Council:
2.0 That, pursuant to Report DS-21-151 dated September 8, 2021, the Ontario Land Tribunal be advised that City Council supports the decision of the Committee of Adjustment to approve application A-2021-46 to permit reduced front and exterior side yard depths for a proposed two-storey mixed-use building at 633 Greenhill Avenue but that the City will not seek party or participant status at the Ontario Land Tribunal hearing.

Attachment 9 (pages 21-34) is the Greenhill area resident's appeal of the Committee of Adjustments decision, which contains a list of the Appellant's reasons for the appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal:

I have to say I am still troubled by the City not allowing Greenhill area correspondence and delegation requests from concerned residents on this matter at the DSC meeting Monday afternoon.

Questions I'd like to know the answers to, so I asked City staff today:

1) How many Oshawa residents submitted correspondence concerning 633 Greenhill Ave for the upcoming meeting?

2) How many Oshawa residents requested to speak at the meeting?

3) Is it staff's determination that one person filing an appeal to the Tribunal prevents any other residents of Oshawa from speaking to their Mayor and Council members at a public Development Services Committee meeting about a proposed project?

4) Would staff's determination be the same, if a developer files an appeal of a C of A decision to the Tribunal, that residents of Oshawa would be prevented from speaking about the proposed project at a DSC meeting to Mayor and Council?

5) Does staff's determination under Section 6c) of the Council Procedural By-law as to what constitutes an “ongoing legal proceeding” preclude members of Committee or Council from taking the opportunity under a 2/3 vote to waive the Rules and hear Oshawa residents who requested delegations? and also vote on receiving their correspondence to be included in the public record?

MY EMAIL TO THE CITY September 8, 2021 re 633 Greenhill Ave.

9/8/2021

It is my strong belief that Greenhill area residents should be given the opportunity to voice their views at next Monday’s Development Services Committee meeting.

Some of my constituents forwarded me the email they received from the Clerks Department yesterday which stated that the Clerk has decided their correspondence and requests to speak will not be permitted at the Monday, Sept 13, Development Services Committee meeting.

This is unfortunate and seems arbitrary and inconsistent considering that a Ward 1 resident made a delegation 3 years ago before the same Development Services Committee when he was appealing the C of A decision on the minor variances to the site plan for the Chartwell Phase 3 Seniors Residence on Ormond Dr. and Woodmount Dr.

He was permitted to speak at the Dec 9, 2019 DSC meeting when there was a staff Report DS-19-231 on the Agenda seeking direction with respect to the City’s party status regarding his appeal to the Tribunal. At that time the Development Service Committee members listened to his delegation and asked him questions.

The Appellant. and his neighbour actually spoke again at the Jan 13, 2020 DSC meeting and the representative of the Chartwell Respondent also spoke. This was all while their appeal to the Tribunal was upcoming. The Report DS-20-09 on the Agenda again was “Direction of City Staff Involvement Respecting Appeals to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal of Committee of Adjustment Decision concerning 1231 Ormond Drive, and 431 and 451 Woodmount Drive The Tribunal Hearing took place a few weeks later.

The Clerk may call the appeal of the C of A’s decision on 633 Greenhill a ‘legal proceeding’, but the appeal is part of the regular municipal decision making process.

The Commissioner of Development Services confirmed to me August 30th that there would be a Report on the Agenda concerning 633 Greenhill Ave. Denying the Greenhill Community residents the opportunity to speak to the Report and have their correspondence made public seems contrary to the guiding principle of the Municipal Act that Committee and Council meetings be open, transparent and accountable to the public.

For your information I will be posting this email on my social media accounts without naming who at the City I have sent this to. I consider it my responsibility as an elected representative to address my constituents’ concerns. It is not my intention to offend any member of staff.

Regards,

Rosemary

Oshawa Gens Captain Tyler Tullio signs entry level contract with Edmonton Oilers!

9/7/2021

19-year-old Tyler Tullio, forward who was named Captain of the OSHAWA GENERALS last week as he returns to Oshawa for the 2021-22 season, was signed by EDMONTON OILERS yesterday to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Tullio was the Oiler's 5th-round selection, 126th overall, in the 2020 NHL Draft.
https://www.nhl.com/.../release-oilers-sign.../c-326081964

Happy Labour Day!

9/6/2021

Oshawa Firefighters Boot Fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy at OC today!

9/3/2021

Stop by the OC today to help Oshawa Firefighters Boot Fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy. The Boot event has been a wonderfully successful tradition in Oshawa since 1973 - thanks to the dedication of our firefighters and the many generous good people in Oshawa!

You Can Vote at Elections Canada Returning Office Open 7 Days a Week Until Sept 14

9/1/2021

The September 20th Federal Election is approaching.
Know You Can Vote at a Returning Office before September 14th.
I hear it only takes five minutes.
So save yourself time at Advance Polls and on Election Day.

The Returning Offices are open seven days a week:
• Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday: noon to 4:00 p.m.

NOTE: the Returning Office for residents in Ward One Oshawa (being in DURHAM Riding) is at:
1425 Harmony Rd N
Oshawa, ON L1H 7K5
Between Michaels and Best Buy, the former Pier One Imports store.
Just off the intersection at Harmony Rd N. and Missom Gate.

and
NOTE: the Returning Office for OSHAWA RIDING is at:
Midtown Centre
200 John Street West
Eligible voters must be a Canadian citizen, be at least 18 years old on election day and prove their identity and address.

New Sandy Hawley Park on Kentucky Derby Way, Soon to Open?

8/31/2021

The new 4 acre Sandy Hawley Park with splash pads appears like it will be opening soon!

It is located on Kentucky Derby Way, north of Britannia Rd. W. and west of Simcoe St N. When I drove by today they had just completed paving the parking lot. It seems they are at the final 'just add grass' stage.

Yes, very good news. But but imo it would have been even better news if the park had been completed much earlier, in fact years earlier. Almost seven years have now passed since families moved into the new houses backing onto the parkland. And there is a big shortage of parkland in this massive, developed area of the former Windfields Farm. Nearby are row upon row of 4 storey row houses, back-to-back, stacked towns and the 25 storey Tribute apartment tower.

The City and Developers in Oshawa SHOULD NOT LEAVE THE COMPLETION OF PARKS AND TRAILS ON THE BACK BURNER.

This ties in with the motion I made last spring:

“Whereas the most effective time to complete parks and trails is early in a development project;
Now therefore staff develop the wording of a clear policy that ensures builder/developers are responsible for the timely completion of area parks and trails in new residential development so that any growing dissatisfaction from delays is avoided”.

The Development Services Committee unanimously approved it be directed to staff for a report to come back before the end of this year.