Ev Tremblay petition

In the past few days, a petition has begun circulating in the Civic Hospital/Little Italy neighbourhood asserting that there was an unconsulted change in the permitted height of the parcel at the southwest corner of Beech/Champagne.

I was alarmed when I saw the petition and spent some time last night researching it in case the assertion was true. As many know, the Carling/Preston secondary plan has identified that parcel as a possible park expansion. The petitioner's position, as I understand it, is that some change was made to the secondary plan that now removes the potential for using that parcel as a park expansion.

What I've confirmed is that nothing has changed from the original secondary plan with respect to this parcel from the original language of the 2014 secondary plan. I've copied the language from that plan below, highlighting the applicable text. You'll see one difference. The version of the secondary plan to which I point was the original presented to Council for a vote in 2014. During that Council meeting, it was moved and passed that the heigh for the Loretta/Hickory parcel should be reduced from nine storeys to six.

You'll see from the current secondary plan that the City still has a vision for acquiring that land. That's not a done deal, and as the plan noted at the time and still does, any progress on that will be opportunistic. In order to turn that parcel into a park expansion, the City would have to acquire it on market terms from the owner. Of course, the owner would also be free to give the parcel to the City for $1: one can hope.

The owner would be free to sell it to the highest bidder, and we cannot prohibit development on the site. The parameters of what would be permitted haven't changed since 2014: a six-storey mid-rise. I know the petition speaks to the availability of funds and suggests that charges from development in the area should stay in the area in order to improve the public realm. That is, in fact, the case, and there is an area-specific regime for the Preston-Carling area to keep those fees there. However, as the plan noted in 2014 and still does, there are several priorities for the use of those funds.

I'm not aware that the parcel is currently in play. If residents believe the owner may be preparing to sell, I'd certainly appreciate knowing that so we don't miss any opportunities. There's no guarantee the City will be able to accomplish a park expansion here and a lot of things need to fall into place before that's possible. But, today, I am reassured that there's been no change to the rules that have been in place since 2014 about how that might happen.

Original secondary plan (here)

Northwest Quadrant

e. High-rise mixed-use development up to a height of 30 storeys may be permitted at the front portion of the property bounded by Carling Avenue on the south, Champagne Avenue on the west, Hickory Street on the north, and O-Train/future LRT on the east.

f. High-rise predominantly residential development up to a height as detailed in Schedule B of this Plan may be permitted along Champagne Avenue up to Ev Tremblay Park.

g. Mid-rise mixed-use development up to a height of nine storeys, with a built form sympathetic to the surrounding low profile residential buildings may be permitted along Carling Avenue west of Loretta Avenue.

h. Mid-rise predominantly residential development up to a height of nine storeys, with a built form sympathetic to the surrounding low profile residential buildings, may be permitted at the north east corner of Loretta Avenue and Hickory Street.

i. Mid-rise predominantly residential development up to a height of six storeys, with a built form sympathetic to the surrounding low profile residential buildings, may be permitted on the property facing Beech Street between Champagne Avenue and Loretta Avenue.

Amended secondary plan (here)

Areas west of the O-Train/future LRT

[Amendment #214, July 17, 2018]

1. High-rise mixed-use development up to a height of 30 storeys may be permitted at the front portion of the property bounded by Carling Avenue on the south, Champagne Avenue on the west, Hickory Street on the north, and O-Train/future LRT on the east.
2. High-rise predominantly residential development up to a height as detailed in Schedule B of this Plan may be permitted along Champagne Avenue up to Ev Tremblay Park.
3. Mid-rise mixed-use development up to a height of nine storeys, with a built form sympathetic to the surrounding low profile residential buildings may be permitted along Carling Avenue west of Loretta Avenue.
4. Mid-rise predominantly residential development up to a height of six storeys, with a built form sympathetic to the surrounding low profile residential buildings, may be permitted at the north east corner of Loretta Avenue and Hickory Street.
5. Mid-rise predominantly residential development up to a height of six storeys, with a built form sympathetic to the surrounding low profile residential buildings, may be permitted on the property facing Beech Street between Champagne Avenue and Loretta Avenue.