By Mark Newman, January 11, 2008

Public input will be considered as city planners grapple with development proposal for area north of Scenic Drive

If residents living near Chedoke hospital get their way, development of the brow lands will see only 25 single detached homes erected on the west-side of Sanatorium Road north of Scenic Drive.
The limited development option (option number two) was the overwhelming favourite of residents who voted at a Dec. 13 public information centre at the Nash auditorium or online prior to midnight Dec. 31.

Of the 224 votes cast by the deadline, option number two garnered 120 votes (104 by e-mail). Option number one – no development – drew 62 votes (57 by e-mail); option 3a – medium-low development with 234 townhouse and apartment units – received 10 votes (one by e-mail); option 3b – medium-low development with 122 townhouse and apartment units in new and existing buildings – received 14 votes (10 by e-mail); option four – mixed use medium development with 256 units, mostly apartments and townhouses and a few single family homes – got 12 votes (three by e-mail) and option five – the most development with 469 units comprised mostly of apartments and some townhouses – drew six votes (four by e-mail).

The unit numbers for each option are estimates provided by city planning staff as part of the modified secondary planning work for the brow lands that began with the first of four public information centres last September. Chedoke area residents are hoping the secondary plan will control the size and scope of future development on the brow lands.

The residents’ preferred option is in stark contrast to the plan Deanlee Management of Mississauga filed with the city last June.

Deanlee, who purchased the 9.6 hectare (24 acre) brow lands from the Chedoke Health Corporation last spring, is looking to build 750 high-end condominium units on the site. The developer is also looking to close Sanatorium Road north of Scenic and make it a private condo road. The road closure process is expected to go through the public process in the coming months.

Planning staff are now pouring over Deanlee’s proposal, which includes a number of reports and studies including a planning justification report, environmental impact statement, heritage assessment, archeological assessment and a traffic study.

The city’s economic development and planning committee will consider both the modified secondary plan developed by the residents and Deanlee’s proposal in March or April.

City senior planner Brenda Khes said planning staff will consider the public input as part of the review process. Planning staff also have the option of recommending to the councillors an option that incorporates some aspects of both proposals.

Deanlee had planned to hold a public open house about the proposed development January 17, but company director Ron Starr said they had to cancel the meeting because they need time to review comments from a number of local groups and agencies that have come into the city’s planning department. Mr. Starr said a public open house will be rescheduled in the next few weeks.