Whitehead hoping park deal could help push separate agreement on development density
Buildings from the old Hamilton Sanatorium will likely be bulldozed once a developer receives approval for a high density development on the Chedoke brow lands.
The city is about to make Deanlee Management an offer for a slice of the Chedoke brow lands.
Ward 8 (west Mountain) Coun. Terry Whitehead said members of the city’s general issues committee agreed to have real estate staff approach the Mississauga firm as soon as possible.
“We’ve directed staff to enter into discussions with the intent to purchase just over an acre of land next to the wood lot for a park,” said Whitehead, who has long sought acquisition of the land on the north-east corner of Sanatorium Road and Scenic Drive that was once home to a baseball diamond.
He did not say how much the city is prepared to pay for the property.
Whitehead said he’s confident that if Deanlee agrees to sell the land it will not be able to request a higher density of development on the remaining property.
Deanlee had proposed building 700 units on the 24-acre site, while the city has agreed to no more than 450.
Whitehead said a parkland agreement would not affect the development limit set by the city.
Members of the planning committee in private session on Monday turned down a settlement offer from Deanlee that Whitehead said contained more units than the city maximum.
The matter is slated to go before the Ontario Municipal Board in September.
While the land purchase offer is not tied to Deanlee’s proposal for developing the brow lands, Whitehead said he will be contacting the firm in the coming days to see if a compromise on development density can be worked out that falls within the limit agreed to by city council.
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