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High-rise project sparks opposition

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In Collingwood
Aug 31st, 2010
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By MORGAN IAN ADAMS Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin August 27 2010
Neighbours of a proposed development on the former Cranberry golf driving range don’t hate the project, but they don’t exactly love the height either.
The 280-unit project includes two seven-storey buildings that would front Harbour Street, which had several residents who spoke to council during a lengthy public meeting to consider a rezoning of the land Monday night draw comparisons to the 10-storey apartment at Rupert’s Landing.
“If this is approved, it would be very difficult to stop similar developments,” said Richard Orviss. “If you allow a lot of this, it would dramatically change Collingwood as I know it.”
“Everybody regrets (the apartment at Rupert’s); to have two more of that scale, I don’t think fits at (that) end of town,” said David Gallagher.
“I’m impressed with the development, and don’t have any issues (with the project),” added Peter Morrison. “It’s really just about sightlines… and it would be more palatable for the folks at Cranberry if the seven-storey buildings could be located (further inside the development).”
However, project planner Glenn Lucas said for Collingwood to meet the intensification targets being dictated by the province and Simcoe County means “the only way to do it is to go up.”
Provincial policy for the Greater Golden Horseshoe region requires 50 people and/or jobs per hectare; this particular project at 48 units per ha, is expected to have significantly higher density.
Lucas also emphasized the buildings weren’t to the same height as the apartment at Rupert’s. He also addressed the county’s concerns that the project wouldn’t fit within the population allocations determined for Collingwood by the county, noting there is a disagreement between the province and the county on what those numbers should be; the province has arrived at a higher population allocation for Collingwood than what the county has determined.
“We don’t know what the numbers will be,” said Lucas. “But we need to keep moving forward, the world doesn’t stop.”
If the town believes the project is good, then it could potentially “make a statement” on what the population allocation could be, he said.
Councillor Tim McNabb said the municipality should still be permitted to “allow good growth.
 “There is some wiggle room… and we could argue as a vacant industrial site (the land is zoned in a light industrial category) that we want to redevelopment, it could go a long way to addressing the growth plan concerns,” he said.
Along with 280 units in mixed density housing — along with the two seven-storey apartments, there would also be a mix of single-family homes, as well as low-and mid-rise apartments -there would also be commercial space, a 120- suite retirement home, and an 80-bed long-term nursing home.
The development would be tied into the municipal trail system through the Georgian Trail.
The two seven-storey buildings are being designed with sloped roofs, and are stepped back to minimize shadow affects on neighbouring properties. Lucas pointed out the buildings have also been reoriented in order to minimize shadows.
Lucas also noted it would create about 150 full-time jobs, along with generating $1.5 million in property taxes to the town, county, and school boards.
The goal, he said, is to create a development where residents could “age in place,” along with promoting active transportation. In the opinion of the development group, the project met the goals of the town and county’s official plans, as well as Collingwood’s sustain-ability plan and the recently-approved urban design standards.
The commercial space would primarily be to provide medical services, including a small pharmacy, to serve the residents in that development ; Lucas noted it was not the intent for the pharmacy use to compete with downtown pharmacies, noting the goal of the official plan to keep that type of use in the downtown core. Commercial uses could also potentially include a restaurant and other, limited, shopping.
There were also concerns raised about potential traffic generated by the development ; it was noted Harbour Street would be widened, with a left-turn lane at the lights at Balsam/Hwy. 26.
A staff report on the project could be back to town council as early as the September planning meeting.

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