Brampton city council will next week decide the fate of a controversial 49-acre residential 360-unit subdivision for northern part of the city.
The subdivision was approved this week by the city's planning and development committee in a 6-5 vote as residents jammed Brampton City Hall to protest. Sixteen delegates showed up to speak against the draft plan for the subdivision, to be located at the southwest corner of Mayfield and Kennedy roads.
More than 680 residents signed petitions against development being built by Glenn Shnarr and Associates and Partacc Gate Kennedy Developments Inc.
Their plans call for 182 single-detached homes, 65 townhouses, a park, natural heritage system and two stormwater management ponds.
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"There has been overwhelming opposition shown by the community that will be directly affected by this development and I am disappointed with the outcome," said Ward 2 Coun. Michael Palleschi in an emailed statement to the Brampton Guardian. "The applications proposed by the developer are contrary to our City’s Official Plan, a plan that was our Community’s Vision."
Even though Brampton has a severe housing inventory shortage and a "sizzling" housing sales market, opponents of the development say they are concerned about high housing density, increased traffic, traffic congestion and potential overcrowding of local schools. Over 300 Snelgrove-Heart Lake area residents earlier jammed a November town hall to protest the subdivision.
"It's shocking," said Heart Lake resident Tiere Sharma as reported by the Brampton Guardian. "We were hoping we could come to some sort of compromise. It doesn't seem as if residents' concerns are on the forefront."
Those who support the development said that the townhomes would be more affordable options for first-time homebuyers.
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"Land is a valuable commodity," said resident David Laing. "We must bring as much value out of it as possible."
Voting in favour of the development was Wards 3 and 4 Coun. Martin Medeiros, chair of the committee.
He told The Brampton Guardian that he was disappointed fellow councillors "played politics" on a development in line with the city's need for housing that was technically sound and approved by city staff.
"If we were to analyze all planning applications based on resident’ expression, we wouldn’t build any infill across the city." he said.
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Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has stated that the plan was not "the best deal" for residents" and that he'd want to negotiate a more suitable development for the property.
An earlier staff report had recommended that council approve the subdivision, including an amendment to the city’s official plan and zoning bylaw.
The proposal exceeds the allowed density of homes per hectare of land for upscale executive housing areas.
The staff report says the development proposal is in line with the Provincial Policy Statement and in union with the growth plan for the greater Golden Horseshoe and the region’s official plan.
