01-21-2025, 08:32 PM
(01-21-2025, 07:55 PM)Kodra24 Wrote: I wonder if this will be approved - lots of developments are trying to upsize, this was designated SGA2 (max 8 storeys) originally through Growing Together, they're going for SGA3 (max 28 storeys)
Anyone know how successful these applications are typically?
The problem right now is while Growing Together has been approved at the city level it is appealed to the OLT which means it's not easily enforceable yet, so really the city is working off of 85-1 or 2019-051. In the case of this property 85-1 stands and has a height limit of 24m and a FSR of 4.0.
For this tower for 85-1 they need ammendments for heigt (96m), FSR (11.5), no minimum parking requirements, and a setback.
For Growing Together they need two different ammendments for height, one for a height of 20m within 10m of SGA 1 or lowrise, another for a height of 96m within 30m of SGA 1.
However since the city can't officially consider Growing Together they're working entirely off of 85-1 and all those ammendments would pass, FSR and parking minimums are gone in Growing Together so those would easily pass, the setback is something that CoA normally deals with and it's rather minor in nature, the height is the only question mark, the issue though is the development does support ROPA 6, PPS 2024, and Kitchener's Official Plan, its just actually zoning that it doesn't conform to so you'd have to disregard all 3 of those documents which would easily pass at the OLT.
If Growing Together magically comes into force before this goes to council (it won't) you have the first height issue which the developer can look back and say we designed based on 85-1 which allowed that at the time of design, and the city can't argue with that, and then it's again just one height issue which will likely get approved because it again is supporting ROPA 6, PPS 2024 and Kitchener's Official Plan.
In terms of other developments that have come since Growing Together got city approval you have Vive's CTV property, 328 Mill and 169 Victoria. Each of them were very different but all got approval. Vive's was mainly a phasing issue with regards to Growing Together and then height with 85-1 but it's SGA 4 in Growing Together so Vive's site was always going to get approved. 328 Mill got approved against the recommendation of staff, it had ridiculous ammendments to setbacks but it's not being built anytime soon, then you have 169 Victoria which is very similar to Vive's issue in that there's just really minor ammendments required to make any building work on the site regardless of which bylaw you're using.
So long story short it's extremely likely to get approved.