Barrie waterfront development draws fire at meeting

Harmony Village drew a crowd Monday, just maybe not the audience it wanted.

People filled the Council Chamber at Barrie City Hall for a marathon public meeting on a rezoning application for the huge, proposed residential/retail-plus development near the waterfront.

With five towers ranging from 22-31 storeys, Harmony Village would have 1,255 units in high-rises and townhouses for 3,000 residents, a hotel, dinner theatre, community centre, medical offices and wellness centre on the 6.8-acre site. There are also to be pathways and public spaces surrounded by shops, restaurants and cafes at 51-83 Bradford St. and 20 Checkley St., along with a new road connecting Bradford to Lakeshore Drive.

Monday's message from residents is it's too much - in terms of height, density, traffic, shadowing, noise, etc. And not enough parking.

Don Hamilton represents a couple of dozen residents of nearby Grand Harbour and said Harmony Village would largely complete the neighbourhood, but it should align with the existing high-rises of about 16 storeys.

"We don't believe this project should be designed to overwhelm and over-shadow the existing developments," he said.

Gary Bell, a Barrie land use planner, said the project is an over-intensification of the property.

"It's a scale of development well above what is desired or intended or needed on Bradford Street," he said.

"We have seen the tall towers of Toronto," said Nancy Quinlan of Toronto Street's Grand Harbour. "But we're Barrie, we're not Toronto."

Lorne MacDonald, who lives on nearby Ellen Street, said Harmony Road is not needed, that the area doesn't require two more intersections.

And he says the development is too big for the land there.

"They're trying to put a size 12 foot into a size six shoe," he said. "The only open space they are proposing to leave is Harmony Road."

Brent Clarkson, who lives in the Nautica tower on Ellen Street, said development projects need to fit in with the character of a neighbourhood - and that's more than design, height and building materials.

"This project fails in any reasonable sensitivity test," he said, noting traffic and noise concerns as well. "It requires substantial modifications."

"They seem to want to put green space inside for the residents, pavement outside for their neighbours," said Robert Bishop of Ellen Street.

"They should have to prove to the city that they need to go higher and that there are municipal benefits," said Ian Rowe, who lives at Bayshore Landing, two towers of 15 storeys on Dunlop Street West. "Make sure all the pie-in-the-sky stuff gets into the zoning bylaw."

But all the comments about Harmony Village Monday were not negative.

Jill Price, who owns businesses in the downtown, said this type of intensification is the future.

"They're looking at developing the site in a creative way and a memorable way," she said. "This is the way we need to move. . .to better life in the downtown core."

Price said the downtown needs the people, the shoppers, to thrive.

Most residents who spoke Monday acknowledged this property will be developed, but wanted to limit its impact on the neighbouring community.

Coun. Lynn Strachan, who represents this area, was unhappy with the applicant's initial presentation as it related to relief from city bylaws - for height, setbacks, etc.

"They have come here with a vague proposal for a site-specific rezoning, but not the rationale," she said. "We didn't get a lot of information about the zoning proposal."

An official from Harmony Village then quoted from a report that had been submitted to the city.

But Mayor Jeff Lehman wasn't satisfied.

"What is the planning rationale for towers that are twice as high as are allowed?" he asked.

Lehman didn't get a clear answer - other than there is no particular rationale for any height, or height limit.

Harmony Village would be geared toward those 55 years old, and older, although not exclusively. It carries a $600-million price tag over eight years for the project, with towers ranging from 22-31 storeys. It would employ nearly 6,300 people to build, generate $8.2 million in annual property taxes and create 874 full-time jobs. At more than two million square feet in total size, it would also include nearly 1,300 parking spaces.

Depending on city approvals, shovels could be in the ground for Harmony Village in 2014.

The developer acquired this property from the proponents of Blue Simcoe Development, a project which was to include towers of 24 and 25 storeys, and 595 residential units.

The property is currently zoned transition centre commercial and environmental protection, which is site specific for the former development plan.

Harmony Village-Lake Simcoe Inc. wants to amend Zoning By-law 2009-141 to create a new site specific zoning bylaw to reflect its development plans.

Site plan control for this property has been delegated to city planning staff, although it could be 'bumped up' to a council decision if that's the wish of Barrie councillors. The site plan will likely be discussed at tonight's public meeting.

Once it's held, the rezoning application goes to city planning staff for a report to Barrie councillors, who decide whether it is accepted, rejected or changed.

Other plans are also afoot for this part of Barrie.

A centre for excellence in education is being proposed on 11 acres of land which includes Barrie Central Collegiate, Red Storey Field and the former Prince of Wales School.

Development of secondary and post-secondary institutional uses there, along with commercial and residential uses, would allow Central to be rebuilt and the development of a university campus, with student residences.

Laurentian University wants to build a campus in the city's downtown, and Barrie council is onside – although this still requires provincial approval. - BBRUTON Barrie EXAMINER

Barrie Residents attack south-end plan

Barrie Examiner

South-Barrie residents voiced their disapproval Monday to townhouses and eight-plexes in their single-family neighbourhood.

During a public meeting that took nearly two hours, about 30 people spoke against the proposed development at 461 Mapleton Ave.

The 101 residential units would add traffic and crime, cut safety for children and hurt property values in the area - city councillors heard.

"We need to put the safety of our children first, absolutely first," said Marlene Kane. "I'm all for growth, but let's grow safe and let's grow smart."

Her daughter, Nicole Kane, said she's a former St. Joan of Arc student and the traffic in this area is already bad.

"I can attest to how difficult it is to cross Mapleton," she said. "It isn't just (unsafe) for children, but for teenagers crossing the street."

Larry Black, who lives at the top of Mapleton, also said the street is dangerous now.

"Cars come up that hill very fast," he said. "That hill is already a risky one and you (the developer) are just going to add to it."

Many speakers said they moved to this area because it is a single-family neighbourhood, and don't want townhouses there because it could mean renters and absent landlords.

"Reconsider this plan and develop it into something that everyone in the area would find desirable," said Jennifer and Alastair McMurachy in a letter to the city, "such as additional single-detached homes, a library, commercial space or an additional soccer/rugby field.

"The building of eight-plexes is not what the safe and quiet area needs right now."

Residents also said there wouldn't be enough parking in this development and that congestion would only get worse in the area.

This five-acre property - located on the south side of Ardagh Road, west of Mapleton - is a former school site no longer needed by the Simcoe County District School Board for that use. The developer is a numbered Ontario company.

Its rezoning and Official Plan application will now be considered by the city's planning department, which will prepare a staff report. It's expected to be dealt with by Barrie councillors later this winter or in early spring.

Coun. Michael Prowse, who represents this part of Barrie, does not want the property to be medium or high-density residential.

But Coun. Alex Nuttall said townhouses do not necessarily mean more crime and renters who are bad neighbours, as some of the speakers Monday expressed.

"Be careful with your broad strokes about townhouses," he said.

City councils in Barrie have long dealt with the frustration of residents in new developments with planned school sites. They expect their children to be able to walk to school, then an education board decides the school is not needed.

The children are bussed to class instead, and more residential units are built on the former school site – adding additional people and vehicles to the area, especially if it's intensified development.

City staff didn't recommended park use of this land. Its estimated purchase price of $1.5-$2 million would have virtually emptied the parkland reserve fund of $2.1 million at the time. A sports fields, landscaping, parking and other infrastructure costs could add another $1 million to the price tag.

Staff looking at building soccer and/or baseball fields there note soccer participants has dropped by 800 since 2010, and the city doesn't need any new ball fields until after 2019.