City Council has approved a rezoning application for a property along a section of Cabana Road in Windsor but will examine traffic concerns raised by concerned neighbourhood residents.
Council voted Monday to approve the rezoning of property at 1141 and 1175 Cabana Road West at Casgrain Drive.
A three-storey development is proposed for the site, containing 29 dwelling units and 37 parking spots with one ingress/egress along Casgrain Drive.
Residents who addressed the council voiced concerns about how the size of the building will change the character of the neighbourhood along with traffic issues off Casgrain.
A motion to deny the rezoning failed in an 8-3 vote, with those voting down the motion concerned the rejection would end up before the Ontario Land Tribunal, where the council's decision would be overturned because the rezoning was recommended by city administration as following the Provincial Planning Statement and conforming to the city's own Official Plan.
Ward 9 Councillor Kieran McKenzie introduced a motion to approve the rezoning but have administration work toward an option for exit and entrance onto Cabana Road during the site plan control process, which was then passed.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says you can't stop the future; you're going to see changes in this area, but the council tried to minimize the negative impacts.
"Trying to support housing because we know there's a demand for housing, reflecting on the concerns of residents every step of the way, and recognizing that based on the Provincial Policy Statement and all of the rules we have to deal with, there is about a zero per cent chance that we would be successful at the Ontario Land Tribunal if we turn this down," he says.
Dilkens says there's no sense in giving residents false hope knowing they are going to lose during an appeal.
He says they're trying to be as respectful and responsible as they can through this process, recognizing that provincial law has changed.
"The reality is that city council has very little flexibility right now in terms of what they can and can't do. If you want your city council to say, 'No, we don't want to see this type of development,' only to know they're going to lose on appeal, I think that's less responsible in terms of your tax dollars and spending your tax dollars. It makes you feel good in the moment, but the reality is it doesn't solve the problem at the end of the day," he says.
Casgrain resident and former city councillor Fulvio Valentins says while council is going to look at the exit and entrance off Casgrain, it's disappointing the city won't look at concerns like the height of the building.
"We don't mind going from two units to a large number of density, but did you have to go all the way to 29? Can't you go from 2 to 16 to 18 to 20, which is a significant change," he says.
Valentins says if they can at least remove the entrance and exit off Casgrain, it would be a very small partial win.
"They're going to be looking at that, but it's not definitive that it will necessarily go back onto Cabana. In terms of the other concerns we had, the height of the building and the massing of the building, we were, again, a little disappointed," he says.
Windsor's Executive Director of Operations Stacey McGuire told council that they do not like to introduce new access points to an arterial road, like Cabana, if there is another option available, such as Casgrain, due to safety issues. But McGuire also told the council they heard from the neighbours, and there may be an opportunity during the site plan stage to examine options along Cabana.
Resident Rino Lacata says it's disappointing they didn't listen to the residents.
"We realize we have to have this extra development; that's fine but try to keep it at two stories," he says. "I think they made a mistake when they changed the zoning of that area to allow three stories on Cabana Road. That was a little bit of an oversight on their part."
The developer has indicated the development will be marketed to seniors or retirement living.