Windsor City Council will vote next month on final approval for a proposed housing development on Riverside Drive.
The development would be located at 3251 Riverside Drive East and 222 Belleview Avenue.
On Monday, members of the city's Development and Heritage Standing Committee voted unanimously to approve moving the proposal forward to a full vote of council.
The proposed development includes the construction of one 12 storey residential building, with 84 units and 135 parking spaces between a proposed parking garage and a surface parking lot on site.
The building would consist of three storeys of parking, with nine storeys of residential above.
Administration recommended moving forward with the proposal, saying it represents an efficient development that will have no adverse impact on the well-being of the City of Windsor.
A report from administration says the proposed Multiple Dwelling represents a housing type and density that meets the requirements of current and future residents, that meets the social, health and well being of current and future residents, represents a form of residential intensification, is set in a location with access to infrastructure, public service facilities, and is close to commercial land uses.
Committee members initially were looking to defer making a decision on Monday, but ultimately kept it on the agenda.
Melanie Muir, with Dillon Consulting Limited, spoke in favour of the development and the need to move it forward while Steven Ducharme, an area resident, spoke against the development citing a lack of notice for his senior neighbours.
Ward 1 councillor Fred Francis says with respect to precedent and the surrounding buildings on Riverside Drive it would be difficult to say no to this development when they've said yes to others.
He did agree that residents in the area of potential developments should be notified in a sufficient time period so they can have their voices heard.
"When this comes to council we should endeavour to do our best to communicate, not only the motion of the Standing Committee, but as much information to them as possible because I would like to hear more of them come out when it comes to council and specifically state what their concerns are. Perhaps we can address those at council, or at least explain why we have to move forward with this," Francis said.
Ward 7 councillor Angelo Marignani says he also believes the City can improve upon the notification of residents in affected areas when discussing these kinds of developments.
"We are currently using the Windsor Star, I think we should start looking into some other means of communicating our intent so that people are better informed and don't find themselves a bit dumbfounded when they're presented with these developments. So to have administration look into other means of communicating our developments in the city," Marignani added.
Ward 10 councillor Jim Morrison also agreed with his council colleagues on notice, but believes administration is listening.
He says he'll be supporting the development when it comes back to council after seeing the way it's developed throughout the process.
"And I think it fits in much better, there's some set backs here to give a little bit of distance away. This area obviously is on a well used bus route, and biking is going to be something that can be utilized here too. This is what's needed on our main corridors and I certainly will be supporting it," Morrison said.
The item is expected to be on the city council agenda for final approval sometime in October.