The proposal to build a new condo building and clubhouse at Roseland Golf Course will be in front of the Development and Heritage Standing Committee on Monday for approval of the official plan and rezoning.
Announced in April, the $33-million “Residences at Roseland” includes a four-storey, 48-unit condo with one-, two- and three-bedroom suites.
Most units would face the course, and priced roughly $400,000 to $1 million.
Plans also include 83 parking spaces, mostly underground, and a 5,600-square-foot clubhouse with covered patio.
Ward 1 Coun. and committee member Fred Francis says opposition in the neighbourhood has been consistent.
“Simply stated, we’ve been working on this for two years now, the residents have been fighting it, and they’ve been pleading with members of city council for pretty much two years now, letting them know that they don’t want this in the Roseland neighbourhood,” he said.
He says residents feel shut out of decisions.
“Nothing can happen, no building can go up, nothing can be constructed without the land being rezoned, and that has yet to happen,” Francis said.
“But the city has an announcement saying this is the building we’re going to build, it’s going to be a luxury condo, it’s going to be $1 million a unit so on and so forth, and what really upset residents, is that neighbourhood residents at that announcement were actually turned away. There was a police presence there and it was by invite only.”
Francis argues this case is different from other developments because the city itself is the proponent, meaning council can stop it at any time, with no risk of appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal.
“This is not private land owned by a private developer looking to put up a building and if the city says no there’s a threat of appeal,” he said.
“There’s no threat of appeal here because it’s 100 per cent the decision of city council in the City of Windsor, so if council says no, it’s it ends right there, and that’s what the residents want to see.”
The Development and Heritage Standing Committee meets at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
The project will move on to council for review and debate at a later date.