Leamington council has given the green light to a zoning amendment to allow for more housing - despite frustrations from local residents.
During Tuesday's meeting, a report was presented to allow for a zoning change on Oak Street West from industrial to residential to allow for a total of 51 units to be developed west of Leamington District Secondary School.
Pencor Developments Inc. is looking to construct eight units of townhouses, and two three-storey apartment buildings with a total of 43 units.
Residents along Nicholas Street and nearby the proposed land attended Tuesday's meeting with concerns surrounding the proximity to their backyards, concerns around who would be living there, and the influx of traffic.
Matthew attended as a delegate and says his biggest worry is traffic.
"We are especially concerned about the safety of our children in the neighbourhood because this high-density development will generate increased traffic. Has there been an assessment on the viability of having this many residents living in such a small parcel of land? Oak Street already has several intersecting streets, as well as Leamington High School in this area. Has heavy pedestrian traffic within this area during the school year even been considered?"
Andrew, who lives on Nicholas Street, attended as a delegate as well and says he's worried about traffic with the amount of students nearby.
"How can you have this so close to the school entrance? I pray that no one ever gets run over there. If you're holding up traffic and someone gives you the right away, gives you an opening, what are you going to do? You're going to jump through there as fast as you can, you've got people honking behind you, you're driving aggressively because it's all crazy, and you jump through the opening and you run over somebody."
Jaime, who lives on Nicholas Street, attended as a delegate and says she's most concerned about privacy.
"I do have children, and we have a pool in our backyard, and it is very visible. Even the trees that are currently there that are cedar trees, they do not provide privacy. You can see right through it," she says. "And not everybody has those cedars in the back of their yard."
Councillor Paul Tiessen says this type of housing is needed.
"It is too bad there's going to be some privacy changes, but who's to say the privacy changes weren't going to come anyway? We can't all guarantee what's going to happen next to us. And now with the provincial government pushing these kinds of developments, we really don't have a choice."
Councillor Heather Latam says the Town desperately needs rental opportunities.
"In the whole of the County of Essex, not including Windsor, Leamington ranks the highest with the most barriers to youth and their opportunity. So, while we don't necessarily want change to happen, I think that this is actually going to be a really great thing."
While some of the units would be available to rent, these homes would be considered market value - and would not be considered as "affordable homes".
The developer did not receive any notice of concern from the Essex Region Conservation Authority, Water Services, Fire Services, or Building Services.