DUNNVILLE DEVELOPMENT APPROVED

RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW 39-UNIT PROJECT WILL AFFECT TRAFFIC, DENSITY AND SHADOWS

Haldimand County Council's approval of a rezoning application for a proposed 39-unit stacked townhouse at 114 Cross St. has its Dunnville neighbours concerned.

Plans call for the development to be built on two-thirds of a hectare, stand 12-metres tall and to be built in two blocks — one with six sections and 18 units, the other with seven sections and 21 units.

The coming influx of new residents has neighbours worried about the impact they will have

on the congestion of the local roads, in spite of a traffic study done by the developer and approved by the county traffic technologist, saying that it shouldn't be a major concern.

"Traffic is a major issue, if you lived there, you'd understand," said neighbour Guy Drinkwater, who is opposed to the development. "You can't get up and down the street half the time, and we still have buses, long buses and short going up and down the street all the time.

"It's not uncommon to have to stop to let somebody by, and there's not 70 more cars in here yet."

Neighbours also raised issues with population density, but staff planner Alisha Cull said that while the development is denser than the homes that directly surround it, it is allowed as the official plan takes into account the overall density of an area and not just a single development.

Next-door-neighbour to the development Jackie Jones told council that she was concerned that the new building's shadow would negatively impact her garden.

"I do understand that it's within the bylaws, but in my mind, it's not respecting the community," she said. "So that is a massive issue for me in particular. I feel like a lone soldier out here, because obviously it's just me and my next door neighbour who are going to be the most impacted by that."

Developer Mark Richardson originally had applied for a larger development, but scaled thing back after discussions with county staff and neighbours. His planner, Jacob Dickie, complimented residents for sharing their thoughts with him about the development.

"I appreciate their involvement throughout the process, it's been really helpful to figure out ways to address certain problems that have been raised," he said.