By April Fong
vised its condominium plan in an attempt to deal with objections from nearby residents to its proposed project at the corner of Kent and Nepean streets.
The previous development plan of two 18-storey towers plus one 12-storey condominium raised many issues among people living in the adjacent Everett condominium and nearby townhouses.
One concern is that it would restrict the city’s official plan that provides “the right to privacy and the right to light,” says Barbara Feldman, a member of the ad-hoc residents’ committee who lives in Everett.
“It’s an inappropriate development for this site,” she said prior to a residents’ committee meeting Oct. 18, where representatives of the community looked at Charlesfort’s changed proposal.
The developer’s new plan includes two 18-storey towers at the corner of Kent and Lisgar streets and another at the northeast side of Nepean.
Doug Casey, owner of Charlesfort, says the latest changes will give the neighbouring 11-storey Everett more sunlight and area to view the nearby Saint Patrick’s Basilica on Nepean Street than if the developers were to build three 12-storey towers, which complies with existing by-laws.
“I’m hoping they’ll agree that this is a good concept and they’ll say they support the proposal,” says Casey. “To me, this is win-win.”
Charlesfort’s changed proposal, however, still exceeds the property’s height limit as the plan consists of building two 18-storey condominiums.
The developer and a group of residents requested a two-week deferral for the developer’s height variances hearing, originally scheduled as part of the city’s Oct. 19 committee of adjustment meeting.
The decision to postpone the hearing was made after eight members of the residents’ committee met to inspect Charlesfort’s proposal Oct. 18, says Randy Marusyk, co-ordinator of the ad-hoc committee and Everett resident.
Marusyk declined comment on the changed proposal, saying he wants the larger community of 100 people to see it first.
“It’s my community, it’s my backyard,” says Marusyk. “I just want to make sure that it develops reflecting everyone’s concerns.”
Casey emphasizes the company has paid for the property based on the ability to build on what’s allowed.
If residents don’t want Charlesfort to have the height, the developer can fill in the corner of Kent and Nepean streets with another 12-storey tower along with two other condominiums on each side at the same height.
“It’s not a threat, it’s a reality,” Casey says.
Charlesfort does not want to build the three 12-storey towers, however, as it wants to keep with tall New York and Chicago-style architecture and provide green space.
The new plan includes an open park setting at the corner of Kent and Nepean streets that could include a water feature, such as a fountain.
Charlesfort’s idea to create a park with the developments has been the same for both the previous and changed proposals, says Casey.
The developer previously requested a four-week deferral at the Sept. 21 committee of adjustment meeting to discuss complaints sent by members from the neighbourhood.
“It’s been cordial. We’ve been working together,” Feldman says.
Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes says there is concern over traffic and parking demands that would be generated by visitors at the development.
Casey says Charlesfort initially met with Holmes, city staff, the community group and the adjacent Saint Patrick’s Basilica for the previous proposal.
“But you know what I didn’t do [at first]? I didn’t talk to the neighbours, which I should have. It’s inexcusable,” he says.
“When we first got going with the [proposal] we didn’t do a computer drawing to see the [sunlight] impact on neighbours.”
Charlesfort is not the only developer that recently applied for height variances in Centretown.
Richcraft Homes’s application to build an 18-storey apartment was dismissed by last month, says Holmes.
The developer had not appealed the decision by the Oct. 5 deadline.