Despite dissent from Somserset Ward councillor Diane Holmes, City Council today approved the application for a 17-storey condo at 224 Lyon and 324, 326 and 328 Gloucester Streets.
The condo will feature 240 residential units and 116 parking spaces.
There application was approved by council with no debate.
Worth noting though was the debate that took place during the planning committee, which approved the motion to send to City Council on June 14th.
Coun. Holmes stressed concerns about the recent string of condos that have been approved by the City, leading to Cumberland Ward Councillor, Stephen Blais, to speak about the necessity of intesification in Ottawa-Centre to accomodate the needs of people who work there.
Many of the concerns from residents of Ottawa-Centre that have been brought forward to the planning committee focus on the lack of transparency in the process and that decisions are being made regardless of opinions of the constituency.
Bay Ward councillor Mark Taylor says that when it has come to the decision regarding the approval of these condos, their hands are tied.
"The community mistakes it (voting in favour of the condos) as a lack of desire for the councillors to hear them," says Taylor.
But the reality, according to Taylor, is that developers must stay within whatever is permitted by the building codes. If developers submit an application that falls within the rules set out by zoning and sight bylaws, the planning committee has a harder time saying 'no.'
"If we turn them down . . . it's to some degree on our pale to spend tax dollars to defend what our very own rules permit," says Taylor.
The effort of citizens speaking out against the intensification of Centretown is not all in vain though. Taylor says he recommends citizens to speak to their councillors or community associations about their concerns about zoning.
"If folks don't like the zoning in their neighbourhoods or what is permissible . . . that's a conversation they need to have about changing the rules," says Taylor.
More information about Lyon and Gloucest Streets condo can be found here:
Planning committee okays condo proposal at Lyon and Gloucester Streets