Building height bogs down proposed development in Hyde Park: it’s too short

Debate over new development near Afzaal memorial City staff recommend rejecting an application for a new development across the street from Afzaal family memorial. Daryl Newcombe reports.

Despite the building boom in Hyde Park, one high profile development remains a bust with city staff.

The planning department is once again recommending refusal of a rezoning application by York Developments to build 72 townhouses and a shopping plaza at 1407-1427 Hyde Park Rd at the southeast corner with South Carriage Road.

According to the planning report, the single-storey commercial plaza is inconsistent with long-term planning policies along that stretch of Hyde Park Road that require a minimum of two-storeys.

Specifically, the report states the proposed commercial plaza’s height does not conform with:

“Hyde Park is an up-and-coming important commercial node,” said Councillor Steve Lehman, who chairs the Planning and Environment Committee.

Lehman said he’ll have lots of questions about the report during next week’s meeting.

“What does staff envision to be above those commercial stores? Do they envision it to be officers? Well frankly, the person who is developing (the property) might not see a market for offices out there,” he added.

A rezoning application for the property was last in front of the planning committee in September, 2022.

At the time, some neighbours expressed concern about a McDonald’s drive-thru being located directly across the road from the Our London Family Memorial to the Afzaal family.

York Developments has subsequently removed the McDonald’s from its proposal.

If council turns down the revised application because the plaza is too short, that decision would also block construction of the townhouse component.

In the midst of a housing crisis, nearby property owner Joe Pacitto questions the value of even more businesses along Hyde Park Road.

“I don’t think we need any stores here, really. They can just build houses. We need houses,” he told CTV News.

The Planning and Environment Committee will consider the application at its meeting on March 27.