Long Branch residents are fighting against a super development (above) proposed for their quiet lakeside community.
Residents of the Long Branch community are rallying to halt plans by a developer to obtain higher density for a massive and controversial Lake Promenade development.
Members of the Lake Promenade Tenants’ Association said the builders of a 220 Lake Promenade Development have appealed the application to the provincial Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).
“This means it has taken the decision out of the City of Toronto’s hands and given it over to what has typically been a developer-friendly tribunal,” said Association spokesperson Patti Pokorchak. “We have to stop this!”
A new street in a proposed 220 Lake Promenade development.
She said the developers are seeking to increase the density of the mega-project by up to five times. It is estimated the amount of housing units at the site will increase from about 550 to up to about 2,000.
“There are no precedents in the city for this increase in density within a residential community that is not on a major thoroughfare,” Pokorchak said, citing Lake Promenade is a 10-minute walk to Lake Shore Blvd and 40 minutes to Kipling Station, which is hardly a transit-friendly location.
The proposal would see the five low-rise buildings on site demolished and replaced with modern buildings significantly significantly larger in size. The construction work can take up to 15-years of truck traffic, dust and noise for the small community.
Many of the residents are seniors who have been living there for decades and have to be relocated.
Five towers are planned ranging in height from 12 to 30 storeys on the site. Two would contain rental suites and the others would be condos. Also proposed is a new public road.
Architectural drawings show a total of 2,021 suites, 548 of which would be rental replacement, 29 of which would be market rental, and 1,444 of which would be market condo suites.
Pokorchak said many of the residents are seniors on fixed income who have been living in the buildings for decades and will have to be relocated new neighbourhoods, which is promised to be conducted in phases.
Patti Pokorchak of the Lake Promenade Tenants’ Association.
The Association objects that the City has not released an official report on the development which is expected in December; and believe the case management conference on October 18 is premature.
Residents are encouraged to file complaints or a Participant Status Request with the OLT before October 8. The link is: https://olt.gov.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Participant-Status-Request-Form.html