KITCHENER — A minor variance application has been submitted for the proposed redevelopment of 22 Woodfern Court led by 22 Woodfern Court Inc., is scheduled to be reviewed by the Committee of Adjustment on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
The proposal seeks approval to convert the existing vacant 17-unit apartment building into a 34-unit residential development consisting of one-bedroom and studio units.
The site, located on the east side of Woodfern Court, is adjacent to the Grand River Transit Operations Centre at 250 Strasburg Drive and borders Elmsdale Park at 13 Elmsdale Drive.
The subject property is designated as “Low Rise Residential” in the City’s 2014 Official Plan and is zoned “Low Rise Residential Five Zone (RES-5)” under Zoning By-law 2019-051.
The zoning designation permits the proposed use of a multiple-dwelling building while maintaining the low-rise character of the neighbourhood.
The developer is requesting relief from the parking requirements outlined in Section 5.6 a), Table 5-5 of the Zoning By-law.
The by-law requires one parking space per unit and 0.15 visitor parking spaces per unit, which would amount to 34 spaces for residents and six spaces for visitors.
However, the application proposes to reduce the number of resident parking spaces to 20 and visitor parking spaces to 3, providing a total of 23 parking spaces for the 34-unit building.
To support this reduction, the developer plans to offer 23 Class A bicycle parking spaces, exceeding the by-law requirement of 17 spaces.
Additionally, the site is well connected to public transportation, with Grand River Transit routes 3 and 16 and the iXpress 205 line serving the area, reducing the need for individual vehicle use.
The property’s Low Rise Residential designation is intended to support a range of housing types, including the proposed multiple dwelling use.
Planning staff believe the development maintains the general intent of both the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law, as the low-rise built form will be preserved, and the proposed use fits within the designated land use.
The parking reduction is considered appropriate due to the smaller unit sizes (studio and one-bedroom), which generally have lower parking demand compared to larger units.
Furthermore, the development’s location near commercial amenities and major transit routes supports alternative transportation options, making the requested variance desirable.
The committee will evaluate whether the variance meets the four tests of the Planning Act, including whether the variance is minor and appropriate for the development of the land.
If approved, the minor variance would allow for the redesign of the building’s interior to accommodate the additional units without increasing the gross floor area.
The development is part of a Site Plan Application which is currently under review.
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