GUELPH — At the June 13, 2023, planning meeting, the city council unanimously approved rezoning requests for a proposed residential development at 1373-1389 Gordon Street.
The project, led by Reid’s Heritage Properties, has undergone several revisions since its initial presentation to the council in early 2022.
The approved development features a seven-storey, mixed-use building comprising 99 purpose-built rental units. The structure will replace the two single detached homes currently on the site, incorporating six storeys of residential units above a ground floor dedicated to retail and office space.
The ground floor will include 607 square metres of retail space and 540 square metres of office space. The revised plan marks significant changes from the original proposal, which envisioned a nine-storey building with 98 units.
The current design reduces the building height to seven storeys while increasing the unit count to 99 alongside a carefully curated mix of commercial spaces.
Key Features:
● Residential Units: 99 purpose-built rental units
● Retail Space: 607 square metres
● Office Space: 540 square metres
● Parking: 130 spaces, with adjustments for residential and non-residential uses
The development required several amendments to the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law.
The site, previously zoned as “Residential Single Detached” (R.1B), has been rezoned to a “Specialized Neighbourhood Commercial” (NC-14) zone. Additionally, parts of the site have been redesignated from “Medium Density Residential” to “Significant Natural Areas & Natural Areas.”
Approved Site-Specific Regulations:
● Building Height: The maximum building height will be seven storeys, exceeding the standard two-storey limit of the NC zone.
● Lot Area: The project will encompass a lot area of 10,074 square metres, surpassing the NC zone’s 7,500 square metre limit.
● Side Yard Setbacks: Minimum side yard setbacks of 7.5 metres are required, compared to the usual 12.7 metres.
● Parking Ratios: The project will provide one parking space per residential unit and 3.5 spaces per 100 square metres of non-residential area. This differs from the standard requirement of 1.2 spaces per residential unit and one space per 18 square metres of non-residential space.
● Angular Plane: The maximum angular plane to the centreline of Gordon Street will be 46 degrees, slightly above the 45-degree standard.
● Amenity Space: A minimum common amenity area rate of 17 square metres per dwelling unit is required, below the usual 20 square metres.
The revised proposal improves transportation and accessibility by relocating the singular driveway access further east on Vaughan Street, aligning it with Maple Lane for increased safety and efficiency.
Environmental considerations have also been integrated into the project, with the “Wetland” (WL) zoning limits being updated to “Conservation Land” (P.1) based on the findings of the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) conducted by the applicant.
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