KITCHENER — The proposed development at 328-330 Mill Street, led by 1658194 Ontario Ltd., will be presented to Council tonight, October 21, 2024, for input following significant revisions.
Initially, city staff recommended the refusal of the Zoning By-law Amendment Application due to non-compliance with key zoning regulations. However, after a series of changes to the proposal, staff are now recommending approval.
The development will include a high-density mixed-use building consisting of 293 residential units and 212 square metres of commercial space. In terms of parking, the proposal consists of 166 parking spaces.
These specific details remain unchanged from the original submission.
Key revisions to the development at 328-330 Mill Street include several adjustments to setbacks and building positioning, reflecting changes aimed at addressing concerns from city staff.
These revisions include:
● Front Yard Setbacks: The revised proposal introduces a 6-metre setback for the ground floor abutting the street line, excluding structural columns. However, for storeys 2 to 6, a reduced setback of 1 metre is requested, while up to 15% of the floor area on storeys 7 to 18 is proposed to have a 2.5-metre setback from the street line.
● Easterly Yard Setback: The minimum easterly yard setback adjacent to 334 Mill Street varies based on building height. The setback for structured parking is proposed to be 1 metre, with columns on the ground floor requiring a 2-metre setback. For storeys 2 to 28, a 2-metre setback is requested for up to 15% of the floor area.
● Physical Separation: The revised proposal improves compliance for the westerly physical separation. For storeys 19 to 28, a minimum 10-metre separation is required from the adjacent property at 326 Mill Street. On the easterly side, physical separation varies, with 2-metre setbacks requested for certain sections of storeys 7 to 28.
● Parking Podium Setbacks: The revised design proposes a minimum setback of 1 metre for the structured parking, which is partially at or below grade. The changes apply to the rear yard and the shared lot line with properties at 334 Mill Street and 325 Stirling Avenue South.
●Height Increase: The height of the building has been proposed to be increased to 28 storeys from the original 20 storeys proposed. The height increase is proposed due to the floor plates being reduced in size from the changes in the westerly side yard setback (staff requested an increase due to potential conflict). In order to not lose any proposed residential units, the building height was increased.
Staff deemed these site-specific changes acceptable, ensuring the development aligns with the broader urban planning goals of the city while addressing earlier concerns.
The revised proposal aligns with the city’s long-term goals for high-density residential development within Strategic Growth Area Three (SGA-3) and supports intensification near major transit station areas (MTSAs).
Approval of the zoning amendment is contingent upon By-law 2024-065 (Growing Together PMTSAs) coming into full effect.
After extensive collaboration between city staff and the developer, the project is now considered to align with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) 2024 and represents sound urban planning.
To read more articles on this specific development, click here.
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