GUELPH —Silvercreek Guelph Developments Limited and 2089248 Ontario Inc. have proposed significant changes to a land development project located at 35, 40, and 55 Silvercreek Parkway South in the City of Guelph.
The proposal aims to transform the currently vacant brownfield site, commonly known as the former Lafarge quarry, into a new mixed-use neighbourhood dubbed “Silvercreek Junction.”
The subject property spans an area of 16.52 hectares. It is currently designated as a Community Mixed-Use Centre, Corporate Business Park, High-Density Residential, Open Space and Park, and zoned as Corporate Business Park B.5-6(H27).
The proposed plan seeks to reconfigure the Community Mixed-Use Centre designation to maintain Silvercreek Parkway South’s current alignment and introduce Medium Density Residential, creating a walkable urban village.
The Corporate Business Park designation is set to be removed, with additional parkland designated to meet the residential demand.
Notably, an Urban Square and stormwater management facility are also included in the proposed parkland dedication.
The development includes a mix of residential and commercial blocks, comprising four mixed-use residential & commercial blocks ranging from 6 to 10-storeys, three residential apartment blocks ranging from 8 to 10-storeys, and 13 x 3-storey townhouse blocks.
The total unit count stands at 767, with 379 units spread across 6-10-storey apartment buildings, 172 townhouses, and 216 apartment units in the residential blocks.
Additionally, the plan incorporates approximately 6,500 square metres of commercial floor space within the apartment buildings.
Marketed as Silvercreek Junction, the initial submission to the city was made in early 2020, proposing 772 housing units.
Subsequent revisions saw adjustments in unit counts, with the current proposal reflecting the initial number of units but with a different mix of housing types.
Parking accommodations include a mix of surface and underground parking, with plans for a 2.5-acre park.
Notably, Silvercreek Parkway South is set to be reopened between Paisley Road and Waterloo Avenue, with an underpass proposed for the CN Rail tracks south of Paisley Road.
Public transit accessibility is highlighted, with the site located near bus routes connecting to the downtown core, facilitating travel within the city.
The 10 Imperial bus routes at Paisley Road and Glengarry Street are approximately 450m (6 minutes) walking distance from the center of the subject site.
The site is also roughly a 900m (11 minute) walking distance to the 9 Waterloo bus route at Waterloo Avenue and St. Arnaud Street. Both routes lead to the downtown core, allowing for route connections to the rest of the city.
The proposal entails several requested changes to zoning regulations. The changes include adjustments to setbacks, parking ratios, building height, and amenity space.
The proposed changes require a Zoning by-law amendment with special provisions and rezoning of the site.
Notable examples include variations in floor space index, angular plane from streets, lot areas, rear yards, front yards, lot frontages, and building heights.
The proposal for the land development at 35, 40, and 55 Silvercreek Parkway South in Guelph includes requests for special provisions to accommodate the project’s unique requirements.
The requests involve adjustments to zoning regulations to better align with the envisioned development.
For the specialized high-density apartment buildings, a zone change to (R.4B-_) Zone is requested. Notable provisions include a permitted maximum Floor Space Index (FSI) of 1.5, with Block 1 provided at 1.8 and Block 2 at 3.1, exceeding the permitted limit.
Similarly, the permitted “Angular Plane from a Street” of 45 degrees is requested, with a provision of 58 degrees. In the case of specialized on-street townhouses, zone changes to (R.3B-?) Zone and (R.3B-??) Zone are requested.
For Blocks 4 and 7, the requested provisions include a reduction in the minimum lot area from the required 180 m² to 96 m² and a variance in the minimum rear yard from 7.5 m to 0 m. Similarly, for Blocks 6, 8, 12, and 13, the requested provisions involve adjustments in lot area, front yard, and lot frontage, along with an increase in building height from the permitted three storeys to 4 storeys.
Moreover, for Blocks 5, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 17, the requested provisions include variations in lot area, front yard, and lot frontage, with the minimum lot area reduced from 180 m² to 156 m² and a front yard variance from 6 m to 4.5 m for the habitable area and 6 m for the garage.
Furthermore, for specialized community commercial blocks, a change to the (CC-_) Zone is sought. Notable provisions include a reduction in the minimum lot area from the required 7,500 m² to 3,300 m² and a decrease in the maximum building height from the permitted 15 m (3 storeys) to 10 storeys.
Additionally, the required minimum lot frontage of 50 m is proposed to be reduced to 40.3 m.
These requested provisions aim to accommodate the specific needs of the proposed development, facilitating its realization while adhering to the regulatory framework.
Such adjustments play a crucial role in ensuring the project’s viability and alignment with the overall vision for the area.
The developers aim to transform the vacant site into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood, pending approval from the city.
The forthcoming meeting on April 27, 2024, will provide further insights into the project’s progress.
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