Just the Facts:
●The approved development at 1065 Speedsville Road, led by the developer River Mill Community, will feature 220 rental units in four-storey stacked townhouses, with a density of 100 units per hectare. The zoning amendment allows for the potential future development of an apartment building with a maximum density of 200 units per hectare if market conditions change.
●The project includes 275 parking spaces, providing a parking ratio of 1.0 space per unit, with an additional 50 visitor spaces. The developer has committed to exploring additional parking options during the site plan stage.
●The site was rezoned from (H)RM3/CS5 s.4.1.303B to (H)RM3/CS5 s.4.1.480 with site-specific provisions, allowing for increased density, modified yard setbacks, lot coverage, and enhanced amenity spaces for the mixed townhouse development.
CAMBRIDGE – The development at 1065 Speedsville Road in Cambridge has been approved for rezoning after undergoing significant revisions from its original submission in January 2023.
Initially designed as a four-storey apartment building with 465 units, the plan now focuses on four-storey stacked townhouses featuring 220 rental units and a reduced density of 100 units per hectare, down from 200 units per hectare.
Despite city councillors’ request to include apartment units, the developer determined that such units were not feasible in the current market.
However, the approved Zoning By-law Amendment does allow for a potential shift back to apartments with a maximum density of 200 units per hectare should market conditions change.
The development includes 275 parking spaces, with a parking ratio of 1.25 spaces per unit. Each of the 220 units is allocated one parking space, with 50 visitor spaces included in the overall count.
Of the 275 spaces, 120 will be garage spaces and 155 surface parking spaces. The developer has agreed to explore additional parking options during the site plan stage if needed.
The subject lands were previously zoned (H)RM3/CS5 s.4.1.303B but have now been rezoned to (H)RM3/CS5 s.4.1.480, with additional site-specific provisions.
These new provisions allow for a mix of cluster back-to-back and stacked townhouses (referred to as mixed terraces) and apartments if needed.
The amendment introduces higher density allowances, increasing the density for cluster back-to-back and stacked townhouses to 100 units per hectare and maintaining the option for apartments at 200 units per hectare, a significant change from the previous limits of 40 and 75 units per hectare for townhouses and apartments, respectively.
Key site-specific provisions in the amendment address yard setbacks, building height, Gross Floor Area per dwelling unit, lot coverage, private and common amenity spaces, and density.
Notably, the amendment proposes to increase the maximum lot coverage from 40% to 60% for linear townhouses and cluster townhouses while ensuring that 25% of the front yard is landscaped.
The site will still maintain a minimum of 30% landscaped open space across the entire development.
The River Mill community, which includes mixed-use buildings and planned commercial areas, will benefit from the addition of these townhouses.
An existing provision requiring a minimum of 1,500 square metres of Gross Commercial Floor Area across various mixed-use blocks within the River Mill community will also apply to this development.
The commercial space will primarily be located in Phase 4 of the subdivision, directly across from the subject site.
City planning staff recommended approval of the Zoning By-law Amendment, emphasizing that the development will provide needed rental housing while efficiently using the land and municipal services.
The proposal aligns with the Provincial Policy Statement, Provincial Growth Plan 2020, Region of Waterloo Official Plan (ROP), and the City of Cambridge Official Plan.
To read more articles on this specific development, click here.
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