Single-family homes it is, finally, for a south-Barrie property.
City council will vote Monday on approving a housing development at the corner of Hurst Drive and Big Bay Point Road.
“We have for a very long time tried to accommodate the community and council,” said Andy Lomaga of developer Sierra Vista. “We consulted with the local alderman (Coun. Alex Nuttall) and the people and
they preferred to see single-family homes, to (rather than) townhouses, and that was our position.”
“This is an issue we have bantered back and forth for seven years,” said Nuttall, who represents this part of Barrie, and successfully amended the original staff recommendation.
The concept is for 38 single-detached homes on a private road with a commercial/residential block at the Hurst/Big Bay Point corner.
“After one year the applicant has the opportunity to provide evidence to the city that commercial cannot be successful at this location, at which time an additional five single- detached homes could be built fronting on the private road rather than the commercial originally proposed,” said Celeste Terry, the city’s senior development planner.
“If the city wants us to try for the commercial, we will,” Lomaga said.
This 3.25-acre site — at 650 Big Bay Point Rd. and 63 Kell Pl. — still requires a site plan application to review detailed design of the development.
Lomaga says he prefers reverse frontages for the homes there.
“I worry about that they (the city) will still require houses to be sited in such a way that they face Big Bay Point Road, instead of being sideways,” he said. “It’s a lot safer for people to have a fence.”
Coun. Barry Ward was the only one who opposed the motion on March 18.
“In the plans for the annexed (former Innisfil) land we heard earlier Monday, acting on the recommendation from council of what we want to see, we were told the proposed secondary plans would see sidewalks on both sides of most streets, higher densities at the intersection of major streets, no reverse frontages, which are unsightly and discourage pedestrians, a mix of housing styles and neighbourhood commercial uses,” he said.
“What we saw in Coun. Nuttall’s motion was a plan with no sidewalks, lower-than-possible densities at the intersection of two major streets, reverse frontages, more single-family homes in a neighbourhood already dominated by that style and the likely elimination of commercial uses,” Ward added.
“It seems what is a good idea for the annexed lands is not a good idea for the existing Barrie. Since council seems so quick to abandon the vision for the city in what we want here, because of pressure from a developer and some neighbours, it doesn’t bode well for council sticking to the plans of what we say we want in the annexed lands.”
Ward said area residents might have second thoughts about wanting single-family homes at Hurst Drive and Big Bay Point Road.
“What they are getting will be single-family homes on 28- or 29-foot lots,” he said. “From what I’ve seen of such developments elsewhere in the city, they will not be in keeping with the surrounding homes. I think well-designed town-homes would have been more attractive in that location.”
At one point, Sierra Vista had proposed a 58-unit townhouse development on the property — but neighbours opposed it. Many wanted single-family homes there, and also to keep Down the Road Irish Pub open. It has since closed and the building is gone.
The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), which rules on contentious local government matters, rejected Sierra Vista’s plan.
The OMB also rejected the city’s plan, approved by the last council (2006-10), for 24 townhouses, 10 single-family homes and 5,000 square feet of commercial use on the site.
By Bob Bruton, Barrie Examiner
