A proposal to build two towers of 27 and 30 storeys near the northwest corner of Dundas Street West and Bronte Road was considered by town council at its July 10 planning and development meeting.
Councillors gave the plan a thorough and skeptical critique.
The proposal
Developer Enirox Group wants to build two towers perched atop a three-storey podium, with a total of 690 residential units.
About two-thirds of the units would have one bedroom. Most of the remaining third would have two bedrooms, although six units would have three bedrooms.
The plan calls for:
- A publicly accessible open plaza at the corner of Dundas Street and Old Bronte Road.
- Four levels of underground parking with 698 spaces for residents, visitors and retail use.
- Access for vehicles from a driveway off Old Bronte Road.
- Two ground-floor retail or commercial units with a combined total of 570 square metres (about 6,000 square feet) of space. (For reference, an average Starbucks is between 1,500 and 2,000 square feet.)
Full details can be found here.
Where's the vibrant commercial district?
The limited amount of commercial space is a problem for Ward 1 councillor Sean O'Meara.
He noted that the vision for the area calls for a mixed-use development that would capture a main street vibe and offer a mix of street-level stores and restaurants.
"What I don't see here is the commercial focus for the northwest part of Oakville," said O'Meara.
Fellow Ward 1 councillor Jonathan McNeice echoed those concerns, noting the demand for retail and services to meet the needs of residents already living on the south side of Dundas Street.
Ward 5 councillor Jeff Knoll questioned the viability of the retail spaces that are planned.
The eight parking spaces designated for all retail employees and customers aren't enough to sustain most businesses, he warned.
Knoll noted that most local condo retail spaces end up dominated by nail salons, barbershops and dentists.
"The retailers can't survive, and the retailers who have tried to move in there have all generally failed because their customers can't get to them," he said. "I think the potential here is huge, and I think it's being missed – not just from the perspective of the developer but for the community."
How will you get there on foot?
Although it's located near the corner of two of Oakville's busiest roadways, councillors noted that the proposal doesn't consider ways to improve safe travel for pedestrians.
Several councillors suggested a 'flyover' or pedestrian bridge should be considered to allow people to cross the six-lane roadways without dodging cars.
"It's a really challenging road to cross, and it's probably only getting busier, so I'd certainly support anything that improves pedestrian access," said McNeice.
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What about car owners?
Ward 4 councillor Allan Elgar questioned whether 698 parking spaces are sufficient for all the residents of 690 units, plus their visitors, plus the retail employees and customers.
But parking could be only the second biggest headache for condo purchasers.
Plans for an access driveway off Old Bronte Road should be reconsidered, suggested McNeice.
He warned that travelling either east or south from the site will be challenging or impossible for drivers.
"The way you have it planned out now, it would be near impossible to access or access efficiently without doing illegal turns and creating a lot of safety concerns."
What about the history?
The historic village of Palermo, centred on the intersection of Dundas Street and Bronte Road, was the first urban centre in Oakville.
By 1920, it had about 30 homes, its own post office, a community hall, a blacksmith shop, a brick schoolhouse, a medical office, and several churches.
Palermo founder Lawrence Hagar lived in a house on the site of the proposed condo development.
While the developer is suggesting that a plaque outlining the history of the property could be installed in the public square, Knoll said he thinks something more significant is required.
"When you think about it in the context of the history of Trafalgar Township and ultimately the history of Oakville, it's a pretty darn important piece of property," he said. "I think it deserves more than a plaque."
Is there time to make this work?
The developer's planner and architect attended the meeting, promising to work on improving the plans to address councillor concerns.
But new provincial rules mean that if the town does not rule on the application by Oct. 7, it will be forced to refund the fees paid by the developer.
Elgar questioned whether it would be feasible for the developer to do the necessary work to improve the project, given the tight time frame.
Town staff said they will bring a recommendation report back to council before the October deadline.