Neighbours, committee want 400-unit apartment complex scaled down

Portions of an 11-building, multi-storey residential and business development project in Windsor's east end will need to be scaled down to get the support of neighbours and city councillors.

The project presented to Windsor's development committee has four buildings during the first phase being built on an empty field at Banwell Road and McHugh Street including:

• Two 10-storey buildings with 120 units each
• A two-storey office building
• A single storey respite home

The second phase will include a six-storey and eight-storey building with a combined 168-units in the same lot and future plans to add five additional six-storey buildings north of the development between Banwell Road and Questa Drive.

The 10-storey buildings are allowed under the city's official plan if the maximum height is 35 metres, but on Tuesday, Coun. Angelo Marignani led the committee in asking the developer to bring a plan to council that does see a building tower beyond 30 metres.

"There was some concerns about, you know, the well-being of the of the neighbourhood as a result of this development," said Marignani.

The project, once completed, will bring 700 units to city's east end over the next decade, according to a consultant for the numbered company that submitted the plans.

Previous residential developments have also been approved in the area immediately east of Banwell that will allow for an additional 230 units to be built.

People who live near these developments said they're worried that the most recent project will lead to more flooding, worse traffic and drape shadows over their sun-filled backyards. 

Flooding, shadows and traffic concerns raised

Joan Ennis was one of dozens of people at Tuesday's meeting to hear the discussion about the project.

"Windsor needs more housing. Yes, but do we need to turn Banwell into concrete jungle?" she asked the committee. 

Ennis, who lives on Questa Drive and backs onto an empty lot where the five six-storey buildings are proposed to be built, said she was particularly worried about flooding.

"We can not get insurance coverage for our basements," said Ennis, 86, who said her basement flooded during a September storm.

"To put so many bodies in such a small area can only give us more headaches," she said.

Karl Tanner, a consultant with Dillon Consulting who appeared on behalf of the developer, suggested that by adding a parking lot flooding would be less of a problem. 

"You can use those parking lots to store water and drain them," said Tanner.

City staff said during Tuesday's meetings the new development would not lead to additional flooding because Blue Heron Pond is built to retain the water for developments in this space.

Lower building height a compromise

Coun. Fred Francis said that most of the concerns he heard could be address by limiting the height of the building. 

"It all stems from what I'm seeing, the height," said Francis, who supported the recommendation to bring the first phase of the project between Banwell and McHugh to council if the tallest building rises no higher than 30 metres tall.

"If the proponent wants to come in lower than that, even better."

Tanner said that they'll take the recommendations back to the developer.

The project is now expected to move to council, where councillors will be able to ask questions of the developer, city staff and hear from residents who will have reviewed the latest proposal and any potential changes. 

Marignani said he looks forward to seeing what's brought back to council and thanked the residents who came forward with their concerns.

"I think our job is to get into that area, get into that compromise, collaborate, work together and just produce a better city."