Two homeowners on Jackson Street West say eight-storeys is too tall for Main Street West between Locke Street and Dundurn Street.
Matthew Bury and Robin Jeanveau both filed separate appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal stating Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment errored when they approved a six-storey 107 residential unit mid-rise building at 415 Main Street West as a minor variance.
The site, on the south side of Main Street, used to be a Dairy Queen location.
At the approval hearing in March, nearby residents opposed to the development said it will decrease their enjoyment of the neighbourhood, harm their privacy, and decrease the values of their properties.
“A development of this nature would serve to build value for Matrix Developments and the City of Hamilton in the way of increased property tax revenue,” wrote Matthew Bury in March opposing the development. “At the same time, this development will almost certainly impact the growth of my property value and all abutting properties.”
Bury lives on Jackson Street West, directly south of the planned development.
“The approval of this variance will result in large costs involved in the recuperation of privacy and usability of the north-facing side of my property.”
In the appeal, Bury says the Committee of Adjustment “at best, dismissed” neighbours’ concerns.
In a separate appeal filing, fellow Jackson Street West resident Robin Jeanveau writes, “the planned development has been granted a variance to build to 26.25 metres, that is 9.25 metres, or roughly 55% taller than the stated maximum height. Under no circumstances can this be considered minor in nature.”
“This building would also represent a significant change to the existing mature residential neighbourhood. A building of this scale would be the tallest structure of any type for 650 metres in any direction and thus would dominate and overpower everything around it. For this reason, it is neither appropriate nor desirable.”
Jeanveau writes the proposal will “eliminate all privacy enjoyed by homeowners” and “completely obscure views to the north.”
Both residents are self-represented.
No date is yet set for the pre-hearing at the OLT to determine how the appeal will proceed.
The developer for the project is Matrix Development Group.
This is exactly the type of “missing middle” mid-rise density that major corridors such as Main Street desperately need to bring more people and more life into the core. Moreover, this will (fingers crossed) one day be in very close proximity to the LRT route. Also, as per residents’ fears… a quick look/drive by this area shows it to be anything but pedestrian friendly. Main Street here, as across most of the city, is choc-a-bloc with parking lots, drive-thrus, used car lots, and boarded up buildings. If anything, local councilors should be pressuring the developers to include a bay of 4 or 5 small retail bays facing onto Main. Such an inclusion would go a long way towards enlivening the local streetscape and reintroducing locals to Main as a pedestrian destination. That plus a return to two-way traffic… but that is another whole can of worms.
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