*Please see below a joint statement from Mayor Meed Ward & Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith.
Burlington, Ont. — Sept. 14, 2023 — Burlington City Council has conditionally accepted a revised proposal related to a development application at 1600 Kerns Rd. to rezone the site from ‘Neighbourhood Commercial’ to ‘Mixed-Use’. This zoning continues to allow commercial uses on the property, while also adding residential units.
The revised proposed redevelopment contemplates a four-storey retirement home of 115 units, with commercial uses at street level – the original proposal did not include commercial space. Staff note in their planning justification report that providing an option for seniors housing in the area provides a greater mix of housing types and can provide an option for residents to age in place.
The recent changes to the proposal take into account concerns raised by the community, staff and council and include:
- An increase in commercial area abutting Kerns Road and Four Seasons Drive from 278 m2 to 450 m2;
- An increase in landscape buffer abutting a residential zone to a minimum of 2.5 m along the loading space area and 3 m along the outdoor amenity area;
- An increase in amenity area 14.4 m2 per dwelling unit to 15.4 m2 per dwelling unit;
- A reduction from 5-storeys to 4-storeys with 115 units;
- A decrease in front yard setback (Kerns Road) from 6 m to 4.5 m to provide a greater setback from the erosion hazard area.
This project was appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) with a hearing date set for Oct. 2, 2023. There are still contested matters, such as setbacks from the creek and parts of the development still existing in the erosion hazard area. Expert evidence regarding the hazard will be provided by Conservation Halton and depending on how the OLT rules, may require further refinements to the project. Should the OLT prefer the technical evidence of Conservation Halton regarding erosion hazards, the City of Burlington would not support the approval of the revised development.
To learn more about the project and view supporting documents, please visit burlington.ca/1600kerns
We want to thank the many residents who provided their input into the 1600 Kerns Rd. project. It has contributed to a better proposal, including a more appropriate height for the area, larger setbacks, and additional commercial space.
We have heard from many in the community about concerns related to a loss of the neighbourhood commercial feature with the proposed rezoning from commercial to mixed-use. Mixed-use allows both commercial and residential uses and provides more flexibility on the property.
As a result of community input, 450 m2 in commercial uses are preserved as part of the mixed-use proposal.
We also heard concerns from residents regarding the size of the building. It was reduced from 5-storeys to 4-storeys from the original proposal to adhere to our new Official Plan. The developer also accepted a request from the working group on this application to move the location of the building so the street corner would remain open.
The neighbours immediately backing onto the project have withdrawn their appeal after changes satisfied their concerns.
The OLT will still need to rule on the setbacks from the creek, so more changes may yet come on this project.
Thank you once again to everyone who participated in reviewing this proposed development. We believe your concerns and your input have been reflected in the revised proposal.
Sincerely,
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward & Councillor Kelvin Galbraith
City of Burlington
