Denise Horne presented on 325 King Street (former Parliament Oak School site) on behalf of Mark Iamarino.
The Architect for the project, Peter J Lesdow, presented a summary of the project.
The Committee reviewed the attached materials submitted as part of the applications for Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment
for a proposed hotel at 325 King Street and provided comments on zoning requirements, massing and height of the building, parking and landscaping.
The main comments of the Committee pertained to inadequate parking for guests, hotel staff and visitors, the height of the building is out of scale with the surrounding area, massing and shadowing is a concern, more trees required to buffer potential noise around the perimeter of the property, and concerns about the proposed change to commercial use.
Motion moved by Peter Neame, that the following recommendations be considered by staff and the applicant regarding 325 King Street - OPA-01-2023 & ZBA-01-2023, CDS-23-150:
1. The Urban Design Committee recommends that Staff and Council reject the proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments at this time.
2. The Urban Design Committee further recommends that Staff and Council carry out the required studies to define the need for and potential location of any new, designated commercial areas within NOTL Old Town, prior to asking for and/or considering specific development proposals for any particular site within such new, designated commercial areas;
3. Without prejudicing the results of any zoning or related planning studies which may address this particular site, the Urban Design Committee recommends that Staff take the following concerns into account when preparing their report to Council on this proposed development (a proposed hotel at 325 King Street
a) The required market/impact study (as per Official Plan section 10.4 Commercial Policies) has not been submitted;
b) The proposed development is not consistent with the Official Plan, which requires that developments should be compatible with:
• ‘existing and planned land uses…in the surrounding neighborhood’
• ‘existing and/or planned densities in the surrounding neighborhood’
• ‘existing and/or planned height and massing of buildings within the surrounding neighborhood’
• and have ‘an effective transition in built form between areas of different densities and scale’
c) The massing of the proposed hotel is too large, and inappropriate for the location within the surrounding neighbourhood and related hierarchy.
d) The height proposed is also inappropriate for the location, and much greater than current requirements.
e) No formal parking study has been done, and the proposed amount of parking appears to be quite inadequate given the numbers of guests, hotel staff and visitors for the associated facilities.
f) No formal landscaping plan has been prepared, and the limited information on the site plan is inadequate to properly assess what is planned.
4. The Urban Design Committee further recommends that Council require Staff to ensure that development proposals are complete, with all required documentation, before being subject to the process of public consultation, advisory committee review and Staff review, prior to submission to Council for review and decision.
APPROVED