When Irene Jones steps out of her front door on Acorn Avenue, near the Kipling subway station, she enjoys an open view of the sky. But in a few years, that view might be replaced by a high-rise condo.
Jones is the co-chair of the South Eatonville Residents Association (SERA), a local group of Etobicoke residents living in the area bounded by the south side of Bloor Street West to the railway corridor, west of Kipling Avenue to Highway 427.
The association is concerned about the building of yet another high building among the more than a dozen high-rise buildings along Dundas Street West near the Kipling TTC station.
“We were shocked at the height [of the condo] that was being proposed because there is a single-family home immediately to the north of it and to the west as well,” Jones said.
Residents of South Eatonville have launched a petition opposing a 49-storey condominium planned for 5280 Dundas St. W. The petition argues any building over 10 stories will cause “irreparable harm” to the surrounding single-family homes in the community.
Peter Morris, SERA’s co-chair, said building a high-rise tower adjacent to low-rise private homes is inappropriate.
Morris said the tower would overshadow nearby homes, but the primary concern is the lack of parking spaces. He said the community fears the limited number of spots planned will spill cars into residential streets, causing parking violations and congestion.
“This particular building is literally across the fence from a house. It’s like having a TD Bank tower next door,” Morris said.
SERA is not against development. Jones wants the area to be redeveloped and acknowledged the city’s housing problems, but said the proposed height and density in this project are intrusive to the community.
According to the zoning-by-law sign, Marlin Spring Developments, a home developer in Toronto, has applied to build the 49-storey residential tower with 541 units, 71 per cent of which will be one-bedroom suites. The project includes 39 parking spots for residents, eight for visitors and 502 long-term bicycle spots.
The development site is currently home to two restaurants.
Marlin Spring Developments did not respond to requests for comment.
Jones said SERA was formed years ago to ensure that growth in the area of South Eatonville would come with community benefits and new amenities. However, she said requests for childcare services, open spaces, tree planting and other improvements have gone unanswered by the city.
The co-chair said the group would not be opposing the development if it included affordable housing and was scaled appropriately. However, she said the current project is “thoughtlessly” planned, given the proximity to single-family homes and its potential impacts.
“We’ve made comments about the need for more open spaces, for more public meeting spaces to protect the local retail,” Morris said. “The city has this input, but we never get any feedback.”
The group requested the city to host a public meeting on March 13 to gather community feedback on the proposal.
The meeting, held online, was attended by community members, city planner Anthony Soscia, Councillor Amber Morley (Ward 3, Etobicoke-Lakeshore) and the developers.
Jones said residents expressed their concerns, particularly about the impact on 47 Acorn Ave., the house next to the proposed development. She said Morley did not speak much during the meeting, leaving residents doubtful about her willingness to oppose the project.
In an email to Humber Et Cetera, Morley said her office worked with SERA and the community planning division to expand the mailer notice area for the public meeting to “3.5 times the provincial requirement.”
“It is important to me that residents are aware of changes that are being proposed in their neighbourhood and are provided the opportunity to share their feedback,” she said.
The councillor said she agrees with the community that the proposed 49-storey tower is too tall for the location. She said she would like to see the applicant submit a revised proposal based on community input, and clarified she does not support the application in its current form.
“While I do support transit-oriented communities and increasing density in our major transit station areas, we need to be respectful of the long-standing stable neighbourhoods nearby and the residents who live in them,” Morley said.
Jones received a letter from Capital City Realty Group the day after the meeting, which stated buyers were interested in properties in the area and her home presented a great opportunity for future development. The letter also suggested selling alongside her neighbours could maximize property values.
“It made me feel very uncomfortable,” she said. “It made me think: ‘Do I want to sell up and get out now before high rises come?’
“I’m a little bit disappointed that there hasn’t been a level of protection provided for the north side of Dundas Street, more in line with a main street or an avenue,” Jones said.
She now hopes the economy will slow the pace of high-rise developments in the area.
City council will vote on the project in early April.
