An already contentious proposal to build a four-storey apartment complex at 1298 Pelham Street has residents once more up-in-arms after another minor variance request was filed with the municipality.
A public meeting is being held at 4:00pm on February 11 in Town Council Chambers, where the request will be considered by the Committee of Adjustment.
According to a Notice of Public Hearing distributed by the Town, the owners of the property are requesting relief from Section 5.122 of the Zoning By-law (“Parking Area”) to permit a 6m reduction in the street line setback off of Pancake Lane; as well as relief from section 6.16(l)(i) to “recognize an existing accessory structure used for two-vehicle parking, located 1.41m from the west lot line where 3m is required”.
Residents have expressed concern that repeated By-Law relief for minor variances will eventually add up to a significant deviation. The Committee of Adjustment, which deals with these requests, granted the property owner five variances in July of last year. Over fifty residents turned out at that meeting to oppose those variances, and the building itself, with arguments ranging from a desire to avoid light pollution to the area’s inability to handle increased traffic.
Those requests were considered minor by the town Public Works and Planning departments, who felt the changes adequately reflected Pelham’s Official Plan.
An OMB appeal hearing of the July variances has been postponed pending the results of the upcoming meeting.
