Newmarket council members said there is a need to ensure new developments are providing enough parking spaces due to traffic challenges.
The Biglieri Group presented to council today, Sept. 20, at a public meeting about a 16-townhouse proposal at 281 Main St. North, which will provide homes with one outdoor parking spot in addition to a garage. The development would have a condominium road and is seeking a zoning bylaw amendment to expand the number of units.
Mayor John Taylor expressed concern about the parking situation there and said given the houses also lack basements, residents might use garages for storage space, rather than parking. He said that could lead to challenges on the development road, given Main Street North does not allow for parking.
“We want to be progressive and we want to embrace the future of transportation,” Taylor said, “but I think for the next decade or two, we need to be a little cognizant of this challenge.”
The development at the corner of Main and Deviation Road would include four visitor parking spaces. The project received previous zoning bylaw amendment approval for 11 units in 2016, but the lot has remained vacant since then. Council makes no decisions about a development at a public meeting, which is intended to hear public input — however, nobody from the general public requested to speak or provide written input on this project.
Biglieri Group planner Michael Testaguzza said the developer, White House Corp. is expanding the number of units from the original 11 to better manage the costs on residents.
“This, in essence, is just making more efficient use of the condo road,” he said. “Future residents will probably appreciate there will be more units, spreading out that cost per unit.”
Councillor. Bob Kwapis said parking could be a problem given the nearby neighbourhood cannot well accommodate any overflow.
“My only concern would be overflow, knowing very well the old Main Street and the traffic there and the surrounding areas,” Kwapis said.
Councillor Victor Woodhouse said street parking challenges could pose an issue with these types of development in the long term.
“I’m very concerned we don't end up creating ourselves a problem by being generous in waiving requirements, or at least not requiring enough parking,” Woodhouse said.
Taylor said there could be more applications like this coming, and the council should consider acting on that sooner than in upcoming official plan changes.
Council made no decisions on the development, with a staff report to come at a future committee of the whole meeting.
Director of planning and building services Jason Unger said people feedback can be submitted to [email protected].
