The owner of an north end apartment building wants to nearly double the number of rental units inside, though they would be smaller than what’s currently provided.
An application has been filed with the city’s committee of adjustment seeking permission to renovate 493 Victoria Rd. N., on the northeast corner of the Woodlawn Road/Victoria Road intersection, into 31 units from the current 16.
The plan, as explained in a cover letter accompanying the application, is to convert the buildings 15 three-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit into 16 two-bedroom units of varying size and 15 bachelor pads.
The building is about 45 years old.
“It is widely discussed that Ontario is in a housing crisis, and there is a strong push to create additional dwelling units in as short a time as possible,” the letter states. “Given that the proposed development would not alter the building itself, and only enlarge the parking lot, the impacts will generally be negligible for all requested variances.”
Those requests include a decrease in the minimum parking required – to 39 from 44 – along with permission to have no long-term bicycle parking spots (31 required). Reductions to buffer strips, common amenity areas and landscaped open space are also requested.
The committee of adjustment is set to consider the requests during its Dec. 12 meeting, held inside council chambers at city hall, beginning at 3 p.m. It will also be streamed live at guelph.ca/live.
Anyone wishing to address the committee about the requests must register to do so by noon on Dec. 11 – email [email protected] or call 519-822-1260 ext. 2524.
The deadline for written submissions is noon on Dec. 5.
