Disputed Ancaster townhouse plan gets green light

A disputed proposal for six townhouses in old Ancaster has a green light from city hall.

Coun. Lloyd Ferguson and others offered unanimous support for the 15 Church St. plan during a second crack at the developer's pitch Tuesday.

At two-and-a-half floors, it's creating a lot of anxiety in my community," Ferguson said.

But the Ancaster councillor predicted a bigger fight" over future development proposals calling for five and six storeys.

The Veloce Luxury Homes plan to demolish a 200-year-old, fire-damaged single-family home on the property and build six townhouses was originally up for a vote in mid-December.

But amid backlash from some area residents, Ferguson asked for time to host a virtual meeting to address their concerns.

A heated exchange with the veteran councillor prompted Bob Maton, a member of a local advocacy group, to file an integrity complaint, which the commissioner promptly dismissed.

On Tuesday, Jim MacLeod, another member of the Ancaster Village Heritage Community, said citizens are still opposed" to the application despite Ferguson's virtual forum.

This is a really bad precedent," MacLeod told councillors, characterizing support for the proposal as a misinterpretation of planning policy.

Concerns about the developer's proposal on a lot near the corner of Wilson Street East range from the loss of a heritage home to increased traffic and heightened density.

Coun. John-Paul Danko rejected that six, two-and-a-half-storey townhouses could be criticized as overdevelopment.

It should have been a five- to six-storeys" on the site, Danko said, noting the city must achieve an intensification rate of 60 per cent in coming years to meet growth targets to 2051.

We're all going to bear some of the brunt of that," the Mountain councillor said. Change is always difficult."

The city has posted for public feedback reports that suggest Hamilton must expand its urban boundary to accommodate an expected spike in population of about 230,000 people over the next 30 years.

Councillors backed Ferguson's call to attach conditions to 15 Church St., some of which included a maximum lot coverage of 37 per cent and basements to prevent residents from parking on the street with garages used for storage.

The planning committee approval awaits a final vote at council next week.

Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com