Proposed Hamilton Mountain garage conversion draws wrath of neighbours

The garage at the back of the house at 38 Rendell Boulevard on the east Mountain is getting a lot of attention these days.

Owned by a couple from Burlington, the garage has been targeted for conversion into a secondary dwelling or apartment rental unit as permitted under city bylaws passed last May.

The owners are also looking to add an apartment within the home.

In November the issue was tabled or put on hold by the Committee of Adjustment (COA) to allow for public consultation.

For many neighbours, the proposed garage conversion is non-starter.

There must be a better way of supply housing to the area than converting garages into housing," said Paul Kurpe, who has lived in the area for more than 60 years. We're going to turn Hamilton into a shantytown; nobody wants a garage next door converted into an apartment."

Another local resident, Clause Jarvis, said allowing garages to be converted into apartments will ruin the esthetics of the Highview neighbourhood, dominated by single-family homes.

Kurpe said he began contacting other residents in the area last fall after he received a notice from the COA.

A COA variance to reduce on-site parking from three to two spaces is required for the project to proceed.

The home has been owned without incident for the past 11 years by Tetyana Holoshchuk and her husband Alex Razborshchuk.

Holoshchuk's name appears on COA documents.

East Mountain councillor Tom Jackson and a few of the residents met with Razborshchuk for about an hour at the former Sherwood Centre on Feb. 5.

They (the residents) in a respectful and courteous way urged him to abandon the application," Jackson said. He did not say no."

Jackson said Razborshchuk told him he would get back to the councillor in the coming days.

Hamilton Community News spoke to Razborshchuk prior to the Feb. 5 meeting with Jackson and the residents.

He said they would like to proceed with the conversion this year.

But I want to make sure the neighbours buy into this," he said

Razborshchuk said, it is a possibility" he might withdraw the garage conversion plan if he can't secure support from the neighbourhood.

I respect the neighbourhood," Razborshchuk said. I don't want to change the character."

While he voted against the recommendation, Jackson said the City approved new secondary dwelling rules in reaction to Bill 108, the More Homes, More Choice Act, aimed at increasing the number of rental and affordable housing units in Ontario.

The provincial legislation includes substantial changes to the planning and appeal process, municipal revenue generation methods and environmental protection.

Ken Bekendam, the agent for Razborshchuk, said the provincial legislation and bylaw will result in a spike in the number of garage conversions in Hamilton.

(It's) driven by the supply crunch of housing," Bekendam said. A garage that is converted into a unit is going to definitely be aimed at the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to rentals.

Meanwhile, Jackson noted there are three possible options if the homeowners wish to proceed.

The COA could deny the variance and the homeowners could appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), the variance could be granted and the neighbours could appeal to LPAT or the City could change the bylaw passed last spring but do those one of the 11 councillors who voted for it would have to put forward a motion to reconsider the legislation.

STORY BEHIND THE STORY

Hamilton Community News wanted to find out more about a garage to residential unit conversion that is causing concern among residents in the Highview neighbourhood on the east Mountain.