Ancaster condominium plan for Wilson Street East and Rousseaux Street inching forward

The developers of the former Brandon House property in Ancaster are inching toward a new plan for the site at the corner of Wilson Street East and Rousseaux Street.

But a lack of details on an updated plan was a cause for concern for Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson and members of his advisory community council during a May 1 meeting.

Working on behalf of the developer, Brenda Khes, senior associate planner for GSP Group Inc., presented the same plan previously submitted to Hamilton's planning committee in February for a mixed-use residential and commercial development at 442, 450, 454 and 462 Wilson St. E.

Aaron Waxman, partner and managing director of IronPoint Capital Management, had proposed a plan for a six-storey condominium building with 161 residential units, which failed to win the support of city planning staff.

Calling the 2.5-storey height limit in the Ancaster Wilson Street Secondary Plan unnecessarily restrictive," Khes said the development team came to the community council meeting to gain further feedback on the plan, in preparation for a revised proposal.

What you see here tonight, that I'm presenting, will not be the final plan," said Khes.

Khes said the developer is planning a follow-up meeting for May 25, to present another proposal.

As it currently stands, the development will occupy the southeast corner of Rousseaux Street and Wilson Street East, combining four properties, including the vacant site of the former Brandon House. Buildings at 450 and 442 Wilson St. E. would be retained for commercial uses, while 454 Wilson St. E. would be demolished to provide for more open amenity space and the potential for wider sidewalks on Rousseaux.

While declining to specifically address the building height, Waxman said the developers are targeting a condominium plan ranging from 140 to 152 units. He said the proposed condominiums would be mainly two-bedroom units, aimed at younger retirees aged 55 to 79.

Height's almost secondary here," he told the committee. Traffic is the thing we hear about the most."

The developer is exceeding the requirement for underground parking, Waxman noted, and has proposed extending the left-turn lane from Rousseaux to Wilson and restricting left turns from the development onto Rousseaux.

Area resident and community council member Wendi VanExan said traffic in the area is already problematic, recounting a recent incident where she was nearly struck by a vehicle at the corner of Rousseaux and Academy streets.

Everybody in Ancaster knows what happens in Ancaster when there's a problem on the 403," she said.

Citing provincial planning regulations, as well as the Urban Hamilton official plan, Khes said developers have been generally encouraged to pursue higher densities.

The policy documents are encouraging us to have more (density) ... especially with the decision of council not to expand its urban boundaries. So, you're going to need to see increased pressure on what's happening within those urban boundaries," she said.

But after listening to the developer's presentation, Ferguson was dismayed that a new plan wasn't on the table. His advisory committee, which was holding its first in-person meeting in two years, was anticipating a plan that differed from the one presented to the planning committee in February and a subsequent community meeting on April 20.

Why is it a big secret, what you're proposing?" Ferguson asked.

Because we're not done," Khes responded.

Waxman added: We're not going to make a knee-jerk reaction because people want to see the final outcome. We're going to take our time, be thorough and be diligent to make sure we assess all the stakeholder needs. Because what we come forward with now will be our final kick at the can."

A followup meeting for the development plan is tentatively slated for May 25 at the Ancaster Old Town Hall.